Karl Dönitz was born on 16 September 1891 in Grünau, near Berlin, to Anna Beyer and Emil Dönitz, an engineer. Karl had an older brother. In 1910, Dönitz enlisted in the Kaiserliche Marine ("Imperial Navy"). On 27 September 1913, Dönitz was commissioned as a Leutnant zur See (acting sub-lieutenant). When World War I began, he served on the light cruiser SMS Breslau in the Mediterranean Sea. In August 1914, the Breslau and the battlecruiser SMS Goeben were sold to the Ottoman Navy; the ships were renamed the Midilli and the Yavuz Sultan Selim, respectively. They began operating out of Constan ..read more

Hans-Ulrich Rudel was born on 2 July 1916, in Konradswaldau, in Lower Silesia, Prussia. He was the third child of Lutheran minister Johannes Rudel. As a boy, Rudel was a poor scholar but a keen sportsman. Rudel attended the humanities oriented Gymnasium, in Lauban. He joined the Hitler Youth in 1933. After graduating with Abitur in 1936, he participated in the compulsory Reich Labour Service (RAD). Following the labour service, Rudel joined the Luftwaffe in the same year and began his military career as an air reconnaissance pilot. German forces invaded Poland in 1939 starting World War II i ..read more

Major Dr.jur. Ernst Kupfer (Gruppenkommandeur II.Gruppe / Schlachtgeschwader 2 "Immelmann") is congratulated after returning from his 500th combat mission, 30 October 1942. Behind him is a Junkers Ju-87D "Stuka" dive-bomber. The picture was taken by Kriegsberichter Klaus Niermann. Source : https://www.reddit.com/r/WW2info/comments/199jemb/the_commander_of_ii_stg2_major_ernst_kupfer_is ..read more

Hubert Brinkforth was born on April 15, 1916 in Marl in Westphalia and joined the 14th (anti-tank) company of the 25th Infantry Regiment of the 2nd Infantry Division (motorized) on November 14th, 1938. With his company he took part in the Polish and Western campaigns. During the regiment's heavy defensive battles in the Abbeville area, the gun, on which Brinkforth was used as a gunner, was tasked with taking up an important position six kilometers in front of the main battle line in an advanced position to secure the bridgehead and to actively intervene in the defensive battles. The gun and ..read more

From left to right: Oberfeldwebel Helmuth Valtiner (Zugführer in 1.Kompanie / I.Bataillon / Gebirgsjager-Regiment 143 / 6.Gebirgs-Division) and Generalmajor Ferdinand Schörner (Kommandeur 6. Gebirgs-Division). Valtiner received the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 13 June 1941 for his bravery and decisiveness during the German invasion of Greece, two months previously. On 18 April 1941 the First Battalion of Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 143 was ordered to force a crossing over the river Pinios and capture the position Evangelismos. The Bataillon ordered its 1. Kompanie to lead the way, intending ..read more

Two Panzerkampfwagen V Panthers transported on the rail. The picture was taken at Mailly le camp, Aube, France, circa 1944. Departure for Normandy? Source : Akira Takiguchi photo collection http://www.history.jp/wehrmacht/034.htm https://smolbattle.ru/threads/%D0%92%D0%BE%D0%BA%D0%B7%D0%B0%D0%BB%D1%8B-%D0%B8-%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B0%D0%BD%D1%86%D0%B8%D0%B8-%D0%B2%D0%BE-%D0%B2%D1%80%D0%B5%D0%BC%D1%8F-%D0%BE%D0%BA%D0%BA%D1%83%D0%BF%D0%B0%D1%86%D0%B8%D0%B8.74773/ http://souvenezvous44.blogspot.com/2020/07/depart-pour-zur-normandi-front.html https://twitter.com/puyokuma7/status/1199381810691497984 ..read more

Luftwaffe fighter pilots in northern France relaxing and playing cards while awaiting their next engagement. From 'Signal' magazine, April 1943 edition, a German propaganda magazine produced by the Wehrmacht from 1940 to 1945. Source : https://www.agefotostock.com/age/en/details-photo/world-war-ii-1939-1945-german-fighter-pilots-in-northern-france-relaxing-and-playing-cards-while-awaiting-their-next-engagement/IAM-0510005075 https://www.alamy.com/luftwaffe-image367666705.html?imageid=E12C27B6-621A-4D63-8F8D-F91670102BC4&p=236409&pn=1&searchId=93bc764563f7ddd20e4729a986adae0f& ..read more

Berlin, family at home, celebrating Christmas, father and son playing with toy train at the table. Source : https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=9766168046803254&set=gm.2421573974694678&idorvanity=237076659811098 ..read more

Major Alfred Matthes (standing in the middle), a battalion commander of the Flieger Nachschub Kolonnen Abteilung (motorisiert) II/200, poses for a commemorative photo with his Italian comrades. Around 1942. The second photo is a close-up of the two in the front row. Source : Akira Takiguchi photo collection https://twitter.com/atakiguchi/status/1735851786341384652/photo/1 ..read more

Wilhelm Drewes (26 May 1907 - 14 July 1982) came from the police to III.Bataillon / Infanterie-Regiment 65 in 1935 as a Unterfeldwebel. On November 22, 1938, he was transferred to the 6th Company of the Schützen-Regiment 14 as a Oberfeldwebel. As a company troop and platoon leader, he took part in the Polish and Western campaigns and was promoted to Leutnant on May 15, 1940. He was then transferred to Divisions-Nachschubführer 85 and took part in the Balkan campaign. From June 1941 he fought in Russia, where he was promoted to Hauptmann on August 1, 1942. From September 1942 he led the Kradsc ..read more