Description

Illustrierter Beobachter
Donnerstag, 19. Dezember 1940 • 15. Jahrgang • Folge 51
Zentralverlag der NSDAP, Franz Eher Nachf. G.m.b.H., München 22
32 pages scanned

Cover Page
Caption: “Deutsche Soldaten am Polarkreis vor ihrem Weihnachtsbaum” (“German soldiers at the Arctic Circle before their Christmas tree”)
Subject: Aerial view of a long column of German soldiers on skis descending a snow-covered slope past a decorated Christmas tree. Trailed by an inset box advertising the interior feature Soldatenweihnacht von Narvik bis Biarritz — a photo report by war correspondent Eric Borchert.
Photo credit: Eric Borchert (Kriegsberichter)

Major Headlines & Content

Adolf Hitler vor deutschen Rüstungsarbeitern in Berlin (Adolf Hitler Before German Armaments Workers in Berlin) — Speech by the Führer on 10 December at a large Berlin armaments factory, lasting one and a half hours. He is shown at the podium beneath a heavy Flak gun. Dr. Goebbels and Dr. Ley visible at left. Second photograph shows Hitler leaving the factory surrounded by workers; Reichsminister Dr. Goebbels and Generalfeldmarschall Keitel behind him. Photo credit: Boegner (4).

Schwere Brocken für England (Heavy Loads for England) — Photo spread showing large German bombs being loaded onto aircraft for night sorties against England. Ground crew prepare a bomber; large bombs visible beneath the fuselage. Photo credit: Scherl (2).
Soldatenweihnacht von Narvik bis Biarritz (Soldiers’ Christmas from Narvik to Biarritz) — Four-page illustrated Christmas feature. Shows German soldiers north of the Polarkreis (Arctic Circle) on night watch, celebrating with a decorated Christmas tree in snow and ice; a soldier dressed as Father Christmas arriving by reindeer-sleigh from the field post. Troops also shown decorating a Christmas tree in the historic town hall of Gent (Flandern); field post office at Biarritz in a bar receiving thousands of parcels; soldiers swimming in southern France while comrades ski in the far north. Map inset shows the Polarkreis and deployment zone. Photo credit: Bildberichter Eric Borchert. Drawing: Tilsner.

Vom Tage (From the Day) — Three-image news page. Reichsminister Dr. Goebbels in Norwegen: Reichskommissar Terboven and Dr. Goebbels reading the press. Dr. Goebbels at the memorial for the fallen of the Blücher in the Oslo-Fjord. Solemn reinterment of Corneliu Zelea Codreanu and 13 comrades at the Grünen Haus der Legionären Bewegung, Bukarest; Reichsleiter Baldur von Schirach and Gauleiter Goble attended. Reception for Ministerpräsident Ludwig Siebert (President of the German Academy) by the Dante-Alighieri Society and the Istituto Nazionale Fascista di Cultura in Rom, 29 November; Vizesekretär der Faschistischen Partei Gaetani, Staatssekretär Russo, Direktor der Deutschen Akademie Dr. Fochler-Hauke, and Nationalrat Felicione (President of the Dante Society) named. Photo credits: Weltbild (1), Presse-Bild-Zentrale (1), H. Hoffmann (1), Salvatori-Rom (1).

Deutsches Flugzeug vernichtet englischen 7000-Tonnen-Dampfer (German Aircraft Destroys English 7,000-Ton Steamer) — Four aerial photographs documenting the sinking of a 7,000-ton British merchant vessel 240 nautical miles west of Island. Sequence shows the first bomb hitting the aft deck, a second bomb disabling the engine room, explosions in the boiler room, and the steamer fully ablaze. Photo credit: PK Presse-Bild-Zentrale.
Besuch bei Graf Csaky dem ungarischen Aussenminister (Visit to Count Csaky the Hungarian Foreign Minister) — Interview and photo feature. Graf Csaky (Hungarian Foreign Minister) at his desk, showing the IB correspondent the Tripartite Pact document and discussing Ungarn’s accession. Second photograph shows Axis envoys Graf Talamo (Italian) and von Erdmannsdorf (German) in conversation with Csaky. Press briefing photograph shows Csaky with envoys Ghyefy and Börnle, and Legationsrat Ullein-Revicky. Photo credit: Weskamp (3).

RAD. auf den Feld-Flugplätzen (Reich Labour Service on the Forward Airfields) — Photo feature on Reichsarbeitsdienst (RAD) workers maintaining and improving forward airfields constructed in Belgien, Flandern and Nordfrankreich. Shows workers digging drainage ditches, stacking bombs ready for England sorties, and weatherproofing blast walls. Photo credit: Netzlaff (4).

Köpfe der Woche (Faces of the Week) — Nine portrait photographs. Major Wick (Kommandore, Jagdgeschwader Richthofen; killed on his 56th combat sortie; cited as model for German youth); Emil von Behring memorial (centenary of his birth, 4 December, rectors of all German universities assembled at Marburg); Generalmajor Wolff von Stutterheim (died of wounds received in Frankreich campaign, 2 December; holder of the Ritterkreuz zum Eisernen Kreuz; Reichsmarschall Göring issued an honorary tribute); Heinz Goedeke (musician, awarded Kriegsverdienstkreuz II. Klasse by the Führer for the Wunschkonzert radio programme; Dr. Goebbels named); General Franco (birthday, 4 December, born El Ferrol, 1892; greeted by the Führer); Feierliche Beisetzung der Gebeine Codreanus (Codeanu and 23 Legionäre solemnly reinterred in Bukarest; Reichsleiter Baldur von Schirach and Gauleiter Sadle attended); Geheimer Staatsrat Baron Hiranuma (former President of the Japanese Privy Council; appointed Minister without Portfolio from January, dismissed 6 December); Botschafter Amedo Giannini in Berlin (Italian Director-General at the foreign ministry; Axis economic cooperation); Regierung Wangschingwei von Japan anerkannt (Japan signed a Sino-Japanese pact recognising the Wangschingwei government in China; Manchukuo also recognised). Photo credits: Weltbild (6), Scherl (2), Presse-Bild-Zentrale (1).

Aus dem Parkett gesehen (Seen from the Stalls) — Photo feature on two Berlin theatre premieres. Schillertheater: Kolbenheyer’s Gregor und Heinrich; Horst Caspar as König Heinrich, Maria Terno as his wife, Paul Wegener as Papst Gregor, Berta Drews as the Herzogin. Deutsches Theater: Shakespeare’s König Richard II.; Rudolf Forster as Richard II., Anna Dammann as his wife, Paul Dahlke as Bollingbroke. Photo credit: v. d. Busche-Krause (5).

Other Content
Fiction serial — Die drei Hellwang-Kinder (The Three Hellwang Children) by Horst Biernath (4th instalment). Continued tensions between Kathi (housekeeper) and Fräulein Zögling (governess) in the Hellwang household; children Söhnchen, Britta, and Lodia. Copyright by Franz Eher Nachf. G.m.b.H., München 22.
Short story — Die Weihnacht des Matthias Toplak by Hilde Herbst. Farmer’s youngest child, five-year-old Matthias, gets lost alone on a snowy mountain slope near the Wurzenpass on Christmas Eve after sledging; found sheltering with deer in a hollow in the snow; reunited with his family.
Short story — Spiel in der Nacht by Max Karl Böttcher. Mood piece set in a Norwegian fjord (Geirangerfjord), featuring composer John Perth and his wife Elisabeth at a remote waterfall; themes of artistic inspiration and night-time danger. Location: Allersbang.
Prose feature — Das Grabmal — Brief unsigned anecdote. Students from Salamanca travel to Segovia and encounter the tomb of Pedro Domingo; a moral tale about a necklace found in the grave. Signed: Dr. B.
Theatre review feature — Aus dem Parkett gesehen — see Major Headlines above.
Cartoon spread — KdW — Kompanien der Weihnachtsmänner (Companies of Father Christmases) — Full-page Christmas cartoon spread: Father Christmases are drilled and trained before the holiday. Wartime rationing humour (ration cards, clothing points). Artist: Emerich Huber.
Humour column — Humor — Short jokes and anecdotes. Two-panel cartoon of a duel between hunters. Artist: Kossatz.
Puzzles — Kreuzwort-Silbenrätsel (crossword-syllable puzzle), Kryptogramm, Füllrätsel, Rösselsprung, Ordnungsrätsel, Rätselgleichung, Zusatzrätsel. Solutions to Folge 50 puzzles printed.
Film advertisement — Wunschkonzert — Full-page UFA film advertisement. Stars Ilse Werner and Carl Raddatz. Supporting cast includes Heinz Goedecke, Joachim Brennecke, Ida Wüst, Hedwig Bleibtreu, Marika Rökk, Heinz Rühmann, Paul Hörbiger, and the Philharmonisches Orchester Berlin. Screenplay: Felix Lützkendorf and Eduard v. Borsody. Director: Eduard v. Borsody. Production: F. Pfitzner.

Advertisements — Atikah cigarettes, Bols Apricot & Cherry (Emmerich/Rh.), Eukutol Hautpflege, Kyriazi Apis cigarettes, Rotbart razor blades, Palliativ-Cream (Köln-Nippes), Kola Dallmann, Scharlachberg Meisterbrand, Sebalds Haartinktur, Dr. Oetker Backin (Weihnachtskuchen recipe), Fewa, Kaliklora Zahnpflege, Felina lingerie (Mannheim), Matador Füllhalter, Blaupunkt Radio, Gütermanns Nähseide, Aok Seesand-Mandelkleie (Ostseebad Kolberg), Nivea Zahnpasta, Pilo Schuhpflege, Kosmos Khedive cigarettes, Kaweco Füllhalter, Schirdewan Breslauer Brennerei, Fasan Solingen razors, Nedalax, Dujardin, Khasana Kosmetik (Dr. Korthaus Frankfurt), Petrol Duswald, Muratti Privat cigarettes, Mustati (Dritte Sorte, Milde Sorte, Memphis, Nil), Aquavit Bommerlunder (Flensburg), Sonnal Haarscharf (Solingen), Dornbusch Kragen und Hemden, Balsam-Acht, Herbin-Stodin, Darmol, Pitralon, Efasit, Schlichte.