Musikkorps der Panzergrenadier-Division "Großdeutschland"

[Ivan Ž.]

Friedrich Ahlers leading his band (mid-1930s).

From http://pallas.cegesoma.be/

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Was bedeutet der Schellenbaum. Mit klingendem Spiel, voran der Schellenbaum, marschiert das Musikkorps an der Spitze der Truppe. Die schmettenden Fanfaren und der schneidige Rhythmus erfüllen uns mit stolzer Freude.

[Ivan Ž.]

From https://www.sz-photo.de/ (Ahlers is walking beside the Schellenbaum)

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Neujahrswecken der Wehrmacht in Berlin, 1939. Das Musikkorps des Wachregiments beim traditionellen Neujahrswecken der Wehrmacht auf dem Boulevard Unter den Linden in Berlin.

[Ivan Ž.]

Two excellent shots from a farewell concert in honour of the retiring Stabsmusikmeister Ahlers, Berlin, November 1944.

Seen in the upper image is Friedrich Ahlers (centre) attending the concert in the company of the regimental commander, Oberstleutnant & Ritterkreuzträger Ernst-Günter Lehnhoff (to the left of Ahlers), and other officers of the Wachregiment "Großdeutschland".

Seen in the bottom image is Ahlers' old band led by a new conductor, Obermusikmeister Hans Borghoff, playing the old conductor's favourite parade marches: Beethoven's "Yorckscher Marsch", Strauß' "Radetzky-Marsch", trad. "Marsch I. Bataillon Garde", Steinbeck's "Regimentsgruß", Radeck's "Fridericus Rex" and, of course, the unit's parade march, Faust’s "Defiliermarsch".

Source: Joachim Toeche-Mittler, Musikmeister Ahlers (Spemann, Stuttgart, 1981), pp. 117 (info), 121 (images)

Note: Ahlers also recorded all of those marches, at the beginning of his recording career (four of them in 1924, one in 1927 and one in 1932).

[Ivan Ž.]

New Year's parade along the Wilhelmstraße in Berlin, 1933. Ahlers is partially visible on the left of the Schellenbaum.

From https://www.gettyimages.com/

Parade for Paul von Hindenburg. Military parade on the occasion of New Year celabrations for German president Paul von Hindenburg. Soldiers are marching to the residence of president. (01.01.1933)

[Ivan Ž.]

King Fuad I of Egypt visits Berlin, June 1929. Ahlers and the band are seen on the left, in the background.

From https://www.gettyimages.com/

Staatsbesuch - König Fuad u. Paul von Hindenburg schreiten die Ehrenkompanie d. Reichswehr ab. Der ägyptische König Fuad und Reichspräsident von Hindenburg schreiten vor dem Lehrter Bahnhof in Berlin die Ehrenkompanie der Reichswehr ab. Links (in Zivil): Reichswehrminister Wilhelm Groener, mit Stahlhelm: Oberstleutnant von Hindenburg. (10.06.1929)

[Ivan Ž.]

President von Hindenburg reviews Ahlers' band at the parade grounds in Berlin-Moabit, 1920s.

Source: https://suedharzshop.de/

[Ivan Ž.]

Parade along the Tiergartenstraße in Berlin, 1931.

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Source: http://stores.militaryhistoryshop.com/u ... and-units/

[Ivan Ž.]

Ahlers and his band parading in front of the Ehrenmal (out of frame) in Berlin, Unter den Linden, mid-1930s.

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Source: https://www.ebay.de/ (Nov. 2011)

[Ivan Ž.]

The Wachtruppe on a parade in Berlin (Unter den Linden) in 1937; the band leads the way.

Source: Die Wehrmacht 19, Aug. 1937, p. 8

[Ivan Ž.]

Ahlers' band playing for the newly-promoted Infantry General Erwin von Witzleben (best remembered as one of the leading 20 July 1944 conspirators against Hitler, for which he was executed by hanging in August the same year).

From https://www.gettyimages.com/

Das Musikkorps des Wachregimentes im Garten des Wehrkreiskommandos III in der Kurfürstenstrasse in Berlin bei einem Ständchen zu Ehren Erwin v. Witzlebens (auf dem Balkon) anlässlich der Ernennung zum General der Infanterie. (01.10.1936)

[Ivan Ž.]

In his book Musikmeister Ahlers, Toeche-Mittler stated (in the section dealing with WWII, p. 107) that the second band, led by Guido Grosch, was formed shortly before the war, without specifying a date.

The photo below was taken a day before Hitler's 50th birthday, on 19 April 1939, and it shows what appear to be combined bands of Wachregiment Berlin: there are two bandleaders, two bass drums and only one Schellenbaum (suggesting that they all belonged to the same unit). The main bandleader is obviously Ahlers, and the other one, marching on the right, appears to be Grosch - which would mean that the second band existed already in April 1939. (The original PK/press caption, quoted below, also suggested that it was a one unit's band.)

From https://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/ (Todd Gylsen Collection)

The foreign guests laid a wreath at the base of the memorial Unter den Linden. The Musical Corps of the Wachregiment "Grossdeutschland" marched by the honored foreign guests. (19 April 1939, Presse Bild Zentrale, PK-Stiehr)

Another photo from the same event, showing the same band(s) in the distance.

From https://www.akg-images.de/

III. Reich - Führergeburtstag 1939. Das Motiv aus der nationalsozialistischen Propaganda zeigt den Aufmarsch der Ehrenkompanie der deutschen Wehrmacht Unter den Linden in Berlin am 19.04.1939, dem Vortag der feierlichen Parade der deutschen Wehrmacht zu Hitlers 50. Geburtstag. Die nationalsozialistische Berichterstattung schreibt am 19.04.1939 auf der Rückseite des Bildes: "Ehrengäste des Führers am Ehrenmal. U.B.z. Der Vorbeimarsch der Ehrenkompanie vor den Ehrengästen am Ehrenmal Unter den Linden."

For comparison, take a look at the photos of combined Ahlers & Tumforde's bands, taken two years earlier, and notice the two Schellenbäume being carried: viewtopic.php?f=81&t=250712#p1990469

[Ivan Ž.]

The 2nd (Grosch's) band playing for the foreign (Axis) officials arriving for the 5th anniversary of the Anti-Comintern Pact in Berlin, 24 November 1941 (the anniversary itself was the next day; on this occasion, the pact was renewed, and also joined by several more countries). The bandsmen wear "Großdeutschland" cuff-titles on their sleeves and their Schellenbaum banner reads "Wachregiment Berlin" (the band's unit, however, was a guard battalion at the time, while the main unit was an infantry regiment).

From https://www.gettyimages.com/

Celebrations for the 5th anniversary of the Anticomintern Pact: welcome ceremony at the square in front of the Anhalter Bahnhof in Berlin; vice prime minister Mihai Antonescu (Romania, middle) taking the salute of an honorary military unit; left: foreign minister Joachim v. Ribbentrop; following them from the right: the Romanian ambassador Raoul Bossy and his German colleage in Bukarest, Manfred v. Killinger - 24.11.1941. Photographer: Presse-Illustrationen Heinrich Hoffmann. Published by: 'B.Z.' 25.11.1941.

Several screenshots from Die Deutsche Wochenschau 587, 03.12.1941, filmed on the same occasion.

(Showing the Schellenbaum, Tambourmajor and the Spielleute.)

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[Ivan Ž.]

Spielleute in action.

From https://www.bpk-bildagentur.de/

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Vorbeimarsch des Musikkorps des Wachregiments vor dem Ehrenmal Unter den Linden. Besuch der Königlich Belgischen Sonderkommission in Berlin. Aufnahmedatum: Februar 1934.

[Ivan Ž.]

Ahlers in front of the Schellenbaum.

From https://www.bpk-bildagentur.de/

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Vorbeimarsch des Wachregiments Berlin an Prinz Kaya Tsunenori bei dessen Besuch in Berlin vor dem Ehrenmal Unter den Linden. Aufnahmedatum: Mitte 1934.