Category: WWII

200 Years of Silent Night

On: By: Romeyn

Silent Night (Stille Nacht) was first performed on Christmas Eve, 1818, at St Nicholas parish church in Oberndorf, Austria. The song was composed in 1818 by Franz Xaver Gruber to lyrics by Joseph Mohr. Below is a USO Christmas card from the early 40s with the lyrics to that famous carol.

Only the first two verses are presented on the card above, the last verse goes:
Silent night! holy night!
Son of God love’s pure light
Radiant beams from thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord at thy birth.
Jesus, Lord at thy birth.

Chanukah 1932

On: By: Romeyn

“It was on a Friday afternoon right before Shabbat that this photo was taken. My grandmother realized that this was a historic photo, and she wrote on the back of the photo that ‘their flag wishes to see the death of Judah, but Judah will always survive, and our light will outlast their flag.’ My grandfather, the rabbi of the Kiel community, was making many speeches, both to Jews and Germans. To the Germans he warned that the road they were embarking on was not good for Jews or Germans, and to the Jews he warned that something terrible was brewing, and they would do well to leave Germany. My grandfather fled Germany in 1933, and moved to Israel. His community came to the train station to see him off, and before departed he urged his people to flee Germany while there’s still time.” – Yehudah Mansbuch

Written on the back of the photo (translated):

“Chanukah, 5692.

‘Judea dies’, thus says the banner.

‘Judea will live forever’, thus respond the lights”.

Graf Zeppelin – CV1

On: By: Romeyn


Graf Zeppelin Aircraft Carrier
Crew: 1,720 + 306 flight personnel
Aircraft: 10 Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighters, 20 Junkers Ju 87 “Stuka” dive bombers, 20 Fieseler Fi 167 torpedo bombers

On 16 November 1935, the contract for Flugzeugträger A (Aircraft carrier A)—later christened Graf Zeppelin—was awarded to the Deutsche Werke shipyard in Kiel. Construction of the ship was delayed since Deutsche Werke was working at capacity, and the slipway needed for Graf Zeppelin was occupied by the new battleship Gneisenau, which was launched on 8 December 1936. Work started on Graf Zeppelin on 28 December, when her keel was laid down. She was launched on 8 December 1938, the 24th anniversary of the Battle of the Falkland Islands, and she was christened by Helene von Zeppelin, the daughter of the ship’s namesake. At the launching ceremony, Hermann Göring gave a speech. By the end of 1939, she was 85% complete, with a projected completion by the middle of 1940. By September 1939, one carrier-borne wing, Trägergruppe 186, had been formed by the Luftwaffe at Kiel Holtenau, composed of three squadrons equipped with Bf 109s and Ju-87s. (Wikipedia) Continue reading “Graf Zeppelin – CV1” →