Description
Illustrierter Beobachter
Donnerstag, 25. Juli 1940 • 15. Jahrgang • Folge 30
Zentralverlag der NSDAP, Franz Eher Nachf. GmbH, München 22
24 pages scanned
Cover Page
Caption: „Bayreuth 1940 — den Soldaten und Arbeitern geweiht!“ (“Bayreuth 1940 — dedicated to soldiers and workers!”)
Subject: Kammersänger Ludwig Hofmann (bass singer, role of Daland in Der fliegende Holländer) in conversation with two Luftwaffe officers.
Location: Bayreuth.
Photo credit: von dem Busche-Krause.
Major Headlines & Content
Die Reichstagsrede des 19. Juli (The Reichstag Speech of 19 July) — Special photo report on Hitler’s Reichstag address of 19 July 1940. Ministerial bench pictured: Reichsminister des Außern von Ribbentrop, Großadmiral Dr. h.c. Raeder, Feldmarschall von Brauchitsch, Feldmarschall Keitel, Reichsminister Funk, Dr. Schacht, Dr. Gürtner, Darré, and Rust. Also shown: the Diplomatic gallery featuring Italian Foreign Minister Graf Galeazzo Ciano and Soviet Ambassador Schkarzew; General der Infanterie Dietß, first recipient of Oak Leaves to the Knight’s Cross. Photo credit: Heinrich Hoffmann.
Ein Gütertzug weltgeschichtlicher Enthüllungen (A Freight Train of World-Historical Revelations) — Photo feature on captured French General Staff documents found near La Charité on the Loire. A half-destroyed freight train abandoned by refugees was found to contain French General Staff secrets. Photo credit: Weltbild.
Nachtjäger vor dem Start (Night Fighters Before Take-Off) — Photo spread on German night fighter operations. A Heinkel fighter aircraft shown at engine start before a night sortie; caption notes the aircraft’s tally of British bombers downed. Photo credit: Alex Stöcker.
Jäger fliegen mit (Fighters Fly Along) — Aerial photography feature showing a Heinkel fighter flying beside a He 111 bomber at altitude. Views from the cockpit of the He 111 over cloud cover, with ground targets coming into sight. Photo credit: Alex Stöcker.
Der deutsche Vorsprung (IV.) (The German Lead (Part IV)) — Photo feature on German food reserves and food-preservation technology. Shows laboratory work at the Institut für Vorratspflege, Universität Berlin; large refrigerated warehouses stocked with butter and grain; Danish pigs transferred to German farms. Argues Germany’s stocks are full and Britain’s blockade has failed.
In der Erde lauert der Tod! (Death Lurks in the Earth!) — Science feature on tetanus and gas-gangrene bacteria in wartime soil. Describes bacteriological laboratory work using the serum therapy developed by Emil von Behring. Shows egg-inoculation technique for producing smallpox vaccine. Photo credit: Holzweber.
Gestern am Feind und im Rüstungsbetrieb — heute: als Gast in Bayreuth! (Yesterday at the Front and in the Armaments Plant — Today: as a Guest in Bayreuth!) — Photo spread on soldiers and armaments workers attending the 1940 Bayreuth War Festival as guests of Hitler. First festival guests arrived 15 July 1940; the Reichsarbeitsdienst band under Obermusikführer Herms Niel performed at the station. Performances included Der fliegende Holländer, directed by Generalintendant Heinz Tietjen and conducted by Generalmusikedirektor Karl Elmendorf. Kammersänger Franz Kötter (Daland) met soldiers after the performance. Workers from Gau Halle-Merseburg among the 1,250 soldiers and workers attending the first day. Sonderaufnahmen: von Krause, von dem Busche.
Das Söhnchen des Reichsministers Rudolf Heß (The Little Son of Reichsminister Rudolf Hess) — Portrait photo spread of Hess’s young son eating. Photo credit: Minti Beer.
Das Frankfurter Mode-Amt stellt vor (The Frankfurt Fashion Office Presents) — Fashion feature presenting German wartime work clothing designed by the Frankfurter Mode-Amt: a cellulose-wool dress for house and field service, and a grey-green work suit for factory use. Photo credit: Emy Limpert.
Other Content
Fiction serial — „SOS aus Unbekannt“ (SOS from the Unknown) by Heinz Geck, 8th instalment. Copyright Franz Eher Nachf. G.m.b.H., München. American aviatrix Iris Crosbie and her mechanic travel to the uncharted Pygmy and Bergvolk country; the mechanic is lost. Iris is helped by a mysterious man, Helmut Bidering. Setting: unspecified tropical highland territory; characters include Iris Crosbie, Helmut Bidering, Tonga Kid, Paul Fleuron, Pereira, Mallory, Tatura, Wassema, Cornelis, Curlo, Ferrari, O’Bannon. Continues across two pages.
Short story — „Heimkehr“ (Homecoming) by Fritz C. Müller. A schoolmaster named Kösting reflects on wartime change after years abroad; his son Henry is serving in the enemy camp in the American Midwest (Westmorland). Characters: Kösting, Anneliese, Henry. Locations: Westmorland.
Science article — „In der Erde lauert der Tod!“ — tetanus and gas-gangrene bacteria, serum therapy, Emil von Behring’s research, egg-based vaccine production.
Cartoon spread
Humour
Puzzles
Advertisements — Haus Neuerburg (cigarettes), Reemtsma Sorte R6, Kyriazi Astra (cigarettes), Trilysin (hair care, Werk Kosmetik Promonta G.m.b.H., Hamburg), Lavenor, Scherk Gesichtswasser, Mystikum Puder-Compact, Crem Ellocar, Zündapp (Flugmotoren), Dr. Schleussner / Adox-21 Film, Chlorodont, Nivea Zahnpasta, TraumaPlast, Agfa Isopan Film, Marylan, Cabiri Rasierklingen, Darmol, Kaweco, Odoro-No, Peri-Fixateur, Biserïrte Magnesia, Heumann Herz-Hilfe, Aok Seesand-Mandelkleie, Hertwig Zierplastik (featuring „Kniende“ by Lorenzl), Hohner (Musikinstrumente), Lindberg Hohnervertretung, Staub (Versandbuchhandlung), Volkscher Beobachter promotion, Die Post (family newspaper).