Description
Luftflotte West – Number 1, 7. Januar 1944
Scanned pages: 16 | Instant PDF download
Historical German Luftwaffe magazine, digitized.
Cover
Portrait photo of Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring, marking his upcoming 50th birthday on 12 January. Photo credit: Aufnahme: Röhr.
Main Articles
“Die Luftwaffe im Jahre 1943”
A year-in-review report by the Luftwaffe leadership summarizing the aerial war of 1943 across the Eastern, Western, Southern (Mediterranean/Africa), and home defense fronts, including tallies of enemy aircraft, ships, and tanks destroyed.
Author: Generalmajor Herhudt von Rhoden. Photo credits: Kriegsberichter Dietrich, Hirschfelder, Rothkopf, Seeger, Sperling; Kriegsberichter Boback, Kestner, Koch, Lengwenings†, Speck.
“Landesschützen oder Lastensegler?”
A feature explaining the work of the Luftwaffe’s motorized air-raid protection units (LS-Abteilungen), clearing up soldiers’ confusion about the unit’s role in firefighting, rescue, and bomb-damage response.
No individual author/Kriegsberichter credited in the byline; no photo credits listed on these pages.
“…bei Timmermans” / “Kampfflieger” (feature on Flemish writer Felix Timmermans)
A profile describing a visit by a bomber crew (Staffelkapitän and crew) to Flemish author Felix Timmermans, discussing his life, writing, and views on the war and Flanders.
Author: Kriegsberichter Dr. Jansen. Photo credits: Aufnahmen: Kriegsberichter Fred Dietrich, Archiv; Zeichnungen (drawings): Felix Timmermans.
“Die Leihbücherei im Tornister”
A short human-interest story about “Schwester Irmgard,” a nurse/helper who built up and carries a lending library for soldiers stationed along the Channel coast bunkers.
Author: Kriegsberichter Serocka. Photo credits: Aufnahmen: Kriegsberichter Freytag.
“Ambiorix” (short story)
A humorous fictional tale about a hot-tempered but ultimately soft-hearted baker named Ambiorix and his domestic squabbles.
Author: Felix Timmermans (fiction writer, credited under the title as “Erzählung von Felix Timmermans”). No war correspondent/photo credit (literary piece).
“Zu Neujahr” (New Year poem)
A short poem about receiving good fortune with gratitude.
Author: Wilhelm Busch.
“Die alte Slüksche” (Low German fairy tale)
A comic folk tale about an old woman with a keen nose for cooking who repeatedly steals food from a young farm couple, and is eventually caught and punished.
Author: “Niederdeutsches Märchen erzählt von Wilhelm Busch.”
“Der Vertrag” (short story)
A comic tale of a fussy bachelor judge, Alois Eschenberger, and a convoluted contract negotiation over used bed linens with a tradesman named Klampfner — ending in an ironic twist involving his son and a young woman.
Author: Ludwig Thoma (Erzählung von Ludwig Thoma). Illustration: Zeichnung: Ogfr. Franz Bleyer.
“Das Geschehen der letzten Woche”
A news-roundup section covering the reconstruction of German cities (under Reichsminister Speer), the Western Front, Eastern Front, Southern Italian front, monthly naval balance, and Luftwaffe honors/awards (Ritterkreuz recipients), listing numerous officers by name and rank.
Photo credit: Aufnahme: Kriegsberichter Slickers.
Puzzle/Games page (“Zum Zeitvertreib”)
Crossword, chess problems, riddles, and arithmetic puzzles — no correspondent credited.
Artists Mentioned
- Felix Timmermans – line drawings/vignettes accompanying the Timmermans profile (undated, illustrative sketches of Flemish buildings/scenes)
- Franz Bleyer – illustration “Der erfolgreiche Amor,” dated 1943, accompanying “Der Vertrag”
- Pieter Breughel d.Ä. (the Elder) – back cover reproduction, “Winter in Flandern” (painting)