Description
Soldat im Weichselland
Berlin, Juli 1940 · Preis 30 Pf.
Nachrichten aus Heer und Kriegsmarine in Danzig-Westpreußen — herausgegeben unter Mitwirkung des Wehrkreiskommandos XX und des Küstenbefehlshabers östliche Ostsee; Verlag: Wehrmacht-Presse-Verlag Reif & Co., Berlin
16 pages scanned. Instant PDF download.
Note: this July 1940 edition predates the later addition of Luftgau I as a contributing command, reflected in the shorter masthead subtitle (“Heer und Kriegsmarine” only, no Luftwaffe)
Cover Page
Caption: “Graudenz — Deutsche Stadt an der Weichsel” (“Graudenz — A German City on the Vistula”)
Subject: A riverside view of the town of Graudenz on the Vistula, with church towers, rooftops, and river bridges in the background.
Location: Graudenz, on the Vistula (Weichsel).
Photo credit: Foto-Sönnke.
Major Headlines & Content
Revolution im Weltgeschehen (Revolution in World Events) — Political essay reflecting on the scale of Germany’s victory over France in June 1940, the armistice signed at Compiègne, and the collapse of the Versailles order; includes photos of the French delegation departing the railway carriage at Compiègne, the Führer with Reichsmarschall Göring, Foreign Minister von Ribbentrop, and Reichsminister Rudolf Heß, and the signing of the armistice by General Huntziger (for France) and Generaloberst Keitel (for Germany). Location: Compiègne, France. Author: Dr. C. Dyrßen, Hauptmann im Stabe des Stellvertretenden Generalkommandos XX. A.K. Photo credits: Presse-Hoffmann, Weltbild, Scherl-Bilderdienst.
Maginotlinie durchbrochen! (The Maginot Line Broken Through!) — First-person combat account of German infantry and artillery breaking through fortified Maginot Line bunkers near a French village, with Feldwebel M. and Kompaniechef Alicke leading the assault, culminating in the capture of French bunker garrisons and disabled “Mammut” tanks. Location: French Maginot Line sector (village abbreviated “G.”). Photo credits: Presse-Bild-Zentrale, Atlantic, Grabler, Presse-Hoffmann, Scherl-Bilderdienst.
Mit einer Kampfgruppe quer durch Norwegen (With a Battle Group Across Norway) — First-person account of a German battle group’s advance from the Oslo-Fjord landing through Rena, Kongsvinger, Otta, and Naverdalen to Dombås and the link-up with forces at Trondheim during the Norwegian campaign, commanded by Oberst Fischer, who was awarded the Knight’s Cross for the operation. Places named: Oslo, Rena, Kongsvinger, Otta, Dombås, Trondheim, Naverdalen, Opdal. Author: Feldwebel Schmitz. Photo credits: Archiv XX. A.K., Weltbild.
Heereskriegsschule Danzig (Army War School Danzig) — Architectural feature on the newly planned Army War School (Heereskriegsschule) in Danzig, built on the site of a former Prussian military school between Langfuhr and Oliva, designed by Oberregierungsbaurat Klaje with Regierungsbaurat Finck and Dipl.-Ing. Pfuhl; also pictures Generaloberst von Brauchitsch, Commander-in-Chief of the Army, inspecting officer-candidates at the Infanterieschule in Döberitz. Locations: Danzig (Langfuhr–Oliva), Döberitz. Author: Oberbaurat Schäffner. Photo credits: Nolte-Mauritius, Schäffner, Scherl-Bilderdienst; drawing by Miehlke.
Das neue Gesicht des Wiebenwalls in Danzig (The New Face of the Wiebenwall in Danzig) — Report on the former Polish Gymnasium on Danzig’s Wiebenwall being converted into the seat of the Stellvertretende Generalkommando Danzig-Westpreußen, with young recruits now training on the adjoining parade ground. Location: Danzig (Wiebenwall). Photo credit: Luben.
Musiker als Soldaten (Musicians as Soldiers) — Anecdotal account by a soldier-musician (Schütze Brandt) of a group of conscripted musicians from Marienburg visiting Danzig, touring the old Hanseatic city, and playing the baroque organ of the Marienkirche together with the church’s organist, Conrad Krieschen. Location: Danzig (Marienkirche). Photo credit: Luben.
Schnell- und Räumboote der deutschen Kriegsmarine (Fast Attack Boats and Minesweepers of the German Navy) — Photo feature on German Kriegsmarine S-boats (Schnellboote) returning from missions in enemy waters and on minesweepers (Räumboote) at sea preparing light flak for action. Photo credits: Oberkommando der Kriegsmarine, Contaxphoto von G. Thiede (Stolp), Scherl-Bilderdienst.
Other Content
Poem — Die Fahne — a poem by Carl Lange, dedicated to his son Erich, honouring the regimental flag and its bearers; illustrated with a photo of a flag-bearing honour guard. Photo credit: Foto-Sönnke, Scherl-Bilderdienst.
Propaganda/political column — Gefolgschaftsmitglieder der Wehrmacht! by Dr. P. Thalemann, Wehrkreis-Presse- und Propagandawalter, on integrating newly arrived Wehrmacht civilian staff into the recently formed Reichsgau Danzig-Westpreußen and its ethnic-German population; paired with “Drauf mit Blücher,” a historical anecdote about Blücher’s impatience to pursue Napoleon after the 1813 campaign began.
Puzzles — Rätselecke — a crossword (Kreuzworträtsel), a word-prefix puzzle (Vorsetzrätsel), and a “magic diamond” letter puzzle (Magischer Diamant), with solutions to the previous issue’s puzzles also printed.
Humour column — Soldatenhumor — short barracks jokes drawn from old military anecdotes and mess-hall banter.
Advertisements — “Ernida” Lederbekleidung (Erich Nissel, Danzig), Schwarz-Weiß Zigaretten, Alfred Hahn & Co., Alte Stargarder Weinbrennerei Winkelhausen, Ostland-Werke G.m.b.H. (Königsberg-Rosenau), Staatliche Bernstein Manufaktur Danzig, the book “Westpreußen” by Prof. Dr. Walther Recke (Danziger Verlags-Gesellschaft), Kaffee Excelsior, Willy Wagner Gaststätte, Kaffee Wien (Thorn), Gaststätte “Zur Hütte” (Thorn), J. S. Keiler Nachf. (Danziger Liköre), and the Walter Fleck fashion house.