General der Flieger Walter Sommé Speaking

 

 

General der Flieger Walter Sommé (Kommandierenden General und Befehlshaber vom Luftgau-Kommando VIII in Krakau) speaks at Adolf Hitler Square in Krakow (now the Main Square), Poland, on the occasion of the "Heldengedenktag" (Day of the Fallen Heroes), March 1943. The picture was taken by Ewald Theuergarten.

Source :
https://audiovis.nac.gov.pl/obraz/9599/55e8d0145516a9b67b36004adeb4c8a9/

Opening of Modlin Soldatenfriedhof

 

 

On 9 November 1944, SS-Obergruppenführer und General der Waffen-SS Herbert-Otto Gille (Kommandierender General IV. SS-Panzerkorps) dedicated the new Soldatenfriedhof (wartime cemetery) in Modlin, Poland. In addition to the ceremony itself, a reception was held shortly afterwards inside the Modlin Fortress. Here is a copy of the ceremony's program, which featured a speach by Gille, as well as various tunes played by the regimental band of SS Panzer Regiment 5 "Wiking." Besides Gille, in attendance were the commanders of the Totenkopf and Wiking Divisions, their staffs, and various local dignitaries from the German administration of occupied Poland.

SS-Obergruppenführer und General der Waffen-SS Herbert-Otto Gille (Kommandierender General IV. SS-Panzerkorps) views the newly-dedicated ceremony. to the immediate right of Gille stands SS-Standartenführer Karl Ullrich, the commander of the Wiking Division.

After the ceremony's conclusion in the chapel of the Modlin Fortress, commanders and staff officers file out of the front door to their waiting staff cars. In the center stands SS-Brigadeführer und Generalmajor der Waffen-SS Helmuth Becker, the commander of the Totenkopf Division. In the foreground on the left stands SS-Obersturmbannführer Manfred Schönfelder, Gille's Chief of staff; on the right stands Gille's aide-de-camp, SS-Untersturmführer Günther Lange. The Army officer standing in the center between Becker and Schoenfelder is Major Otto Kleine, the Ia or operations officer of the Wiking Division.

At some point during the events of that day, Gille greets the commanders of the Wiking and Totenkopf Divisions, Karl Ullrich (left) and Helmuth Becker, right. In the background stands SS-Obersturmführer Johann "Hans" Velde, the O1 or assistant corps operations officer of the IV. SS-Panzerkorps.

The diagram of the German War Cemetery in Modlin, 1944.

Source :
"From the Realm of a Dying Sun. Volume I: IV. SS-Panzerkorps and the Battles for Warsaw, July–November 1944" by Douglas E. Nash, Sr.
https://www.facebook.com/Latewareasternfront

A Pack-Mule Unit Takes a Much Needed Respite

The arduous terrain in which the German Gebirgsjäger (mountain troops) advanced into Poland in September 1939 can well be imagined and, as a consequence, sapped the strength from many of the men participating in the long march. In this photograph, a pack-mule unit takes a much needed respite.

Source :
"Images of War: Hitler's Mountain Troops 1939-1945" by Ian Baxter

Gebirgsjäger Cleaning Their Weapons

German Gebirgsjäger (Mountain troops) have occupied a village somewhere in southern Poland in September 1939, and are seen cleaning their weapons. This was known to the soldiers as, ‘Clean and patch hour’, which was a period of time allowed in order to clean weapons and repair clothes before resuming operations.

Source :
"Images of War: Hitler's Mountain Troops 1939-1945" by Ian Baxter

Gebirgsjäger in a Rubber Boat

German Mountain troops (Gebirgsjäger) are seen paddling across a river in a pneumatic boat during invasion of Poland, 1939. These 18 feet boats could carry a multitude of equipments up to 1.35tons. They were also used to construct pontoon bridges. In this photograph, bicycles can be seen stacked onboard.

Source :
Book "Images of War: Hitler's Mountain Troops 1939-1945" by Ian Baxter

Civilian Carts of 1. Gebirgs-Division

Two photographs taken in sequence showing local civilian carts pressed into service and being used by Gebirgstruppen of the 1. Gebirgs-Division in September 1939. Local civilians were often hired to drive the wagons and were paid very well for their services. However, it was frequently a dangerous preoccupation with a number of them being killed by enemy fire.

Source :
Book "Images of War: Hitler's Mountain Troops 1939-1945" by Ian Baxter

Gebirgs Engineer Fixing a Telephone Line

Poland 1939: One of the most important aspects of military synchronization was effective communication. Here, in this photograph, a Gebirgsjäger signalman engineer is seen fixing a telephone line so that the various commands could communicate between themselves.

Source :
Book "Hitler's Mountain Troops 1939-1945" by Ian Baxter

Gebirgsjäger Medical Stretcher Bearers

Poland 1939: Two Gebirgsjäger medical stretcher bearers are seen moving an injured comrade to one of the hastily erected field hospitals in the rear. An officer overlooks the procedure, possibly wearing the Gebirgs wind jacket.

Source :
Book "Hitler's Mountain Troops 1939-1945" by Ian Baxter

Gebirgs Pioneer Erecting a Bridge

A Gebirgsjäger pioneer unit are seen erecting a bridge equipment "C" across a river in Poland, 1939. Much of the wood obtained to construct these bridges were commandeered from lumber stocks and followed the advancing column into Poland.

Source :
Book "Hitler's Mountain Troops 1939-1945" by Ian Baxter

Gebirgs Engineers at Work

Gebirgsjäger engineers have set to work preparing ground, probably for a bridging section across a river in Poland, 1939. Many of the bridges in southern Poland were destroyed by Polish demolition teams which often hindered German movement.

Source :
Book "Hitler's Mountain Troops 1939-1945" by Ian Baxter

Polish Prisoners Marched to a Collection Site

 Polish soldiers, taken as POWS after the German declaration of war on Poland, are marched to a collection site under guard of German soldiers after the Poles were defeated in battle in Walrubien (Warlubie) and surrounding areas in West Prussia. Reichsgau Danzig-West Prussia, Schwetz an der Weichsel, Germany (now, Warlubie, Świecie County, Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, Poland). September 1939.

Source :
http://bag-of-dirt.tumblr.com/post/132582927570/polish-soldiers-taken-as-pows-after-the-german