WesWorld

Inspection Ship Roter Löwe, 64 dgs 16 min North, 1 dgs 32 min West, Thursday, 16 October 1947

Following the failure of the launch of the initial Forschungsballon the Roter Löwe had continued her mission to service the automated weather stations left on the periphery of the polar ice pack; she was now on course for home. The scientists who had hoped that the rocket launch would allow them to gather important data regarding the upper atmosphere were in a quandary. What had gone wrong?

Unable to recover any wreckage they had no physical evidence with which to conduct an investigation. The telemetered data gave no immediate answer; they could but theorize. Perhaps it was a manufacturing fault? Further tests might confirm that. Had the cold of the high Arctic somehow impacted the rocket’s performance? It was possible, and some suggestions were broached on how to investigate it. Was it carelessness on the part of the launch crew, or perhaps deliberate sabotage? An inquiry had ruled out the first and discovered no evidence to support the second. Still, the programme had been set back for several months.


Kieler Nachrichten, Friday, 17 October 1947

Today the air defence destroyers Augsburg, Mainz, Elbing, and Pillau were declared fully operational and have taken up their duties with the Atlantic Fleet.


Flottenkommando Atlantik, Bremerhaven, Saturday, 18 October 1947

Admiral Werner Lindenau rose from his desk to greet his visitor. “Thank you for taking the time to come on a Saturday – I am certain you would have liked more time with your family.”

Hans Langsdorff shrugged. Of course he had called on Lindenau immediately upon his ships’ return, but that was a formality. This was an informal meeting between friends. “I suspect there will be time,” he ventured. Both officers sat and chatted for a few moments, Langsdorff giving his superior his own, off-the-record report on the situation in the Far East. Lindenau listened attentively before speaking.

“You have been at sea for a very long period Langsdorff; under normal circumstances you would be assigned to a stint of shore duty.”

Langsdorff could see where Lindenau was coming from – the Admiral was sizing him up. “I would prefer to be at sea than on the beach,” he said quickly.

“Good,” Lindenau replied with a smile. “The reorganisation of the fleet has left an opening for commander of the support force. It is yours if you want it.”

“Support force,” Langsdorff thought, caught off guard. “Oilers and supply ships?” he asked incredulously.

Lindenau shook his head. “Heavens no. Despite our faith in aviation we cannot go to sea devoid of heavy ships. Einzatzgruppe 58.4 comprises the battleships and cruisers that will support our aircraft carriers in wartime.”

Oberhessische Zeitung, Sunday, 19 October 1947

Chancellor Adenauer spoke to a large and friendly crowd gathered at a party rally in Kassel, where he addressed the economic choices facing the electorate. He called upon voters to continue their support for the Government’s policies that have been responsible for rising living standards for so many German citizens. His remarks were warmly received and frequently interrupted by applause.


Sächsische Zeitung, Monday, 20 October 1947



Flottenkommando Atlantik, Bremerhaven, Tuesday, 21 October 1947

Hans Langsdorff sat quietly, meditating on the recently completed briefing for the senior commanders of the Atlantic Fleet. That the Kriegsmarine had grown in strength over the last several years was beyond question – and its new structure – with three carrier tasks groups in addition to his own command of battleships and cruisers – made that growth manifest. The Kriegsmarine could now operate far more effectively – but the implications disturbed him.

His staff had reported to him regarding the conference held earlier in the year which had approved the changes; but distance had withheld from him some of the concerns which motivated the changes. In the Far East Europeans tended to think of themselves as members of the same club tied together by the need to stand against the threat of China or Japan; Langsdorff had seen himself as a junior member perhaps, but a part nevertheless. He could not quite comprehend the rationale behind the recent series of British exercises that too pointedly suggested that the Royal Navy had focused on the Kriegsmarine as its principal opponent. Yet he could not deny the observed facts, and the conclusions drawn by the Admiralstab were persuasive.

But at least he had a command – six battleships, with attendant cruisers and destroyers. His duty was to support the aircraft carriers should this prove necessary – and the instrument was fitted to the task. As his mind turned to the task at hand he began to outline in his mind the drills and evolutions appropriate to his new mission.

Berliner Morgenpost, Wednesday, 22 October 1947

The Ministry of Transport has issued specifications to industry for development of a series of standardised electric locomotives to upgrade the motive power of the Reichsbahn. Known as the Einheitslokomotivprogramm the specifications form a part of the long-term goal of electrification of the nation’s mainline railway system.


Rostocker Zeitung, Thursday, 23 October 1947

A flotilla of the Russian Federation Navy called at Warnemünde yesterday on what has been reported as a goodwill visit. The 13th Destroyer Flotilla, accompanied by the torpedo-cruiser tender Feodosiya, is under the command of Captain First Rank Pavel Kozyukhin. Further details are expected to be announced.


Frankfurter Zeitung, Friday, 24 October 1947

The latest work of the noted author Willy Ley, The Conquest of Space, was released today by the publishing house Universum Verlag of Wien. A work of speculative science fiction, the highly-illustrated book examines what man might encounter when he begins the exploration of outer space. This is but the latest of Herr Ley’s works, and not the first to venture into the imagination of space exploration. His 1944 book, Rockets – the Future of Travel Beyond the Stratosphere, remains one of the most popular works on the efforts of the Reichsstelle für Weltraumforschung and the history of German rocketry.

Manama, Bahrain, Saturday, 25 October 1947

Work on excavating the first of the thousands of tumuli had progressed slowly, and with good reason. First – the excavation team had no idea how they had been built, no idea what to expect – and they had proceeded with exacting care in order to fix how each stone had been fitted into place and, more importantly, to recover any artefacts that might help date their construction. Their care had been rewarded by the discovery that the tumulus had been robbed in ancient times, but recovered a necklace of beads and pearls from the bottom of the robbers’ trench. Having drawn and recorded each stage of the excavation in succession, the actual excavation of the central chamber proved somewhat anticlimactic – bodily remains scattered by the robbers in antiquity, and broken pottery of a type unknown to the archaeological world. For Bessig, Hachmann, and their colleagues, this was not too surprising; they were at work in an archaeological terra incognita. Continued excavations – opening up other tumuli, perhaps undisturbed ones – might yield the answer.


Die Welt am Sonntag, Sunday, 26 October 1947



Submarine U-123, 56 dgs 11 min North, 2 dgs 14 min West, Monday, 27 October 1947

Unterseeboot 123 cruised slowly on her diesel engines, her air mast allowing her to charge her batteries while she remained submerged in relative safety. The six boats of Einsatzgruppe 61.4 had departed Brunsbüttel a week ago to take up their patrol stations off the Scottish coast, with orders to observe and report on movements of the British fleet – should it resume its round of aggressive exercises. Thus far the U-123 had little to report – and, per orders – had confined its wireless traffic to a daily, short, ‘burst’ transmission to minimise the possibility of detection. For her commander and crew it was exacting but valuable activity. Being able to distinguish the abnormal from the normal maritime traffic might be the first indication that ‘the game’ was afoot.

Rheinische Post, Tuesday, 28 October 1947

A second prototype of the Dornier Do.335 naval fighter aircraft has joined the test programme, which to date has shown great promise. After factory testing the new aircraft is due to be ferried to the Rechlin test centre for trials under simulated operational conditions.


Berlin, The Admiralstab, Office of the Director of Naval Intelligence, Wednesday, 29 October 1947

Kapitän zur See Heinrich Gerlach reviewed the file before him one last time before he annotated his approval for distribution. It was the latest update on Dutch coastal fortifications – a file kept up to date as a matter of course.


Despite the long-standing amity between Germany and the Netherlands the proximity of two major naval powers to one another demanded that watch be kept on any developments that might suggest that friendship was shifting. None of the latest information suggested that it was – a fact that Gerlach appreciated; with the disturbing developments on the other side of the North Sea any change in the disposition of the Netherlands’ forces would be significant indeed.

Kleine Zeitung, Thursday, 30 October 1947

Following successful evaluation of pre-production Wiener Neustadter Flugzeugwerke Wf14 utility helicopters under operational conditions, the Defence Ministry has announced placement of an order for one hundred examples of the aircraft. Production deliveries are expected to commence in January of next year.


Elbinger Volksstimme, Friday, 31 October 1947

There was much activity in the Schichau-Werke at Memel today, with the completion of the corvettes Amazone and Gazelle, and the launch of their sisters, Minerva and Diana. The Amazone and Gazelle will embark on their builders’ trials tomorrow and will eventually commence training in the Baltic.

Oberösterreichische Rundschau, Saturday, 1 November 1947

Public-opinion polls in advance of the forthcoming elections suggest that the Free Democratic Party will retain a comfortable majority in the Reichstag and that Chancellor Adenauer will receive a mandate for another four years. As might be expected, the Free Democrats receive considerable support across Bavaria and the Austrian provinces, as well as the industrial areas of the Rheinland and Westphalia; but polls suggest a swelling of support in the agrarian areas of Silesia, Pomerania, and – quite surprisingly – East Prussia. Voters appear to be rejecting the call of the Social Democratic Party for increased social spending to be paid for by increased taxation; the Government’s long-term policy of developing a performance-based economy combined with a socially just distribution of wealth has robbed the SPD of its decades-old hold on the minds of German workers, who now enjoy a standard of living never-before seen in German history.


Die Welt am Sonntag, Sunday, 2 November 1947



Hamburger Abendblatt, Monday, 3 November 1947

The Reichstag gave final approval today for the Government’s proposed naval estimates for 1948. The extensive plan calls for construction of two fleet and two escort aircraft carriers; two light and two air defence cruisers; eight additional fleet destroyers of the Torgau class; four corvettes, two specialised training frigates, and eight coastal submarines. No fewer than twenty-two auxiliary vessels are to be constructed or converted during the next year.

Berlin, The Cabinet Meeting Room, Tuesday, 4 November 1947

Despite the intent of having a brief formal cabinet meeting before the members of the Government dispersed for the final days of campaigning a number of issues had conspired to have the gathering run longer. At least it was finally reaching a terminus.

Dehler, the foreign minister, spoke. “Herr Chancellor, our minister in Kaunas has forwarded a concerning report from the legal attaché there. According to this report, Lithuanian criminal circles are engaged in the illegal export of German-manufactured automobiles to the Russian Federation in substantial numbers.”

Brows furrowed at this news – Lithuania always appeared to be a thorn in someone’s side.

“Is there any indication that German citizens are engaged in this traffic?” asked Lehr, the Minister of Justice.

“No,” Dehler replied. “It would appear that the automobiles are imported quite legally and purchased openly on the Lithuanian market; the crime occurs when they are driven across the Lithuanian frontier.”

The customs union with Lithuania, imposed by the previous government, had given German firms a dominant position in the Lithuanian economy, being able to undersell local industries thanks to the economies of scale of the wider home market. Lithuania was unable to erect protective tariffs nor could it impose import quotas.

Minister of Economics von Hapsburg replied. “Automotive exports – both finished vehicles and spare parts – to Lithuania are considered to be above the capacity of the Lithuanian market to absorb. However, there would be no legal basis to proceed against the auto industry in filling otherwise legitimate export orders.”

The desire to not make any major policy shifts on the eve of the national elections was on everyone’s mind.

Then Chancellor Adenauer spoke. “Gentlemen, we must take some action. The Ministry of Economics will reach out to the automotive industry in regard to this situation and request that they exercise care in their export decisions. Herr Dehler, our concerns must be conveyed to the Lithuanian Government with the request that they deal with their criminals in a most expeditious manner. We must also share with the Russians whatever information we have regarding the activities of the Lithuanian criminals so that they may take steps on their side of the Lithuanian frontier.”


Aero Kurrier, Wednesday, 5 November 1947

A BFW Bf243 demonstrator aircraft, accompanied by a Bv146 support aircraft, called at Flugplatz Aachen-Merzbrück en route to De Vlijt Air Base in the Netherlands where the advanced trainer is to be trialled by the Testing Department of the Royal Netherlands Air Force


Manama, Bahrain, Thursday, 6 November 1947

For Hans Bessig and Rolf Hachmann, German archaeologists investigating the pre-history of the Arab sheikdom, their findings thus far left them daunted. They had investigated three of the large burial mounds that were strewn like so many hillocks across the landscape; and each had yielded clues. They had local pottery interspersed with imported items that suggested that the mounds dated over a period of more than a thousand years – in one mound they found items of Sumerian origin; in another, items dating from the time of the Babylonians; in the third, Hellenistic pottery from the Fourth Century BC. Time would help explain why some many grave mounds littered the landscape; but where had the people who built them lived, and why had they lived on this small island?

Bremer Nachrichten, Friday, 7 November 1947

The prototype of the Vf191 advanced training aircraft made its first flight today at the Bremen-Lemwerder plant of the Vereinigte Flugtechnischewerke. The twenty minute flight was made without particular incident.


Sächsische Zeitung, Saturday, 8 November 1947

The AGO Flugzeugwerke of Oschersleben delivered its first example of the Fw340 jet fighter aircraft to the Luftwaffe. Operating as a subcontractor, the AGO Werke joins Focke-Wulf’s own plants at Bremen and Marienburg in the production group which has already delivered more than two hundred aircraft, with production continuing at an increasing pace.


Kieler Nachrichten, Sunday, 9 November 1947

The aircraft carrier Peter Strasser has completed its post-refit trials and training and has re-joined the Atlantic Fleet.

Dithmarscher Landeszeitung, Monday, 10 November 1947

In shipyards at Kiel and Flensburg crowds gathered to attend the launching of four new vessels for the Kriegsmarine. At Kiel the frigates Ottendorf and Drachhausen slid down the ways while at Flensburg the frigates Pirow and Roggenstede entered the water. Construction work continues on all four vessels, which are expected to be completed early next year.


Hamburger Abendblatt, Tuesday, 11 November 1947

Against the backdrop of the thirtieth anniversary of the proclamation of the Armistice that brought the Great War to an end the nation went to the polls to elect deputies to the Reichstag. While it is expected that the Free Democratic Party will retain a majority the election will prove to be a test of the Government’s economic and social policies; should the Social Democratic Party make unexpected gains, it will cloud the nation’s future.


Transradio Press Service, Wednesday, 12 November 1947

The Free Democratic Party of Chancellor Konrad Adenauer has won a resounding electoral victory in yesterday’s German elections, retaining eighty per-cent of the seats on the German Reichstag, or Parliament, and a wide margin in the overall popular vote. The result is seen as an endorsement of Chancellor Adenauer and his policies and a second consecutive rejection of the Social Democratic Party’s call for higher taxation and more social spending. In a brief statement issued by his office Chancellor Adenauer thanked the nation for its trust in continuing his party in power and promised to continue the balanced policies that have sustained Germany’s high level of economic growth over the last eight years.

Kieler Nachrichten, Thursday, 13 November 1947

Yesterday, the Deschimag shipyards in Bremerhaven and Cuxhaven saw the launching of four new destroyers for the Kriegsmarine. At Bremerhaven the destroyers Limburg and Oppeln were launched while at Cuxhaven the destroyers Schwarzburg and Altenburg slid down the ways. In other naval news the minesweepers Boggensee and Lautersee completed their operational training and have joined the fleet. Their sisters, Hopfensee and Ploggensee, are due to be completed in Hamburg today, and should arrive here in the next few weeks following builders’ trials.


Militär-Wochenblatt, Friday, 14 November 1947

The Army Ordnance Office has begun testing of a new small arms cartridge developed by the Polte Armaturen und Maschinenfabrik of Magdeburg. Intended as an intermediate cartridge (Mittelpatrone) for use in light automatic weapons the round, reported as measuring 7.92x45mm, has been developed by a team led by Doctor Alexius Seidel assisted by engineers Heckler and Koch. No further details have been released at this time.


Eisenbahn Kurier, Saturday, 15 November 1947

Emder Zeitung, Sunday, 16 November 1947

The small support tanker Krems completed her conversion today and will embark tomorrow on her post-conversion trials.


Kieler Nachrichten, Monday, 17 November 1947

The submarines Seeteufel, Hecht, and Maifisch were declared operational today, having completed their training period in the Baltic, which included exercises with the visiting 13th Destroyer Flotilla of the Russian Federation Navy.


Handelsblatt, Tuesday, 18 November 1947

Refrigeration-specialist Linde AG has acquired the share capital of Kältemaschinenfabrik Plattling AG of Augsburg. Plattling, a manufacturer of components for air and gas separation plants, as well as rotary compressors, has long been a supplier to Linde.

London, The German Embassy, Wednesday, 19 November 1947

Cracking the wall of security around the British experimental station at Risley was still something Walter Schellenburg aspired to, but he now had an opportunity to gain greater insight into what was happening there; and it all was thanks to what a Hindu would term karma. Months ago he and Otto von Bolschwing, commercial attaché had helped the disgraced porter Aston escape penury and return to his former home in the northwest of England; and then six weeks ago a postcard had arrived at the embassy postmarked Warrington – the town nearest the research establishment – from Aston, who in quite guarded language suggested that he might be useful to Schellenburg.

Working through his ‘Baker Street Irregulars’ the Abwehr residenz discovered that Aston had found himself employment at a public house, the Barley Mow, in Warrington, which it turned out, was frequented by the workers at the Risley compound. From this low-level position Aston could, upon occasion, pick up useful information from overhearing the conversations of the patrons. While it offered no great probability of an intelligence coup, it was more than Schellenburg had; so he had moved to exploit the opportunity while keeping a tight barrier between himself and Aston, using cut-outs and dead drops to throw off the British security services.

Thus far the information garnered this way merely fleshed out what scientists were active at the Risley establishment, but little on what they were engaged in. That might come in time.


Der Tagesspiegel, Thursday, 20 November 1947

Schlachtgeschwader 10 has become the second unit to convert to the Focke Wulf Fw340 tactical fighter, and has been redesignated Jagdbombergeschwader 10. It had previously flown the Henschel Hs129 ground attack aircraft. The Ministry of Defence has also announced that Zerstörergeschwader 74, which began equipping with the Fw340 earlier this year, has been redesignated Jagdbombergeschwader 74.


Oberhessische Zeitung, Friday, 21 November 1947

The Ministry of Defence has announced that, following satisfactory outcomes of its test programme, a preliminary order has been placed for the Dornier Do335 carrier-based jet fighter aircraft. The present order comprises one hundred aircraft, though this is expected to rise in the future. The first production aircraft are expected to be delivered sometime in 1948.

Erprobungsstelle Peenemünde, Saturday, 22 November 1947

After weeks of experimentation the team charged with developing the Forschungsballon project believed that they had discovered the cause of the initial launch test. The extreme cold at high altitude had interfered with the firing mechanisms, inducing the stages of the rocket to fire out of sequence and causing its explosion. By placing more insulation around the rocket components the engineers believed they had solved the problem; however, confirmation would not be possible until an actual launch attempt was made – and this could not be done at Peenemünde. For safety’ sake, a launch at sea would have to be organised.


Kieler Nachrichten, Sunday, 23 November 1947

The frigates Dornbirn, Bregenz, Lustenau, and Ansfelden have completed their operational training in the Baltic and have departed to join the Atlantic Fleet.


Dithmarscher Landeszeitung, Monday, 24 November 1947

One of the prototypes of the Dornier Do335 carrier fighter aircraft has arrived at Marineflieger Station Jever to begin the first phase of aircraft carrier qualification trials. If successful, it is believed that the test programme will continue aboard the Graf Zeppelin early next month.

Aero Kurier, Tuesday, 25 November 1947

The Bayerischen Flugzeugwerke Bf108 ‘Taifun’ sport plane had long been a money-spinner for the firm before it was superseded by newer types in 1944. However, the number on the civil register have now been supplemented by former Luftwaffe aircraft refurbished by the Flugzeug Reparatur Werke Rudow. The Rudow firm has purchased more than one hundred decommissioned aircraft for overhaul and has sold more than fifty to date. The aircraft have been completely rebuilt, fitted with new engines, and brought up to current civil standards. Rudow believes that the market for civilianised Bf108s is growing and has entered into negotiations with the Ministry of Defence to acquire additional airframes.



Kieler Nachrichten, Wednesday, 26 November 1947

The destroyers Bunzlau, Langenbielau, Zwischenwasser, and Feldkirch have completed their operational training and have been assigned to the Atlantic Fleet.


Berlin, The Ministry of Economics, Thursday, 27 November 1947

Otto von Hapsburg reviewed the report from the commercial attaché in the Lithuanian capital, Kaunas, with a sense of satisfaction. At long last his efforts to encourage viable economic development in Lithuania were beginning to bear fruit. The report indicated that a furniture factory in the town of Jonava and a dairy near the capital had availed themselves of development credits provided by German banks to expand their facilities and increase employment. These were the sort of development Lithuania needed to rebuild its economy.

Von Hapsburg knew that for all the real improvement in economic conditions in its trade partners in Eastern Europe too often Germany was perceived as a semi-colonial power, setting terms of trade more than equitable; and there was an element of truth in this. What he saw, and which he was continually impressing upon his colleagues in the Cabinet, was the need to erase this perception and the truth that underlay it by entering into real partnership with firms in Lithuania, Poland, Hungary, and elsewhere – and not harnessing their efforts solely to Germany’s economic advantage. In the long term, he knew, this would prompt a political backlash that would cause significant disruption.

Handelsblatt, Friday, 28 November 1947

The Unternehmensgruppe Fürst von Hohenzollern has increased its stake in the Romanian firm Fratii Schiel S.A. pe Actjiuni pentru Fabricarea Masinelor, to ten percent through the conversion of previously held debentures. The Schiel firm, of Brașov, produces cast iron pieces, special grey cast iron components, steel castings, electro-steel castings, pumps, and other components for the railway and petroleum industries.


Rostocker Zeitung, Saturday, 29 November 1947

The first of three Sassnitz-class coastal passenger-cargo vessels has been delivered to the Seedienst Ostpreußen; it is expected to enter service in early December and will be introduced on the service between Stettin and Petrograd via intermediate ports.


Die Welt am Sonntag, Sunday, 30 November 1947

The Arab sheikdom of Bahrain can be found on the island of the same name in the Persian Gulf, off the north shore of the Arabian Peninsula. For centuries it has been a centre of trade in the region and is noted for its pearl fisheries. Once occupied by the Portuguese early in the Sixteenth Century it fell to the Persians in the Seventeenth Century; subsequently it became the battle ground between contending Arab tribes from the mainland until in the 1820s the Al Khalifa family was recognised by Britain as Bahrain’s rulers.

Until the early 1930s the local economy was based upon exploitation of Bahrain’s pearl fisheries, the production of dates – for which the island is famous – and on the construction of sailing dhows that still remain important in the carriage of cargo as far afield as the coast of Malabar in India. The discovery oil in commercial quantities changed this.


Oil revenues now undergird Bahrain’s resurgence as a regional trade centre in the modern era. Investments have been made in port facilities for modern freighters and oil tankers; commercial warehouses have sprung up near the commercial district of Manama, the sheikdom’s capital; foreign firms, many from Germany, have opened branches here to take advantage of the many opportunities now opening. Still, the traditional skills of the desert Arab are kept alive – falconry is still practiced. Recently a team of archaeologists from the University of Marburg have begun the investigation of Bahrain’s pre-history; while their investigations are still in the preliminary stages, their discoveries promise much.

Aircraft Carrier Graf Zeppelin, 54 dgs 4 min North, 7 dgs 38 min East, Monday 1 December 1947

The Graf Zeppelin turned into the wind, preparatory to landing her aircraft; but this was no ordinary training mission. Circling her was one of the prototypes of the new Dornier Do335 jet fighter aircraft – today it would be determined whether such an aircraft could safely land on the pitching deck of an aircraft carrier. All reasonable preparations had been taken in the event of an emergency – fire, rescue, and damage control personnel were at their stations; deck handlers had checked and re-checked the ship’s arresting cables and the crash-barrier had been readied. The deck had been walked twice to discover and remove any foreign objects that might be sucked into the engines of an aircraft. The trial was now in the hands of the pilot and the landing signals officer.

The Do335 banked into a shallow turn and lined up on the carrier’s deck; guided by the landing signals officer’s paddles the pilot adjusted his approach while watching the speed indicator, applying the throttle to assure he neither stalled nor came down too fast. Landings on a simulated deck at Marineflieger Station Jever had gone well enough, but this was real in every sense of the word. The landing signals officer dropped his paddles indicating ‘cut’; the Dornier dropped to the deck with an audible thud and skittered momentarily, engaging the second wire to come to an abrupt halt. So much for landing; now would come the second phase – taking off from the Graf…


Hamburger Abendblatt, Tuesday, 2 December 1947

The air defence destroyers Erfurt and Altona were launched today in the Deschimag yards here. They were immediately warped to the shipyard’s fitting-out basin where work on them continues apace.


Schloss Sigmaringen, Wednesday, 3 December 1947

There was a certain irony in the meeting of the Cabinet minister and the industrial tycoon – the one a scion of the House of Hapsburg, an uncrowned king-emperor; the other the head of the House of Hohenzollern. For two centuries their dynasties had contended across Europe; now they sat in a quiet drawing room; yet the tension between them was palpable.

“Your Highness,” reiterated Otto von Hapsburg, “the decision of the Unternehmensgruppe to increase its stake in Fratii Schiel is against national policy.”

His host, Friedrich, Fürst von Hohenzollern, smiled icily. “Against your policy,” he said icily. “There is no unanimity in the Government on the question of foreign investment.”

In this the Hohenzollern was correct; for all his efforts to change the direction of German foreign investment von Hapsburg had yet to obtain clear backing from the entire Cabinet. He sought to marshal his arguments.

“Too many of our neighbours, our important trade partners, see us as predatory – buying up their resources and their industrial assets on the cheap and exploiting our dominance to force them to follow our policies,” he concluded with a sigh. “Do you think that the Romanians will appreciate the increase in our control of one of their major industrial enterprises?”

Fürst Friedrich smiled again. “The Romanians invited,” he said with emphasis, “the Unternehmensgruppe to convert its debentures into stock in order to allow Fratii Schiel to reduce its debt to avoid bankruptcy.”

This was news to von Hapsburg, and it stung. He suspected that someone in the Reichsbank had failed to report this development to his office. “The Romanians acquiesce then in this change?”

“Indeed,” Fürst Friedrich replied. “As you know our house has a long and friendly history of investment in Romania, and close cooperation with the authorities there. We are not dealing with Lithuania.”

“Lithuania,” thought von Hapsburg. The Treaty of Stockholm hung like an albatross around the neck of German economic policy. Stressemann’s arm-twisting detachment of Memel from Lithuania and the incorporation of that nation into a customs union with Germany had left lasting distrust. Whenever Germany moved to take advantage of economic opportunities the spectre of another Lithuania was being raised – either by the political opposition at home or by Germany’s competitors who sounded the tocsin in order to save their own positions.

“But your Highness will agree that Germany ought not to act in a predatory manner,” said von Hapsburg, retreating to general principles.

“I do,” replied Fürst Friedrich, “and the Unternehmensgruppe has been careful to avoid even the appearance of such; but it will not abandon an enterprise in which it has invested for more than twenty years for doctrinaire causes”.

And so the meeting continued to an inconclusive end. The Minister of Economics had the weaker hand; and he knew he could not convince his colleagues in the Cabinet, to say nothing of the Chancellor, until some shock awoke them from their complacency.

Der Tagesspiegel, Thursday, 4 December 1947

The Ministry of Defence has announced that orders have been placed with the Ardeltwerke firm for an unspecified quantity of its ‘Leichtepanzer’ light tank under the designation Leichtepanzer "Lowe". The vehicles to be procured will be split between the Marinelandungsverbande to replace its Panzerkampfwagen IV medium tanks and the Heer, which will evaluate the type in support roles. Deliveries are expected to commence quite early in 1948, as the Ardeltwerke has been tooling up to produce the vehicle in anticipation of export orders.


Berlin, Office of the Chancellor, Friday, 5 December 1947

Chancellor Adenauer had summoned his Minister of Economics for a private meeting of the minds – word had come to him of von Hapsburg’s meeting with Friedrich, Fürst von Hohenzollern, and for his part Adenauer was none too happy. Von Hapsburg’s views on the future direction of Germany’s economic foreign policy were not shared by the entire cabinet.

And Adenauer had made that plain during the first part of their conference; von Hapsburg’s views were not misplaced, but his views were not the Cabinet’s; particularly when the Romanian Government had requested the Hohenzollern industrial group to take the action that they did. That was the point at which von Hapsburg opened his portfolio and showed Adenauer the memorandum.

“As you see Herr Chancellor,” von Hapsburg explained, “that information was not forwarded to the Ministry of Economics by the Reichsbank. Had it been provided, I would have been aware of those essential facts and my discussions with Fürst Friedrich would have been superfluous.”

Adenauer noted the marginal note directing that the information not be provided to the economics ministry. “These initials…”

“Are Herr Bernard’s,” von Hapsburg replied, referring to the President of the Reichsbank himself. “I can only draw unfortunate inferences from his directive.”

The Chancellor was sore perplexed. It appeared as if Karl Bernard had deliberately plotted to embarrass the Ministry of Economics, and, by extension, the Cabinet. Or, perhaps, it was stupidity rather than malice.

“Leave this with me,” Adenauer announced. “I will have the matter examined.”


Hamburger Abendblatt, Saturday, 6 December 1947

The Ministry of Defence announced today the successful conclusion of the first phase of aircraft carrier qualification trials of the new Dornier Do335 fighter aircraft. A second phase is expected to be scheduled after the first of the year.

Kieler Nachrichten, Sunday, 7 December 1947

The light cruiser Leipzig was launched today in the city’s naval dockyard, and her sister Nürnberg was also launched, in Bremerhaven.


Hamburger Abendblatt, Monday, 8 December 1947

The minesweepers Tietzowsee and Trenntsee were launched today in the Deschimag yards. They are the last of the eight Rappensee-class minesweepers presently under construction for the Kriegsmarine.


Der Tagesspiegel, Tuesday, 9 December 1947

The Auto-Union concern has unveiled a new light commercial vehicle to complement the veteran and well-tried Volkswagen Transporter. Produced under Auto-Union’s DKW marque the new vehicle, dubbed the Schnell-Laster, is based upon the chassis of the new F89 Meisterklasse, and features increased volume for interior loads due to the front-wheel drive of the F89.

London, The German Embassy, Wednesday, 10 December 1947

The report before him was hand-written; the product of a chain of informants and ‘irregulars’; and Walter Schellenburg could not really understand the gist of the matter. Whether this was due to his own unfamiliarity with the subject or the fragmentary information it contained.

It originated with the informant Aston, ensconced in Warrington, and summarised the bits and pieces of gossip he picked up working in a local pub. It mentioned the names of several of the scientists working at the Risley experimental station, which was to the good; he could forward that information to Berlin for further research. It talked about ‘piles’; something that the Risley station was involved with in some manner, but which made no sense to Schellenburg. And there were a couple of references to something called ‘winscale’.

He was not willing to commit himself one way or another on the interpretation of the report; he would send the document to Abwehr Headquarters noting its fragmentary nature, hoping that their greater resources could interpret its meaning.


Berlin, Office of the Chancellor, Thursday, 11 December 1947

Karl Bernard, President of the Reichsbank, sat opposite the Chancellor, and he was rather put out that he had been summoned in a peremptory manner. Adenauer had accused him of failing to forward to the Ministry of Economics certain information regarding German investment in Romania.

“Herr Chancellor,” he protested, “financial transactions of this sort do not require the approval of the Ministry of Economics – and the Ministry of Economics does not set financial policy.”

Adenauer was not impressed. “Financial policy is the responsibility of the Government, not the Reichsbank alone; and the Reichsbank is obligated to keep the Government informed of all relevant information.”

“Which the Reichsbank has,” Bernard averred.

Adenauer opened a buff folder that lay on the desk before him and slid a sheet of paper across the desk so that Bernard might read it. “Then explain that please…”

Bernard recognised the document which bore his own hand-written notations, directing its suppression.

“Herr Chancellor…” he began to protest.

“You deliberately failed to provide the Government with information bearing on issues of international financial relations.” Adenauer spoke with well-chosen words. “Your action resulted in the Government taking decisions without all relevant information, despite your protestations to the contrary. Why you have done this is immaterial…”

Bernard realised that his part in the struggle between the cabinet factions had been exposed, and it was far better to cut his losses. “You will have my resignation before nightfall.”


Militär-Wochenblatt, Friday, 12 December 1947

The Army Armament Office has confirmed plans for development of two new series of armoured support vehicles for the Heer. Utilising the chassis of the Aufklärungspanzer Luchs a command and control vehicle will be constructed, as will a light fitters vehicle. The chassis of the Schützenpanzer Buffel will be used for an armoured command post vehicle, a maintenance vehicle, a mortar carrier, and a specialist engineer vehicle. Specific details were not immediately released.