Lesser known details of WW2 part four

Wolfgang Willrich - War Artist

Wolfgang Willrich

31st March 1897 - 18th October 1948


On the 14th of September 1939 Willrich wrote to Rommel (whom he had come to know through Pauk Linke in 1938, and had already painted) suggesting that he be sent to the front as a combat artist. His petition was supported by officials of the VDA, who helped see to it that he was allowed to draw without restriction. He was commissioned to portray the most important leaders of the German Armed Forces, choosing as his first works U-Boat people and leaders of the German Navy (Karl Doenitz, Guenter Prien, Schuhart, Schulze, and so forth) which were featured in an exhibit at the Berlin House of Artists´ called "Campaign in Poland-The U-Boat War in Pictures and Portraits". It was a complete success, and he was assigned the rank of Feldwebel. He then took part in the campaign in France alongside units of the Wehrmacht, and made portraits of Rommel and General Guderian. Willrich also spent time with the Fallschirmjaeger of the Koch Assault Unit. Until March of 1941 he belonged to the Wehrmacht Press Division, led by Oberst Hesse, but was eventually sent to Norway and Finnland, where he visited units of the Mountain Troops and Organization Todt (1941-42); later he spent time with General Kesselring in Sicily (1943), and then found himself in Russia. He made countless portraits during this period- anonymous soldiers as well as famous personalities like Hans-Ulrich Rudel, Anna Reitsch, Moelders, Gallant, Goering, Dietel , Ferdinand Schoerner, and others. ( Check the site... )

 

Adolf Hitler´s strategy book:

Karl May

Hitler later recommended the books to his generals and had special editions distributed to soldiers at the front, praising Winnetou as an example of "tactical finesse and circumspection", though some note that the latter claims of using the books as military guidance are not substantiated. However, as told by Albert Speer, "when faced by seemingly hopeless situations, he [Hitler] would still reach for these stories," because "they gave him courage like works of philosophy for others or the Bible for elderly people." This influence on the German 'Fuehrer' was later castigated by Klaus Mann, a German writer who accused May of having been a form of 'mentor' for Hitler.

In his admiration Hitler ignored Mays christian and humanitarian approach and views completely, not mentioning his – in some novels – relatively sympathetic description of Jews and persons of non-white race. Several novels of Karl May were re-edited in an antisemitic style during the years of nazism and led to serious misunderstandings about Mays original intentions.

Karl May - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

Here is something random that most know
Hugo Boss Acknowledges Link to Nazi Regime - NYTimes.com

FRANKFURT, Aug. 14— Before Hugo Boss A.G. became known for classic men's suits and flashy ties, the clothing manufacturer made uniforms for the Nazis, a company spokeswoman acknowledged today.

The company said it had become aware of the dealings with the Nazis after the name of its founder, Hugo Boss, who died in 1948, appeared on a list of dormant accounts released by Swiss bankers last month.

''Of course my father belonged to the Nazi Party,'' Siegfried Boss, 83, said in the latest issue of the Austrian news weekly Profil. ''But who didn't belong back then? The whole industry worked for the Nazi Army.''

 

Until 1941, both Roosevelt and Churchill maintained the opinion that Turkey's continuing neutrality would serve the interests of the Allies by blocking the Axis from reaching the strategic oil reserves of the Middle East. But the early victories of the Axis until the end of 1942 caused Roosevelt and Churchill to re-evaluate a possible Turkish participation in the war on the side of the Allies. On January 30, 1943, Winston Churchill secretly met with president İsmet İnönü inside a train wagon at the Yenice Station, 23 kilometers outside of Adana in Turkey, for discussing the issue.

At the end of the conference, it was decided that Turkey's neutrality should be maintained. Both Roosevelt and İnönü got what they wanted, while Churchill was a bit disappointed, because he believed that an active Turkish participation in the war would quicken the German defeat by hitting their "soft underbelly" in the southeast.

Second Cairo Conference - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

On 3 August 1944, 316 rockets ( V1 ) left their launch ramps. The German people were not convinced anymore. For nearly two months they had listened to or read reports of V1´s devastating impact in Britain. The public renamed the flying bomb Versager 1- Failure No 1!

Richard Hargreaves " Germans in Normandy"

 

Churchill had an ongoing obsession about Turkey. As he describes in The Second World War, his hope in 1941 was to forge an anti-Axis front in the Balkans including Greece, Yugoslavia, and hopefully Turkey which could put up to 70 divisions into the field, which he proposed to support with four British Empire divisions. Of course the Germans before Barbarossa had almost two hundred divisions available. In 1943-44 he pressed for operations in the Aegean, constantly citing the supposed impact on Turkey's position and the importance of getting Turkey into the war. Why the Turks should want to do any such thing was never explained.....

 

Violence among German POWs

http://www.traces.org/2002conference.nhaase.html

 

Another nickname for Keitel:

"Reich Garage Attendant"...


From "Hitler´s last days" by Gerhard Boldt

 

And what kinda watch did the German combat divers use? Panerai´s Radiomir...

Check the site from half-way down...

Welcome To RolexMagazine.com...Home Of Jake's Rolex World Magazine..Optimized for iPad and iPhone: Chapter 3: The Complete History Of The Rolex Submariner & SEA-DWELLER [Part 3 of 4]

 

On a slightly-related note Kai; German PoWs complained that American troops were such avid collectors of prisoners' watches, they claimed US stood for Uhren Sammler- "watch collectors"!

 

One of the few serving British MPs to be killed in action in WW2 was Sir Arnold Wilson, KCIE, CSI, CMG, DSO, MP (1884-1940), a WW1 veteran who re-enlisted in 1939-
"On the outbreak of the Second World War, Sir Arnold Wilson, though aged 55, told his constituents that he would not 'shelter behind the bodies of young men' but would serve with them. He enlisted with the RAFVR as a pilot officer, becoming a rear-gunner with a bomber squadron and on account of his knighthood was affectionately known as 'Sir Gunner'. He was killed when his plane was shot down behind German lines near Dunkirk on 31 May 1940, one of the few serving MPs to die on active service."
Principal donors - UK Parliament

 

Koluft ( Thanx to this system the Blitzkrieg was the remarkable success it was )

These were Luftwaffe General Staff Officers attached to the Heeresgruppen (Army Groups).

The Koluft advised the Armee commander regarding Luftwaffe issues and was in direct control of all attached Luftwaffe units.

Units attached to an Armee usually consisted of short range recce units, signal and flak units.

Koluft responsibilities included:-

1. Informing the HQ of an Armee or Heeresgruppe informed about the results of recce operations in its area.

2. Managing the operations of subordinate Short Range recce, communications and flak units.

3. managing the contact with Luftflotte and Fliegerkorps headquarters and informing them of the situation in the Armee/Heeresgruppes area. Also obtaining information, on behalf of the army unit, about Luftwaffe air operations within the Armys area of control.

4. Managing the supply operations for Luftwaffe units operating within the armys area of control.

This method of operation continued until replaced by the Flivo in April-May 1942 when the Luftwaffe took over direct responsibility for all air operations.

Koluft - LuftwaffeDataWiki

Flivo - LuftwaffeDataWiki

 

Ideology first?? Seems like greed first...

"The war loot (1940) had to be collected in a central place in Paris, the Museum Jeu de Paume. At this collection point worked art historians and other personnel who inventoried the loot before sending it to Germany. Göring also commanded that the loot would first be divided between Hitler and himself. For this reason, from the end of 1940 to the end of 1942 he traveled twenty times to Paris. Hitler later ordered that all confiscated works of art were to be made directly available to him. Art collections from prominent Jewish families, including the Rothschilds, the Rosenbergs and the Goudstikkers and the Schloss Family were targeted because of their significant value. Items which Hitler and Göring did not want were made available to other Nazi leaders.

Nazi plunder - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

RAID ON NEUBURG

The raid on Neuburg at the end of March 1945 destroyed almost all ground equipment and installationsand most tools and spare jet units. All aircraft on the field, that is, an approximate total of 80-100 Me 262 were destroyed or damaged on the ground. This included about 60 aircraft of the Ergänzungsgruppen (retraining units), about 20 of the "Moorkultur" (code name for the acceptance unit) and about 20 of the final assembly
" Wandmontage " at Zell.

(1945) Me 262 Pilot Debrief Report

Also on KG51 "Edelweiss by Wolfgang Dierich ( number of destroyed and damaged Me-262´s is mentioned 60 )

 

Battle of Britain:

" For the attack of key targets, such as British aircraft and engine factories, special crews known as "destruction crews" were designated. For this dangerous, often foolhardy task they received over and above the usual flying duty pay, special danger money of 400 Reichsmarks. These "destruction crews" were drawn from crews outstanding in skill and achievement of each bomber wing. They were given full written briefs of their targets, but were not tied down to times or particular tactics or their unit operational procedures.They were responsible to Fliegerkorps for puttings the targets out of action. The captain of a crew made his own assesment of weather and the air situation and finally decided for himself when and under what conditions he should strike."

From Kampfgeschwader Edelweiss by Wolfgang Dierich

 

Lieutenant General Sir Philip Neame VC, KBE, CB, DSO, KStJ (12 December 1888 – 28 April 1978) was a British Army officer and recipient of the Victoria Cross. He was also the winner of an Olympic Gold medal, making him the only person to win both this and the Victoria Cross.

Philip Neame - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

On September 7, 1944, following the Allied invasion of France, Philippe Pétain and members of the Vichy government cabinet were relocated to Germany. A city-state ruled by the government in exile headed by Fernand de Brinon, was established at Sigmaringen. There were three embassies in the city-state, all were Vichy-France's allies Germany, Italy and Japan.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sigmaringen

 

Hermann Hogeback - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Oberstleutnant Hermann Hogeback (25 August 1914 – 15 February 2004) was a German World War II Luftwaffe bomber pilot and flew more than 500 operational sorties. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords.

Every member of his Junkers Ju 88 crew was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. This was the only "Knight's Cross" crew in the entire Luftwaffe. The aerial gunner Günter Glasner received the Knight's Cross on 31 December 1943, radio operator Willy Lehnert on 5 April 1944 and observer Willi Dipberger on 9 January 1945.

 

" By the end of July 1940, de Gaulle had by his own account recruited no more than a third of the French servicemen in Britain. RAF Bomber Command was persuaded to let a few Free French aircrew participate in an attack on the Ruhr. De Gaulle announced to the world that at least some Frenchmen had returned to the fight. In Vichy Colonel Rene Fonck, a 1914-18 fighter ace with seventy-five kills, responded to this with the news that he had signed up some 200 French aircrew who, in order to avenge Mers-el-Kebir, were willing to join in Luftwaffe air raids on Britain. France, it seemed, would be the only country whose airmen would be attacking ground targets on both sides of the Channel, possibly even passing each other in mid-air. But Fonck´s offer was declined."

From " England´s last war against France " by Colin Smith

 

" During his time as Commander in Chief of the Heeresgruppe, Himmler, himself, relieved SS-Obergrüppenführer Demelhuber, von dem Bach-Zelewski, Krüger and SS Grüppenführer Reinefarth for incompetence and replaced them by generals from the Heer."

From "Under Himmler´s command- the personal recollections of Oberst Hans-Georg Eismann, Operations Officer, Army Group Vistula, eastern front 1945 "