Gauleiter Robert Wagner Speaks in the Podium

The Nazi Party-related events were highlight of those days, therefore numerous color slides remain. Robert Heinrich Wagner stands at the podium. Robert Heinrich Wagner, born as Robert Heinrich Backfisch (13 October 1895 – 14 August 1946) was a Nazi Party official and politician who served as Gauleiter and Reichsstatthalter of Baden, and Chief of Civil Administration for Alsace during the German occupation of France in World War II. This slide is a part of circa 40 color frames, and it is clear that they were taken by an assigned photographer. The number 65, indicating the 65. SS-Standarte, can be clearly seen on the collar of the black SS. The person in the back wearing black pants with a white line on his armband is a member of the Hitler Youth (the participation of various organizations of the Nazi Party can be seen more clearly in color).

Source :
Akira Takiguchi photo collection
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Heinrich_Wagner
https://twitter.com/atakiguchi/status/1709181588960158025/photo/1

6th German Shooting Competition in Tyrol (September 1943)

Video and caption from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZPiUjVhj0Q

During the Third Reich, shooting as a sport, and shooting competitions, were promoted by the Regime, with huge state-wide shooting competitions being held in various regions.
The goal was to get people, especially young boys and men, interested into shooting, to prepare them for their future life as soldiers.

These festivals and competitions, because they were considered important for the war effort, continued well into 1945.

This is a short film about the 6th State Shooting Competition in Tyrol, which was held from 4th to 18th July 1943. The film itself was released in September 1943.

Remarks:
00:25 Innsbruck is a large city in Austria and capital of Tyrol.
00:33 Sadly, I wasn’t able to find many details about Uli Ritzer, except that he apparently continued producing films after the war, there are three movies listed for him in the IMDB database, all from the 1950s.
00:45 AGFACOLOR is the name of a series of color films produced by the Afga company in Germany, first introduced in 1932. Especially the 1936 variant of it, Afgacolor Neu (New) is considered one of the best color movie technology of its time.
00:53 The State Shooting Competition in Tyrol was held between 4th and 18th July 1943.
00:59 Tyrol-Vorarlberg was the official name of the region. The gau was in western Austria, bordering Switzerland and Italy. It consisted of (Northern) Tyrol and Voralberg, with the capital city being Innsbruck. In 1939, it had a population of 331,000 people.
01:13 The Standschützen were originally a kind of volunteer militia in Tyrol, formed in the 15th century out of members of shooting clubs and was used in various conflicts, such as the War of the First Coalition (1796-1797), the Franco-Austrian War (1859) or the Austro-Prussian War(1866). By the time of this movie, and nowadays, they are only used as representational formation and are no longer an active wartime unit.
01:46 Franz Hofer was Gauleiter (Regional Governor) of the Gau Tyrol-Vorarlberg during the Nazi era. He joined the (Austrian) Nazi Party in September 1931, and became Gauleiter of Tyrol-Vorarlberg in November 1932. Because the Nazi party was banned in Austria, he was sentenced to two years jail time in June 1933, however he escaped to Germany, where he spent the next few years. After the German annexation of Austria, he was again made Gauleiter of Tyrol-Vorarlberg in May 1938. In November 1944, he proposed the idea of the so-called “Alpine Fortress”, e.g. the creation of large fortifications in the Austrian alps. This was however largely just a fantasy, and when the American army closed in, he declared Innsbruck an open city; he was captured by the Americans on May 6th, 1945. After the war, he was sentenced to 3 years and 5 months imprisonment. He stayed in Germany where he died in February 1975, remaining a convinced National Socialist for the rest of his life.
02:00 Franz Defregger (1835-1921) was a famous Austrian artist, known for depicting everyday and historical scenes from his Tyrol native country. Because basically his entire art is focused on themes and persons from Tyrol, he is especially well known there.
04:00 These men are from the RAD, the Reich Labor Service. On parades, RAD men would usually carry their spades as a “parade weapon”
05:12 These are wounded soldiers, who were allowed to attend the parade.
05:37 Meran is a city in South Tyrol.
05:45 Despite South Tyrol being a part of Italy since after WWI, it was and is still part of the (Austrian) culture of Tyrol, and therefore delegations from South Tyrol are featured in this parade.
09:23 The “war of liberation” refers to the failed Tyrol rebellion against the French and Bavarian occupation of Tyrol from April-November 1809. This rebellion was later often glorified.
09:44 A Marketenderin is a female sutler.
11:04 Landesoberschützenmeister is the highest rank of the Standschützen, which was granted to Hofer as he was the Gauleiter of Tyrol.
11:45 The white-red flag with the eagle that flies in the wind on the right side here is the flag of Tyrol.
11:57 I have no idea what these people are doing, and honestly I don’t want to know

Heldengedenktag in Offenburg (12 March 1944)

In 1919, the German War Graves Commision proposed a national day of mourning to remember the fallen of WWI. This day was called Volkstrauertag ("peoples day of mourning") and was first celebrated in 1922 with a remembrance ceremony in the German Parliament. It was held two Sundays before the first day of Advent, so usually in November.

When the Nazis came to power, they completely changed the meaning of the day, shifting towards hero worshipping instead of a sober remembrance ceremony. The day was made a national holiday, nig parades and rallies were held, and the day was instrumentalized for Nazi Propaganda. Its name was changed to Heldengedenktag ("Day of Commemoration of Heroes"), and it important dates were often held closely to it, for example, in 1936, German troops entered the Rhineland one day after this day.
In 1939, Hitler ordered the day to be celebrated on March 16th or the Sunday before March 16th, the day of re-introduction of conscription in 1936, removing any religious connection.

The day was held throughout the war, the last time on March 11th, 1945, were it was used one last time to urge people to continue fighting, despite the war situation already being hopelessly turned against Germany.

This video shows some raw color Propaganda footage from the Heldengedenktag 1944 held in Offenburg, a city in southwest Germany, close to the French border.

It shows as Wehrmacht parade, as well as the marching by of various NSDAP party organization, Hitler Youth etc.
It also shows what appears to be the swearing in of new recruits.

As this is raw, unprocessed footage, there is no sound or narration, and therefore no subtitles.

Remarks: As written above, this is raw camera footage, so there is no sound or narration. Back then, many cameras had no microphones, and sound would only be added later in the studio. This is also true for many Wochenschau issues.

00:19 I don’t know where exactly this is, but it looks like some kind of military barracks ground.
00:23 This officer is wearing his full parade uniform, which includes a white belt and all of his decorations. This was common on this day, as you will see later on this footage.
00:35 This is a delegation of WWI veterans. The officers in the brown uniform with the tricorne hat are WWI Africa veterans.
00:39 This is a delegation of various party officials, an RAD-officer and some civilian politicians.
00:50 This appears to be the swearing-in of new recruits.
01:01 This is a troop flag, the white color symbolizing infantry. Here is a link to a Wikimedia image showing how it looks: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1a/Heeresfahne_Infanterie.svg/323px-Heeresfahne_Infanterie.svg.png
01:29 The guns next to the podium are 3,7cm PaK 36, a light AT-gun.
01:53 While I’m not 100% sure, I believe the two flags on the left are old Imperial German army flags, possibly from WWI or even before, which were often flown/shown on Heldengedenktag.
03:02 The wreath-laying process for the fallen war deaths.
03:32 This is a unit of Hitler Youth boys.
03:48 This is a unit of Deutsches Jungvolk, recognizable by the single “S” rune. The Deutsches Jungvolk was the organization before the Hitler Youth, for boys aged 10-14 (Hitler Youth was for boys aged (14-18).
04:25 These are again various SS, Wehrmacht and Party Officials in their full-dress uniforms. The person on the far right is the Mayor of Offenburg, Wolfram Rombach (1897-1987), wearing the mayoral insignias.
04:34 I’m not sure what these flags are, but probably some kind of WWI veterans organization.

Source :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pewg9saKOMk

Heldengedenktag (Heroes' Remembrance Day) 1943

On 21 March 1943, all of Germany commemorates 'Heldengedenktag' (Heroes' Remembrance Day). On this occasion, a state ceremony took place in the Berliner Zeughaus (Berlin armory), in which Hitler also took part. Seated in the front-left row, from left to right: Reichskriegsopferführer Hanns Oberlindober, Generalfeldmarschall Fedor von Bock (Führerreserve), Generalfeldmarschall Erhard Milch (Generalinspekteur der Luftwaffe), Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler (Chef der SS und deutschen Polizei), Großadmiral Karl Dönitz (Oberbefehlshaber der Kriegsmarine), Generalfeldmarschall Wilhelm Keitel (Chef Oberkommando der Wehrmacht), Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring (Oberbefehlshaber der Luftwaffe), and Adolf Hitler (Führer und Oberster Befehlshaber der Wehrmacht). Seated in the front-right row, from left to right: Reichsminister Joachim von Ribbentrop, Reichsminister Dr. Joseph Goebbels, Reichsminister Dr. Wilhelm Frick, SS-Oberstgruppenführer und Generaloberst der Polizei Kurt Daluege, unknown, Reichsleiter Robert Ley, and SS-Obergruppenführer Dr. Philipp Bouhler.

Source :
Bundesarchiv Bild 146-1983-0117-06
https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/german-military-officers-including-hermann-goering-wilhelm-news-photo/493272171
https://ww2db.com/image.php?image_id=11336

Hitler in SA Rally in Dortmund

Reichskanzler Adolf Hitler addressing an SA (Sturmabteilung) rally in Dortmund, Germany, during “Aufmarsch der SA-Gruppe Westfalen” (also known as the “SA-Westfalentreffen”), 9 July 1933. From left to right: Gauleiter Josef Wagner (NSDAP-Gauleiter des Gaus Westfalen-Süd), SA-Gruppenführer Wilhelm Schepmann (Führer SA-Gruppe Westfalen), SA-Brigadeführer Georg von Walthausen (Gruppenstaffelführers der SA-Gruppe Nord-West), Hitler, Adolf Hühnlein (blocked by Hitler, NSKK-Korpsführer ), and SA-Obergruppenführer Viktor Lutze (Oberpräsident der Provinz Hannover). This picture was taken by Hugo Jaeger, and was first published in the book "Deutschland Erwacht – Werden, Kampf und Sieg der NSDAP".

Source :
"Deutschland Erwacht", Bild Nr. 155, Album Nr. 8
https://artsandculture.google.com/asset/hitler-jaeger-file/ngHRdAjU47eUHQ?hl=en
https://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=45&t=251161&start=120
https://www.granger.com/results.asp?inline=true&image=0112430&wwwflag=1&itemx=8
https://www.lookandlearn.com/history-images/M429572/Nazi-leader-Adolf-Hitler-with-Josef-Wagner-Gauleiter-of-South-Westphaliam-and-senior-members-of-the-SA-Wilhelm

Hitler and German-Italian Officials during "Day of the German Art"

Adolf Hitler follows the procession on the "Tag der deutschen Kunst" from the VIP stand, which were held in Münich on 16 July 1939. Standing in the podium, from left to right: unknown, Joseph Goebbels, Italian Minister of National Culture Dino Alfieri, Hitler (Führer und Reichskanzler), and Gauleiter Adolf Wagner.

Source :
https://imgbb.com/DG3fKGs

Reichsparteitag in Nürnberg

Party and military officials in the Reichsparteitag (Reichs Party Congress) in Nürnberg, November 1938. Nearest to the camera, from left to right: SS-Gruppenführer Paul Körner (Staatssekretär Preußischen Staatsministerium), NSKK-Obergruppenführer Dr.Ing. e.h. Karl-Wilhelm Ohnesorge (Reichspostminister), Großadmiral Erich Raeder (Oberbefehlshaber der Kriegsmarine), Dr.jur. h.c. Konrad Henlein (saluting, Gauleiter Sudetengau), Generalmajor der Luftwaffe Bruno Loerzer (Inspekteur der Jagdflieger), and SS-Obergruppenführer Dr. Philipp Bouhler (Chef der Kanzlei des Führers). The picture was taken by Hugo Jaeger.

Source :
https://artsandculture.google.com/asset/hitler-jaeger-file/wAH6G5KafXPhKg?hl=en

March through Münich in Remembrance of the Beer Hall Putsch

Commemoration of Hitler's failed coup in 1923 (Münich Putsch or Beer Hall Putsch), which held in Münich on 9 November 1938. Front row: Dr. Friedrich Weber, Hermann Göring, Adolf Hitler, Ulrich Graf and Hermann Kriebel. Back row: Max Sasselmann, Dr. Walter Schultze, Alfred Rosenberg, Arno Schickdanz, Philipp Bouhler and Max Amann. Please note that these brown uniforms are not SA uniforms but Alte Kampfer (Blutorden holders). Ulrich Graf even wears an SS sleeve band! The picture was taken by Hugo Jaeger.

Source :
https://artsandculture.google.com/asset/hitler-jaeger-file/9gGpSgMuLTw72w?hl=en

Bio of SA-Obergruppenführer Hanns Ludin (1905-1947)

Hanns Elard Ludin (10 June 1905, in Freiburg – 9 December 1947, in Bratislava) was a German diplomat and SA-Obergruppenführer. Born in Freiburg to Friedrich and Johanna Ludin, Ludin began his Nazi affiliation in 1930 by joining the party, and was arrested for his political activities the same year. Imprisoned until 1931, he joined the SA on his release.

Ludin was lucky to survive the "Night of the Long Knives" in 1934 when Hitler purged much of the left-wing of the Nazi party. Ludin restored his reputation by joining the Foreign Office and became Ambassador to the Slovak Republic in 1941, replacing Manfred von Killinger. Ludin's activities included convincing the Slovak government to comply with deportations for slave labor and providing diplomatic cover to such activities. In 1943, he was promoted to SA-Obergruppenführer.

Ludin was arrested after the war and extradited to Czechoslovakia, where he was tried with SS-Obergruppenführer Hermann Höfle (not to be confused with SS-Sturmbannführer Hermann Julius Höfle). He was sentenced to death and was hanged on 9 December 1947.

Married to Erla von Jordan (1905 – 1997), Ludin had six children: Erika (1933 – 1997), Barbara (born 1935), Ellen (born 1937), Tilman (1939 – 1999), Malte (born 1942) and Andrea (born 1943). Hanns Ludin's youngest son, Malte Ludin, filmed a documentary about the impact of his father's involvement in the Third Reich on his family. The film, 2 oder 3 Dinge, die ich von ihm weiß, had its initial release in 2005. The movie's commercial run in New York City began on 24 January 2007 at the Film Forum.

Source ;
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanns_Ludin
https://twitter.com/eugenij38848533/status/1071794893641650176?lang=en

German Sunday Clothing

 

 

This is not a traditional German costume, but Sunday clothing from northern North Rhine-Westphalia. The man is holding a Steinhäger schnapps bottle (also sold under the name Schinkenhäger) made of earthenware. The town Steinhagen, where the schnapps is produced, is not far from Bielefeld, so the clothes should come from this room.These ceramic schnapps bottles are also traditionally used for jenever (in the Netherlands). The womans clothing is closest in style to those in the eastern parts of Saxony but looks like both outfits were reinterpretations and maybe even custom made for this occasion. The mans clothing looks like a traditional sorbish mens church going outfit. The style fits somehow, but the colors are off. Traditionally the long coat was blue and the vest usually red. The collar (of the coat. The shirts collar looks way off) and buttons are on point, but buttons on the sleeves are missing and there's not visible of any pockets on the picture. The cylinder top hat was usually but not always reserved for more festive occasions like weddings. It looks like someone recreated the style from a description or a very old black and white photo, which would make sense because the traditional sorbish mens clothes went out of style decades before the Nazis took power. It is possible that those people were there for propaganda reasons and not so much because of tradition.

Source :
Akira Takiguchi photo collection
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10222925565841126&set=gm.1658973144288102

Deutschland Erwache flag from Bielefeld

 

Deutschland Erwache flag from Bielefeld. At front is Gauleiter Alfred Meyer (5 October 1891 - 11 April 1945). He was Gauleiter of North Westphalia from 1931 to 1945, the Oberpräsident of the Province of Westphalia from 1938 to 1945 and the Reichsstatthalter of Lippe and Schaumburg-Lippe from 1933 to 1945. Behind him is SA-Brigadeführer Oscar Jaster (24 September 1894 - 27 April 1945).

Source :
Akira Takiguchi photo collection
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Meyer
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10222963349385691&set=gm.1661012610750822

Heroes Remembrance Day 1940

 

Heldengedenktag (Heroes Remembrance Day) 1940 on Unter den Linden boulevard in Berlin. Reich Chancellor Adolf Hitler, accompanied by Reich Marshal Hermann Göring, Grand Admiral Erich Raeder and Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler, greets the honor battalion of the Wehrmacht marching past. March 10, 1940. In 1919, the German War Graves Commission (Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge) proposed a Volkstrauertag (people's day of mourning) for German soldiers killed in the First World War. It was first held in 1922 in the Reichstag. In 1926, Volkstrauertag became a feature on what Catholics considered Reminiscere (the second Sunday of Lent.). On 27 February 1934, the National Socialists introduced national holiday legislation to create Heldengedenktag ("Day of Commemoration of Heroes"), 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 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. Photo by Popperfoto.

 

Source :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volkstrauertag
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=412210326714464&set=gm.1641608349357915

5. KdF-Reichstagung Hamburg, July 23, 1939

The opening of 5. KdF-Reichstagung in Hamburg, 23 July 1939. The event was held from 23 to 27 July 1939.

Sitting at the VIP tribune are, from left to right: Reichsorganisationsleiter Dr. Robert Ley (Leiter Deutsche Arbeitsfront, DAF), Generalfeldmarschall Hermann Göring (Oberbefehlshaber der Luftwaffe), and Gauleiter Karl Kaufmann (Gauleiter von Hamburg).

 The Heer general with Göring is Generalleutnant Erich Lüdke (Kommandierender General Wehrkreis X in Hamburg), while the Luftwaffe officer standing at left is Oberstleutnant Paul Conrath (Chefadjutant Oberbefehlshaber der Luftwaffe).

Source :
Akira Takiguchi photo collection
https://www.abebooks.com/5.Reichstagung-NS.-Gemeinschaft-Kraft-Freude-Juli-1939/30409657314/bd
https://www.facebook.com/groups/237076659811098/1526663807519037/?comment_id=1526857224166362&reply_comment_id=1526882324163852&notif_id=1598102976258848&notif_t=group_comment_mention&ref=notif

Spectators at the 9th Reichsparteitag in Nuremberg

The 9th Reichsparteitag event was held in Nuremberg from 6-13 September 1937. The three people on the left standing on the podium were, from left to right: Adolf Hitler (Führer und Reichskanzler), Reichsarbeitsführer Konstantin Hierl, and Reichsleiter Wilhelm Frick. Sitting the front row, from left to right: unknown, Reichsleiter Martin Bormann, Reichsleiter Dr. Robert Ley (wearing the honorary uniform of RAD-Ehrenoberstarbeitsführer), Reichsminister Dr. Joseph Goebbels (only his breeches is visible), Reichsleiter Franz-Xaver Schwarz, Reichsleiter Alfred Rosenberg, SS-Obergruppenführer Walter Buch, SA-Stabschef Viktor Lutze, Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler, Reichsleiter Max Amann, and SS-Obergruppenführer Philipp Bouhler (half-visible). The two people sitting in the second row at right are, from left to right: Gauleiter Karl Röver and Gauleiter Dr.rer.pol. Alfred Meyer. Five people who were seated in the second row in the middle, from left to right: Gauleiter Franz Schwede-Coburg, Gauleiter Josef Bürckel (looking towards Hitler), Gauleiter Martin Mutschmann, Gauleiter Adolf Wagner, and Gauleiter Hinrich Lohse (looking through binoculars). We can also see SS-Brigadeführer Christian Weber (fat moustached man in black SS uniform, standing seventh from the right behind the Polizei officer); SS-Oberführer Alfred Berndt (standing in black SS uniform in the center, next to the Luftwaffe officer). Last but not least: the SA officer sitting directly above Gauleiter Meyer is SA-Gruppenführer Otto Schramme. This picture was shot by Hugo Jaeger.

Source :
http://alifrafikkhan.blogspot.com/2014/05/album-foto-berwarna-adolf-hitler.html
https://forum.axishistory.com/search.php?keywords=reichsparteitag&terms=all&author=&sc=1&sf=all&sr=topics&sk=t&sd=d&st=0&ch=300&t=0&submit=Search
https://www.google.com/search?biw=1280&bih=805&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=8VPbXPbhK8Ks0PEPj5KAmAk&q=source%3Alife+jaeger&oq=source%3Alife+jaeger&gs_l=img.3...1774.2697..2995...0.0..0.337.1941.3-6......1....1..gws-wiz-img.Rager3WIb6g

A Sea of Swastikas

 Nazi flags fill a festival at Innsbruck. It was Hitler who came up with the idea of using the swastika as the symbol of the Nazi Party. After many attempts, he wrote in Mein Kampf, "I found a definite proportion between the size of the flag and the size of the white disk, as well as the shape and thickness of the swastika."

Source:
http://www.ww2incolor.com/german/344229de455216ea_landing.html