Festung Breslau (1945)

Breslau, the capital city of Silesia, was surrounded by the Red Army on February 13th, 1945, but strong German resistance prevented a quick capture of the city, and instead long and fierce street fighting ensued, the Red Army bombed the city to ruins. Breslau only capitulated on May 6th, 1945, after almost three months of fighting, one of the longest battle in the last phase of the war.


Source :
Die Deutsche Wochenschau (German Weekly News) Nr. 755 - 22 March 1945
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWxWY4rFhTg

Die Deutsche Wochenschau (German Weekly News) Nr. 720 - 21 June 1944

Die Deutsche Wochenschau is the title of the unified newsreel series released in the cinemas of Nazi Germany from June 1940 until the end of World War II, with the final edition issued on 22 March 1945. The co-ordinated newsreel production was set up as a vital instrument for the mass distribution of Nazi propaganda at war.

In this Die Deutsche Wochenschau:
00:00-00:38 - Intro
00:39-02:45 - Fifth German War Championship: Dresden Sports Club vs Lufftwaffe Sports Club Hamburg, German Reich, 1944.
Armament industry workers and soldiers in the stands watch final match of the fifth German War Championship. Dresden Sports Club wins with Luftwaffe Sports Club Hamburg with result of the match 4:0. 
02:46-04:16 - Speech by French Minister of Information Henriot, Berlin, German Reich, 1944.
French Minister of Information Philippe Henriot gave a speech in front of thousands workers from France, and call for collaboration between France and Germany. He express his dedication to Adolf Hitler and to fight against Bolshevism. Philippe Henriot (7 January 1889 – 28 June 1944) was a French poet, journalist, politician, and Nazi collaborator who served as Secretary of State for Information and Propaganda for Vichy France.
04:17-07:59 - Ritterkreuzträger recipient Willy Apitz tells about the battle experience, German Reich, 1944. During the autumn of 1943 Obergefreiter Apitz found himself engaged in his Division’s heavy defensive combat along the Lower Dnieper front between the Nikopol and Cherson bridgeheads. In this time, while he was serving as a radio operator at a forward observation post, all of his comrades were killed during a large-scale Soviet attack. When the Soviets proceeded to launch a renewed thrust with tanks and infantry, Apitz decided to personally direct the fire of his attached artillery even though he had no training in this role. However, despite being all alone, he managed to fulfill this role effectively and direct devastating artillery fire onto the attacking Soviet forces. 
08:00-09:44 - German soldiers take a rest on the rear positions, Soviet Union, 1944.
Soldiers are allowed to take a rest in the newly build rest village behind the lines. 
09:45-12:19 - Defence battle against advancing Allied troops, Italian Front, north of Rome, Italy, 1944.
German troops hold the positions north of Rome to slow down Allied forces advance. German soldiers in defence fight against advancing enemy troops. Soldiers use mortars (5 cm Granatwerfer 36), machine guns (MG-42) and anti-tank guns (7.5 cm Pak 40). Scene shows American soldiers taken prisoner. German heavy artillery (17 cm Kanone 18) provide fire support to cover retreating troops. AA-gun in fight against British/American fighter planes. 
12:20-19:20 - Western Front, Operation Overlord, Normandy, France, 1944.
Corvette Captain Hoffmann, commander of torpedo boat flotilla recive the Ritterkreuz, as the first Ritterkreuzträger of the Invasion Front. Second Knight's Cross of the Invasion Front is awarded to Corvette Captain Rall. Coastal batteries fight the approaching enemy ships in the area of the Seine Bay at the mouth of the Orne. German anti-aircraft batteries in fight with attacking Allied fighter-bombers formations. Scenes show city of Caen destroyed by Anglo-American air raids. French civilian population is forced to live in caves underground in harsh conditions. German infantry and assault guns deployed to repel a larger enemy advance, to prevent expanding the beachhead. AA-gun (2 cm FlaK 30) is used in ground combat. Scene shows destroyed American glider and dead soldiers. Ritterkreuzträger Georg Scholze and Joachim Barth from Panzer-Lehr-Division during counter-attack. Captured Allied soldiers on the march into the camps. Award ceremony for young SS Hitlerjugend soldiers by Regimentskommandeur Wilhelm Mohnke.  German soldiers carry out flank attack, with the support of self-propelled artillery. 
19:21-19:32 - Outro

Source :
https://archive.org/details/die-deutsche-wochenschau-german-weekly-news-nr.-720-21-june-1944
https://digitaler-lesesaal.bundesarchiv.de/en/video/3962/699755
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-DzDJmt5F8

Die Deutsche Wochenschau (German Weekly News) Collection

 1944

1. Die Deutsche Wochenschau Nr. 720 - 21 June 1944 (German Footbal Championship final; Vichy Minister Henriot speech in Berlin; Ritterkreuzträger Willy Apitz tells about his battle experience; German soldiers take a rest on the rear positions; Defence battle against advancing Allied troops in the north of Rome, Operation Overlord in the Normandy Front; German anti-aircraft batteries in fight with attacking Allied fighter-bombers formations; Ritterkreuz award ceremony for Heinrich Hoffmann and Victor Rall from Kriegsmarine; Ritterkreuzträger Georg Scholze and Joachim Barth from Panzer-Lehr-Division during counter-attack; award ceremony for young SS Hitlerjugend soldiers by Wilhelm Mohnke; Nebelwerfer in action.

Source :
https://digitaler-lesesaal.bundesarchiv.de/en/search
https://www.youtube.com/@xxhistoryfootage/videos

Feldartillerie, Sturmartillerie & Nebelwerfer in Normandy (1944)

In the 1944 Battle of Normandy, German artillery was a significant factor in the defense, particularly in coastal fortifications and on the field. German artillery was divided into terrestrial (Heeresartillerie) and naval (Marineartillerie) branches, with the latter often responsible for coastal batteries. German field artillery was a mix of various calibers, including the 88mm gun, Nebelwerfers (multi-barrel rocket launchers), and mortars. German artillery was also used in counter-attacks against Allied advances, particularly in the Falaise pocket. German forces also used captured artillery, including French and Soviet guns, in their defenses.

Source :
Die Deutsche Wochenschau No. 720 - 21 June 1944
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-DzDJmt5F8

Küstenartillerie (Coastal Artillery) in Normandy

In 1944, German coastal artillery played a crucial role in the defense of Normandy, particularly along the Atlantic Wall, a system of fortifications built to deter an Allied invasion. Several key artillery batteries were strategically located, like those at Longues-sur-Mer, Pointe du Hoc, and Maisy, to target Allied landing beaches and naval forces. These batteries, armed with heavy guns, were designed to fire at long ranges, posing a significant threat to the advancing Allied troops

Source :
Die Deutsche Wochenschau No. 720 - 21 June 1944
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-DzDJmt5F8

German forces hold up Allied advance north of Rome (1944)

In June 1944, German forces held up the Allied advance north of Rome due to a series of strong defensive lines and strategic terrain. The Allies faced the Gustav Line, a heavily fortified position stretching from the coast to the Apennines, including Monte Cassino. This line, and other German defenses like the Volturno and Barbara lines, forced the Allies into a prolonged and costly campaign.

Source :
Die Deutsche Wochenschau No. 720 - 21 June 1944
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-DzDJmt5F8

Rest Village Behind the Front Line

German soldiers take recreation leave on Eastern Front. Animated map of Eastern Front from Narva to Jassy. Present lull allows two soldiers to leave trench for few days at Relaxation Camp behind lines. Facilities at log-cabin camp include sauna (sign), showers (End of Reel 1), barber, meals served by girls (Russian?) to Divisionskommandeur Generalmajor Alexander Conrady (36. Infanterie-Division) sitting eating with his men, extra rations and an open-air Variété performance with trapeze artiste, dancers (scanned by one soldier through his artillery periscope) and trick cyclists.

Source :
Die Deutsche Wochenschau No. 720 - 21 June 1944
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-DzDJmt5F8

1944 German Football Championship Final

 

The 1944 German football championship, the 37th edition of the competition, was won by Dresdner SC, the club defending its 1943 title by defeating Luftwaffe team LSV Hamburg in the final, which were held on 18 June 1944.

The final years of the German Championship during the war saw many military teams compete in the championship, Luftwaffe teams, Luftwaffensportvereine, short LSV, and, Wehrmacht teams, Wehrmachtssportvereine, short WSV, became very competitive.

Dresden's Helmut Schön, who would later coach Germany to the 1974 FIFA World Cup, became the top scorer of the 1944 championship with 14 goals, the second-highest individual amount of any player in the history of the competition from 1903 to 1963.

It was the last edition of the tournament during the Second World War, with the competition not being held again until 1948. The thirty-one 1943–44 Gauliga champions, two more than in the previous season, competed in a single-leg knock out competition to determine the national champion.

Dresdner SC became the last club to be awarded the Viktoria, the annual trophy for the German champions from 1903 to 1944. The trophy disappeared during the final stages of the war, did not resurface until after the German reunification and was put on display at the DFB headquarters in Frankfurt until 2015, when it was moved to the new Deutsches Fußballmuseum in Dortmund.


Source :
Die Deutsche Wochenschau No. 720 - 21 June 1944
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-DzDJmt5F8
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1944_German_football_championship

Wehrmacht Soldiers Marching in the Netherlands

Column of soldiers from the German Wehrmacht, somewhere in the Netherlands, 1941-1943.

Source :
https://beeldbankwo2.nl/nl/beelden/?q=wehrmacht&mode=gallery&view=horizontal

Luftwaffe Crews and Rows of Fw 200 Bombers

German Focke-Wulf FW 200 bombers and their Luftwaffe crews on airfield in the Western Europe. Translation of official German caption on photo reverse: "Large mission of an Atlantic bomber squadron. Share Request: BMW Aircraft Motor Works, Inc., Sec. VF 407. In the West, October 1941".

Source :
https://www.ww2online.org/image/german-bombers-and-their-luftwaffe-crews-airfield-october-1941

Studio Portrait of Panzertruppen

 WAFFEN-SS

SS panzer portrait with piped SS tabs and panzer cap with metal eagle in wear.

Source :
https://www.generalassaultmilitaria.com/product-category/photos/

Studio Portrait of Stahlhelm in Wear

Heer infantry helmet portrait with small medal bar in wear.

Source :
https://www.generalassaultmilitaria.com/product-category/photos/

Studio Portrait of Heer Personnel

Heer Panzergrenadier portrait with DRL-Sportabzeichen, Westwall ribbon and Panzerkampfabzeichen in wear.

Heer Panzergrenadier portrait with Verwundetenabzeichen and Panzerkampfabzeichen in wear.

Heer infantry portrait with silver Infanterie-Sturmabzeichen in wear.

Goldenes-Parteiabzeichen + Wehrwirtschaftsführer Abzeichen Portrait. Interesting Pionier portrait with Golden party badge, Defense economy leader badge, Ostmedaille ribbon, Kriegsverdienstkreuz II.Klasse ribbon and wound badge. Very rare combination of awards that is almost never seen, let alone on a combat uniform! Dated May 1944.

Source :
https://www.generalassaultmilitaria.com/product/heer-infantry-portrait-with-silver-iab-in-wear/

Studio Portrait of SS Personnel

SS-rottenführer portrait with kvk ribbon and flat wire SS collar tab in wear.

SS-Mann portrait with hand stitched collar tab and some good wear to the uniform and cap.

Source :
https://www.generalassaultmilitaria.com/product-category/photos/

Bosnian Mountain Troops Trains in the Mountain

Bosnian volunteer soldiers from the Kroatische SS-Freiwilligen-Gebirgs-Division (later renamed 13. Waffen-Gebirgs-Division der SS Handschar) conduct military training in the snowy mountains of Germany, before being deployed to their home, Balkan region. This photo was taken in the summer of 1943, with the original caption: "Leben sehen die Männer aus dem Süden Schneeberge im Sommer." (for the first time in their lives, these people from the South see snow-covered mountains in the summer!)

Source :
https://hindi.fansshare.com/community/uploads32/7110/ferid_d__ani__/?d=german.fansshare.com
https://oper-1974.livejournal.com/1453438.html

Luftwaffe Enigma Machine

Original caption: "Unsere Wehrmacht. Funkstation im offenen Gelände" (Our Armed Forces. Radio station in open terrain).

Source :
https://beeldbankwo2.nl/nl/beelden/?q=wehrmacht&mode=gallery&view=horizontal

Bio of Generalleutnant Rudolf-Eduard Licht (1890-1978)

 

Rudolf-Eduard Hugo Heinrich Licht

Date of Birth: 11.06.1890 - Holzhaleben, Sondershausen, Thuringen (German Empire)
Date of Death: 14.09.1978 - Reutlingen, Baden-Württemberg (West Germany)

Promotions:
19.12.1911 Fähnrich
18.08.1912 Leutnant
27.01.1916 Oberleutnant
01.05.1922 Rittmeister/Hauptmann
01.02.1933 Major
01.08.1935 Oberstleutnant
01.03.1938 Oberst
01.02.1942 Generalmajor
01.02.1944 Generalleutnant

Career:
Entered Army Service (17 Mar 1911)
Fahnenjunker in the 167th Infantry-Regiment (17 Mar 1911-01 Oct 1913)
Adjutant of II. Battalion of the 167th Infantry-Regiment (01 Oct 1913-22 Nov 1914)
Wounded, in Hospital (22 Nov 1914-07 Feb 1915)
Adjutant of II. Battalion of the 167th Infantry-Regiment (07 Feb 1915-02 Aug 1916)
Company-Leader in the 167th Infantry-Regiment (02 Aug 1916-15 Oct 1916)
Regiments-Adjutant of the 167th Infantry-Regiment (15 Oct 1916-11 Jan 1917)
Company-Leader in the 167th Infantry-Regiment (11 Jan 1917-08 Jul 1917)
Regiments-Adjutant of the 167th Infantry-Regiment (08 Jul 1917-04 Nov 1918)
In British Captivity (04 Nov 1918-01 Nov 1919)
Transferred into the 22nd Reichswehr-Rifle-Regiment (01 Dec 1919-01 Jun 1920)
Transferred into the 21st Reichswehr-Rifle-Regiment (01 Jun 1920-01 Jan 1921)
Transferred into the 15th Infantry-Regiment (01 Jan 1921-01 Oct 1921)
Detached for Subsidiary-Leadership-Training and transferred into the 15th Mounted-Regiment (01 Oct 1921-01 Oct 1923)
With the Staff of the II. Battalion of the 15th Infantry-Regiment (01 Oct 1923-01 Oct 1925)
Company-Chief in the 15th Infantry-Regiment (01 Oct 1925-01 Oct 1929)
Instructor at the Infantry School (01 Oct 1929-01 Oct 1934)
Commander of the Training-Battalion of Infantry-Regiment Leipzig (01 Oct 1934-15 Oct 1935)
Commander of III. Battalion of the 101st Infantry-Regiment (15 Oct 1935-12 Oct 1937)
Commander of Instruction-Group C of the War School Dresden (12 Oct 1937-10 Nov 1938)
Commander of Instruction-Group A of the War School Wiener Neustadt (10 Nov 1938-01 Sep 1939)
Führer-Reserve OKH (01 Sep 1939-01 Dec 1939)
Commander of the 40th Infantry-Regiment (01 Dec 1939-23 Jul 1941)
Commander of the 17th Rifle-Brigade (23 Jul 1941-11 Nov 1941)
Delegated with the Leadership of the 17th Panzer-Division (11 Nov 1941-01 Feb 1942)
Commander of the 17th Panzer-Division (01 Feb 1942-10 Oct 1942)
Führer-Reserve OKH (10 Oct 1942-01 Nov 1942)
Commander of Division 487 (01 Nov 1942-15 Mar 1943)
Führer-Reserve & Detached to Army-Group Nord (15 Jun 1943-12 Oct 1943)
Delegated with the Leadership of the 21st Luftwaffe-Field-Division (12 Oct 1943-01 Nov 1943)
Commander of the 21st Field-Division (L) (01 Nov 1943-01 Nov 1944)
Commander of the 710th Infantry-Division (01 Nov 1944-15 Apr 1945)
In Captivity (08 May 1945-1947)
Released (1947)

Awards and Decorations:
25.10.1914 1914 Eisernes Kreuz II.Klasse
09.08.1916 1914 Eisernes Kreuz I.Klasse
00.00.191_ Schwarzburgisches Ehrenkreuz III.Klasse mit Schwertern
00.00.191_ k.u.k. Österreichische Militär-Verdienstkreuz III.Klasse mit der Kriegsdekoration
26.05.1918 Verwundetenabzeichen 1918 in Schwarz
15.01.1935 Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer 1914-1918
02.10.1936 Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung IV. bis I. Klasse
00.00.19__ 1939 spange zum 1914 Eisernes Kreuz II.Klasse
00.00.19__ 1939 spange zum 1914 Eisernes Kreuz I.Klasse
30.08.1941 Anerkennungsurkunde des Oberbefehlshaber des Heeres
18.10.1941 Deutsches Kreuz in Gold, as Oberst and Kommandeur 17. Schützen-Brigade
00.00.1942 Medaille “Winterschlacht im Osten 1941/1942” (Ostmedaille)

Front inspection: Divisionskommandeur Rudolf-Eduard Licht (3rd from right) and Generalfeldmarschall Ernst Busch (right)

Source :
http://alifrafikkhan.blogspot.com/2010/09/daftar-generalleutnant-heer-letnan.html
https://www.oocities.org/~orion47/WEHRMACHT/HEER/Generalleutnant2/LICHT_RUDOLF.html
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/11169/Licht-Rudolf-Eduard.htm

German Soldiers in the Trenches

German soldiers crowded in the trenches, reminiscence of World War I. No information about place or date.

Source :
https://www.sutori.com/en/story/ww11-timeline--NzaxvEFFK32SoJX1ys9MJ8eK

Wehrmacht Briefing

An officer of the Wehrmacht gives speech in front of his soldiers, who gathered in the mountain slope. No information about place or date.

Source :
Personal collection

Wehrmacht Soldiers and Sailors Listening to the Speech of Hermann Göring

Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring (Oberbefehlshaber der Luftwaffe) spoke to the German Wehrmacht. On January 30, 1943, on the 10th anniversary of Adolf Hitler's assumption of power, Reichsmarschall Göring spoke to the German Wehrmacht in the ballroom of the Reich Aviation Ministry. View into the ranks of the representatives of the Wehrmacht, who listen to the striking words of the Reich Marshal.

 

Source :
https://beeldbankwo2.nl/nl/beelden/?q=wehrmacht&mode=gallery&view=horizontal