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

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 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

Recruits of the Luftwaffe during a Prayer

Recruits of the Luftwaffe during a prayer, 9 July 1938. The original caption said: "Luftwaffe soldiers have taken off their helmets after the issue of the command 'Helmets off for prayer!'"

Source :
https://www.akpool.de/ansichtskarten/26753519-ansichtskarte-postkarte-deutsche-wehrmacht-luftwaffe-helm-ab-zum-gebet-soldaten-mit-stahlhelmen-und-bajonetten
https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-recruits-of-the-luftwaffe-during-a-prayer-1938-122549762.html?imageid=8FB962D8-981E-4D84-B5F2-C0C554513477&p=291611&pn=1&searchId=2adb0d94b30ee950bdafece3810c320c&searchtype=0
https://www.arkivi-bildagentur.de/articles/a514634

RAD Men with He 51 of Fliegergruppe Döberitz

Men of RAD (Reichsarbeitsdienst) are shown around one of the Heinkel He 51 biplanes at Döberitz - presumably aircraft of Jagdgruppe / Fliegergruppe Döberitz. The He 51 was produced between 1934 and 1937, starting 1936 was partly replaced by the Arado Ar 68 and starting 1937 extensively replaced by the Messerschmitt Bf 109 as a Luftwaffe standard fighter aircraft. At this time, the Fliegergeschwader Döberitz received the distinction "Richthofen", but received the final name "JG 2 Richthofen" only on 1 May 1939, under which it later participated in the Second World War.

Source :
https://www.pressreader.com/uk/iron-cross/20220629/281535114675360

Polizei Parade

Two nice postcard sized pictures showing a parade of Gendarmerie members wearing the typical "Tschako". Also notice the flag bearer gorget on one of the portraits.

Source :
https://www.kometmilitaria.com/product-page/2x-postcard-sized-picture-gendermerie-parade

General Knochenhauer during Führergeburtstag

Private picture of General der Kavallerie Wilhelm Knochenhauer (right, Kommandierender General X. Armeekorps) posing with two NSDAP officials during Führergeburtstag (Hitler Birthday) celebration, 20 April 1937. The picture was possibly taken in Hamburg.

Source :
https://www.kometmilitaria.com/product-page/private-picture-general-der-kavallerie-wilhelm-knochenhauer

Josef Wulf in a Luftwaffe Ceremony

Major Josef Wulf (left) in a Luftwaffe ceremony before the war. On 1 January 1938 he was promoted to Oberstleutnant (Werkmeister). on 1 July 1942, as Oberstleutnant (Erganzungsoffizier), he was transferred from Fl.H.Kdtr. (Fliegerhorst-Kommandantur) Grossenhain to Wehrbez.Kdo (Wehrbezirkskommando) Gelsenkirchen. On 21 February 1943 he was ordered temporary duty to Stab/Wehr-Ers.Insp. (Wehrersatzinspektion) Weimar. On 1 April 1943 he permanently transferred to Wehr-Ers.Insp. Weimar.

Source :
"Luftwaffe Officer Career Summaries" by Henry L. deZeng IV and Douglas G. Stankey
https://www.ebay.de/b/General-in-Militaria-Fotos-1900-1918-1945/15504/bn_7004515776

Army Paratroopers Group Picture

Nice group picture of  Fallschirmjäger Infanterie members. Notice the Heeresspringerabzeichen (heer paratrooper badge) and the rare white gothic “L” on the shoulder boards. Stunning image!

Source :
https://www.kometmilitaria.com/product-page/fallschirmj%C3%A4ger-infanterie-fik-group-picture

SS Musician on Horse

SS Musician on horse wearing the black parade uniform (numbered collar tab partly visible) and helmet.

Source :
https://www.kometmilitaria.com/product-page/ss

Reichswehr Cavalry Maneuvers

Maneuvers of the Reichswehr cavalry at Frankfurt/Oder, 1933. The mounted soldiers are wearing the stahlhelm M18 kavallerie-helm version.

Source ;
Bundesarchiv Bild 102-00993A
https://www.bild.bundesarchiv.de/dba/de/search/?yearfrom=1933&yearto=1945&query=wehrmacht#

Fremde Heere Ost Group Photo

This photo was taken in 1943 and shows members of the Abteilung Fremde Heere Ost in a "gruppenbild" (group photo) session at their headquarters in Angerburg, Mauerwald, which is part of the German Army Command Headquarters complex (OKH-Stabsquartier). For the identification is, sitting from left to right: Major Dr. Hellmut Nauck (Wirtschaftssachbearbeiter Gruppe II), Oberstleutnant Hübner (Leiter Gruppe V), Oberstleutnant z.V. Riedl, Oberst i.G. Reinhard Gehlen (Abteilungschef), Oberstleutnant Karl Ogilvie (Sachbearbeiter Lage Skandinavien), Oberstleutnant i.G. Johannes Hoheisel (Leiter Gruppe II), and Major i.G. Höfer (Sachbearbeiter Lage Mitte, Gruppe I). Second row FLTR: Hauptmann Georg Viktor von der Marwitz (Kommandant des Stabsquartiers), Major i.G. Wilhelm Kuebart, Major i.G. Gerhard Wessel (Leiter Gruppe I), Major i.G. Karl-Heinz Graf von Rittberg (Sachbearbeiter Personallage, Gruppe II), Major i.G. Rudolf Grüner (Sachbearbeiter Lage A, Gruppe I), Oberleutnant Günther Letschert (Kartei-Referent), Ministerialregistrator Rudolf Bahlk, Oberleutnant Adolf Eiseler (Mitarbeiter Gruppe I), unknown, and Technische Oberinspektor Johannes Wagner. Third row FLTR: Leutnant Peter von Vaernewyk (Gehilfe des Kommandanten Stabsquartier), Oberleutnant Jürgen Remé (Mitarbeiter Gruppe II), Oberzahlmeister Albert Wiesemann (Mitarbeiter Kartei-Referat), Hauptmann Körnchen (Verwaltungsaufgaben), unknown, Hauptmann Otto Schiller (Mitarbeiter Gruppe I), Oberleutnant Dr.jur. Dipl.-Kfm. dipl.cons. Max Ritter von Bitterl-Tessenberg (Mitarbeiter Gruppe II), and Oberleutnant d.R. Walter Schüle (Mitarbeiter Gruppe I). Last row FLTR: Oberleutnant Buchholz (Mitarbeiter Gruppe III), Oberleutnant Hellmut von Hagens (Mitarbeiter Gruppe I), Oberleutnant Hermann Förster (Mitarbeiter Gruppe I), unknown, Sonderführer Emmanuel Haller (Mitarbeiter Gruppe II), Major Friedrich-Wilhelm von Leutsch (Sachbearbeiter Lage Nord, Gruppe I), Hauptmann Kurt Göllnitz (Mitarbeiter Gruppe II), unknown, unknown, and Kriegstechniker Dr.jur. Jacobus Reimers. Fremde Heere Ost (Foreign Armies East) itself is an intelligence organization formed by the German Army whose task is to analyze foreign military forces on the Eastern Front, especially the Soviet Union. When World War II ended, Abteilungschef Gehlen and his men were used by the CIA to continue their work in spying on Soviet Communists through a "new but old" unit called the Gehlen Organization. This unit later became the forerunner of the Bundesnachrichtendienst, a West German intelligence unit in the Cold War era.

Source :
Der Spiegel 1971
Bundesarchiv B 206 Bild-GN13-08-01
https://www.archivportal-d.de/item/JX6IFLT44EBIBOXOBAGFSUDWCDIOJEUB?isThumbnailFiltered=false&rows=20&offset=20&viewType=list&hitNumber=34
https://archive.org/stream/GEHLEN-Reinhard-CIA-files/GEHLEN-Reinhard-CIA-file-VOL-2_f%26c322_djvu.txt
https://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=260485

Trip to the Zoo

German Heer soldier visiting zoo with his woman. He may have soon learned that camels spit - but what man among us wouldn’t do almost anything to impress such a a lovely and well-dressed Fräulein!

Source :
https://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/forums/forum/wehrmacht-era-militaria/photos-and-paper-items-forum/12559428-trip-to-the-zoo

Reichswehr Sport Festival

 

Sports festival of the German Reichswehr at Berlin-Moabit Kaserne (barrack), 1934. Soldier with baggage during an exercise on the horizontal bar. The picture was taken by Georg Pahl.

Source :
Bundesarchiv Bild 102-04255

Oberst Felmy Watching Parade at Fliegerhorst Delmenhorst

 

Oberst Gerhard Felmy (Flughafenbereichs-Kommandant Thorn) saluting to parading troops at Fliegerhorst Delmenhorst, 1943. Felmy would receive the final rank of Generalmajor on 30 January 1945.

Source :
https://www.ebay.de/itm/294237818870?hash=item4481f0cff6:g:DU0AAOSwTg5gL934

Bio of Oberst (Luftwaffe) Dr. Otto Sommer

 

Oberst Dr. Otto Sommer (Fliegerhorst-Kommandantur Delmenhorst) in Delmenhorst 1940

A German politician (NSDAP - Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei), lawyer and SA Standartenführer, Dr. Otto Sommer (born 22 October 1891) was promoted to Oberst der Luftwaffe on 1 September 1937. He was appointed as Kommandeur of III.Gruppe / Kampfgeschwader 157 to 30 April 1939, then Kommandeur III.Gruppe / Kampfgeschwader 27 to 30 June 1939. After that he was appointed as Kommandant Fliegerhorst-Kommandantur Delmenhorst.

On 18 August 1940 Oberst Sommer was killed when flying as an "observer" with a crew from 9.Staffel / Kampfgeschwader 76 attacking RAF Kenley, when his aircraft (Do17Z-2; F1+HT) was shot down by anti-aircraft fire and crashed at the edge of the airfield, killing all aboard including: Beobachter [observer] Oberleutnant Hans-Siegfried Ahrens, Bordfunker [wireless operator] Feldwebel Karl Greulich, Flugzeugführer [pilot] Feldwebel Johannes Petersen and Bordschütze [air gunner] Unteroffizier Ewald Johannes Dietz.

Source :
"Luftwaffe Officer Career Summaries" by Henry L. deZeng IV and Douglas G. Stankey
https://www.ebay.de/itm/294244638237?hash=item448258de1d:g:NLkAAOSwAbtgHVAz&autorefresh=true
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/146498026/otto-sommer

Reichswehr Fanfare Blowers

Fanfarenbläser (Fanfare blowers) of the Reichswehr at an event in Berlin, circa 1933. The picture was taken by Georg Pahl.

Source :
Bundesarchiv Bild 102-03154A

Egon Groeneveld in the Veterans Meeting at Strasbourg

Generalmajor z.V. und SS-Brigadeführer Egon Groeneveld (SS-Führer beim Stab des SS-Abschnitts XXXXV in Straßburg) during the Veteranentreffen (Veterans meeting) event in Strassburg / Strasbourg, 1943.

Source :
https://www.ebay.de/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2047675.m570.l1313&_nkw=Egon+Groeneveld&_sacat=0

Fallschirmjäger Training with Motorcycles

"Alarm an die Maschinen!!!!" 11.Kompanie /  III.Bataillon / Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 1  at the Truppenübungsplatz Bergen-Hohne (Bergen-Hohne military training area), Germany. The picture was probably taken in the summer of 1941, after Crete operation and before the next assignment to the northern sector of the Eastern Front. Funny that they had those motorbikes for free and tuday it costs close to 60,000 euros/dollars!

"Wilhelm, always keep your hands on the handlebars when you are driving blindfolded!" - "Yes, sergeant major!"

Source :
Maddin Maddin photo collection
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=510697089944138&set=gm.4728044367222687

554. Infanterie-Division at Donaueschingen

This picture was taken on 3 August 1940 at Donaueschingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Generale with the red arrows, from left to right: Generalleutnant z.V. Anton Freiherr von Hirschberg (Kommandeur 554. Infanterie-Division) and Generalleutnant Erwin Oßwald (Kommandierender General Stellvertretendes Generalkommando V. Armeekorps). 2nd from left is Oberstleutnant i.G. Karl Schall (Ia Erster Generalstabsoffizier 554. Infanterie-Division), while at far right is Oberst (E) Erich von Kirchbach (Chef des Generalstabes Stellvertretendes Generalkommando V. Armeekorps). The 554. Infanterie-Division was formed on 15 February 1940 from Divisionstab z.b.V. 441 as part of the 9. Welle (wave). Organized as a static division, it manned the West Wall on the Upper Rhine conducting border security, training and air raid protection duties. After the invasion of France, during which it advanced with the 7. Armee into Alsace, the division was disbanded on 13 August 1940.

Source :
https://www.axishistory.com/other-aspects/150-germany-heer/heer-divisionen/3437-554-infanterie-division
https://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?p=2282990#p2282990