The propaganda of April-May 1945

Discussions on the propaganda, architecture and culture in the Third Reich.
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Lars Gyllenhaal
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The propaganda of April-May 1945

#1

Post by Lars Gyllenhaal » 28 Mar 2005, 09:39

Dear all,

I am rather fascinated by how the German propaganda machine functioned until the very end. Imagine being a German propagandist in April-May 1945 - hardly an easy task.

A very considerate widow recently gave me some German propaganda material that she thought should end up with a history buff instead of being chucked away. Imagine my expression when I opened the envelope from her and found she had sent me an original Völkischer Beobachter from April 20 1945, Hitler´s last birthday... The main headline on that day was "Treu und tapfer sein - das heisst Sieg!", i.e. "Loyal and Brave - that Means Victory!". The rest is pretty macabre reading too. As a birthday gift, Goebbels, in the name of the German people, renewed the oath of loyalty of the German people to Hitler...

I wonder - how many more issues of VB and other German papers were made? And which was (were) the last German newspaper(s) before 9 May 1945? And which headline did it/they have? I imagine it may have been printed in one of those places that the Allies had ignored, like Norway, Denmark, Guernsey, Jersey, Kurland, St Nazaire and those Dutch islands.

And what about the mysterious June 1945 8O issue of Signal? I have read on some Spanish site about Signalthat the issue was prepared in April or May and almost complete. I basically wonder what on earth it was about.

Cheers,

Lars Gyllenhaal

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Valtoro
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#2

Post by Valtoro » 29 Mar 2005, 01:58

The Norwegian newspaper Aftenposten had the last German/NS-controlled edition on 7th of May 1945, where Knut Hamsun wrote an necrolog about the recent death of A. Hitler on the frontpage.

regards
Valtoro.


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rattenhuber
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#3

Post by rattenhuber » 30 Mar 2005, 23:42

I've always been interested in seeing a copy of 'Der Panzerbar' mentioned in
'The Last Battle' by Cornelius Ryan, and other places.
I've only seen references to it, not an actual copy.
Does anyone out there know if there are any copies available?

'Give me a Volkischer Beobachter.''Sorry sir, I've heard that it's closing down. I've only got Panzerbar.'Smith took the emergency newssheet. It was four pages, mainly of exhortations to fight, promises of succor, and threats. It called on the citizens to mark well a 'Grave Warning from the Fuehrer'; anything detrimental to resistance was treason, and perpetrators were to be shot or hanged immediately. There were no classified advertisements.

http://216.239.63.104/search?q=cache:6A ... rbar&hl=en

Adolf Hitler's Proclamation to the people of Berlin on 22 April 1945
(published in the first issue of the tabloid newspaper Der Panzerbar on 23 April 1945)

Grave warning from the Fuhrer

Mark well!

Anyone who proposes or even approves measures detrimental to
our power of resistance is a traitor! He is to be shot or hanged
immediately! This applies even if such measures have allegedly been
ordered on the instructions of Reich Minister Dr. Goebbels, the
Gauleiter, or even in the name of the Fuhrer.

Fuhrer's Headquarters, 22/4/1945

Signed: Adolf Hitler

(from Final Entries 1945, Joseph Goebbels)

JLEES
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Der Panzerbar

#4

Post by JLEES » 31 Mar 2005, 23:11

Does anyone know what "Der Panzerbar" means in English? Was this an emergency newspaper only issued during the Battle of Berlin, or did it have wider distribution?

Lars,
Would it be possible to scan your copy of the April 20, 1945, Völkischer Beobachter? I think it would be great to look at.
James

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rattenhuber
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#5

Post by rattenhuber » 01 Apr 2005, 00:09

I believe 'Der Panzerbar' should be translated as 'the armoured bear' in english.
It was known as 'The combat paper for the defenders of greater Berlin.'

J.M.
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#6

Post by J.M. » 01 Apr 2005, 00:18

Greetings,
Here is a picture of the cover for the April 27th edition of the Panzerbar. I realize that the image is not too clear but its the only one I have of the Panzerbar. Also, a few late war propaganda images. Sincerely, J.M.
Attachments
niemals.jpg
niemals.jpg (29.37 KiB) Viewed 10127 times
Volkstrum.jpg
Volkstrum.jpg (14.36 KiB) Viewed 10127 times
Panzerbar_April_27th.JPG
Panzerbar_April_27th.JPG (93.45 KiB) Viewed 10132 times

JLEES
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Fist pounding Berlin

#7

Post by JLEES » 01 Apr 2005, 01:31

J.M.,
The image of the fist pounding Berlin is a great image. Where did this come from? Is it a poster?
James

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waffen
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#8

Post by waffen » 01 Apr 2005, 02:02

:D thankyou J M for the post of the 1945 newsprint..........

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rattenhuber
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#9

Post by rattenhuber » 01 Apr 2005, 03:20

Thanks for the photos!

Simon71
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Re: Fist pounding Berlin

#10

Post by Simon71 » 01 Apr 2005, 13:47

JLEES wrote:J.M.,
The image of the fist pounding Berlin is a great image. Where did this come from? Is it a poster?
James
Heinrich Goitsch, Niemals! (Munich: Zentralverlag der NSDAP, 1944)

http://www.calvin.edu/academic/cas/gpa/niemals.htm

regards
Simon

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Re: Der Panzerbar

#11

Post by nondescript handle » 01 Apr 2005, 14:50

JLEES wrote:Does anyone know what "Der Panzerbar" means in English? Was this an emergency newspaper only issued during the Battle of Berlin, or did it have wider distribution? [...]
James,
Der Panzerbär means either "the armoured bear" (assuming that panzer is used as an adjective) or "the tank bear" (assuming that Panzer is used as a noun [an abbreviation for Panzerkampfwagen lit. "armoured fighting vehicle" = tank]).

The use of the bear would indicate that the audience is Berlin. The bear is the heraldic animal and mascot of Bear-lin, err Bär-lin err, Berlin.

Regards
Mark

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maxxx
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#12

Post by maxxx » 01 Apr 2005, 19:00

Got no scanner, but a copy of the Frontpage of

Das KLEINE WIENER KRIEGSBLATT (combined edition of the last four newspapers in vienna)
from 3rd of april 1945

Headline:
VIENNAS HOUR IS NOW!
Appeal of Baldur von Schirach/ Gen.Obst. d.WSS Sepp Dietrich and his tanks come to help in our fight

Vienna, 2nd of April, Reichsleiter von Schirach is announcing this appeal:
Men and Women of Vienna!
The time of our test has come. The russian, the old enemy of also the old austrian empire (SIC!) is close to our city. Everybody will do his duty to the extreme.But ever helper will be welcome. Today I am honored to introduce my old friend, Oberstgruppenführer Generaloberst der Waffen SS Sepp Dietrich to you. His men will be sent here. He will be well known to you and all german copatriots as leader of the Leibstandarte.
Men and Women of Vienna!
I am not a man of big words and elegant speech (SIC!) Anyway, today only deeds count, not words.Now when I (with my men) will mix with the other defenders of this beautiful old town, I do so with the strong and undestroyable will to do everything possible to keep this stronghold of the german southeast for our german fatherland.
To promise more would be daring (? verwegen? transl.?) The fight will be bitter, a victory difficult.
You, my dear men and women of Vienna, know the enemy from earlier generations of your history, but you also know the european task (SIC!) vienna never tried to run away from-

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Valtoro
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#13

Post by Valtoro » 01 Apr 2005, 19:31

Panzerbãr from 29/4/45.
Image

from:
http://www.dhm.de/lemo/html/wk2/kriegsverlauf/berlin/

/Valtoro.

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rattenhuber
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#14

Post by rattenhuber » 01 Apr 2005, 20:01

Thanks for the information, and the scan!

Maxxx, at the time Baldur von Schirach published that article
Joesph Goebbels was recording in his diary:

"...Riots have taken place in the former red suburbs of the city
and these have assumed such proportions that Schirach has been
helpless and has had to place himself under the protection of the
troops. That is typical of Schirach. He lets things take their course
and then takes refuge with the soldiers. I never expected anything
else from him."

(From Final Entries, 1945 )

JLEES
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Thanks and panzerbar 4/29/1945

#15

Post by JLEES » 02 Apr 2005, 00:17

Mark and Maxxx,
Thanks for the excellent translation of the title of the Panzerbar. Could someone please translate the main headline from the April 29, 1945, Panzerbar. What was the paper reporting at that time period?
James

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