Luftwaffe History (full thread)
The first academic book to examine the crimes of the Luftwaffe and its part in the Holocaust.
For anyone interested in the book they may wish to watch @WW2TV when I was the guest on the publication day.
— Dr Philip W Blood (@HistorianBlood) 4:56 AM ∙ Feb 22, 2023
I also posted this to give people an impression of the extent of the research and analysis underpinning the book.
— Dr Philip W Blood (@HistorianBlood) 4:58 AM ∙ Feb 22, 2023
Extensive discussion about the Luftwaffe and the hunt was discussed in this podcast.
— Dr Philip W Blood (@HistorianBlood) 5:03 AM ∙ Feb 22, 2023
open.spotify.com/episode/0SrWkN…
@BoneyAbroad - in part 2 we discussed the crimes in the Polish forest.
— Dr Philip W Blood (@HistorianBlood) 5:05 AM ∙ Feb 22, 2023
open.spotify.com/episode/4B8A5N…
The first article on the Luftwaffe in Poland following a discussion hosted by Geoff Megagee, Joe white and Michael Gelb from @HolocaustMuseum in 2010
— Dr Philip W Blood (@HistorianBlood) 9:34 AM ∙ Feb 22, 2023
Outline paper of the seminar presentation at the @ihr_history in 2003.
— Dr Philip W Blood (@HistorianBlood) 9:35 AM ∙ Feb 22, 2023
A thread about #Luftwaffe post-doc research. Sifting sources. Galland escaped justice after the war. His memoir came from the 50s. His plot follows a style adopted in books published after the Great War. The content is dubious and should be treated with serious caution.
— Dr Philip W Blood (@HistorianBlood) 12:45 PM ∙ Feb 22, 2023
One cover of a British translation tells a story - the 'greatest' surely there were better like Moelders. Any thoughts @jamesjhistory ?
— Dr Philip W Blood (@HistorianBlood) 12:45 PM ∙ Feb 22, 2023
#Luftwaffe historical research. Galland benefitted from the destruction of the records in 1945. The Luftwaffe had a lot to hide: the medical experiments and use of Jewish slave labour. A German article about the horrors of the experiments.
— Dr Philip W Blood (@HistorianBlood) 12:45 PM ∙ Feb 22, 2023
The US Military Intelligence investigation of Galland in postwar West Germany. There is considerable alternative evidence to build a biography about Galland. Note, not all Luftwaffe troops were impressed with his leadership. @USNatArchives
— Dr Philip W Blood (@HistorianBlood) 12:45 PM ∙ Feb 22, 2023
Galland’s narrative - knights in the clouds - regurgitated constantly sources, in docu-progs and interviews as in The World at War series. Goebbels/Himmler set the Nazi standard for pushing the message constantly. Found its way into the postwar literature.
— Dr Philip W Blood (@HistorianBlood) 12:45 PM ∙ Feb 22, 2023
1960s Guy Hamilton claimed Galland refused to accept the Luftwaffe aces ever made the ‘Hitler-greeting’. My brochure from the premier of the film Battle of Britain. But listen to Hamilton discuss Galland in the DVD/Blue Ray copy of #BattleofBritain
— Dr Philip W Blood (@HistorianBlood) 12:45 PM ∙ Feb 22, 2023
Clip from @HolocaustMuseum
Galland's memoir versus a career steeped in Nazism and the regime’s propaganda. His deep-seated loyalty and appreciation of Göring, but desperate to be seen standing against the regime. He was never able to come to terms with his past. @BundesarchivD
— Dr Philip W Blood (@HistorianBlood) 12:45 PM ∙ Feb 22, 2023
The twisted honour code. Göring’s cultural ambition was to Germanise the hunt, and airmen and foresters were expected to live or die by the code and continued to do so after 1945.
— Dr Philip W Blood (@HistorianBlood) 12:46 PM ∙ Feb 22, 2023
Pictures - Wild und Hunt 1941/42
Every hunter was ordered to have and care for a hunting dog. The story being the expert hunter made an expert fighter pilot.
— Dr Philip W Blood (@HistorianBlood) 12:46 PM ∙ Feb 22, 2023
Pininterest pictures.
The hunter-fighter credo. was continued into the postwar years and popular #Luftwaffe literature. The Nazi hunt code was never revised after 1945 until 1970.
— Dr Philip W Blood (@HistorianBlood) 12:46 PM ∙ Feb 22, 2023
The question of war and politics in Galland's narrative. The claims that his mess were apolitical is not entirely accurate. Cases of anti-Polish attitudes in the Luftwaffe mindset can be found if researchers look ...
— Dr Philip W Blood (@HistorianBlood) 12:46 PM ∙ Feb 22, 2023
@SilenceInPolish @DustinDuCane
This leads to the question of evidence of Luftwaffe aces hosting downed Soviet Red Army pilots. A loud silence on that front. @BundesarchivD
— Dr Philip W Blood (@HistorianBlood) 12:46 PM ∙ Feb 22, 2023
Holocaust - Jewish slave labour & #Luftwaffe production. Nuremberg doc 1584-111 PS Göring-Himmler, February 1944. Did Galland as the general of fighters know where and how his aircraft were produced? The letter was damning as Peter Calvocoressi later argued.
— Dr Philip W Blood (@HistorianBlood) 12:46 PM ∙ Feb 22, 2023
Holocaust - Galland's first hearing of genocide. In an interview with Gitta Sereny he told her in March 1942 he learned of the Nazi extermination of European Jews. Remarkable because he told his fans he never knew.
— Dr Philip W Blood (@HistorianBlood) 12:46 PM ∙ Feb 22, 2023
#Luftwaffe training document 1944. The book combined hunting and anti-Semitic dogma. The identification of allied bombing with Jewish big business was typical Nazi propaganda. Galland authorised Trautloft's publication.
— Dr Philip W Blood (@HistorianBlood) 12:46 PM ∙ Feb 22, 2023
Author's copy.
Steinhoff conspiracy, pp.73-76: The ‘experts’ plotted to oust Göring and considered asking Chief of the SS Heinrich Himmler to become their benefactor godfather. Revealed the political naïveté of the pilots even by 1945.
— Dr Philip W Blood (@HistorianBlood) 12:46 PM ∙ Feb 22, 2023
Galland’s legacy. For a time I was very interested in Galland as fighter pilot. I went to the events, listened to the tales and bought the prints. The military prints included the 'experts' signatures and are now of high value.
— Dr Philip W Blood (@HistorianBlood) 12:46 PM ∙ Feb 22, 2023
During an event (May 1995), former RAF ace Johnnie Johnston & Robert Taylor referred to Galland as all ‘bluff and bluster’. He dismissed the Luftwaffe fighter experts as boastful losers who had never absorbed their total defeat and surrender.
— Dr Philip W Blood (@HistorianBlood) 12:46 PM ∙ Feb 22, 2023
It was noticeable how the pilots began challenging Galland’s opinions after his passing in the 1990s. Was that respect or fear?
— Dr Philip W Blood (@HistorianBlood) 12:46 PM ∙ Feb 22, 2023
The Daily Telegraph obituary
However, as Galland passed there were other Luftwaffe pilots who stepped in and more honest in their belief in Nazism and their allied friends. There is also many of the original books in libraries or on the market stalls. Picture: @BundesarchivD
— Dr Philip W Blood (@HistorianBlood) 12:46 PM ∙ Feb 22, 2023
Postwar publications often include images without context. Is this a typical 1940 picture of a French Pow or a Luftwaffe trophy picture or a race enemy? The race issue dated back to the race troubles in the French occupied sector of the Rhineland.
— Dr Philip W Blood (@HistorianBlood) 12:46 PM ∙ Feb 22, 2023
After the Battle, France 1940.
The culture and politics finally caught up with the old #Luftwaffe the removal of pilot names from Bundeswehr air bases was a positive move. Some of the old bases are used by NATO, it was inappropriate in 21st century.
— Dr Philip W Blood (@HistorianBlood) 12:46 PM ∙ Feb 22, 2023
Hope friends and students find this additional research content helpful
— Dr Philip W Blood (@HistorianBlood) 12:46 PM ∙ Feb 22, 2023
Amazon link
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