Several dozen U-47 crew-members, including Günther Prien at the bottom center, autographed the paper during the whirlwind tour of Berlin. They stayed at this famous hotel.
Günther Prien and the crew of the U-47. After the U-47 sank the HMS Royal Oak at Scapa Flow, Adolf Hitler invited the crew to Berlin and personally met then as shown here; on the far left is Grossadmiral Erich Raeder. Prien later autographed the photo (lower right.) Prien sank 162,769 tons of Allied shipping before he perished with all his crew on March 7, 1941, southwest of the Faroe Islands.
Karl Dönitz, the commander of Germany’s U-boats from the beginning of the war to January 1944. He was beloved by the sailors of the U-boat force. Dönitz has autographed the photograph.
“Very good military personality, self-assured. Very talented as a flyer, he has excelled in action as a fighter pilot. During 449 combat flights, he has 97 kills because of his audacity. As a flight and squadron leader in the air, he demonstrated discretion and good leadership talent. He enjoys the full confidence of the other pilots.” 152 kills.
“As a squadron commander as well as a group commander, he has understood how to master the most difficult situations through his own example and model as a soldier and fighter pilot, and he has been able to seep his troops along with him to the highest accomplishments.” 110 kills.
“Full of humor and an officer with immaculate character. With quick comprehension, he understands how to improvise and work on his own.” 28 kills, including ten four-engine bombers.
Bomber pilot and winner of the Knight’s Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords. He commanded the secret KG 200 and was in charge of all Luftwaffe special missions. He signed this postcard during the war.
Twelve large charts, with assigned officers detail the entire SS and Police security apparatchik for the city.
This is the most-detailed map in print of this horrendous location, known as the Umschlagplatz, in German. From July 1942 through May 1943, several hundred thousand Jews went through this “sorting” area enroute to their deaths.
As with many photos in the work, almost every SS officer has been identified. This study found that only a handful of Nazi personnel were ever tried after the war for their participation in the destruction of the Ghetto. After the war, American forces apprehended Stroop and tried him for war crimes. He was convicted, but before he could be executed at Landsberg Military Prison, Poland requested his extradition so he could be tried there. That guilty conviction led to his execution in Warsaw.
