On Luftwaffe or SS training facilities prior to WWII

I am in possession of some original negatives of what appears to be a Luftwaffe or S.S. related training facility. I think that these negatives depict a time from before the war, but am unsure as to all specifics concerning them.

I have performed quite a bit of personal research, but have ran into multiple dead ends and now have decided to approach forums and personal collectors for help figuring these out.

I'm basically curious as to if training facilities of this nature were in existence prior to the war? If not, I'll have to further my research to find out what in the world I have in my possession!

I am willing to send watermarked images to people who may be able to assist me in my research.

Thanks for any help that can be provided!!!

 

There were indeed training facilities pre-war.

Are there any markings on the negatives? Some time they bore the manufacturer and the type of film.

If you would like to send them with the watermark I would be happy to add anything I can to what you already know.

 

I think this is the best thread suited to put forward my question. If it isnt, the mods may move it to the thread, they deem best.


After World War 1 , with the Treaty of Versailles imposed on Germany and much before Hitler came into the picture ( some where around 1920s), and i think that this agreement was made under the treaty of rapallo, based on which weimar germany embarked on a process of secret tank and aircraft development and military training. Did the allies ( france, britain and america ) know of the existence of such processes in russia and if they did, is there any evidence to show that they did have knowledge about this training and development program by weimar germany?

 

Hi calvin , a picture or two might help. Some members may recognize details which may identify these facilities.

 

I have never read of anyone knowing of the work done by the Germans in Russia during the 20's and early 30's.

 

anyone has more information on this?

 

Here is some info: Devil's bargain: how Germany conspired with Russia to build a cutting-edge army and air force--long before the start of World War II. - Free Online Library

I know of no known sources that reflect the West's knowledge of such secret training programs. I have read that von Seeckt was considered the father of German rearmament. As this link states, the USSR lost out on a source of valuable assets in the form of German trained Soviet officers purged by Stalin. The initial stages of Barbarossa could have turned out differently had these Soviet officers were alive and in command

 

I believe that Barbarossa would still have been an ummitigated disaster for the SU even with the presense of Tuchachevsky and company.

Initial deployments would still have been too far forward into Russian Poland, Red Army tanks would still have had one radio to every six vehicles. Stalin would still be his old paranoic self, the Air Force would still have been under-developed, equiped and trained. The Soviet Red Banner Fleet in either the Baltic or the Black Sea would still have had the same problems with basing, equipment, lack of numbers and training. Soviet submarines would still be outmoded, suffering from poor doctrine and inadequate torpedos. Soviet aerial recon would still have been laughable, with photographic facilities primative and much maligned. The three services would still have been co-operating abysmally, and the security services would still be sucking away much of the best graduates and manpower. It is unlikely that Tuchachevskiites would have been able to stop influence from the Politruk, and each rifle division would still need it's 'blocking detachments' to ensure co-operative personnel when the going got tough.

All of these factors would have applied to the Soviet armed services in 1941 whether these officers were present or not.

 

The hypothetical survival of Tuchachevsky presupposes Stalin is not Stalin and therefore there would have been no purge. Or that Stalin purged a different group of officers but let Tuchachevsky dictate doctrine and arms manufacture. IIRC the general rated coordination and communication above all other equipment.