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/

Adolf Hitler and Ion Antonescu at the Führerhauptquartier Wolfsschanze (1942)

Image size: 1248 x 832 pixel. 284 KB
Date: Wednesday, 11 February 1942
Place: Führerhauptquartier Wolffschanze, Rastenburg, East Prussia
Photographer: Walter Frentz

This picture was taken by Walter Frentz at the Führerhauptquartier Wolffschanze, 11 February 1942. From left to right: General der Artillerie Alfred Jodl (Chef des Wehrmachtsführungsamtes), Marshal Ion Antonescu (Romanian dictator and Prime Minister), Paul Otto Schmidt (interpreter), Adolf Hitler (Führer und Oberster Befehlshaber der Wehrmacht), Generalfeldmarschall Wilhelm Keitel (Chef der Oberkommando der Wehrmacht), Major Eckhard Christian (persönlicher Luftwaffen Generalstabsoffizier des Chef Oberkommando der Wehrmacht), and Generaloberst Franz Halder (Chef des Generalstabes des Heeres).

In the midst of World War II, Romania under the leadership of Marshal Ion Antonescu was a key ally of Nazi Germany. Having joined the Axis powers through the Tripartite Pact in November 1940, Romania contributed significantly to the Eastern Front campaign against the Soviet Union, providing the third-largest Axis army. By early 1942, the war effort was intensifying, with Operation Barbarossa facing harsh winter conditions and logistical challenges. Antonescu's visit to Adolf Hitler's eastern headquarters, the Führerhauptquartier Wolfsschanze (Wolf's Lair), located in the dense forests near Rastenburg in East Prussia (now Kętrzyn, Poland), was a critical diplomatic and strategic engagement. This fortified complex, built in 1940-1941, served as Hitler's primary command center for directing operations on the Eastern Front. The visit on February 11, 1942, aimed to strengthen coordination between the two nations, discuss military contributions, and address territorial concerns involving Romania's neighbors.

The Wolfsschanze was a sprawling, heavily secured site encompassing over 6.5 square kilometers, divided into three security zones. It included bunkers, barracks, a power station, and specialized facilities like a map room for strategic planning and a radio communication center for maintaining contact with field units. The headquarters housed up to 2,000 personnel at its peak, reflecting its role as the nerve center of German operations.

On the morning of February 11, 1942, amid falling snow and frigid temperatures, Marshal Ion Antonescu arrived by train at the nearby Görlitz station. Hitler personally greeted him on the platform, a gesture underscoring the importance Germany placed on the Romanian alliance. Snow blanketed the ground, and the two leaders exchanged salutes before proceeding in a car to the main complex. Accompanied by high-ranking German officials, including General Alfred Jodl, Chief of the Operations Staff of the Armed Forces High Command, they drove through the forested paths to the inner security zone (Sperrkreis 1). This arrival was captured in newsreel footage, highlighting the ceremonial aspects of the visit amid the harsh winter landscape.

Upon entering the headquarters, Antonescu was welcomed by additional officers, setting the stage for substantive discussions. The Wolfsschanze's design emphasized security and functionality, with reinforced concrete bunkers camouflaged to blend into the surroundings. Hitler's personal bunker, along with guest accommodations, ensured that high-level visitors like Antonescu could engage in confidential talks without interruption.

The core of the visit was a strategic meeting held in the map room, a central facility within the Wolfsschanze equipped with large tables covered in detailed military maps and walls adorned with operational charts. Here, Hitler and Antonescu, joined by key advisors such as Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop and Field Marshal Wilhelm Keitel, reviewed the ongoing war effort. The discussions focused on political and military issues, including Romania's contributions to the Eastern Front and economic cooperation.

A significant outcome was Hitler's personal assurance to Antonescu that Germany would guarantee Romania's territorial integrity post-war, specifically preventing any aggressive actions by Hungary and Bulgaria against Romania. The leaders also critiqued the perceived inadequate war efforts of these two nations, emphasizing Romania's more substantial role. These talks were crucial for Antonescu, who sought to safeguard Romania's interests amid shifting alliances and border disputes, particularly regarding Transylvania. The map room, often used for daily situation briefings (Lagebesprechungen), provided the perfect setting for poring over frontline positions and planning future operations.

As part of the visit, Antonescu was given a tour of the Wolfsschanze's key operational areas to demonstrate German military efficiency and foster closer collaboration. This included an inspection of the radio communication room, a vital component of the headquarters' infrastructure. The communication center, equipped with advanced radio equipment and telegraph lines, was essential for relaying orders to distant fronts and maintaining real-time coordination with Axis forces. Antonescu's inspection highlighted the technological prowess of the German command system, allowing him to observe how Hitler maintained control over vast theaters of war. While specific details of this inspection are sparse in surviving records, such tours were common for high-profile allies to build trust and share insights into operational capabilities. The facility underscored the Wolfsschanze's role as a hub for encrypted communications, ensuring secure links with Berlin and field commanders.

The tour also likely encompassed other elements of the complex, such as the power generation bunkers and anti-aircraft defenses, emphasizing the site's self-sufficiency and defensive fortifications.

Antonescu's visit to the Wolfsschanze on February 11, 1942, reinforced the Axis partnership at a pivotal moment when the Eastern Front was bogged down in winter stalemates. It boosted Romanian morale and commitment to the war, while providing Antonescu with reassurances on territorial matters. However, as the war turned against the Axis, these alliances frayed; Romania would switch sides in August 1944, leading to Antonescu's arrest and execution in 1946.

This meeting exemplifies the personal diplomacy between Hitler and his allies, conducted in the secretive confines of the Wolfsschanze. Despite the site's eventual abandonment and destruction in 1945, it remains a symbol of Nazi wartime strategy, now preserved as a historical site open to the public.

Inspection to the communication room. The two generals at left is Generaloberst Franz Halder (Chef des Generalstabes des Heeres) and General der Nachrichtentruppe Erich Fellgiebel (Chef des Wehrmachtnachrichten-Verbindungswesen).

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

The First Visit of Marshal Zukhov to Berlin

Video size: 720p (1280 x 720 pixels) - 64.6 MB
Date: Thursday, 3 May 1945
Place: Berlin, Germany
Cameraman: various cameraman

On 3 May 1945, Marshal Georgy Zhukov, the celebrated Soviet commander who had led the Red Army to its decisive victory in the Battle of Berlin, made his historic visit to the German capital. Just three days after Adolf Hitler’s suicide and one day after Berlin’s surrender, Zhukov arrived in the devastated city as the supreme representative of Soviet military power. His inspection underscored the triumph of the USSR over Nazi Germany and marked the consolidation of Soviet control in the city. Riding through streets littered with rubble, Zhukov observed the destruction wrought by weeks of fierce fighting, while also coordinating the occupation zones with Allied representatives. His presence not only symbolized the Soviet role in defeating the Third Reich, but also foreshadowed the political reordering of Europe that would soon crystallize in the postwar division of Berlin. In this visit, he was accompanied by Arthur Pieck - the later general director of the East-German airline Interflug and son of the first president of the GDR, Wilhelm Pieck. In addition, the clip also shows the celebrations of the Red Army in front of the Brandenburg Gate, the Victory Column and the Lustgarten, which are shown with rare original sound.

Locations chronologically: 
0:00 Reichtsag
0:26 Brandenburg Gate
1:34 Reich Chancellery (dead Hitler lookalike and dead Goebbels family)
3:15 Victory Column
4:06 Georgen Church (blown up in 1949)
4:40 City Palace - Kaiser Wilhelm National Monument (demolished 1949/1950)
4:55 Lustgarten and Altes Museum.

Source :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmVJTWMIlQg

Moscow Victory Parade (1945)

Video size: 480p (854 x 480 pixels) - 85.1 MB
Date: Sunday, 24 June 1945
Place: Red Square, Moscow, Soviet Union
Cameraman: unknown

The 1945 Moscow Victory Parade (Russian: Парад Победы, romanized: Parad Pobedy), also known as the Parade of Victors (Russian: Парад победителей, romanized: Parad pobediteley), was a victory parade held by the Soviet Armed Forces (with the Color Guard Company representing the First Polish Army) after the defeat of Nazi Germany. This, the longest and largest military parade ever held on Red Square in the Soviet capital Moscow, involved 40,000 Red Army soldiers and 1,850 military vehicles and other military hardware. The parade lasted just over two hours on a rainy June 24, 1945, over a month after May 9, the day of Germany's surrender to Soviet commanders.

The parade itself was ordered by Joseph Stalin on June 22, 1945, by virtue of Order 370 of the Office of the Supreme Commander in Chief, Armed Forces of the USSR. This order is as follows:

    Order #370 of the Supreme Commander in Chief, Armed Forces of the USSR and concurrent People's Commissar of State for Defense

    To mark the victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War, I order a parade of troops of the Army, Navy and the Moscow Garrison, the Victory Parade, on June 24, 1945, at Moscow's Red Square.

    Marching on parade shall be the combined regiments of all the fronts, a People's Commissariat of National Defense combined regiment, the Soviet Navy, military academies and schools, and troops of the Moscow Garrison and Military District.

    My deputy, Marshal of the Soviet Union Georgy Zhukov will be the parade inspector. Marshal Konstantin Rokossovsky will command the Victory Parade itself. I entrust to Col. Gen. Pavel Artemyev, the preparations and the supervision of the parade organization, due to his concurrent capacities as the Commanding General of the Moscow Military District and Commanding Officer in charge of the Moscow City Garrison.

        June 22, 1945
        (signed) MARSHAL OF THE SOVIET UNION JOSEPH V. STALIN
        Supreme Commander-in-Chief, Armed Forces of the USSR

        And concurrent People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR

This was preceded by another letter by General of the Army Aleksei Antonov, Chief of the General Staff of the Soviet Armed Forces to all the participant fronts in attendance on the 24th of the previous month which is as follows:

    Order to the Fronts who will participate in the Victory Parade

    The Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces has ordered that:

    1. In order for the front to participate in the Moscow City parade in honor of the victory over Germany, each front will be represented by a combined regiment which is to be raised among them.
    2. The following pattern will form the combined front regiment as follows:

        5 two-company battalions with 100 men in the company (10 squads of 10 men each) will be the basis, accompanied by:
            19 command staff officers from the front
            One regimental commander
            Two deputy regimental commanders for drill and ceremony and political training respectively
            One regimental chief of staff
            5 Battalion commanders
            10 company commanders
            36 color bearers and 4 escorting officers.

    All in all the regiment will be composed of 1,059 male active personnel and 10 additional reserve personnel.
    3. A combined regiment for the parade will have the following companies:

        6 infantry companies
        1 artillery company
        1 tank company
        1 air company
        and 1 combined company (composed of cavalrymen, sappers and signalmen respectively).

    4. The companies in attendance will be manned so as to have the middle-ranked officers commanding the squads, which are then composed of privates and sergeants.
    5. The combined regiment will be armed in the following pattern on the parade:

        3 infantry companies with rifles,
        3 infantry companies with sub-machine guns,
        the artillery company with slung carbines,
        the tank company and the air company both armed with pistols,
        and the combined cavalry, signals and sapper company also with slung carbines and with sabres for the cavalrymen in attendance.

    6. The Front Commanders and all commanders including air and tank army commanders will arrive in Moscow for the Parade.
    7. On June 10 of this year, the combined regiment of the front will arrive in Moscow having 36 combat colors from selected Front units that are the most distinguished in action, and all the captured enemy standards, whatever the number, selected to be carried in the parade proper.
    8. The full dress uniform will be issued in Moscow for use on the parade by the regimental staff.

        May 24, 1945
        (signed) GENERAL OF THE ARMY ALEKSEI ANTONOV
        Chief of the General Staff of the Soviet Armed Forces

Intensive preparations for the parade took place in late May and early June in Moscow. The preliminary rehearsal of the Victory Parade took place at the Central Airfield, and the general rehearsal on Red Square on June 22.

Marshals Georgy Zhukov, who had formally accepted the German surrender to the Soviet Union, and Konstantin Rokossovsky, rode through the parade ground on white and black stallions, respectively. The fact is commemorated by the equestrian statue of Zhukov in front of the State Historical Museum, on Manege Square. Zhukov's stallion was called Кумир ("Idol") while Rokossovsky's was called Столб ("Pole"). The General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, Joseph Stalin, stood atop Lenin's Mausoleum and watched the parade alongside other dignitaries present.

According to certain editions of Zhukov's memoirs, Stalin had intended to ride through the parade himself, but he fell from the horse during the rehearsal and had to yield the honor to Zhukov, who used to be a cavalry officer. However, this story is disputed by former Soviet spy Viktor Suvorov. He claims that the story was inserted into Zhukov's memoirs as a counterargument to his theory, (although it apparently was in circulation earlier) that Stalin didn't lead the parade because he considered the war's results not worthy of the effort invested. Suvorov notes several inconsistencies in the story, along with numerous evidence that Zhukov was intended all along for the role of leading the parade; for example, the memoirs of Sergei Shtemenko, the man responsible at the time for the preparation of the parade, state that the roles were decided from the start, and Igor Bobylev (who took part in the preparations) claims that the story never happened and that Stalin never visited the Manege at that time. Another planned part of the parade was the march of the Victory Banner, which was delivered to Moscow from Berlin on June 20 and was supposed to begin the procession of troops. Despite this, the weak drill training of Mikhail Yegorov, Meliton Kantaria and Stepan Neustroev forced Marshal Zhukov to not go ahead with this portion of the parade.

Displays of the Red Army vehicles were some of the focal points of the ceremony. It was one of the few times in which Cossacks took part in a victory parade, with personnel from the 4th Guards Cossacks Cavalry Corps taking part in the procession of troops as part of the 2nd Ukrainian Front's combined regiment. One of the most famous moments at the end of the troops parade took place when soldiers from the Separate Operational Purpose Division of the NKVD carried the German standards and threw them down next to the mausoleum. One of the standards that was tossed down belonged to the LSSAH, Hitler's personal bodyguard.

The next day, a reception was held in the Grand Kremlin Palace in honor of the participants in the Victory Parade. Due to the bad weather that day the flypast segment and the planned civil parade were cancelled. Nonetheless, this two-hour parade remains the longest and largest military parade in Red Square's history, and involved 40,000 soldiers and 1,850 military vehicles and other military hardware.
Band and music

The procession had musical accompaniment that was provided by the massed bands of the Moscow Garrison, led by Major General Semyon Tchernetsky, Senior Director of Music. The combined band consisted of 38 military bands coming from Moscow military schools, as well as military units of the Red Army and the NKVD. The combined band numbered 1,220 musicians under the direction of 50 bandmasters. In total,the parade saw the participation of 1,313 musicians, the youngest of whom was 13 years old.

The parade repertoire was finalized for approval on 5 June 1945. The final list included 36 tracks, including the Soviet anthem, fanfares and slow marches. Twenty works that were performed at the parade were written by Tchernetsky himself. The inspection part of the parade commenced with Tchernetsky's Jubilee Slow March "25 Years of the Red Army" and ended with the performance of Slavsya. The first song after the conclusion of the inspection was the Moscow ceremonial fanfare under the direction of conductor Vasily Agapkin. The parade was opened by the young drummers of the Corps of Drums from the Moscow School of Musicians, wearing uniforms similar to those of the Moscow Suvorov Military School and led by a bandmaster, which after marching past soon took its place behind the massed bands to provide additional support. The parade ended with the Glory to the Motherland march. Additional marches have included Jaeger March, March of the 92nd Pechersk Regiment, March of the Leningrad Guards Divisions, March "Joy of Victory", March "Hero".


Parade participants

Marshal of the Soviet Union Georgy Zhukov (parade inspector)
Marshal of the Soviet Union Konstantin Rokossovsky (parade commander)

Military bands
Massed military bands of the Moscow Military District
Conductor: Major Gen. Semyon Tchernetsky, Senior Director of Music of the Central Military Orchestra of the People's Commissariat of National Defense
Moscow A. Surovov Military Music School Corps of Drums

Ground column
Fronts of the Soviet Army, Navy, Army Air Forces and Air Defense Forces composed of:
Ground Troops and Air Force officers and personnel of the following fronts:
Karelian - led by Regimental Commanders Maj. Gen. Grigory Kalinovsky and Marshal Kirill Meretskov
Leningrad - led by Regimental Commanders Maj. Gen. Andrei Stuchenko and Marshal Leonid Govorov
1st Baltic - led by Regimental Commanders Guards Lt. Gen. Anton Lopatin and General of the Army Ivan Bagramyan
1st Belorussian - led by Regimental Commanders Maj. Gen. Ivan Rosly and Col. Gen. Vasili Chuikov
2nd Belorussian - led by Regimental Commanders Lt. Gen. Konstantin Erastov and General of the Army Vasily Sokolovsky
3rd Belorussian - led by Regimental Commander Marshal Aleksandr Vasilevsky
1st Polish Army Color Guard Company led by Chief of the Army General Staff, General Władysław Korczyc (the only foreign army squad invited for the parade)
1st Ukrainian - led by Regimental Commanders Maj. Gen. Gleb Baklanov and Marshal Ivan Konev
4th Ukrainian - led by Regimental Commanders Guards Lt. Gen. Andrei Bondarev and Marshal Fyodor Tolbukhin
2nd Ukrainian - led by Regimental Commanders Lt. Gen. Ivan Afonin and General of the Army Andrei Yeremenko
3rd Ukrainian - led by Regimental Commanders Guards Maj. Gen. Nikolai Biryukov and Marshal Rodion Malinovsky, and the Commander of Bulgarian 1st Army Lt. Gen Vladimir Stoychev
Fleet, Land and Air personnel of the Soviet Navy, under Navy Contingent Commander Vice Adm. Vladimir Fadeev
Northern Fleet
Baltic Fleet
Dnieper Flotilla
Danube Flotilla
Caspian Flotilla
Black Sea Fleet
Naval Infantry
Coastal Forces (including naval artillery)
Combined battalion of the Corps of Cadets, M.V. Frunze Naval College and Naval Engineering Academy
Flag Disposal regiment of the 1st Internal Troops Division of the USSR NKVD "Felix Dzerzhinsky" composed of captured enemy standards and colors carried by the fronts
Maj. Gen. Mikhail Duka was entrusted with carrying the symbolic key to the defeated city of Berlin
Moscow Military District, Armed Forces of the Soviet Union contingent under Garrison and District Commander Col. Gen. Pavel Artemyev
Military Schools and Academies Combined Joint Division
Officers and other ranks of the People's Commisariat of Defense
M. V. Frunze Military Academy
Suvorov Military School
Military Armored Troops Service School
Military Engineering Academy
F. Dzerzhinsky Military Artillery School
Lenin Military-Political Academy
Air Force Engineering Academy
Moscow City Soviet Border Protection Superior College
Moscow Military Infantry Training School
Guards Mortars Training School
Airborne Troops Officer Candidate School
Technical Forces Officer School

Infantry Units
Kremlin Regiment
OMSDON 1st NKVD Internal Troops Mechanized Rifle Division (Special Duties) "Felix Dzerzhinsky"
2nd NKVD Internal Troops Division
Border Protection and Security Service of the NKVD
K-9 Units (engineering, medical troops, anti-tank)

Mounted column
Army Cavalry regiments within the Moscow area
Army Horse Artillery
M1927
M1909
152 mm howitzer M1909/30
122 mm howitzer M1910/30 (also used by the regular artillery)
Tachanka battalion

Mobile column
Soviet Air Defence Forces
Anti-aircraft guns (towed and truck-mounted)
72-K
61-K
52-K
Searchlight trucks
Acoustic range finders
Army Rocket Forces and Field Artillery
Mortars
160mm Mortar M1943
120-PM-43 mortar
Field guns

            76 mm divisional gun M1942 (ZiS-3)
            100 mm field gun M1944 (BS-3)
            76 mm divisional gun M1936 (F-22)
            76 mm regimental gun M1943
            85 mm divisional gun D-44
        Anti-tank guns

            53-K
            M-42
            ZiS-2
        Mountain guns
            76 mm mountain gun M1938 (also used by the Airborne)
        Katyusha rocket launchers of the Army Rocket Forces and Artillery
            BM-8
            BM-13
            BM-30/BM-31
        Howitzers
            D-1
            M-10
            ML-20
            M-30
            B-4
            A-19
            152 mm gun M1935 (Br-2)
            203 mm howitzer M1931 (B-4)
            122 mm howitzer M1910/30
    Army Infantry - joint regiment of motorized infantry formations
        Dnepr M-72 motorcycles
        BA-64 armored cars
        BA-20
    Army Airborne Forces
    Army Tank Forces contingent
        T-34 (Victory tanks)
        T-34/85
        IS-2
        T-44
        T-70
    Army Artillery self-propelled artillery contingent
        SU-76
        SU-100
        SU-152
        ISU-152
        ISU-122
        SU-85
        SU-122

Source :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1945_Moscow_Victory_Parade
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hITzVSw6t18

French Minister Henriot Speech in Berlin

Video size: 720p (1280 x 720 pixels) - 74 MB
Date: Tuesday, 6 June 1944
Place: Berlin, Germany
Cameraman: unknown

Philippe Henriot addresses French workers in Berlin. French Minister of Information enters hall and delivers speech (live) to audience of thousands, which climaxes in call for collaboration between France and Germany: "you will understand as I do how moving, pathetic and improbable it is [pointing to tricolour and swastika linked on backdrop]. In 1940 would you have thought this possible?" Henriot reportedly told French prisoners that they would have been home long ago had the treacherous generals kept their word. He thanks (live) "the head of the German nation, Adolf Hitler, who heads the European crusade against Bolshevism"; some members of audience clap, others look impassive.

Nowhere has propaganda played a more powerful role than in the theatre of war of 1939-1945, when a sustained propaganda war was fought between the Allies on the one hand, and Vichy and Berlin on the other, with radio as its principal weapon. On that stage, the most notorious and skilful French voice in the war of words belonged to Philippe Henriot, known as the 'French Goebbels'. Understanding the complexities, the methodology and the impact of Vichy's propaganda necessitates analysis and evaluation of the prominent part played by Henriot as the regime's official voice. A high-profile pro-collaboration propagandist from the early days of the Occupation, Henriot rose in January 1944 to become Minister for Information and Propaganda, just as Vichy entered its final and most disreputable stage. From then until his assassination by the Resistance on 28 June 1944, he delivered a relentless programme of 270 self-authored broadcasts on Radio Vichy, playing persistently on the fears and prejudices of a people suffering the pressures and anxieties inflicted by the events that were unfolding, and conversing in forthright terms with his broadcasting adversaries in London and Algiers. This is the role for which Henriot remains best known, on account of his mesmerising rhetoric and delivery. The broadcasts provide a valuable window on Vichy's endgame and an important insight into the themes and strategies of its propaganda. In 1944, Henriot's public presence was huge and he was a media star well before the modern concept had been developed. Whether they admired him or loathed him, the French, quite simply, could not escape him.


Source :
Die Deutsche Wochenschau No. 720 - 21 June 1944
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-DzDJmt5F8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrwDehP8bzc
https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=AH%2FH034072%2F1
https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/1060004235

1944 German Football Championship Final

Video size: 720p (1280 x 720 pixels) - 39.3 MB
Date: Sunday, 18 June 1944
Place: Olympiastadion, Berlin, Germany
Cameraman: unknown

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

Abandoned Königstiger of s.SS.Pz.Abt.101

Image size: 2680 x 1429 pixel. 988 KB
Date: Friday, 1 September 1944
Place: Beauvais, Oise, France
Photographer: Unknown

Panzerkampfwagen IV ausf B Tiger II Fahrgestellnummer (Hull Number) 280093, turmnummer (turret number) 104, of Schwere SS Panzer Abteilung (Heavy SS Tank Battalion) 101, after the crew abandoned the vehicle. Note that the hull mounted MG34 machine gun has been removed. After the destruction of the German military units in the Falaise Pocket, the surviving soldiers and their vehicles and horses made a dash for the Seine River in late August 1944. Several bridges were intact after repeated bombings, and the Allied divisions were severely depleted after two months of combat operations and unable to bring sufficient forces to prevent their escape. SS Abteilung 101 received fourteen Tiger IIs in late July and early August. As the Germans retreated into Germany, they engaged Allied forces in a defensive role, in which they excelled. On August 23, SS Abteilung 101 supported the 18th Luftwaffe (Air Force) Field Division in an attack on Guitracourt. Tiger II 104's commander, SS-Oberscharfuhrer Sepp Franzl (Squad Leader, or Warrant Officer) was the 1.Kompanie Headquarters Squad Leader. On August 29, Franzl's tank was hit by shellfire in the suspension near Magny-en-Vexin. Unaware of the damage, the crew engaged a British anti-tank gun in a barn at Aux Marais. When the Tiger II sharply turned to move away, the suspension failed, immobilizing the tank. Franzl and his crew bailed out. French Forces Françaises de l'Intérieur (Forces of the Interior), irregular bands of resistance fighters, observed the crew and fired when they bailed out. Sources vary on whether two crewmen were killed or made it back to German lines. A Sherman tank commanded by a Sergeant Roberts of A Squadron, 23rd Hussars, 11th Armoured Division, came across the tank and fired on it. German tanks would sometimes "play dead" to ambush Allied armor, so any German tank was fired upon. Roberts reported the engagement and was given credit for the kill. The abandoned tank was left in the field until December 1944. Frozen in place, gasoline fires were required to move it. The damaged suspension also proved problematic for the recovery crew. The tank was taken to the Bovington Proving Grounds in January 1945. Until 2006 the tank was on private display at the Royal Defense Academy in Shrivingham, Oxfordshire. Then it was returned to the Bovington Tank Museum for renovation and possible return to running condition.

Source :
https://www.themodellingnews.com/2018/07/tmn-on-tour-bovington-tank-museum-tiger.html
https://worldwar2database.com/gallery/wwii0150

Abandoned Königstiger of schwere Panzer-Abteilung 506

Image size: 2126 x 1663 pixel. 1.2 MB
Date: Thursday, 18 January 1945
Place: Villers-la-Bonne-Eau, Luxembourg
Photographer: Unknown

An Abandoned Panzerkampfwagen VI ausf B (SdKfz 182) Tiger II or Königstiger (Bengal Tiger) of Schwere Panzer Abteilung (Heavy Tank Battalion) 506, Sixth Panzer Army, is inspected by American soldiers of the 137th Infantry Regiment, 35th Infantry Division. Note the Tiger II's 88mm (3.46 inch) locked in the recoil position, destroyed by the retreating crew. The 35th Infantry Division was rushed into the area to stop the German offensive around December 20, 1944. On December 28, the Division had fought their way to Villers-la-Bonne-Eau, near Bastogne, attempting to relieve the 101st Airborne Division and elements of the 10th Armored Division. By December 31 the 137th Infantry had lost two companies captured by the 1st SS Panzer Division, attempting to retake the village after Bastogne's relief. The 137th had lost 200 men killed or captured. On January 10, the 137th retook Villers. The 506th was the only Heer (Regular Army) unit equipped with the Tiger II, as opposed to the Waffen SS Abteilungs in operation in Belgium. The unit had only operated Tiger tanks, and for the Ardennes Offensive, a fourth company, Schwere Panzer Abteilung Hummel, was attached operating Panzerkampfwagen IV ausf E Tiger Is. On January 17, 1944, as the Sixth Panzer Army retreated from American breakthroughs around Bastogne, the 506th was forced to abandon two Tiger IIs and one Tiger I. While individually superior to any Allied tank, the Tiger II consumed considerable resources and was yet another tank type that a strained German quartermaster corps had to supply with fuel, ammunition, and spare parts. The Tiger II had a range of only 90 miles (145 kilometers). In its rush to combat it suffered from mechanical reliability defects; most Americans saw abandoned, not destroyed, Tiger IIs. This was a blessing for the Americans, whose M4 Sherman medium tanks and M10 Wolverine tank destroyers, both armed with 3-inch guns, could not penetrate the 180mm (7 inch) thick frontal armor. Only the M36 Jackson, with a high velocity 90mm gun, could stop a Tiger II, and only at a range within that of the German tank. All of the American tanks and tank destroyers had armor that was easily defeated by the Tiger II's 88mm KwK 43 L/71 main gun. The Americans counted on their superiority in artillery and air power to destroy Tigers.


Source :
https://ardennes-breakthrough-association.com/tiger-ii-03-abteilung-506/
https://worldwar2database.com/gallery/wwii0149

Abandoned "Porscheturm" Königstiger of s.Pz.Abt.503 in Normandy

Image size: 1600 x 964 pixel. 462 KB
Date: Wednesday, 30 August 1944
Place: Amiens, Normandy, France
Photographer: unknown

Panzerkampfwagen IV ausf B (Sdkfz 182) with turret designed by Krupp for the Tiger II designed by Professor Doctor Ferdinand Porsche (September 3, 1875 – January 30, 1951). This Tiger II of Schwere Panzer Abteilung 503 was abandoned by Leutnant Rambow's crew during the Normandy Campaign. Rambow was leading two Tigers through Beauvais when one threw a track on the Rue Antoine Caron. The crew of the other Tiger started repairs when the British 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards of the 8th Armoured Brigade entered the town and fired on the disabled Tiger. The crew fled and made it back to German lines. Leutnant Rambow fought the British to Amiens, where he ran out of fuel and ammunition. His crew set fire to the vehicle, causing the suspension to settle. Note missing outer road wheels.

In 1941, Doctor Porsche was contracted, along with Henschel und Sohn, to design the Tiger II tank. Porsche's design used more copper wiring, which led to the adoption of the Henschel design as the production Tiger II on November 11, 1942. Porsche was so sure that his design would be accepted he had ordered Krupp to begin production of their turret for his design; fifty were completed when the contract was canceled. Henschel began designing the new Tiger II, but to move the project along, the Porsche turrets were fitted to the new Henschel design. These tanks were issued first to Schwere Panzer Abteilung 503. Twelve Porscheturm (Porsche Turret) Tiger IIs and two Henshelturm (Henschel Turret) Tiger IIs were issued between May 1944 and June 1944, when Panzer Abteilung 503 left for Normandy. The Porscheturm Tiger IIs had a stronger turret because of the curved surface deflecting anti-tank rounds, but a shot trap caused rounds that hit under the curved gun mantlet were deflected into the driver's compartment, killing the driver and the radio operator. However, most Tiger IIs were not lost to Allied tanks; artillery and fighter-bombers were the chief combat losses of Tiger IIs. More than that, the Tiger II suffered from poor road performance and its heavy weight caused French and Belgian bridges to collapse. More Tiger IIs were lost to mechanical breakdown than in combat. Of the twenty-six Tiger IIs Panzer Abteilung 503 was issued during the Normandy Campaign, only two survived.

Source :
https://maquettes-missiles.blogspot.com/2018/04/le-char-super-lourd-maus.html
https://www.modellismopiu.it/modules/newbb_plus/print.php?forum=8&topic_id=24606
https://worldwar2database.com/gallery/wwii0152

Flight Deck of USS Yorktown After Being Hit by the Japanese

Image size: 3000 x 2107 pixel. 1.1 MB
Date: Thursday, 4 June 1942
Place: Pacific Ocean
Photographer: unknown

Looking forward on the flight deck of USS Yorktown (CV-5) shortly after she was hit by two Japanese aerial torpedoes, 4 June 1942. Men are preparing to abandon ship. Island's port side is at right, with the curved supporting structure for the Primary Flight Control booth at top. Knotted lines in the foreground were apparently used to evacuate the island's upper platforms. The planes which scored torpedo hits were shot down either in passing the Yorktown or in attempting to pass through the fire of her escorting vessels. Not one of the attacking squadron returned to its carrier. By 1447 firing ceased. The Yorktown, listing heavily to port, was losing speed and turning in a small circle to port. She stopped and white smoke poured from her stacks. The screening vessels began to circle. Inside the Yorktown all lights had gone out. The Diesel generators were cut in, but the circuit breakers would not hold and the ship remained in darkness. The list gradually increased to 26 Degrees. Without power nothing could be done to correct it. The Commanding Officer and the Damage Control Officer thought it probable that the ship would capsize in a few minutes, and at 1455 orders were given to abandon ship. Inside, men clambered over steeply sloping decks in total darkness to remove the wounded. After an inspection on which no living personnel were found, the Commanding Officer left the ship. Destroyers closed in to pick up survivors.


Source :
United States Naval Historical C
https://worldwar2database.com/gallery/wwii1301

A-20G Havoc Attacks Japanese Taiei Maru Ship

Image size: 1600 x 1344 pixel. 473 KB
Date: Sunday, 19 March 1944
Place: Wewak, Papua New Guinea
Photographer: unknown

Douglas A-20G-30-DO Havoc "Tobias the Terrible" serial number 43-9477 of the 89th Bomb Squadron, 3rd Bomb Group, 5th Air Force, pulls out after skip bombing Taiei Maru off Wewak. Pilot Lieutenant John Soloc's engine was shot out as he came around to attack; losing power, he elected to continue the attack. As he delivered his bomb amidships, his wingtip and propeller struck the ship's mast. The hydraulics were shot out and the bomb bay doors could not be closed. Unable to gain altitude or speed, the A-20 crashed a few miles away. Soloc survived; his gunner, John L. Bradley, went down with the plane. After seventeen hours in the water, he was spotted by Lieutenant John P. "Jock" Henebry of the 90th Bomb Squadron. A US Navy Consolidated PBY-5 Catalina flying boat picked him up. Soloc was given a week's leave and returned to combat; he flew 61 missions by the end of the war. Taiei Maru, a 3,221 ton freighter operated by the Kuribayashi Shosen Kisen Kaisha (Kuribayashi Competitive Steamship Lines) was part of Wewak convoy Number 21 with Yakumo Maru and auxiliary subchasers Cha-47 and Cha-49. Two Consolidated B-24 Liberators of the 63rd Bomb Squadron, 43rd Bomb Group, 5th Air Force sank Yakumo Maru at 0230 Hours by radar; after sunrise nine A-20Gs of the 89th, with over 70 other Allied aircraft, attacked the convoy. An intercepted message from Imperial Japanese Army General Headquarters on March 28 reported all four ships sunk and notified 8th Area Army on Wewak that their supply convoys were suspended indefinitely because of Allied aerial supremacy. Wewak fell to the Australians on May 10, 1945.


Source :
https://sofrep.com/news/battle-of-the-bismarck-sea-skip-bombing-headhunters-and-swimming-lessons/
https://worldwar2database.com/gallery/wwii1562
https://www.yokota.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/1913795/100-years-of-3rd-wing-service/

Luftwaffe Attack on Scapa Flow

Image size: 2048 x 1388 pixel. 563 KB
Date: Saturday, 16 March 1940
Place: Berlin, Germany
Photographer: unknown

Major Fritz Doench (right), Gruppenkommandeur of I.Gruppe / Kampfgeschwader 30 (KG 30), discusses his unit’s attack on the Royal Navy anchorage at Scapa Flow on 16 March 1940 at a press reception a few days after the high‑profile mission, which, although alarming the British, did not achieve its intended results. Doench, who would be decorated with the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 19 June 1940, is seen here pointing at a map of the naval and airfield targets at Scapa Flow with Oberleutnant Hunno Phillipps (left) of I./KG 26 and Oberleutnant Helgo Magnussen of 3./KG 30. Phillipps was killed in action on the night of 19/20 November 1940 when his He 111 caught on a balloon cable and crashed in southern England while on a raid to Birmingham, and Magnussen perished when his Ju 88A‑2 crashed at Oudenrijn, in the Netherlands, on 10 May 1940. Gruppenkommandeur Doench himself was killed in an accidental aircrash on June 14th, 1942. At that moment he was Abteilungs-Chef in the Reichsluftfahrtministerium with the rank of Oberst. The picture was taken by an unknown photographer from Presse-Illustrationen Heinrich Hoffmann, and was first published by 'Berliner Volkszeitung' on 18 March 1940.

Source :
"Ju 88 Aces of World War 2" by Robert Forsyth
https://www.gettyimages.ae/detail/news-photo/pilots-of-the-kampfgeschwader-30-after-their-flight-in-the-news-photo/543893525
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/29057/Doench-Fritz.htm
https://ww2aircraft.net/forum/threads/airwar-ww2-the-pilots.54010/page-60

Rommel Visiting the Sollum Front

Image size: 900 x 1258 pixel. 924 KB
Date: Wednesday, 2 July 1941
Place: Halfaya Pass, Sollum, Libya
Photographer: Fritz Sturm

Together with his staff officers, on 2 July 1941 General der Panzertruppe Erwin Rommel (left, Kommandierender General Deutsches Afrikakorps) made a visit to the headquarters of I.Bataillon / Schützen-Regiment 104 / 15.Panzer-Division in the Sollum front, which is on the border Libya-Egypt. During this visit, in particular "Der Wüstenfuchs" (The Desert Fox) congratulated the commander of the battalion, Hauptmann der Reserve Wilhelm Bech (walking at the forefront with Rommel), who in the battle a month earlier managed to withstand the British tank forces who were trying to break through the Halfaya Pass in order to free their comrades who were besieged in Tobruk, in a mass attack codenamed Operation Battleaxe (15-17 June 1941). For three full days Bach and his men endured wave after wave of enemy tank attacks, with only a platoon of Flak 88 cannons as their main weapon. Although Rommel himself had ordered the Bataillonskommandeur to retreat to a more adequate defensive location "if possible", Bach interpreted his commander's last words in the opposite direction: a counterattack that succeeded in repelling the British troops! For this phenomenal achievement, Bach - who is a former priest (!) - was awarded the prestigious Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on July 9, 1941, just a week after this photo was taken. The Flak 88 itself was originally an anti-aircraft gun, but it can be just as good when it comes to hitting tank targets on the ground. BTW, in April 1941 - which was only one month after Rommel arrived in North Africa - German forces managed to defeat the invading British army and driven it out of Libya, except for one stubborn ANZAC garrison which remained in the port city of Tobruk (despite being besieged by a combined force of Italian and German Afrikakorps). Over the next year, the re-capture of Tobruk became Rommel's biggest obsession, because without it all German efforts to conquer Egypt would be vulnerable. When the port city was finally occupied in June 1942, a grateful Hitler rewarded Rommel with an extraordinary promotion to Generalfeldmarschall.

Source:
https://www.bridgemanimages.com/en/search?filter_group=all&filter_region=GBR&filter_text=Erwin%20Rommel

Dutch Military Motorcyclists during Parade

Image size: 2500 x 1809 pixel. 924 KB
Date: Tuesday, 30 April 1940
Place: Netherlands
Photographer: Unknown

A line-up of Dutch military motorcyclists led by a three-wheeled motorcycle with timpanist during an inspection, held by Major General Van Nijnatten, Commander of III Army Corps, for the birthday of Princess Juliana on April 30th, 1940. The timpanist belongs to the Hussars Motorcyclists Regiment. The picture was taken during the mobilization of the Dutch army and 10 days prior to the German invasion of The Netherlands. During the mobilization of 1939, both the 'Regiment Wielrijders' (RW) and the 'Eskadrons Wielrijders' formed war units. The number of infantrymen on the bicycle (but also on the motorcycle) was about 5600 men. In May 1940, both regiments of cyclists mainly fought in Dordrecht and the surrounding area. The squadrons of cyclists have distinguished themselves in the fighting around the 'Grebbeline'. The Dutch army confiscated many civilian motorbikes during the mobilisation in 1939. 'Anything goes' applied more or less, although according to the mobilization instructions the following brands were eligible: Indian, Harley-Davidson, Douglas, Gilette, FN, Sarolea, Ariel, BSA, Eysink, Excelsior, Simplex and Triumph. But bikes from other brands were also welcome, such as DKWs and Nortons.”

Source :
https://www.instagram.com/p/CdABVlqLJB3/

German Armored Parade in Oslo

Image size: 8308 x 6236 pixel. 17 MB
Date: Tuesday, 1 October 1940
Place: Oslo, Norway
Photographer: Unknown

The German military parade of the Panzertruppen (Tank Troops) unit which were held at Karl Johans Gate, Oslo, the capital of Norway, on October 1, 1940. These Panzerkampfwagen I Ausf.B type tanks were from the Panzer-Abteilung z.b.V. 40 led by Oberstleutnant Ernst Volckheim (1898-1962), seen here giving a military salute accompanied by one of his officer. Volckheim is dressed in a black Panzer uniform. The Universitetsplassen square is surrounded by buildings of the University of Oslo.. Ernst Volckheim himself went down in history as one of the founders of the German panzer force, apart from the more famous Heinz Guderian. From 1924 he had written on the theory of tank warfare, drawing on his experiences in the First World War as a member of the Imperial German Tank Corps. Ironically, the one who then received wider publication was Guderian, who had just written his masterpiece, "Achtung Panzer!", only in 1937! This is because it was the latter who introduced the armored unit to German leader Adolf Hitler, who was then so impressed by Guderian's presentation that he immediately said enthusiastically, "This is what I need! This is what I want to have!"

The Norwegian "Aftenposten" newaspaper described the parade on page 2 in its evening issue on Tuesday 1 October 1940, as follows: "German armored vehicles parade on Karl Johan. Just before half past ten this morning, a large German military music corps marched down Karl Johan and lined up just opposite the University on the occasion of German armored vehicles parade for its commander, Colonel Volksheim. It was not long after the band had lined up, before people gathered along the curb to watch the parade. And on the University Stairs, a number of students had gathered, who had a short break between lectures. Before the parade itself, the units that were to participate were gathered on Tullinløkken and marched from there to their tanks, which were meanwhile parked in the side streets. Shortly after, the long wagon column came up in Karl Johan and passed over Drammensveien. When Colonel Volksheim had taken his place, the first tank passed the colonel a moment later, while the music played a military march. Armored car after armored car rolled past on its belts. Different types of passers-by, followed by open cars, which brought everything an armored battalion needs to be effective. When the last carriage in the column had passed, Colonel Volksheim drove away, the music was silent and the parade was over. A few minutes later, the traffic went back to normal on Karl Johan."

Source :
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fo30141711070017_WW2_Norway_1940-10-01_Wehrmacht_Panzertruppen_Ernst_Volckheim_Panzerkampfwagen_German_Tank_troops_parade_salute_Karl_Johans_gate_Universitetsplassen_Oslo_NTBs_krigsarkiv_Riksarkivet_CC_BY_Rettighetshaver_etc_krediteres.jpg

Generalmajor Ramcke with His Family in the Christmas of 1941

Image size: 2048 x 1312 pixel. 578 KB
Date: Thursday, 25 December 1941
Place: Germany
Photographer: Unknown

Generalmajor Hermann-Bernhard Ramcke (Kommandeur Ergänzungseinheiten und Schulen des XI. Fliegerkorps) in a formal picture with his family on Christmas Day of 1941. The mother of the children is Ruth Göldner - daughter of Generalleutnant Paul Göldner - who is 20 years younger than her husband. The couple had eight children, with the youngest being Volker Ramcke, who was born in 1952, a year after his father was released from an Allied prison camp. In the photo itself General Ramcke is wearing a Luftwaffe kleinerrock suit, with a bunch of medals pinned to the chest. Of course the most prestigious medal is the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes in his neck, which he got on August 21, 1941, four months before this photo was taken. Ramcke himself then completed his Ritterkreuz "collection" with three more of even higher tiers: Eichenlaub (13 November 1942), Schwerter (19 September 1944), and Brillanten (19 September 1944). The latter made him one of only 27 soldiers in the entire Wehrmacht and SS to have it! The couple's six children make the mother, Ruth Ramcke, eligible for the Mutterkreuz (Mother's Cross), a special medal bestowed by the German government on every mother who gives birth to five or more children, as a token of appreciation for their dedication and sacrifices in raising so many children.


Source:
https://twitter.com/x3892555/status/1220459234988646411

Ritterkreuz Award Ceremony for Wilhelm Eggemann

Image size: 1362 x 2048 pixel. 356 KB
Date: Tuesday, 20 April 1943
Place: Staraya Russa, Novgorod, Soviet Union
Photographer: Unknown

Ritterkreuz award ceremony for Major Wilhelm Eggemann (Kommandeur II.Bataillon / Grenadier-Regiment 94 / 32.Infanterie-Division), which was held on 20 April 1943 at Staraya Russa, Novgorod, Soviet Union. The one draping the medal on the right is Generalleutnant Wilhelm Wegener (Kommandeur 32. Infanterie-Division), while the one helping to drape it in the center is most likely Rittmeister Hans-Joachim von Koeckritz (Kommandeur Aufklärungs-Abteilung 32 / 32.Infanterie-Division). In this photo, Koekritz is seen wearing a schirmmütze (visor hat) with the totenkopf crest on the front. This is because he is a former member of the Reiter-Regiment 5, one of Germany's leading cavalry units with a long history, which members - or former members - proudly displays the skull symbol in their caps.

Eggemann’s Ritterkreuz recommendation reads as follows:

“During the great defensive battle in the time period 26.02.-18.03.1943 the 32. Infanterie-Division defended the area between Borossino and Lowat, with its frontline facing southwards. In this time Major Eggemann and his Bataillon (which was involved in all the major combat from the start and had by now become badly depleted) were deployed to a thick, coverless swampy area east of Koslowo. Following endless artillery fire of all kinds the enemy struck against the front of this Bataillon on the 15.03.1943 with the support of tanks.

On the morning of that day an enemy tank-supported penetration on the left wing of the Bataillon threatened to turn into a breakthrough. A Kompanie which had been temporarily attached to the Bataillon was supposed to withdraw to the positions of the heavy Pak in an orderly fashion. However it was instead threatening to fall into confusion, and had lost contact with its neighbours. The enemy sent in tanks and infantry through the extant frontline gap. An enemy breakthrough seemed inevitable. Such a move would seriously compromise the Regiment, which had by now used up its last reserves. It would probably also make it impossible for the Division to carry out its planned withdrawal to the Redja river during the following night.

In this situation Major Eggemann chose the reckless and yet only feasible option given the circumstances. Using the remnants of his staff and individual soldiers who happened to be in the vicinity, he formed the core of an offensive group. He personally dashed from squad to squad, directing the men of the left Kompanie and compelling them to hold out. He also gathered up individual squads in order to strengthen his own assault group. Now leading at the head of this group, he threw himself at the head of the enemy. He did this despite the exhausted state of his men and having personally been wounded twice in this fighting. With his machine-pistol in hand he was a model for his Grenadiers in the ensuing close combat. Along with his assault group he was able to eliminate the battalion sized enemy force that had penetrated the lines down to the last man. Two enemy tanks also ended up destroyed behind friendly lines. This restored the old combat situation, and the front could now be held until after nightfall, when the planned withdrawal was commenced.

This battlefield success was achieved with energy, boldness and fearless devotion to duty. Furthermore it was the prerequisite for the successful withdrawal of friendly lines to the Redja position. Eggemann’s Bataillon enabled the Regiment to carry out its withdrawal movement without leaving behind any heavy weapons, equipment or ammunition in spite of the extreme difficulties associated with the terrain.”

Source :
Leander Haslerud photo collection
http://alifrafikkhan.blogspot.com/2013/07/album-foto-32-infanterie-division.html
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/3888/Eggemann-Wilhelm.htm
https://www.warrelics.eu/forum/1939-eisernes-kreuz-forum/minty-ek1-wear-105499/

German Panzers in Poland

Image size: 2048 x 1439 pixel. 840 KB
Date: Sunday, 3 September 1939
Place: Poland
Photographer: Unknown

Poland, on the Brda river.- Panzer soldiers on German Panzer Is and Panzer IIs, along with a medium Schützenpanzer half-track Sd.Kfz. 251/3. The officer in the halftrack vehicle might be General der Panzertruppe Heinz Guderian, Kommandierender General XIX. Armeekorps (motorisiert). The picture was taken circa 3 September 1939 [Date of release?]. Germany declared war on Poland on Friday, September 1, 1939, and attacked with massed motorized columns of armor, infantry, artillery and waves of bombers and fighters in what was dubbed the Blitzkrieg (“Lightning War”). On Sunday, two days later, while German troops continued to pour into Poland, France and Britain declared war on Germany and proceeded to launch no major military land operations in what came to be known as the Sitzkrieg (“Sitting War"), a play on the word Blitzkrieg.


Source :
Bundesarchiv Bild 146-1976-071-36
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bundesarchiv_Bild_146-1976-071-36,_Polen,_an_der_Brahe,_deutsche_Panzer.jpg
https://owlcation.com/humanities/Sitzkrieg

 

American Flamethrower in Okinawa

Image size: 1715 x 2048 pixel. 928 KB
Date: Friday, 22 June 1945
Place: Okinawa, Empire of Japan
Photographer: Unknown

Men of 4th Regiment, 6th Marine Division, 10th Army, using "corkscrew and blowtorch" techniques of flame-throwers, explosives, and riflemen at the perimeter, to eliminate remnants of the Imperial Japanese 32nd Army on June 22, 1945. The 1st and third battalions converged from the east and west on positions east of the village of Kiyamu. While American casualties remained high across Okinawa as 32nd Army disintegrated, Japanese casualties increased from a few hundred to over 4,000 per day. The number of Japanese surrendering increased as well, from four per day at the start of the campaign to 343 on June 19 and 977 on June 20. 500 civilians also surrendered, overcoming fear of massacre at the hands of the Americans. Lieutenant General Mitsui Ushijima, commander of the 32nd Army, and Major General Isama Cho committed suicide at 03:45 Hours on June 22, the same day Okinawa was declared secured by US 10th Army. Scattered resistance continued until June 30.


Source :
https://worldwar2database.com/gallery/wwii1125

"Battleship Row" after Pearl Harbor Attack

Image size: 2048 x 1645 pixel. 720 KB
Date: Sunday, 7 December 1941
Place: Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, United States of America
Photographer: Unknown

"Battleship Row" on December 7, 1941, after the Japanese attack. USS Arizona (BB-39) is in the center of this view, burning furiously. To the left of her are USS Tennessee (BB-43) and the sunken USS West Virginia (BB-48). Men on the stern of USS Tennessee are playing fire hoses on the water to force burning oil away from their ship. She was hit by two bombs, which damaged two of her four gun turrets, and was scorched by burning oil from the sunken USS Arizona. In late December, after temporary repairs, Tennessee steamed to the Puget Sound Navy Yard, Washington, for an overhaul. West Viriginia was hit by two bombs and at least seven torpedoes, which blew huge holes in her port side. Skillful damage control saved her from capsizing, but she quickly sank to the harbor bottom. More than a hundred of her crew were lost. Salvaged and given temporary repairs at the Pearl Harbor Navy Yard, in April 1943 West Virginia steamed to the West Coast for final repair and modernization at the Puget Sound Navy Yard. The battleship emerged from the shipyard in July 1944 completely changed in appearance, with a wider hull, and massively improved anti-aircraft gun battery. Both battleships served as gunnery platforms for invasions throughout the war. Arizona's wreck was never raised and remains as a memorial to this day.



Source :
https://worldwar2database.com/gallery/wwii1367

Radiogram "Air Raid, Pearl Harbor, This Is Not Drill"

Image size: 2048 x 1649 pixel. 529 KB
Date: Sunday, 7 December 1941
Place: Squantum Point, Massachusetts, United States of America
Photographer: Unknown

Radiogram sent to Squantum Naval Air Station at Squantum Point, Quincy Massachusetts. The telegram is usually credited to Rear Admiral Patrick N. L. Bellinger (October 8, 1885 – May 30, 1962) Commanding Officer of Patrol Wing Two. However, the message may have been sent in his name by Lieutenant Commander Logan "Beauty" C. Ramsey Sr. In 1945, Ramsey reported to the Joint Congressional Committee on the investigation of the Pearl Harbor: "I saw, together with the staff duty officer, a single plane making a dive on Ford Island. The single plane appeared at the time to both the staff duty officer and myself in the light of a young aviator 'flathatting' (flying low in a reckless manner) and we both tried to get his number to make a report of the violation of flight rules. He completed his dive, pulled up and away. We were commenting together on the fact that it was going to be difficult to find out who the pilot was, when the delayed action bomb which he had dropped, and which we had not seen drop, detonated, and I told the staff duty officer, "Never mind; it's a Jap." I dashed across the hall into the radio room, ordered a broadcast in plain English on all frequencies, "Air Raid, Pearl Harbor. This is no drill." The detonation of the bomb dropped by that first plane was my first positive knowledge of an enemy attack." Additional reports came in from the Navy Yard and Kaneohe; some reports were discounted until the Japanese planes overhead and the smoke from the burning ships were visible for miles. Some variations of the telegram use "NOT" instead of "NO" indicating they may have been received from another source, or their was a morse code error.

Source :
National Archives and Records Ad 06339 (Other Identifier)
https://worldwar2database.com/gallery/wwii1408