Nazi Leadership and English?
Nazi Leadership and English?
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.
Regards
jmh
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.
Regards
jmh
- Helly Angel
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- Can Balcioglu
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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?
Regards
jmh
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?
Regards
jmh
Nazi Leadership and English
Wouldn't the world have been a better place if they had all spoken English?
(Aussie proverb)
jv
(Aussie proverb)
jv
- Mehmet Fatih
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Re: Nazi Leadership and English?
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.jmh8300 wrote:I think Hess may have had some English - he had a long time to learn
Regards
Re: Nazi Leadership and English?
(Edited out)
Last edited by Pentanov on 31 Jan 2006, 15:49, edited 1 time in total.
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