Timeline

1. 1924.04.01. Defendants in the Beer Hall Putsch trial
2. 1924.12.20. Adolf Hitler on his Release from Landsberg Prison
3. 1928.10.11. Showa Emperor (Hirohito) at his coronation 1928
4. 1933.09.14. Hitler Tours Destruction of Oeschelbronn, Germany
5. 1934.00.00. Vickers Light Tank Mark III
6. 1934.04.01. Panzerkampfwagen I Ausf A (SdKfz 101)  
7. 1935.07.17-21. Adolf Hitler Laughing at a Vacation in Harz Mountains
8. 1936.01.01. Italian Troops March Past Mussolini Poster in Ethiopia
9. 1936.04.05. Hermann Göring and His Lion Cub 
10. 1936.05.30. Japanese Buddhist monks during gas mask drill
11. 1936.06.13. Picture of People Giving a Nazi Salute, with August Landmesser Refusing to do so
12. 1936.06.27. Chinese generals Chiang Kai-Shek and Long Yun
13. 1936.07.02. Heinrich Himmler and SS Generals in Quedlinburg 1936
14. 1937.08.13. Japanese troops passing the Chinese city of Peiping
15. 1937.10.22. The Duke and Duchess of Windsor Visited Adolf Hitler at the Berghof 
16. 1938.00.00 Junkers Ju 87 A of “Legion Condor”
17. 1938.09.30. German and Italian Officials at Münich Conference
18. 1938.09.30. Neville Chamberlain's 'Peace of Our Time'
19. 1938.10.12. Panzer-Regiment 11 Celebrates its First Birthday
20. 1939.02.24. Vought-Chance SB2U-2 Vindicator
21. 1939.05.31. Legion Condor Award Ceremony in Hamburg
22. 1939.08.25. U-25 a Few Days Before the Outbreak of the War
23. 1939.09.03. German panzers in Poland
    
24. 1939.09.18. A Destroyed Panzerkampfwagen 35(t) in Poland 
25. 1939.09.19. The Remain of Prinz von Ratibor's Panzer IV After the Battle
26. 1939.09.25. Hitler arrived at an airfield near Warsaw in Poland
    
27. 1939.09.29. British soldiers going to the front
28. 1939.12.18. British POW with Luftwaffe Soldiers
29. 1939.12.20. Press Conference after the Air Battle in Wilhelmshaven
30. 1940.01.01. Soviet BT-5 Tanks Knocked Out During the Winter War
31. 1940.03.10. Germany's Heroes Remembrance Day 1940
    
32. 1940.03.11. The Sinking of U-31 off Wilhelmshaven 
33. 1940.03.16. Luftwaffe Attack on Scapa Flow
    
34. 1940.04.00. Skoda 35 tank Kompanie wait in a wood for the opening of Blitzkrieg 
35. 1940.04.01. Crusader Mark I Cruiser Tanks  
36. 1940.04.13. Junkers Ju 52 After Landing on the Hartvigvann-Lake
37. 1940.04.30. Dutch Military Motorcyclists during Parade
    
38. 1940.05.00. Messerschmitt Bf 109 of LG 2 Belly Landed at Liege
39. 1940.05-06.00. 6. Panzer-Division Tanks in France 1940  
40. 1940.05.10. Dutch soldiers surrender at Lutterhoofdwijk
41. 1940.05.11. Bombing of Blauwburgwal Canal in Amsterdam
42. 1940.05.13. LSSAH Troops Crossing the River Meuse Near Mook 
43. 1940.05.13. Ritterkreuz Award Ceremony for Sturm-Abteilung "Koch"
44. 1940.05.14. Dutch Soldier negotiating the capitulation in 1940
45. 1940.05.15. Luftwaffe Kriegsberichter Recorded German Movement at Dinant 
46. 1940.05.16. German military convoy in Amsterdam
47. 1940.05.16. Motor units of Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler at Amsterdam
48. 1940.05.26. Tanks of 6. Panzer Division Advance Toward Cassel 
49. 1940.06.01. Oberleutnant Karl Hanke in a Panzerkampfwagen IV  
50. 1940.06.01. Panzer 38(t) and Panzer II on the Move
51. 1940.06.03-06. Hitler With His Staff, June 1940
52. 1940.06.14. General Kurt von Briesen Reviewing His Troops in Paris Parade
53. 1940.06.18.Benito Mussolini and Adolf Hitler in Münich, June 1940 
54. 1940.06.26. Award Ceremony of Pionier-Bataillon 221
55. 1940.07.19. Newly Promoted Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring
56. 1940.08.03. 554. Infanterie-Division at Donaueschingen
57. 1940.08.12. Bf 109s of JG 53 vs Hurricanes of No.145 Squadron
58. 1940.09.14. Luftwaffe Ace Hauptmann Rolf Pingel
59. 1940.10.01. German Armored Parade in Oslo
    
60. 1940.10.14. Bus Trapped in the Crater at Balham Station
61. 1940.11.00. U-34 Training Submarine
62. 1940.11.01. Panzerkampfwagen II ausf C on Manoeuvre
63. 1940.11.13. Reception for Soviet's Foreign Minister at Hotel Kaiserhof
    
64. 1940.11.18. Hermann Göring Visit "Der Sieg im Westen" Exhibition
65. 1940.12.00. Emblem of U-93
66. 1940.12.24. Adolf Galland Waiting for the Führer 
67. 1941.00.00. Member of 250. Infanterie-Division (División Azul)
68. 1941.01.00. Wilhelm Haehnelt as Generalleutnant in January 1941
69. 1941.01-08. SS Soldiers Playing with Squirrel
70. 1941.01.31. Frostbite Experiments of Unit 1855
71. 1941.03.01. Panzerkampfwagen III in Libya
72. 1941.03.13. Former German Heavyweight Boxer Max Schmeling as a Fallschirmjäger
73. 1941.03.15. Stern of Battleship Bismarck 
74. 1941.03.24. M13/40 Tanks of the VII Battaglione, Ariete Armored Division 
75. 1941.04-09.00. A column of German Wehrmacht paraded in Paris
76. 1941.04.05. Panzerkampfwagen III Ausf G and Ausf H in Bulgaria 
77. 1941.04.09. Panzerkampfwagen III Crews at Rest and Playing Cards  
78. 1941.04.09. Panzerkampfwagen IV ausf E of 13. Panzer-Division 
79. 1941.04.13 German victory parade in Belgrade
80. 1941.04.13. 11. Panzer-Division Rests During Yugoslavian Campaign 
81. 1941.04.17. First German POWs in North Africa
    
82. 1941.04.20. The capitulation of Greek forces to SS Leibstandarte
83. 1941.05.00. Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf.D tanks of Panzer-Abteilung 65
84. 1941.05.01. Panzerkampfwagen IVs of the Afrika Korps
85. 1941.05.11. Dutch SS ceremony in Utrecht Netherlands
86. 1941.05.20. German Paratrooper during Operation Mercury
87. 1941.05.20. German Paratroopers rests at Crete
88. 1941.05.31. Fallschirmjäger Officers at Heraklion
    
89. 1941.06-12.00. Leutnant Helmut Ritgen Collecting his Lunch from Field Kitchen
90. 1941.06.00. Panzerkampfwagen III Ausf.J Medium Tank Negotiating a River Crossing
91. 1941.06.21. Erich Brandenberger and Erich von Manstein a Day Before Operation Barbarossa
92. 1941.06.21. German Tank Convoy Near the Soviet Border
93. 1941.06.23. Char B1 Flammenwerfer Before Operation Barbarossa
94. 1941.06.26. German Soldiers Move into Burning Russian Villages
95. 1941.06.30. Execution of Brave Russian Prisoners
96. 1941.07.00. Cheerful Divisional Personnel Pose with a Wrecked Soviet T-28B tank
97. 1941.07.00. Oberstleutnant Erich Freiherr von Seckendorff Observes The Battlefield
98. 1941.07.01. German Troops Prepare to Clear Houses
99. 1941.07.01. Panzerkampfwagen 35(t) of 6. Panzer-Division
100. 1941.07.01. Sturmgeschutz III ausf B (SdKfz 142) Fords a River
101. 1941.07.02. Erwin Rommel visiting Sollum Front
     
102. 1941.07.06. Tank-Infantry Cooperation with Panzer 35(t) at Pskov
103. 1941.07.18. German Troops Remove Communist Red Star
104. 1941.07.19. U-553 Returned From Successful Patrol
105. 1941.07.26. Damaged Aircraft of Feldwebel Heinrich Klöpper
106. 1941.08.00. Generaloberst Hoepner With Officers of 6. Panzer-Division in Leningrad
107. 1941.08.10. LSSAH NCO Helmut Burose Attack A Soviet Armoured Vehicle
108. 1941.08.12. RAF Blenheim After Bombing Goldenburg Power Station, Cologne
109. 1941.08.12. RAF Blenheims Attack Fortuna Power Station in Cologne
110. 1941.08.25. Ritterkreuz Award Ceremony for Hyazinth Graf Strachwitz von Gross-Zauche
111. 1941.09-11. Front-Line Conference of Wolfram von Richthofen and Richard Koll
112. 1941.09.00. Red Army Soldiers Ride Panzer III  
113. 1941.09.01. Generale Adolf-Friedrich Kuntzen and Otto von Knobelsdorff 
114. 1941.09.01. German Motorcycle Immobilized by Russian Mud
115. 1941.09-10. U-83 in the North Atlantic During its Second Patrol
116. 1941.10.00. 6. Panzer-Division Panzer Convoy
117. 1941.10.00. Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-4 of Feldwebel Fritz Dinger
118. 1941.10.00. Oberst Richard Koll in his Panzerbefehlswagen III 'RO6'
119. 1941.10.00. Tanks of Panzer Brigade Koll
120. 1941.10.02. A Column of Armour from Panzer-Brigade "Koll" at Vyazma 
121. 1941.10.02. Panoramic View of the Battle of Vyazma
122. 1941.10.02. Panzerbefehlswagen III 'RO6' of Oberst Richard Koll in a Russian Village
123. 1941.10.02. PzBefw.III of Oberst Richard Koll at the Battle of Vyazma 
124. 1941.10.06. Luftwaffe POW officer with British Sergeant
     
125. 1941.10.07. Wounded SS With StuG and Destroyed T-34
126. 1941.10.09. Royal Air Force Avro Lancaster I Flying in the Sky 
127. 1941.10.16. German Troops Inspect Soviet Trenches Along the Volkhov River
128. 1941.10.20. Hans-Ulrich Rudel at the Honor Goblet Presentation
129. 1941.11.01-06. French soldiers of the Légion des Volontaires Français  
130. 1941.11.24. Rommel With 15. Panzer-Division Between Tobruk and Sidi Omar 
131. 1941.12.01-09. The Youngest Soldier of French Legion
132. 1941.12.03. German tank crew surrendered to New Zealand troops
133. 1941.12.07. Radiogram "Air Raid, Pearl Harbor, This Is Not Drill"
     
134. 1941.12.07. Nakajima B5N2 Type 97 Attack Bomber Shot Down at Hospital Point, Pearl Harbor
135. 1941.12.07. Small Boat Rescues Sailor from USS West Virginia (BB-48)  
136. 1941.12.07. USS Maryland (BB-46) and Capsized USS Oklahoma (BB-37)  
137. 1941.12.07. USS Shaw (DD-373) Destroyed in Floating Drydock YFD-2
138. 1941.12.07. "Battleship Row" after Pearl Harbor Attack
     
139. 1941.12.07. Wrecked B-17C Flying Fortress at Hickam Field
140. 1941.12.08. President Franklin D. Roosevelt Signs the Declaration of War Against Japan 
141. 1941.12.20. Award ceremony of Romanian medal to Carl Gustaf Mannerheim
142. 1941.12.23. Panzer-Regiment 201 Receives its First German Tanks
143. 1941.12.25. Generalmajor Ramcke with His Family in the Christmas of 1941
144. 1942.01.00. Panzerkampfwagen III During the Soviet Winter 
145. 1942.01.01. 14th Engineers (Philippine Scouts) Wire Railroad Bridge For Demolition 
146. 1942.01.01. Crusader Tanks in North Africa  
147. 1942.01.01. Japanese Imperial Army During The Advance On Luzon
148. 1942.01.01. M13/40 of Italian XX Armored Corps in North Africa
149. 1942.01.01. RAF 15 Squadron Short Stirlings in Flight
150. 1942.01.12. Ritterkreuz Recipient Heinrich "Hein" Springer  
151. 1942.01.16. Indian Sailor Begs for Water After his Ship was Sunk
152. 1942.01-03. A Messerschmitt Me 210 from Ergänzungsstaffel Zerstörergeschwader 1 (ZG 1)
153. 1042.02.11. Adolf Hitler and Ion Antonescu at the Führerhauptquartier Wolfsschanze
154. 1942.03.01. KNIL soldiers with captured Japanese flag
155. 1942.03.08. The surrender of the Dutch forces to the Japanese at Kalidjati
156. 1942.03.13. Japanese American Grocery Proclaims "I Am An American"
157. 1942.04.05. San Petro Internees Arrive at Santa Anita Assembly Center
158. 1942.04.06. Japanese Americans Queue for Transport to Santa Anita Assembly Center
159. 1942.04.09. Banzai Celebration of Japanese Forces at Bataan
160. 1942.04.10. Lieutenant Edward Henry “Butch” O’Hare in His Cockpit
161. 1942.04.11. Allied Prisoners of War Sort Confiscated Equipment on Bataan
162. 1942.04.24. Japanese-Americans at Manzanar War Relocation Center
163. 1942.05.01. P-40E Warhawk of 11th Fighter Squadron
164. 1942.05.06. Japanese Tanks on Corregidor 
165. 1942.05.22. Four of the Best Pilots From Jagdgeschwader 51 (JG 51) "Mölders"
166. 1942.05.27. Doris Miller Receives the Navy Cross from Admiral Chester W. Nimitz
167. 1942.05.31. American POWs Reenact Surrender of Corregidor to Imperial Japanese Army
168. 1942.06.01. M3 Medium Tanks at Fort Knox
169. 1942.06.03. Marines at General Quarters, Dutch Harbor, Alaska
170. 1942.06.04. Destroyers Stand By to Pick Up Survivors as USS Yorktown is Abandoned
171. 1942.06.04. USS Yorktown After Bomb Hits in the Battle of Midway
172. 1942.06.04. USS Yorktown (CV-5) Lists After Two Torpedoes
173. 1942.06.04. Flight Deck of USS Yorktown After Being Hit by the Japanese
     
174. 1942.06.05. Renzo Kita, Last Moment of Admiral Yamaguchi
175. 1942.06.16. U-455 Return From Her Patrol At St. Nazaire
176. 1942.06.18. German Pioneer Attempting to Demolish Turret No.2 of Fort Maxim Gorky
177. 1942.06.18. The Remains of Russian Tanks Collected by the Germans  
178. 1942.06.21. Small Briefing of German Officers Before Stalingrad
179. 1942.06.28. Portrait Photo of Hans-Joachim Marseille
180. 1942.07.01. Panzer IVs Pass Knocked Out Universal Carrier 
181. 1942.07.01. Panzerkampfwagen III Ausf.N During a Lull in Combat  
182. 1942.07.04. American Prisoners of War Celebrate the Fourth of July at Camp Casisang
183. 1942.07.12. Politruk Alexey Yeremenko Counterattacking Enemy Positions  
184. 1942.07.16. German Soldier Playing With a Cat
185. 1942.08.00. A column of German POWs on the Nevsky Prospekt in Leningrad
186. 1942.08.01. German Soldiers March To The Front In Fall Blau
187. 1942.08.09. 1. Panzer-Armee Advances on the Caucasus Mountains
188. 1942.08.10. German and Finnish Officers at a Ferry on Lake Ladoga
189. 1942.08.10. "Wake - Beach of Bayonets" Propaganda Poster 
190. 1942.08.24. Japanese Bomb Impacts USS Enterprise During Battle of the Eastern Solomons
191. 1942.08.25. U-218 in Kiel Harbor Leaving for Kristiansand
192. 1942.09.00. New Focke-Wulf Fw 190 For JG 51
193. 1942.09.03. Johannes-Rudolf Mühlenkamp with his Fox Terrier dog 
194. 1942.09.15. Victory Marking of U-155
195. 1942.09.16. HZL Aircrew Celebrating the Unit's 1,000th Sortie Over the Eastern Front
196. 1942.09.19. Luftwaffe Troops at Stalingrad
197. 1942.09.21. German Soldier Rides a Camel on the Russian Front  
198. 1942.09.24. Award Ceremony of Croatian Volunteers in the Outskirts of Stalingrad
199. 1942.09.29 Maneuvers of British Armored Division
200. 1942.10.00. P-51 Mustang being prepared for test flight
201. 1942.10.01. B-17F Flying Fortress at Douglas Aircraft's Long Beach Plant
202. 1942.10.01. Unteroffizier Gerhard Proske from Jagdgeschwader 54 (JG 54)
203. 1942.10.08. Ritterkreuz award ceremony for Alexander von Hartmann at Stalingrad
204. 1942.10.15. Ritterkreuz award ceremony of Wilhelm Knetsch at Stalingrad
205. 1942.10.16. German Pioneer Officer at the Ruins of Stalingrad
206. 1942.10.16. German troops push into Barrikady Gun Factory in Stalingrad
207. 1942.10.26. Nakajima B5N2 Passes USS Northampton (CA-26)
208. 1942.11.01. Sergeant William Watts Manning B-24D Liberator Tunnel Machine Gun
209. 1942.11.01. Soldiers in Bunks on Army Transport S.S. Pennant
210. 1942.11.01. US Marine Mortar Squad on the Matanikau
211. 1942.11.04. General Wilhelm Ritter von Thoma Surrender to Bernard Montgomery 
212. 1942.11.06. U-125 Returning to Lorient
213. 1942.11.11. Oberleutnant Winkler Gives Order Near the Barrikady Factory Stalingrad
214. 1942.11.23. Panzerkampfwagen III Ausf N Unloaded in North Africa
215. 1942.11.27. German Armour Entering the French harbour of Toulon  
216. 1942.11.30. The grave of Oberleutnant Joachim Sonntag at Rzhev
217. 1942.12.01. "Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels" Watch American Wounded Rest
218. 1942.12.01. Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf G Abandoned by Their Crews 
219. 1942.12.01. USS Alabama (BB-60) Anchored at Lynn Haven
220. 1942.12.12-23. Panzergrenadiers with the Wrecked T-34 
221. 1942.12.25 The first Christmas of SS Division "Prinz Eugen"
222. 1943.01.00. Karl Dönitz Studying Maps at Kriegsmarine Headquarter
223. 1943.01.00. Messerschmitt Bf 109 of Feldwebel Hans Döbrich
224. 1943.01.00. Oberst Walther von Hünersdorff Discussing Strategy
225. 1943.01.01. M3 Stuart Light Tank in North Africa
226. 1943.01.01. Panzerkampfwagen III Ausf N of Schwere Panzer-Abteilung 501
227. 1943.01.18. British SAS Just Back From a Three Month Patrol
228. 1943.01.20. Captain Robert L. Faurot, 39th Fighter Squadron, US Army Air Corps 
229. 1943.01.20. Men of SS Prinz Eugen Riding On a Hotchkiss H-39 During Operation Weiss
230. 1943.01.22. General Montgomery Planning the Final Assault on Tripoli
231. 1943.01.24. Giraud and de Gaulle Shaking Hands at Casablanca Conference
232. 1943.01.31. Generalleutnant Carl Rodenburg Photographed at Stalingrad
233. 1943.02.10. B-24D Liberator of 308th Bomb Group Passes P-40Ks of 23rd Fighter Group
234. 1943.02.14. Crew of C-47 "Early Delivery"
235. 1943.02.27. Captured Afrikakorps after the Battle of Sened Station
236. 1943.03.04. Messerschmitt Me 210 A-1 “2N+LT” Crash Landed at Gerbini
237. 1943.03.06. Extraordinary Tank Hunter Werner Wrangel
238. 1943.03.06. Günther Rall and His Men with Unit Mascot
239. 1943.03.17. B-17 Flying Fortress "Invasion 2nd" at Training Session
240. 1943.03.19. Adolf Hitler Inspecting Dora
241. 1943.03.21. Marder II "Kohlenklau" of Unteroffizier Helmut Kohlke
242. 1943.03.22. Artur Phleps and Kurt Waldheim at Yugoslavia
243. 1943.04.00. Oberstleutnant Karl-Gottfried Nordmann, Luftwaffe Ace  
244. 1943.04-05. Panther Ausf.D Medium Tanks on Rail Cars Waiting to be shipped to the Front 
245. 1943.04-10. Panzer Commanders of Das Reich and LSSAH
246. 1943.04.04. Adolf Hitler Inspecting Gustav
247. 1943.04.12. Adolf Hitler and Ion Antonescu at the Schloss Kleßheim
248. 1943.04.17. U-Boat Crew Yelled for Help after his Ship was Sunk
249. 1943.04.18. U-37 Returned to the Base at Wilhelmshaven 
250. 1943.04.20. Ritterkreuz award ceremony for Major Wilhelm Eggemann
     
251. 1943.04.21. Ritterkreuz Award Ceremony for Gefreiter Werner Rausch
252. 1943.04.27. Heinz Guderian Visiting Tiger Company of SS Leibstandarte
253. 1943.05.09. Launching of US Submarine USS Robalo (SS-273)  
254. 1943.05.12. German prisoners at Enfidaville Tunisia
255. 1943.05.13. German Generals Captured in Tunisia
256. 1943.05.17. Sir Arthur Harris Debriefing Guy Gibson's Crew After Dambusters Raid
257. 1943.06.01. Boeing XB-29 Superfortress in Flight
258. 1943.06.07. Visit of General Lüters to Prinz Eugen Division
259. 1943.06.14. KNIL marching in Australia
260. 1943.06.30. US Army 43rd Infantry Division, 172nd Regiment Lands on Rendova
261. 1943.07.01. Self-Propelled Howitzer "Hummel" at the Battle of Kursk
262. 1943.07.06. Panzerkampfwagen IV ausf G tanks on the Move 
263. 1943.07.09. B-25D Mitchell "Lady Jane" of 23rd Antisubmarine Squadron
264. 1943.07.11. Robert Rowan explodes off the coast of Gela Sicily
265. 1943.07.19. Benito Mussolini Speaks with Wilhelm Keitel at Feltre Airfield
266. 1943.07.22. Wing Commander Guy Gibson (Dambusters Raid) With His Crew
267. 1943.07.23. Australian soldiers at the Battle of Mount Tambu
268. 1943.07.30. Corporal Bull Allen carrying wounded soldier at Mount Tambu
269. 1943.08.13. Tiger Commander of sPz.Abt.503 Confers With "Totenkopf" Panzergrenadiers
270. 1943.09.00. Children Playing with Panzer Tiger in Italy
271. 1943.09.04. Canadian tanks landed at Reggio Calabria
272. 1943.09.07. VMF-214 "Black Sheep" at Espiritu Santo
273. 1943.09.10. Hans Lex Award Ceremony
274. 1943.09.27. Tank of SS Division Prinz Eugen in Split Croatia during Operation Axis
275. 1943.10.01. German Fallschirmjäger on the Italian Front 
276. 1943.10.04. Tiger #332 Stuck in the Mud (Recovery Training)
277. 1943.11.09. Muslim Members of Handschar Division at Prayer during their Training in Germany
278. 1943.11.12. RAF Supermarine Spitfire Vb at Kenley Airfield 
279. 1943.11.24. M3 Medium Tank Crew of 1st Armored Division Displays 75mm Ammunition
280. 1943.11.28. WASPs Receive Final Instructions Before Flying B-26 Marauder
281. 1943.12.31. B-17 Flying Fortresses Strike Bois-Colombes
282. 1943.12.24. Coast Guard LST Heads for Cape Gloucester with Elements of 1st Marine Division
283. 1944.00.00. A Rider Delivers Mail to Nashorn Crew
284. 1944.00.00. Crew of B-24J 44-40783 Photographed in Front of "Tough Titti"
285. 1944.01.01. Churchill AVRE with Small Box Girder Bridge and Churchill Crocodile  
286. 1944.01.01. Memorial Service in Prisoner of War Heito Camp #3, Formosa
287. 1944.01.01. NCR N-530 Bombe Enigma Decryption Machine
288. 1944.01.02. 44 Squadron Lancaster Warms Up  
289. 1944.01.10. 1st Marine War Dog Platoon and 2nd Marine Raider Regiment on Bougainville
290. 1944.01.14. Marine War Dog and Handler
291. 1944.01.14. Ritterkreuz award ceremony for panzer ace Michael Wittmann and Bobby Woll
292. 1944.01.28. Pilots of Tuskegee Airmen Discusses Air Action Over Anzio 
293. 1944.02.19. 22nd Marines Get Coffee Aboard USS Middleton
294. 1944.02.19. A Marine with Thousand Yard Stare
295. 1944.03.01. German self-propelled gun Sturmpanzer IV "Brummbär"
296. 1944.03.19. A-20G Havoc attacks Japanese Taiei Maru ship
     
297. 1944.03.31 Two US ground crew paint Easter message to the bomb
298. 1944.04.01. Prototype 37mm Flakpanzer IV "Möbelwagen"
299. 1944.04.05. New Zealand soldiers drinks tea in Cassino
300. 1944.04.11. Crew of B-17G "Flatbush Floogie" is Captured
301. 1944.04.20. Adolf Hitler and Hermann Göring at the Demonstration of Hetzer
302. 1944.04.20. Crew of U-198 Before Her Second Patrol
303. 1944.05.00. Panther from Wiking Bogged Down in Thick Mud
304. 1944.05-06. Panthers of Wiking Division in Maciejewo 
305. 1944.05.12. US Marines Disembark from LVT-1 Amtrac at Guam Landing Training 
306. 1944.05.13. Practice jump before D-Day
307. 1944.05.14. French Troops During the Fighting of the Italian Campaigns
308. 1944.05.14. Panther of Wiking Division at SS-Truppenübungsplatz Heidelager
309. 1944.05.15. Major Jimmy Stewart Receives Air Medal
310. 1944.05.18. British Commonwealth troops with captured Nazi flag at Monte Cassino
311. 1944.05.18. New Zealand tank crew at Cassino
312. 1944.05.19. B-17G Destroyed by Bomb Strike From Above
313. 1944.05.20. A change of command ceremony of SS Division Wiking
314. 1944.05.25. German Glider at Operation Rösselsprung
315. 1944.05.25. SS Paratroopers with captured British and US flags
316. 1944.05.27. Consolidated B-24D Liberator "First Sergeant"  
317. 1944.05.27. Officers of Hitlerjugend Division Posing Together at Fritz Witt's Birthday
318. 1944.06.03. Italian refugees with New Zealand soldier
319. 1944.06.03. US Rangers Aboard their Landing Craft Before Normandy Invasion
320. 1944.06.05. American paratrooper before D-Day
321. 1944.06.05. General Eisenhower chats with Paratroopers before D-Day
322. 1944.06.05. German Generals Ernst Philipp, Hans Schlemmer and Helmut Staedke
323. 1944.06.05. Soldiers of 502nd PIR donning the equipment before D-Day
324. 1944.06.06. U.S. assault team landing at Omaha Beach
325. 1944.06.06. Private Jim Flanagan with captured German flag on the morning of D-Day
326. 1944.06.06. Canadian AA Crew with Bofors Gun in Normandy on D-Day
327. 1944.06.06. Korean Yang Kyoungjong Captured in Wehrmacht Uniform
328. 1944.06.06. French Minister Henriot Speech in Berlin
329. 1944.06.07. Adolf Hitler Studying The Allied Landing at D-Day
330. 1944.06.07. Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf H of 12. SS-Panzer-Division 
331. 1944.06.08. 2nd New Zealand Division's personnel sorting out maps
332. 1944.06.09. Max Wünsche and 12th SS Soldiers at Rots Normandy
     
333. 1944.06.11. Marauder II Bombs Banja Luka Yugoslavia 
334. 1944.06.14. Tiger #222 Taking Tiger #231 in Tow After a Breakdown
335. 1944.06.15. Captured Foreign Volunteers in the German Army
336. 1944.06.17. V-1 Strikes Battersea, London
337. 1944.06.18. 1944 German Football Championship Final
338. 1944.06.20. 12. SS-Panzer-Division "Hitlerjugend" Panther Ausf G 
339. 1944.06.25. John Crocker and Rod Keller in Normandy
340. 1944.06.26. V-1 Over England
341. 1944.06.27. The "Last Stand" Defender of Cherbourg
342. 1944.06.30. V-1 Hits the Aldwych, London  
343. 1944.07.01. Flakpanzer IV (3.7cm FlaK) Ostwind
344. 1944.07.01. P-51s of 352nd Fighter Group Escort B-24Js of 458th Bomb Group
345. 1944.07.02. A Japanese Dive Bomber Shot Down Near Truk
346. 1944.07.05. Generals Dwight Eisenhower, Omar Bradley and Lawton Collins
347. 1944.07.07. Finnish Sturmgeschütz crew
348. 1944.07.08. Oberleutnant Franz Ludwig Discussing Strategy With His Men
349. 1944.07.11. German soldiers surrender at Vilnius Lithuania
350. 1944.07.16 Three German commanders in St.-Lô area
351. 1944.07.18. 26th QMC War Dog Platoon on Biak
352. 1944.07.22. SS NCO Ferdinand Breitfelder with Captured British Weapon
353. 1944.07.22. Wiking Officers Strolling at Nurzec rail station
     
354. 1944.07.25. Studio Portrait of Luftwaffe Ace Wilhelm Batz
355. 1944.07.28. British General John Crocker with visiting Soviet delegation
356. 1944.07.29. American Troops Stand Guard Behind German POW at Le Gast
357. 1944.07.29. Coast Guard LST Follows LCIs to Cape Sansapor
358. 1944.07.31. 3rd Marine Division Searches Agana for Japanese Survivors
359. 1944.07.31. King George VI during award ceremony for Canadian soldiers in Italy
360. 1944.08.00. Adolf Hitler and Wachtmeister Arthur Adam
361. 1944.08.00. Reichsbahn Personnel Wearing Camo
362. 1944.08.01. Adolf Hitler Second Visit to the Victims of the 20 July 1944 Plot
363. 1944.08.01. Adolf Hitler Visiting His Adjutant Heinrich Borgmann
364. 1944.08.01. Americans Approach Panther Ausf A in Periers, France 
365. 1944.08.01. Panzerkampfwagen IV ausf H in Poland
366. 1944.08.01. Portrait Photo of Karl Ullrich After Award Ceremony
367. 1944.08.01. Reception of Leading NS Officers by Adolf Hitler
368. 1944.08.01. Schwertern Award Ceremony For Rainer Stahel
369. 1944.08.02. Fieseler Fi-103 V-1 in Flight
370. 1944.08.02. Luftwaffe General Werner Kreipe and Eckhard Christian
371. 1944.08.02-03. German Soldiers Looking for Low-Flying Enemy Aircraft
     
372. 1944.08.03. 155mm "Long Tom" Fires at Japanese on Guam
373. 1944.08.03. Destroyed Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf.J in Normandy  
374. 1944.08.04. Hitler Assembles The Reichsleiter and Gauleiter After July 1944 Attempt
375. 1944.08.05. Ion Antonescu and Adolf Hitler Met for the Last Time
376. 1944.08.09. A Young SS Hitlerjugend Soldier Captured by the Canadian at Normandy
377. 1944.08.09. Otter Scout Car of 4th Armored Division, II Canadian Corps 
378. 1944.08.10. M-2 Wildcats and F4U Corsairs at Daugherty Field, Long Beach, California
379. 1944.08.10. RAF 5 Group Lancaster Attacks Bordeaux Refinery
380. 1944.08.10. Sepp Dietrich Before Brillanten Award Ceremony
381. 1944.08.10. Sepp Dietrich After Brillanten Award Ceremony
382. 1944.08.10. Sepp Dietrich Received by Hitler
383. 1944.08.10. Sepp Dietrich Receiving Brillanten from Hitler
384. 1943.08.10. Tiger of Großdeutschland with Two Soldiers and Captured Soviet Anti-Tank Guns
385. 1944.08.11. Jedburgh Special Forces Board B-24D Liberator
386. 1944.08.15. Panzerkampfwagen IV ausf H (SdKfz 161) of 3.SS Panzer-Division "Totenkopf"
387. 1944.08.17. General Philippe Leclerc and French Tank Crew
388. 1944.08.20. Captured of General der Infanterie Ferdinand Neuling
     
389. 1944.08.20. Jagdpanzer 38(t) "Hetzer" of Heeresgruppe Sudukraine
390. 1944.08.21. American Soldier Inspects Panther Ausf A
391. 1944.08.26. Captured German Kübelwagen in the liberation of Paris
392. 1944.08.28. Heer officer served in Luftwaffe Field Division
393. 1944.08.29. General Alfred Gutknecht captured by the US
394. 1944.08.30. Abandoned "Porscheturm" Königstiger of s.Pz.Abt.503 in Normandy
     
395. 1944.09-10. A Heinkel He 111 Rolling Towards its Heavily Guarded Revetment
396. 1944.09-10. A V-1 With Very Unusual Camouflage Pattern
397. 1944.09-11. SS Anti-Tank in Action at Transylvania
398. 1944.09.00. PK Cameraman Made a Footage of Fw 190
399. 1944.09.01. Abandoned Königstiger of schwere SS-Panzer-Abteilung 101
     
400. 1944.09.01. Briefing African-American Pilots of the 332nd Fighter Group  
401. 1944.09.01. Captain Andrew D. Turner, 100th Fighter Squadron, 332nd Fighter Group 
402. 1944.09.01. Ground Crew Affix Fuel Tank to P-51C Mustang 
403. 1944.09.01. PFC John T. Fields Checks Ammunition on P-51B Mustang
404. 1944.09.03. Charles Foulkes and Harry Crerar in Dieppe France
405. 1944.09.08. General Oliver Leese speaking with Canadian NCO in Italy
406. 1944.09.15. Jagdpanther of schwere Panzerjäger-Abteilung 559 
407. 1944.09.17. Two of Eighteen Allied POWs Rescued by USS Queenfish (SS-393)
408. 1944.09.18. British Paratroopers with German Prisoner at Arnhem
409. 1944.09.18. German SS Prisoners at Arnhem
410. 1944.09.19. General Hermann Plocher Arrived at Milsbeek 
411. 1944.09.28. Nijmegen, Netherlands After Operation Market-Garden
412. 1944.10.--. Karl Nicolussi-Leck on the Cupola of his Panther #801 
413. 1944.10.01. British Churchill Mark VIII Tank
414. 1944.10.14. Panther Ausf A Destroyed by XIX Tactical Air Command 
415. 1944.10.15. Königstiger Occupying a Street Intersection in Budapest
416. 1944.10.15. SS Soldiers With Captured Hungarian War Machines in Buda Castle
417. 1944.10.17. Royal Hamilton Light Infantry During the Battle of the Scheldt
418. 1944.10.20. Destroyed Catholic Church at Dulag, Leyte
419. 1944.10.20. Wounded 7th Cavalry Tankers Receive First Aid
420. 1944.10.21. US Army General Douglas MacArthur's Second Landing on Leyte 
421. 1944.10.29. British war correspondent in the Netherlands
422. 1944.11.--. SS-Sturmbannführer Luis Thaler with Waffen-Obersturmbannführer Armando Giorleo
423. 1944.11.24. The crew of B-29 Superfortress 42-24598 "Waddy's Wagon"
424. 1944.12.11. M4 Sherman Mine Exploder T1E3 Clears A Road in Beggendorf
425. 1944.12.16. Wounded SS soldier during the Battle of the Bulge
426. 1944.12.18. American Soldiers of the 99th Infantry Division March Into Captivity
427. 1944.12.18. Gloster Meteor F.3 of Royal Air Force 616 Squadron in Flight 
428. 1944.12.21. PT Boat Crewman Lathers Up with Soap Prior to Salt Water Bath 
429. 1944.12.22. Luftwaffe Ace Gerhard Tyben Receiving The Knight's Cross
430. 1944.12.25. Coldstream Guards' Sherman Firefly IC Guards Bridge at Namur
431. 1944.12.27. Messerschmitt Bf 109 is “Blaue 15” of Leutnant Lehmann
432. 1944.12.27. Panther Ausf G Abandoned in the Ardennes
433. 1944.12.29. Destroyed American War Machines Near Bastogne
434. 1945.01.01. American Armada at Ulithi Atoll
435. 1945.01.02. Eichenlaub award ceremony for Panzer Ace Otto Carius
436. 1945.01.06. USS Columbia (CL-56) Hit by Kamikaze Attack
437. 1945.01.07-12. Fritz Vogt and Fritz Darges in Front of Hegykastely Castle
438. 1945.01.14. 44th Evacuation Hospital Orderlies Carry Malmedy Victim on Stretcher
439. 1945.01.18. Abandoned Königstiger of schwere Panzer-Abteilung 506
440. 1945.01.19. German prisoners trudge past a British Sherman tank at Höngen
441. 1945.01.24. Sherman Tanks of 7th Armored in St. Vith
442. 1945.01.26. U.S. M8 Greyhound Near the German Border
443. 1945.02.01. Reactor B at the Hanford Engineer Works
444. 1945.02.03. M24 Chaffee of 18th Cavalry Squadron
445. 1945.02.05. First Ledo Road Convoy to Reach Kunming, China
446. 1945.02.09. Douglas MacArthur Inspects Damage to Stotsenburg Station Hospital
447. 1945.03.11. Visit of Hitler to Heeresgruppe Weichsel.
448. 1945.03.16. Coning Tower Test Using U-2330
449. 1945.02.18. Platoon of 4th Marine Division Briefed on Iwo Jima on Attack Transport 
450. 1945.02.20. A Marine Artillery Observer on Iwo Jima
451. 1945.02.20. Marine Naps While War Dog Stands Guard 
452. 1945.02.20. Wounded Marines Are Helped to an Aid Station by Navy Corpsmen
453. 1945.02.23. First Flag Raising on Iwo Jima
454. 1945.02.23. Raising the American Flag on Iwo Jima
455. 1945.03.20. Adolf Hitler Congratulating Hitlerjugend Boys 
456. 1945.03.20. M-12 Tank was Called Upon to Blast Enemy Defenses at Siegfried Line 
457. 1945.03.23. Jagdtiger Abandoned in Neustadt
458. 1945.03.24. German Town Destroyed During Operation Varsity  
459. 1945.03.25. B-17G Flying Fortress "Big Yank"
460. 1945.03.27. USS West Virginia (BB-48) Shoots Down a Japanese Kamikaze Plane
461. 1945.04.01. A Knocked-Out Jagdpanther Being Examined by an American Soldier
462. 1945.04.01. 2nd Mixed Brigade Field Hospital Surrenders on Iwo Jima
463. 1945.04.01. German town Wesel after the bombing
464. 1945.04.03. 15 Year Old German Soldier Cries After Being Captured

Visit of Hitler to Heeresgruppe Weichsel (1945)

Image size: 1232 x 848 pixel. 297 KB
Date: Sunday, 11 March 1945
Place: Schloss Freienwalde, Bad Freienwalde, Oder (Germany)
Photographer: Walter Frentz

This photo was taken on 11 March 1945 when Adolf Hitler (Führer und Oberster Befehlshaber der Wehrmacht) inspected the Heeresgruppe Weichsel, and it is recorded as the Hitler's last visit to the front! He departed for Bad Freienwalde on the Oder. In a meeting with the commander of the 9th Army, Theodor Busse, the Führer emphasized to his officers to hold back the Russian troops across the Oder River for as long as possible until his latest ultimate weapon was ready (although Hitler himself did not specify what that weapon was!). For identification in this photo, standing around Hitler from left to right: General der Artillerie Wilhelm Berlin (General der Artillerie im Oberkommando des Heeres und Kommandierender General CI. Armeekorps), Generaloberst Robert Ritter von Greim (Chef Luftflotte 6), Generalmajor Franz Reuß (Kommandeur 4. Flieger-Division), General der Flakartillerie Job Odebrecht (Kommandierender General II. Flakkorps), and General der Infanterie Theodor Busse (Oberbefehlshaber 9. Armee).

On March 11, 1945, as the noose of the Soviet Red Army tightened around the remnants of Nazi Germany’s Eastern Front defenses, Adolf Hitler undertook what would become his final journey away from the Reich Chancellery in Berlin to visit the forward command elements of Heeresgruppe Weichsel, the army group hastily formed to shield the approaches to the German capital. The destination was Schloss Freienwalde, a stately palace in the town of Bad Freienwalde along the Oder River, roughly sixty kilometers northeast of Berlin and serving as a discreet headquarters for units of the Ninth Army. This excursion, conducted under conditions of strict secrecy and by motorcade rather than aircraft to minimize exposure to Soviet air reconnaissance, represented a last personal effort by the Führer to rally his commanders, assess the collapsing Oder line, and project unyielding resolve in the face of imminent catastrophe. The meeting, preserved in a now-restored historical photograph depicting Hitler seated at a table strewn with operational maps while surrounded by his senior officers, captured a moment of desperate strategic deliberation amid the final weeks of the Third Reich.

The broader military context for this visit was one of unrelenting disaster for German forces. Following the devastating Soviet Vistula-Oder Offensive launched in January 1945, which had swept through Poland and driven the Wehrmacht back across the Oder River in a matter of weeks, Hitler had ordered the creation of Heeresgruppe Weichsel on January 24 as a new formation to consolidate the northern sector of the Eastern Front. Command was entrusted not to a seasoned professional soldier but to Heinrich Himmler, the Reichsführer-SS, reflecting Hitler’s growing preference for ideological loyalists over traditional generals and his belief that fanaticism could compensate for material shortages. By early March, however, the army group—comprising the Third Panzer Army, Ninth Army, and Eleventh Army along with various ad-hoc formations—was stretched to the breaking point. Manpower was critically depleted, with divisions often reduced to regimental strength; ammunition, fuel, and heavy weapons were in short supply; and Soviet bridgeheads across the Oder, particularly around Küstrin, threatened to erupt into a full-scale breakthrough toward Berlin at any moment. Just one day after Hitler’s visit, on March 12, Soviet forces of the 1st Belorussian Front under Marshal Georgy Zhukov would capture Küstrin, further exposing the fragility of the German positions. The Ninth Army, commanded by General der Infanterie Theodor Busse, bore the brunt of the central sector’s defense, facing overwhelming Soviet artillery barrages and armored superiority while attempting to fortify makeshift lines with whatever reserves could be scraped together from retreating units and Volkssturm militias.

Hitler’s motorcade departed Berlin in the morning of March 11, traveling along roads that had been cleared of unnecessary traffic and placed under heightened security to prevent any disruption or intelligence leaks. Upon arrival at Schloss Freienwalde, he was greeted by a small but select group of commanders who had been summoned for the situation conference. Prominent among them were General Theodor Busse, whose Ninth Army headquarters elements hosted the meeting; Generaloberst Robert Ritter von Greim, the highly decorated Luftwaffe officer who would soon be appointed the last Commander-in-Chief of the Luftwaffe; Generalmajor Franz Reuss, commanding the 4th Flieger Division responsible for air support operations; and General Job Odebrecht, another Luftwaffe general involved in coordinating flak and fighter assets for the Oder front. The officers stood clustered around large-scale maps spread across a table in one of the palace’s rooms, their uniforms bearing the Iron Crosses, Knight’s Crosses, and other decorations earned through years of brutal combat, while Hitler, dressed in his plain field-gray tunic with black trousers and polished boots, leaned forward in his chair to examine the dispositions. The photograph of this scene, originally grainy and faded from wartime processing, now appears in crystal-clear 4K detail after restoration, revealing every facial expression, the texture of the wool uniforms, the gleam of medals, and the intricate lines on the maps with the sharpness of a modern professional DSLR capture.

According to accounts of the conference, Busse opened with a candid briefing on the tactical realities confronting Heeresgruppe Weichsel. He detailed the Soviet concentrations opposite the Ninth Army, the exhaustion of German troops after months of continuous withdrawal and counterattacks, the critical lack of armored reserves following transfers to other sectors, and the devastating impact of Red Army artillery that could deliver thousands of shells per kilometer of front. Von Greim and the other Luftwaffe officers contributed assessments of available air assets, noting that fuel shortages and Allied bombing had reduced the once-mighty Luftwaffe to sporadic sorties by jet prototypes and night fighters, with little prospect of sustained close air support. Hitler listened intently, his left hand trembling noticeably from the effects of Parkinson’s disease and the cumulative strain of the war, yet he maintained a composed demeanor. In response, he delivered a characteristically fervent monologue, insisting that the Oder line must be held at all costs. He spoke of imminent “wonder weapons” that would soon enter mass production and deployment—vague references to advanced jet aircraft like the Me 262, improved V-2 rockets, or even rumored experimental technologies—claiming they would inflict catastrophic losses on the Soviets and allow Germany to regain the initiative. He deliberately withheld specifics, perhaps to preserve morale or because the projects themselves were still mired in delays and resource shortages. The generals, aware of the growing disconnect between Hitler’s optimism and the battlefield facts, nonetheless responded with formal assurances of loyalty and determination, a reflection of the atmosphere of obedience that still prevailed even as defeat loomed.

The conference extended for several hours, blending operational discussion with Hitler’s broader strategic exhortations about the need to tie down Soviet forces and buy time for reinforcements or political developments on the Western Front. No major new directives emerged from the meeting; instead, it served primarily as a morale-boosting exercise and a means for Hitler to demonstrate his personal engagement with the troops. By afternoon, the entourage returned to Berlin via the same cautious route, with Hitler retreating once more into the protective confines of the Führerbunker. This journey marked the absolute end of his frontline visits; never again would he leave the capital or directly inspect his armies in the field. Within days, the pressure on Heeresgruppe Weichsel escalated dramatically. Himmler, whose command had proven ineffective amid his own health problems and lack of military expertise, was relieved on March 20 and replaced by Generaloberst Gotthard Heinrici, a more pragmatic defender who would orchestrate the final, futile stand along the Oder and Seelow Heights. The Soviet Berlin Offensive, launched in mid-April, would shatter these defenses, leading to the encirclement of Berlin and the regime’s collapse.

The restored photograph from the Schloss Freienwalde conference stands today as one of the most evocative images of the war’s closing phase. It shows Hitler in profile, his mustache and slicked hair sharply defined, gazing toward the maps while Busse and the Luftwaffe generals lean in attentively, their faces etched with the fatigue and gravity of men who understood the odds. The lighting and contrast have been balanced to modern standards, eliminating every trace of dust, scratches, and chemical degradation from the original print, yet the historical authenticity remains untouched—no expressions altered, no proportions changed. It is as though the moment was photographed yesterday with contemporary equipment, yet it still depicts the exact individuals, poses, and tense atmosphere of that March day in 1945.

This photo was taken on 11 March 1945 when Adolf Hitler (Führer und Oberster Befehlshaber der Wehrmacht) inspected the Heeresgruppe Weichsel, and it is recorded as the Hitler's last visit to the front! He departed for Bad Freienwalde on the Oder. In a meeting with the commander of the 9th Army, Theodor Busse, the Führer emphasized to his officers to hold back the Russian troops across the Oder River for as long as possible until his latest ultimate weapon was ready (although Hitler himself did not specify what that weapon was!). For identification in this photo, standing around Hitler from left to right: General der Artillerie Wilhelm Berlin (General der Artillerie im Oberkommando des Heeres und Kommandierender General CI. Armeekorps), Generaloberst Robert Ritter von Greim (Chef Luftflotte 6), Generalmajor Franz Reuß (Kommandeur 4. Flieger-Division), General der Flakartillerie Job Odebrecht (Kommandierender General II. Flakkorps), and General der Infanterie Theodor Busse (Oberbefehlshaber 9. Armee).

This photo was taken on 11 March 1945 when Adolf Hitler (Führer und Oberster Befehlshaber der Wehrmacht) inspected the Heeresgruppe Weichsel, and it is recorded as the Hitler's last visit to the front! He departed for Bad Freienwalde on the Oder. In a meeting with the commander of the 9th Army, Theodor Busse, the Führer emphasized to his officers to hold back the Russian troops across the Oder River for as long as possible until his latest ultimate weapon was ready (although Hitler himself did not specify what that weapon was!). For identification in this photo, standing around Hitler from left to right: Generaloberst Robert Ritter von Greim (Chef Luftflotte 6), Generalmajor Franz Reuß (Kommandeur 4. Flieger-Division), General der Flakartillerie Job Odebrecht (Kommandierender General II. Flakkorps), and General der Infanterie Theodor Busse (Oberbefehlshaber 9. Armee).

Source :
https://alifrafikkhan.blogspot.com/2014/08/foto-adolf-hitler-di-tahun-1945.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Army_Group_Vistula

Adolf Hitler and Ion Antonescu at the Schloss Kleßheim (1943)

Image size: 1248 x 832 pixel. 268 KB
Date: Monday, 12 April 1943
Place: Schloss Kleßheim, Salzburg, Austria
Photographer: Walter Frentz

This picture was taken by Walter Frentz at the Schloss Kleßheim in Salzburg, 12 April 1943. From left to right: Otto Meißner (Leiter der Präsidialkanzlei), Generalleutnant Walter Warlimont (Stellvertretender Chef des Wehrmachtführungsstabes), Paul Otto Schmidt (interpreter), Marshal Ion Antonescu (Romanian dictator and Prime Minister), unknown Romanian official, Adolf Hitler (Führer und Oberster Befehlshaber der Wehrmacht), and Generalfeldmarschall Wilhelm Keitel (Chef der Oberkommando der Wehrmacht).

By April 1943, World War II had reached a turning point on the Eastern Front following the devastating German defeat at Stalingrad earlier that year. Romania, under Marshal Ion Antonescu's authoritarian rule since 1940, remained a vital Axis ally, supplying troops, oil, and resources to Nazi Germany. However, mounting losses and the advancing Soviet forces strained the partnership. Antonescu sought reassurances from Adolf Hitler regarding Romania's territorial integrity, particularly the return of Northern Transylvania, ceded to Hungary via the 1940 Vienna Award. Hitler, facing wavering commitment from his satellites, convened a series of bilateral summits at Schloss Klessheim, a Baroque palace near Salzburg, Austria, renovated in 1940 as a luxurious guest house for diplomatic receptions. The palace, originally built in the 18th century by Prince-Archbishop Firmian, featured opulent halls, gardens, and conference rooms equipped for high-level discussions, including strategic planning with maps.

These meetings included Italian leader Benito Mussolini, Romanian Marshal Ion Antonescu, and Hungarian Regent Miklós Horthy, each held separately to bolster Axis unity. For Antonescu, the visit on April 12-13, 1943, was an opportunity to address military cooperation, economic strains, and the sensitive "Jewish question," where Germany pressured Romania to accelerate deportations as part of the Final Solution. Despite earlier alignments, Antonescu resisted full compliance, prioritizing Romanian sovereignty.

Marshal Ion Antonescu arrived at Schloss Klessheim on April 12, 1943, amid a backdrop of spring landscapes and heightened security. The palace, serving as a neutral yet grandiose venue for Axis diplomacy, was guarded by SS personnel and equipped with anti-aircraft defenses. Hitler personally welcomed Antonescu, a gesture reflecting the Romanian leader's importance as a key supplier of oil and manpower. Accompanied by German Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop and other officials, the two leaders exchanged formal salutes and handshakes before proceeding to the palace's interior. Newsreel footage and photographs captured the arrival, emphasizing the ceremonial aspects of the visit.

The two-day summit included private discussions and formal receptions, with Antonescu's delegation including advisors focused on military and economic matters. The atmosphere was tense, as both sides grappled with the war's deteriorating outlook.

The centerpiece of the visit was a strategic conference held in one of Schloss Klessheim's equipped rooms, where Hitler and Antonescu reviewed military maps spread across a large table. Joined by high-ranking officers such as Field Marshal Wilhelm Keitel and Walter Warlimont, the leaders discussed the Eastern Front's challenges, Romania's ongoing contributions, and future operations. Hitler urged Antonescu to maintain commitment despite recent setbacks, criticizing other allies for insufficient effort while praising Romania's role.

A significant portion of the talks addressed the "Jewish question." Germany intensified pressure on Antonescu to deport Romanian Jews to extermination camps in occupied Poland, following earlier plans discussed in 1942. Antonescu, aware of the deportations' lethal implications, resisted, citing Romania's independent approach and refusing to yield without concessions like the return of Northern Transylvania. The discussions also touched on economic cooperation, with Romania's oil fields critical to the German war machine, and territorial assurances against Hungarian and Bulgarian claims.

The map room setting allowed for detailed examination of frontline positions, supply lines, and potential counteroffensives, underscoring the military dimension of the alliance. Follow-up talks on April 14 involved Ribbentrop and Mihai Antonescu, Romania's Foreign Minister, further emphasizing resistance to German demands on deportations.

The April 1943 summit at Schloss Klessheim highlighted the fragility of the Axis coalition. While Hitler sought to rally his allies, Antonescu's visit revealed growing Romanian disillusionment with the war. Antonescu secured no firm commitments on Transylvania but maintained Romania's autonomy on internal policies, notably halting Jewish deportations from core territories. This resistance marked a divergence from full Nazi compliance, influenced by shifting war fortunes.

In the ensuing months, Romania's position worsened, leading to secret overtures to the Allies. By August 1944, King Michael orchestrated a coup, arresting Antonescu and switching sides to the Allies. Antonescu was tried and executed in 1946 for war crimes. Schloss Klessheim, once a hub of Axis diplomacy, now houses a casino and serves as a reminder of wartime intrigue. The meeting exemplifies the personal dynamics between Hitler and his allies, blending strategy, ideology, and pragmatism in the face of impending defeat.


Source:
https://www.walter-frentz-collection.de/fotoarchiv/personenarchiv-a-z/personen-a-b/