Sunday, July 13, 2025

Private Color Footage of Fighter Ace Kalau vom Hofe of JG 54 (1941-1944)


Werner Pichon-Kalau vom Hofe (1917-1999) was a German fighter ace of World War II.

He served most of the war with Jagdgeschwader 54, on the Western Front in 1940, the Eastern Front in 1941-1943, then transferred back to defense against Allied bombers in the West in April 1943, before becoming a staff officer in January 1944, and serving the rest of the war in staff positions. He achieved 64 kills, most of them on the Eastern Front, including five in a single day on March 21st, 1942.

But he was not only a fighter pilot, but also very interested in cameras, and took many pictures and footage of planes and men of JG 54. He was, in fact, so interested in cameras, that he bought himself a very expensive 16mm color video camera. This video shows footage that he took of JG54 from 1941 to 1944, including men and planes.

Since this is privately taken footage, these are no propaganda shots, but rather lighthearted scenes for personal memories. 

As cameras back then had no microphones, this video contains no sound or narration.

 


Source :
https://digitaler-lesesaal.bundesarchiv.de/en/video/9408/680704
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCCfJ2ToBMI

Prisoners of War: Wehrmacht Soldiers in U.S.Captivity

During the war, over 400.000 German Prisoners of War were sent to prisoner camps in the United States, mostly in rural areas. Here they were given adequate food, medical care, and humane treatment, often far better than what German soldiers experienced on the Eastern Front or what Allied POWs faced in German captivity. Many were put to work on farms and in factories, receiving small wages and some even developed friendly relationships with American guards and locals. After the war, tens of thousands were held longer to assist with reconstruction efforts in Europe. Some were sent to Britain and France for forced labor before being fully released. The "Rheinwiesenlager" (Rhine Meadow Camps) in Germany, run by U.S. and French forces, had harsh conditions, with some prisoners suffering from malnutrition and disease due to overcrowding and food shortages. By 1948, most German POWs had been released and sent back home.




Source :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlpi8K6WsEA