Adolf Hitler (Führer und oberster Befehlshaber der Wehrmacht) visiting wounded soldiers in Unter den Linden, Berlin, as a part of Heldengedenktag ceremony, 21 March 1943 (when sometimes in 1942 Hitler was cautioned that his soldiers were dying in enormous numbers on the Eastern front, he reportedly responded to the effect that "Well, that's what soldiers are for"). On 27 February 1934, the National Socialists introduced national holiday legislation to create Heldengedenktag ("Day of Commemoration of Heroes") as a change to the previous Volkstrauertag (People's Mourning Day), cementing the observance. In the process, they completely changed the character of the holiday: the emphasis shifted to hero worship rather than remembering the dead. Furthermore, five years later the Nazis abolished Buß- und Bettag (Day of repentance and prayer) as a non-working day and moved its commemoration to the following Sunday, to further the war effort. Joseph Goebbels as Propaganda Minister, issued guidelines on content and implementation, instructing that flags no longer be flown at half-mast. The last Heldengedenktag was celebrated in 1945. This picture was taken by one of the photographer from Presse-Illustrationen Heinrich Hoffmann and first published in 22 March 1943
Source :
https://bildarchiv.bsb-muenchen.de/metaopac/singleHit.do?methodToCall=showHit&curPos=81&identifier=368_SOLR_SERVER_642289375
http://www.ww2incolor.com/german_leadership/E0428_ROSPG2004029003901.html
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