Nazi Leadership and English?

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jmh8300
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Nazi Leadership and English?

#1

Post by jmh8300 » 29 Dec 2005, 04:35

I'm curious about which members of the Nazi leadership spoke or understood English.

I think Speer was fluent, as evidenced by his post war TV interviews.
Ribbentrop although per-war ambassador to the UK was not I understand proficient.
Goering was intelligent but I do not know his fluency, and the same applies to Goebbles.
Hitler and Himmler I'm not at all sure about. I suspect they had no facility and little experience with the language.
I think Hess may have had some English - he had a long time to learn.

I'd be most grateful if some of the more knowledgeable members would fill in the gaps of my knowledge.

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jmh
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Helly Angel
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#2

Post by Helly Angel » 29 Dec 2005, 07:32

Baldur von Schirach´s mother was american.

Walter Darre was argentinian I think.
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Pentanov
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#3

Post by Pentanov » 29 Dec 2005, 10:46

(Edited out)
Last edited by Pentanov on 31 Jan 2006, 15:59, edited 1 time in total.
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Can Balcioglu
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#4

Post by Can Balcioglu » 29 Dec 2005, 19:29

Correct me if I am wrong but did Hitler speak any other language then German?
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jmh8300
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#5

Post by jmh8300 » 30 Dec 2005, 04:42

Thank you Helly and Pentanov for the information.

It doesn't surprise me that Goering was fluent and put it to his best possible advantage.

I had not heard of Ernst Wilhelm Bohle before now but a quick search of the forum and wikipedia reveals that he spend time in the UK and South Africa. I was going to say that it would have been strange to hear a Gruppenführer with a Yorkshire accent, but his family emigrated to RSA when he was only three. Presumabely he would have spoken English with a South African accent.

@Can: Good question.

Did Hitler pick up some French during WW1?

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jmh
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jv
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Nazi Leadership and English

#6

Post by jv » 30 Dec 2005, 07:24

Wouldn't the world have been a better place if they had all spoken English?
(Aussie proverb)
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Pentanov
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#7

Post by Pentanov » 30 Dec 2005, 10:33

(Edited out)
Last edited by Pentanov on 31 Jan 2006, 15:56, edited 1 time in total.
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Mehmet Fatih
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Re: Nazi Leadership and English?

#8

Post by Mehmet Fatih » 01 Jan 2006, 13:30

jmh8300 wrote:I think Hess may have had some English - he had a long time to learn
Hess spoke fluent English according to the memoirs of Eugene Byrd, the commandant of Spandau Prison. Byrd also mentions that Baldur von Schirach was really proud to be able to speak English.

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Pentanov
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Re: Nazi Leadership and English?

#9

Post by Pentanov » 03 Jan 2006, 12:58

(Edited out)
Last edited by Pentanov on 31 Jan 2006, 15:49, edited 1 time in total.
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Can Balcioglu
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#10

Post by Can Balcioglu » 03 Jan 2006, 15:42

Ofcourse Hess spoke English he escaped to England for heavens sake :D
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Mehmet Fatih
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#11

Post by Mehmet Fatih » 09 Jan 2006, 17:09

Can Balcioglu wrote:Ofcourse Hess spoke English he escaped to England for heavens sake :D
In fact he did not escape to England. He flew there with fantasies of negotiating peace with the Brits.

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Boby
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#12

Post by Boby » 09 Jan 2006, 17:12

Hitler spoke English, French and Italian (but, very poor)
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Beppo Schmidt
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#13

Post by Beppo Schmidt » 23 Feb 2006, 02:59

It was said that Magda Goebbels was known for her proficiency with a number of languages, but I don't know specifically which ones they are. Ribbentrop, Goering, Speer, and Hess all spoke English.
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Grubendagger
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#14

Post by Grubendagger » 23 Feb 2006, 13:18

Boby wrote:Hitler spoke English, French and Italian (but, very poor)
Do you have a source? If Hitler did a lazy effort at heightening his skills at painting, so that his chances at the Art Academy would better, why should he then feel like learning French in France? Or Italian for that sake.
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Phil Nix
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#15

Post by Phil Nix » 24 Feb 2006, 12:45

Ernst Wilhelm Bohle spoke English being born in Bradford in Yorkshire
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