Christmas in the Third Reich

[sylvieK4]

This poor guy had to pull guard duty for his Christmas:

[Wilhelm Mack]

Greetings All,

I'm looking for answers on the authenticity of the Deutsch Weihnacht Ringsendung 1942, the Christmas Eve Broadcast of 1942. Goebels had a radio broadcast set up - supposedly - of soldiers/sailors/airmen stationed around the Greater Reich on Christmas Eve all linked in togather. I have the file on mp3, and it does sound cool, but I've seen on an episode of "The World At War" claiming it was a fake. Now, knowing that one should not get their History from television, but I can't find any refutation in print or on the web, soI am leary, but does anyone have any light to shed on this, please? Thank you!

[Annelie]

Found this on youtube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQ4vLynW3yg

[ghostsoldier]

One more time...

Rob

[bigger_chief]

Homemade Christmas card from the Russian Front, 1941.



(Click to enlarge image)

[finnguy]

Got this off http://www.timelifepictures.com

[Beek]

Christmas in Norway for those with rank

[Beek]

Christmas in Norway for those without rank.

[Beek]

Just thought that I would share this story with everyone that my father tells me every Christmas (yes he is a reliable source)about his father coming home for Christmas 1944. My father was born in 1935, his father was drafted into the army on April 20th, 1939. My grandfather was involved with the invasion of Russia from the first day in 1941, so as you can see there was not a whole lot of quality time growing up. He remembers going to see him in a hospital, but his real and only clear memory was when he came home for Christmas in 1944. Just getting Christmas leave from the Eastern Front must have been a great gift in itself, but being in a warm house with your wife and children must have seemed like a gift from God. What stands out the most for my father was that when it was time for my grandfather to return to the front, my grandmother in tears begged him to desert and that she would hide him. My father remembers his last hug and his last goodbye. Altough being cut off by the Red Army in Fortress Konigsberg they still received letters (that I have today) until the letters stopped coming and no one would ever hear from him again. My father is the small one in the back row with the stupid grin.

[ghostsoldier]

That's a beautiful photo, and a touching story, Beek...thanks for sharing.
Rob

[Vikki]

I agree, Rob, and thanks for sharing it, Beek. What a handsome family, and what a tragedy that as in so many cases, war made it their last Christmas together.

Best,
~Vikki

[Beek]

Vikki,
Thank you for the kind words. The house that the photo was taken in, was my grandfathers and grandmas house of course,but when my grandfather failed to come home, my uncles and father came to America. My Aunt Marianna (who I have shown you pictures of in the Luftschutz thread) also lived there in one of the several apartments that were in the building. My Aunt and grandmother were sisters, my grandmother came to America leaving her sister there with her husband all alone. (their older brother Paul Heinzig had died in a Russian POW camp as a member of 13th Panzer, their other brother Johann was in America and served in the 5th Air Force in New Guinea and the Philipines, it is one great story about how that happened) Any how after my aunts husband died, she lived in this big building all alone, behind the "Iron Curtain" When she hit age 65 she was allowed to leave the east, but would not do so. As I told you earlier this year she died at age 97, never leaving that house. I have also posted a picture of my father and my aunt in the basement of the house, with her wearing her old Luftschutz helmet. When the "Wall" came down, my father and his two brothers regained possesion of the building and all of the contents in it. You would not believe me what German equipment was in that house. I would like to show some of the items, but would not want to get off topic (let me know were to show it)
So everytime I see the picture it not only reminds me of someone I never knew, but the building and the time and people that were touched in so many ways.

[Beek]

That's a beautiful photo, and a touching story, Beek...thanks for sharing.
Rob

Thank You Rob

[ghostsoldier]

Beek,
I would think you could post those equipment photos in this section of the forum:
Militaria & Collecting
Rob

[Geoff Walden]

An SA Weihnachtsmann (from Sieh: Das Herz Europas (Berlin, 1937)