Hitlers Last Appearance for the cameras

Discussions on every day life in the Weimar Republic, pre-anschluss Austria, Third Reich and the occupied territories. Hosted by Vikki.
Post Reply
User avatar
lancer_325
Member
Posts: 10
Joined: 03 Oct 2012, 18:03

Re: Hitlers Last Appearance for the cameras

#151

Post by lancer_325 » 05 Oct 2012, 21:13

a few more
Attachments
04.JPG
04.JPG (17.89 KiB) Viewed 3684 times
05.JPG
05.JPG (20.4 KiB) Viewed 3684 times
06.JPG
06.JPG (20.77 KiB) Viewed 3684 times

User avatar
lancer_325
Member
Posts: 10
Joined: 03 Oct 2012, 18:03

Re: Hitlers Last Appearance for the cameras

#152

Post by lancer_325 » 05 Oct 2012, 21:25

the buildings which were the ones behind axman's raised arm must be the barracks which backed onto herman goring strasse. What do others think?


User avatar
AlainDucasse
Member
Posts: 153
Joined: 11 Sep 2007, 15:00
Location: Hamburg, Germany

Re: Hitlers Last Appearance for the cameras

#153

Post by AlainDucasse » 12 Dec 2013, 10:36

I try to summarize the apperance on the attached poster. On the way back from the "Iron Cross ceremony" to the "Führerbunker" entrance, he might came along the destroyed Dining Hall, where the last pictures where made? Any helpfull comments or pictures are appreciated.
Attachments
Locations last pictures.jpg
Last camera apperance March 20th, 1945 ??

User avatar
lancer_325
Member
Posts: 10
Joined: 03 Oct 2012, 18:03

Re: Hitlers Last Appearance for the cameras

#154

Post by lancer_325 » 10 Jan 2014, 21:22

AlainDucasse wrote:I try to summarize the apperance on the attached poster. On the way back from the "Iron Cross ceremony" to the "Führerbunker" entrance, he might came along the destroyed Dining Hall, where the last pictures where made? Any helpfull comments or pictures are appreciated.
great picture Alain. Thanks very much for sharing it.

Mark Costa
Member
Posts: 2771
Joined: 26 Jul 2002, 18:41
Location: USA

Re: Hitlers Last Appearance for the cameras

#155

Post by Mark Costa » 26 Feb 2014, 18:28

OK I have a special unbelievable photo to share this morning. I have never seen this one before and front a completely different angle. Obviously the photographer climbed up on the wall and steps to get this one. Note the movie cameraman on the right and Guensche, Linge and Fegelein in the background.
ENJOY !!!!!

Mark Costa
Attachments
14bb99ebeb9b86b7cd17aaaf14f0d097.jpg
14bb99ebeb9b86b7cd17aaaf14f0d097.jpg (92.87 KiB) Viewed 2896 times

User avatar
AlainDucasse
Member
Posts: 153
Joined: 11 Sep 2007, 15:00
Location: Hamburg, Germany

Re: Hitlers Last Appearance for the cameras

#156

Post by AlainDucasse » 27 Feb 2014, 10:04

Wow!!! Thanks for sharing Mark.

Halfdan S.
Member
Posts: 2699
Joined: 08 Oct 2007, 03:02
Location: Copenhagen

Re: Hitlers Last Appearance for the cameras

#157

Post by Halfdan S. » 27 Feb 2014, 17:20

Yes, thanks for sharing, Mark - very interesting indeed, in the background we see Günsche (I think), Fegelein and Linge.

Regards
Halfdan S.

User avatar
wartourist
Member
Posts: 85
Joined: 27 Sep 2012, 14:35
Location: Denmark
Contact:

Re: Hitlers Last Appearance for the cameras

#158

Post by wartourist » 14 Mar 2014, 22:16

This is an extremely interesting and enlightening thread, stretching over some... 12 years? Incredible :milwink:
I believe consensus now have been established that the photos of Hitler greeting the HJ boys were NOT taken in April 1945, but in March. And I am absolutely willing to accept, that it was on the 20th (Axmann says so, and he should know).

Just one little thing is bothering me. I'm currently reading the Göbbels Diaries (English edition), and on Mach 19, there is an entry, where he refers to the event as having taken place on that day (scan included - I hope :D )

He of course might just have confused the dates - and it is of no great significance anyway - but...

Any comments on this?

Dan
Attachments
gobbels_p176.gif

Br. James
Member
Posts: 897
Joined: 27 May 2013, 21:45
Location: Baltimore

Re: Hitlers Last Appearance for the cameras

#159

Post by Br. James » 15 Mar 2014, 18:13

An interesting potential contradiction, Dan; thanks very much for sharing that page from Goebbels' Diary for March 19, 1945. Is there any other source for either corroborating or denying Goebbels' notation from his daily record of these intense events in the last days of the Third Reich? Besides Axmann's and Goebbels' statements dating this event, do we have any other person's account of what Hitler did on March 19th? Is it possible that HJ receptions were held on both days? Goebbels refers to Hitler giving a speech to the assembled HJ members on the 19th and that the text of that speech was released in a communique; has anyone ever seen that communique and does it concur with Goebbels' notation, datewise? Questions, questions...!!

Br. James

User avatar
wartourist
Member
Posts: 85
Joined: 27 Sep 2012, 14:35
Location: Denmark
Contact:

Re: Hitlers Last Appearance for the cameras

#160

Post by wartourist » 17 Mar 2014, 00:17

In hindsight, I of course should have added the source, so here it is: [The Goebbels Diaries. Edited and introduced by Hugh Trevor-Roper. Book Club Associates 1978. SBN 436 17966 0]

Reading the passage in Axmann's memoir again, there might be a hint to where the confusion has initiated. In (my rough) translations, the first four-and-a-half line goes: “The last photos and film footage of Hitler and the detachment of the HJ are always referred to as the 20 April 1945. This is not true. They refer to [were taken at] another welcome of a delegation of the HJ by Hitler. This was originally planned for March 19, 1945, but first took place on 20 March 1945.” [p. 418 ff]

Could it be as simple as Dr. Göbbels - likely not present at the parade - made his entry on the 19th, because he thought that the event took place on the prearranged date? On the other hand, he writes as if he was there; "The Führer gave a warm speech bla bla...". Hard to tell...

A scan of the passage is included. The source here is: [Hitlerjugend. S.Bublies Verlag, Koblenz (no year stated). ISBN 3-860-70-701-9]
Attachments
axmann_p418.gif

Br. James
Member
Posts: 897
Joined: 27 May 2013, 21:45
Location: Baltimore

Re: Hitlers Last Appearance for the cameras

#161

Post by Br. James » 17 Mar 2014, 17:22

Thanks, Dan. As you mentioned in your earlier note, Goebbels' diary reflects his knowledge of Hitler giving a speech or an address at the HJ reception and the text of that speech had already been released in a communique...which Goebbels himself must certainly have read. This would have flavored Goebbels' comment in his diary and made it sound like he had been present when he had only read the speech.

It still would be good to know if anyone else recorded Hitler's actions on those two days, therefore giving us a more objective point of view.

Br. James

Mark Costa
Member
Posts: 2771
Joined: 26 Jul 2002, 18:41
Location: USA

Re: Hitlers Last Appearance for the cameras

#162

Post by Mark Costa » 17 Mar 2014, 19:01

There is one other thing to keep in mind in regards to the dates in Goebbels diaries. During these last days the diaries were being transcribed from the handwritten versions to typed versions and then microfilmed. Hence unless you have seen the originals in Goebbels handwriting we will never know what the real date was. There are several errors in the last entries where the diaries are are actually describing events days later and others sometimes days earlier. Many mistakes were made in transcribing them to the typed versions and dates were missed completely or changed.

Mark Costa

User avatar
wartourist
Member
Posts: 85
Joined: 27 Sep 2012, 14:35
Location: Denmark
Contact:

Re: Hitlers Last Appearance for the cameras

#163

Post by wartourist » 18 Mar 2014, 11:27

Good point, Mark! In a preamble to Göbbels diaries, one Peter Stadelmayer explains the history of the discovery of the diaries and the trouble to identify and piece together the text from the incomplete series of "glass plates" - an early form of microfilm, I guess - each containing 45 A4 (DIN) pages. There is also an example of one page, and I find it extremely difficult to decipher the text. All in all, there is ample reason to assume, that an error as to the date has slipped in regarding the HJ parade in March 1945. The foreword by Trevor-Roper also states, that Göbbels never proof-read the text.

As to whether other diaries, recording the events in the Bunker are available, as mentioned by Br. James, I have seen several references to the diary of Heinz Linge, Hitler's manservant, but never been able to find the diary itself. Linge did publish a memoir (apparently in 1980), and this was translated into English and published in 2009 [Frontline Books, ISBN 978-1-84832-544-9]. In this edition, Linge makes no mentioning of a 20 March affair, but does mention a 20 April reception in the Garden.

In conclusion, there must have been two events (since eyewitness Linge recorded one on April 20 - scan attached*), but the last footage of Hitler was beyond question shot on March 20 (and included in Wochenschau 755 on March 22nd)

Dan

*Strangely, Axmann makes no mention of this event in his diary for April 20, albeit Linge states, he was there? A pity, we can't ask either of them today :milwink:
Attachments
linge.gif


jeffhan373
Member
Posts: 548
Joined: 27 Mar 2008, 01:46

Re: Hitlers Last Appearance for the cameras

#165

Post by jeffhan373 » 28 Apr 2014, 23:12

I always thought the review of the HJ boys which appeared in the Wochenschau took place on March 20....but I've just gotten a copy of the Vienna edition of the Voelkischer Beobachter for March 20, which has a front-page article about Hitler reviewing the boys. Since the VB appeared in the morning, the review could not possibly have taken place on the 20th. And the story is dated March 19....so Dr. Goebbels diary entry is right, it seems....

More coverage of the event appears in the VB for 3/21 as well...

You learn things every day!

Post Reply

Return to “Life in the Third Reich & Weimar Republic”