WesWorld

Kieler Nachrichten, Sunday, 1 October 1944

The heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen has arrived here to commence a scheduled refit. Her entry into the shipyard marks the final phase of the refitting of the Kriegsmarine's heavy cruiser force, a programme carried out over the course of this year.


Wien, Monday, 2 October 1944

The intrepid Von der Heydt and his companions escape the reach of the evil Beastmaster in the latest number of the comic-magazin, Die Orang Laut (The Orang Laut), finding refuge among the coastal people of Borneo, as he plans his next move.


Lübecker Nachrichten, Tuesday, 3 October 1944

The decommissioned submarine U-23 was expended today in a training exercise involving elements of the Seventh Escort Group.

Bremer Nachrichten, Wednesday, 4 October 1944

True to its undertaking at the abortive naval limitations talks in London the Kriegsmarine has begun the demolition of ten of its older U-boats, with others destined for expenditure as targets. These vessels have served the Kriegsmarine well over the past decade but their continued usefulness is limited, and, in view of the tenor of the times, the decision was made to scrap these vessels and not release them for sale abroad.


Lüdenscheider Nachrichten, Thursday, 5 October 1944

The Ministry of Transport continues to refrain from issuing a comment on the recent report of an air crash near Sorau in Silesia. According to unconfirmed reports an aircraft broke up in mid-air earlier this week, showering its pieces over a potato field. However, no wreckage has been discovered and some local newspapers have suggested that the whole story was a hoax perpetrated by school children.


Sächsische Zeitung, Friday, 6 October 1944

Doctor Ferdinand Brandner, the noted aeronautical engineer, has taken a position with the Junkers motor works at Dessau, where he will be engaged in the development of new designs for aero engines.

Quoted from "BruceDuncan"

Lüdenscheider Nachrichten, Thursday, 5 October 1944

The Ministry of Transport continues to refrain from issuing a comment on the recent report of an air crash near Sorau in Silesia. According to unconfirmed reports an aircraft broke up in mid-air earlier this week, showering its pieces over a potato field. However, no wreckage has been discovered and some local newspapers have suggested that the whole story was a hoax perpetrated by school children.

Aroueugh? ?(

Frankfurter Zeitung, Saturday, 7 October 1944

Scientific researchers aboard the Kriegsmarine survey ship Komet have reported uncovering evidence for underwater volcanism in areas south of Iceland. The Komet is presently engaged in charting the mid-Atlantic ridge formation in that vicinity, and the information recently obtained has suggested some form of "sea-floor spreading" mechanism is at work in the region.


Das Andere Deutschland (Duderstadt), Sunday, 8 October 1944

Thanks to the contributions of the German worker we have returned, and shall continue to be the voice of Germany's workers - we shall not be silenced by the capitalists whose deep-seated conspiracies against the working class shall not prevail. Here we have found a new home, from which our message shall go forth. For all those who have supported us we tender our thanks and ask for your continued support.

(Das Andere Deutschland (Duderstadt) is a Socialist and pacifist newspaper (recently displaced from Berlin) that in no way reflects the opinions of the German Government.)


Berliner Abendpost, Monday, 9 October 1944

A Russian Federation technical mission under the direction of Academician Semyon Alekseyevich Lavochkin arrived in Berlin today to open discussions with officials of the Defence Ministry. A Ministry spokesman indicated that the visit was related to ongoing technical interchanges between Germany and its Russian Federation ally but offered no further details.

Interesting, nothing has been heard of Lavochkin since 1942 when his new fighter went into production in Russia.
The GA co-operation really is an open-door for jet tech (by that I mean jet engines and the aerodynamics to fully utilise such powerplants), not sure who is aiding who these days but presumably there will be greater Atlantean-French-German-Russian standardisation of engines and aircraft at some point given the tech transfers going on. It seems none of the traditional Continental enemies are getting a competitive advantage over the others, which bodes well for future peace.

Handelsblatt, Tuesday, 10 October 1944






Lübecker Nachrichten, Wednesday, 11 October 1944

In naval news, the minesweepers Attersee and Mondsee have completed their working up and have taken up their duties as part of the Sixth Minesweeping Flotilla at Flensburg; also the support tankers Eider and Trave have completed their conversions and have begun trials in the Baltic.


Sorau, Lower Lusatia, Thursday, 12 October 1944

In a guarded hangar at the BFW branch factory Semyon Lavochkin and his German counterpart, Hans Multhopp, circled the carefully-arranged debris of what had been the prototype of an aircraft.

"So," the Russian asked, "has the cause been determined yet?"

"Not definitively," the German replied. "The pilot is still recovering in hospital and is yet to be interviewed. He reported a sluggishness in his controls and then a total loss."

"Thankfully he was able to eject from the aircraft," Lavochkin continued. "Has the examination of the wreckage told us anything so far?"

Multhopp nodded. "The empennage shows evidence of separation from the fuselage prior to impact; they were found several kilometres apart. We theorize that the empennage suffered unexpected torque forces and failed."

Lavochkin continued pacing around the perimeter, deep in thought. "A theory, perhaps, but the question is whether the failure is a fault of design or of materials, or some as yet undiscovered cause. It will cost us time."

"That is true," Multhopp noted, "but it will afford opportunity to continue engine development; there were reports of surging in the power output that suggest that the engine controls are imperfect at this point."

Lavochkin pursed his lips. "Yes; I thought that we were rushing development too fast."


(The above information is strictly out-of-character.)

Kieler Nachrichten, Friday, 13 October 1944

The amphibious transport ships Wittelsbach and Wettin have completed their trials and working up. They have taken up their stations with the Expeditionsverband at Flensburg - the Wittelsbach as flagship of the First Amphibious Transport and Landing Group and the Wettin as the flagship of the Second Amphibious Transport and Landing Group.


Abwehr Headquarters, Berlin, Saturday, 14 October 1944

The latest packet of information from Source Merlin - the Hungarian intelligence bureau - lay spread on the desk before Admiral Wilhelm Canaris. It was a mixed bag of information, representing what Colonel Homlok considered to be the best of the recent reports filed by his operatives. Canaris liked to make a first impression of the material before sending it on to the various departments of the Abwehr for expert study. Source Merlin was his own special operation.

His eye caught sight of a grainy photograph purporting to show an aircraft and he snatched it up, quickly reading the accompanying report. According to Source Merlin the photograph had come from Poland, where the intelligence authorities considered it to be a new German fighter aircraft. Canaris let it fall to the desk and considered the implications.

"Somehow," he thought, "the Poles got a photograph of the Project 44 prototype." He grimaced. "That is something that will have to be quickly investigated and dealt with. But if the Poles got wind of it, there is no doubt that they have shared it with the British." Since the Kraft-Affair Canaris had been quite touchy when it came to British Intelligence. "We must move to mitigate the breach of security."


Dithmarscher Landeszeitung, Sunday, 15 October 1944

Militär-Wochenblatt, Monday, 16 October 1944

The Kriegsmarine survey ship Meteor, operating in the Indian Ocean, has resumed its assessment of underwater typography and other oceanographic research. At the present time the Meteor is surveying a series of sea mounts located between Christmas Island and the Cocos Islands south of Java.


Berlin, The Defence Ministry, Tuesday, 17 October 1944

The hastily convened conference considering the security breach of the Project 44 aircraft had several options before it - some technical, others more specifically related to security. The loss of the prototype aircraft to still-as-yet-unknown causes had certainly set the programme back; the bulk of the discussions revolved around how to limit such delay. For the representatives of the Defence Ministry, and their Russian Federation counterparts, it was more a question of how to assure that security be re-established.

In the end, it was the defence officials who won the day. Work on Project 44 would be transferred to Kazan, in Russia, where Academician Lavochkin would oversee developments. Hans Multhopp and his team would join him there, and all requisite equipment would be transferred from Sorau and elsewhere to facilitate the resumption of work. It was estimated that the project would be delayed at least one year.

(This information is, of course, out-of-character knowledge)


Deutsche Presse-Agentur, Wednesday, 18 October 1944

Minister of Transport Gottfried Treviranus presented the semi-annual report on progress in construction of the National Motorways System. One of the planned links between München and Innsbruck has been completed, as has the section linking Bremen to Wilhelmshaven - work on the section between Bremen and Emden has begun; Wien has been linked with Weiner Neustadt, and sections near Graz and Klagenfurt have been finished. Other areas that saw completion included Lindau, Salzburg, Halle, Dessau and Weimar; progress was made on the link between Heilbron and Nürnberg; the section between Flensburg and the Danish border has been finished. The minister commented that much effort was expended to make up for the relatively poor rate of construction caused by adverse weather conditions that prevailed in 1943.

Berlin, Abwehr Headquarters, Thursday, 19 October 1944

Hauptmann Walter Schellenburg strode through the corridors of the Bendlerblock with confidence. His efforts in dealing a fatal blow to the Kraft spy network had brought about his promotion, and he was now an experienced investigator in his own right. His summons to the office of the Chief of Abteilung III of the Abwehr held no terror for him, but rather filled him with anticipation.

"The game's afoot," he thought.

He entered the outer portion of office and advised the duty officer of his arrival. He was asked to wait a moment before being ushered into the inner sanctum of Oberst Ferdinand von Schlabrendorff, the recently appointed chief of the Abwehr's counter-espionage unit.

"Sit down Schellenburg," said von Schlabrendorff with little ceremony. "There is a matter that requires our immediate attention, and I am putting you in charge of it."

Schellenburg liked his chief's directness. "What sort of matter sir?"

Von Schlabrendorff handed him a slim file. "We suspect that Polish intelligence organs have developed or planted an agent or agents in one of our aircraft factories through whom they have gained access to very sensitive information on development of our latest aircraft. Your orders are simple - find the agent or agents, turn them if feasible, eliminate them if necessary. This matter will not go to the courts."

The younger officer read the file quickly. What little that was there suggested that Source Merlin had a finger in the pie somewhere. His eye lit upon the location of the factory - Sorau, in Lower Lusatia, and his mind made a mental connection.

"This has something to do with that aircraft hoax I read about in the newspapers?"

"Yes and no," von Schlabrendorff replied evasively. "It was no hoax; one of our experimental aircraft crashed during tests but we have been able to keep the details from the press. Unfortunately, the Poles managed to obtain a photograph of it before its first flight; we do not know what else they may have learned. It is your job to make certain that they do not learn more."


Berliner Morgenpost, Friday, 20 October 1944

The Office of the Chancellor has reported that Minister of Justice Gustav Heinemann will retire for reasons of health, effective 31 October 1944. No announcement has yet been made regarding selection of a successor.


Emder Zeitung, Saturday, 21 October 1944

Sorau, Lower Lusatia, Sunday, 22 October 1944

Walter Schellenburg had moved quickly to assess the situation at the Sorau test facility; because of the nature of the work there the local security force had kept very tight control of entry to it. Study of the poor-quality photograph gave clues as to where it was when the picture was taken - during taxi tests. Schellenburg and Paul Wahlert, the security officer for the test facility, drove out to the spot.

"Anyone standing here with a camera would have been seen immediately," said Wahlert. "And no one was."

Schellenburg nodded. "I agree. I have my doubts that the photograph was taken from inside the facility."

"What?" replied Wahlert.

"The lack of discernable detail in the photograph suggests that it was taken at a distance - a great distance perhaps - and that the photograph was subsequently enlarged." Schellenburg took a pair of field glasses from the car and scanned the horizon. "You see that copse of trees beyond the perimeter fence - would you make that half-a-kilometre?"

Wahlert pulled a map from his pocket and checked. "Eight hundred metres," he answered.

"Tomorrow I believe I shall take a walk in the woods," said Schellenburg with a smile.

Kieler Nachrichten, Monday, 23 October 1944

In naval news, the fleet tugs Mücke and Wespe have completed their working up period and have taken up their regular duties in support of the fleet. The tankers Jeverland and Wendland have completed their conversion as fleet oilers and have embarked on the respective post-refit trials.

Berliner Abendpost, Tuesday, 24 October 1944

The Reichstag has taken up debate on proposed legislation to revise several sections of the Criminal Code; to date, a successor to Minister of Justice Gustav Heinemann has not yet been announced.

Sorau, Lower Lusatia, Wednesday, 25 October 1944

Walter Schellenburg had decided to pursue the security leak at the Sorau test facility quietly, rather than initiate a hue-and-cry throughout the neighbourhood. Under the guise of a vacationing businessman he had taken rooms in a small hotel in town, and took long walks through the fields and woods. In the copse of trees near the airfield his investigations had yielded an important find - someone had established a "hide" in one of the taller trees. Schellenburg had climbed the tree, and found that it did offer a good if distant view of the airfield; but that was all - there was nothing to suggest who had constructed the "hide". But he had one fixed point upon which he could build further inquiries.

Sorau was not good country for hunting - this information came from discrete questioning of publicans across the town; the growth of agriculture had driven deer and other game out of the area. This eliminated one potential 'innocent' explanation for the "hide" Schellenburg had found in the woods. He would have to try another tack.


Göttinger Tageblatt, Thursday, 26 October 1944

The Kriegsmarine survey ship Meteor continues its investigations of the bathymetry of the Indian Ocean, operating west of the Cocos Islands, while the survey ship Komet is employed charting the Mid-Atlantic Ridge south of Iceland. The preliminary reports from their current voyages have given insight into the terrain that lies beneath the world's oceans.


Lübecker Nachrichten, Friday, 27 October 1944

The National Institute for Space Research launched another A-4 atmospheric sounding rocket from its Peenemünde test facility. The successful mission closes the test programme for the current year due to adverse weather conditions.

Sorau, Lower Lusatia, Saturday, 28 October 1944

Despite several days spent in pursuing possible leads in his quest to find the source of the security leak at the Sorau test facility, Walter Schellenburg seemed little further along than when he began. He sat in one of the town's public houses, slowly sipping a stein of beer while munching on a sandwich; for the most part lost in thought, considering all the outside possibilities. His reverie was interrupted by the arrival of the publican's young son, who rushed in excitedly.

"Father," said the lad, "I was able to photograph a nest of Beutelmeise today! That is a new species for my collection."

His father smiled, "Have you developed the film yet?"

"No, not yet" the boy answered.

"Then do not count your chickens before they hatch," the elder man nodded knowingly.

"Yes father," replied the son. "I'm off to my darkroom now," he concluded as he departed.

The conversation attracted Schellenburg's attention. He had been looking for adults taking photographs in the area - he had never thought about a teen-age birding enthusiast. He turned and looked at the publican inquiringly.

The proprietor smiled. "My son like to photograph birds - in their nests, in flight, feeding and so forth. All things considered he is quite good for his age."

"Just so," Schellenburg replied. "I understand that there are magazines that buy such pictures. Is that how he makes his pocket money?"

The publican angled his head to one side. "He has submitted a few to such periodicals, but has sold but a few photographs to them. There's a travelling salesman who comes by here about once a month - a fellow collector it seems - he buys a few, more perhaps than the magazines."

"Really?" said Schellenburg. "I too have an interest in birds and would be interested in seeing your son's collection. Would you tell him please?"

"Of course," the publican replied.

Schellenburg did have an interest in birds; the jet-engined kind.


Berliner Morgenpost, Sunday, 29 October 1944

The selection of the Lord Mayor of Düsseldorf, Robert Lehr, to succeed Gustav Heinemann as Minister of Justice, signals the Government's continued commitment to progress. The incoming minister will take office Wednesday, and has been meeting with the Chancellor, other members of the cabinet and members of the Reichstag in preparation for the transfer of office.

Sorau, Lower Lusatia, Monday, 30 October 1944

The Sorau publican, Herr Winkler, had arranged the meeting between Schellenburg and his son, Heinrich, for Monday afternoon - when school had let out for the day. Schellenburg knew he was playing a long shot here but thus far he had discovered no means for someone to have obtained the photograph that had launched his investigation. The plant security force had eliminated the possibility of it having been taken from inside the airfield perimeter.

Young Heinrich eagerly showed Schellenburg the many photographs of birds that he had taken in the vicinity of Sorau. The Abwehr officer nodded appreciatively, asking the occasional question, but concerning himself more with the background of the photographs than the subject matter.

The lad showed Schellenburg another photograph - a flock of grouse rising from the ground having been startled by something. Schellenburg's eye caught something familiar. "Where did you take this one?" he asked casually.

"I was in an old hunter's 'hide' out in the woods near the aircraft plant. Birds often feed in the open ground near there. I was using a telephoto lens."

Schellenburg could see in the background the perimeter fence of the airfield; and he thought he could see something in the background.

"I like this one," Schellenburg said, evincing genuine interest. "Could I buy a copy?"

Heinrich frowned. "Unfortunately no; Herr Lonkowski liked that photograph so well he bought the negative too."

As Schellenburg cocked his head the publican explained, "Herr Lonkowski is the salesman who sometime buys Heinrich's photographs. I mentioned him did I not?"

"Ach, yes you did!" Schellenburg replied. "He beat me to a good photograph."

Schellenburg went back to looking at the photographs, and selecting several for which he would buy copies from Heinrich. He carefully steered the conversation to keep the subject focused on Lonkowski, the salesman, who was due to visit Sorau in a few days. This fact Schellenburg noted for future action.


Kieler Nachrichten, Tuesday, 31 October 1944

In ceremonies today in the Deutsche Werke yards here the frigates Gromitz, Großpetersdorf and Sulzbach were completed and turned over to their crews for trials. A similar ceremony was carried out in Cuxhaven where the frigate Rangersdorf was completed.

Wien, Wednesday, 1 November 1944

Abgeschoben (Deported), the latest number of the comic-magazin Von der Heydte, finds the hero taken into custody by the Dutch East Indies authorities and separated from the King of the Beggars, who is wanted for unspecified crimes. Taken from the relative safety of the backwaters of Borneo von der Heydte finds himself aboard a Dutch patrol vessel bound for Tarakan, where agents of the Beastmaster await him.


Sorau, Lower Lusatia, Thursday, 2 November 1944

Walter Schellenburg sat in the large saloon car parked up the street from Herr Winkler's public house. According to what the publican had told him, Lonkowski, the salesman, was due to visit today, and it was Schellenburg's intention to take the inquisitive traveller in for questioning. He had stationed two of his men inside the public house, and two more outside just in case.

Schellenburg observed a man carrying a salesman's valise enter the public house; the man matched the description of Lonkowski. "Patience," Schellenburg thought. "I must be patient..."

He waited, and found his patience rewarded. Twenty minutes later he saw Lonkowski exit, followed close behind by one of his own men; the latter gave a signal and the two Abwehr men stationed outside the public house closed in on Lonkowski, one on either side, pinioning his arms. They frog-marched him up the street to Schellenburg's car and bundled him in.

"Herr Lonkowski," said Schellenburg, "we have some questions for you. I trust you will answer them; it will go far easier for you if you do."


Der Soldatenfreund, Friday, 3 November 1944

Emder Zeitung, Saturday, 4 November 1944

The support tanker Spessart departed yesterday, having taken on cargo at the oil terminal. No information was made available regarding her destination.


Kieler Nachrichten, Sunday, 5 November 1944

The heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen completed her modernisation and has embarked on her post-refit trials in the North Sea.


Abwehr Outstation Breslau, Monday, 6 November 1944

It had taken a considerable period to break the prisoner, Wilhelm Lonkowski. Schellenburg had very tenuous evidence and few levers with which to pry apart Lonkowski's story, but at last the agent had given up the fight and confessed. For some years he had operated as a stringer for Polish military intelligence - Sluzba Wywiadu Wojskowego - gathering military and defence information across Silesia and further afield as his business took him. His controller was well known to Schellenburg - Jan Pajak, also called "The Spider", who operated from the safety of the city of Krakow.

Lonkowski admitted that he had bought photographs from young Heinrich Winkler because of what they showed in the background, enlarging them in his own darkroom - which Schellenburg's men were searching at that moment. Schellenburg was relieved that the boy was not a willing accomplice - though there would be consequences for his actions; but that was not important at the moment. Unfortunately Lonkowski could give no information regarding other agents run by "The Spider", who wisely kept his informants ignorant of each other - each having but a single thread back to him. The task at the moment was to determine what information Lonkowski had passed to the Poles.

Frankfurter Zeitung, Tuesday, 7 November 1944

The Ministry of Defence has announced the conclusion of an agreement with the Government of Peru under which Germany will supply military equipment to the Peruvian Army. Covered under the agreement are orders for one hundred examples of the Panzerkamfwagen IVF medium tank, one hundred examples of the Sturmgeschutz III assault gun and one hundred examples of the Sonderkraftfahrzeug 251 armoured infantry carrier. The first batch of equipment, comprising fifty examples of each, is expected to be delivered to Peru before the close of this year, with the remainder following early in 1945.


Münchener Post, Wednesday, 8 November 1944

The Kriegsmarine survey ship Meteor continues her research into the underwater topography of the Indian Ocean. Having completed her survey of the waters around the Cocos Islands she is presently engaged in a seismic survey of the Indian Ocean, operating to the southeast of the Bharati possession of Diego Garcia.


Berlin, Abwehr Headquarters, Thursday, 9 November 1944

Ferdinand von Schlabrendorff, Abwehr chief of counter-intelligence, closed the portfolio and looked up. "Very good Schellenburg; I see Lonkowski is still providing information to us."

"Yes Herr Oberst," replied Schellenburg. "Once we were able to break him, he realized that things would go better for him if he did so."

"Yes. I see you wish to go after his Polish controller, the Spider." Von Schlabrendorff pursed his lips, indicating distaste. "We cannot kidnap a Polish citizen - the Wilhelmstrasse would never stand for it." He referred, of course, to the German Foreign Ministry.

"Of course not Herr Oberst," Schellenburg explained. "I propose we put him under covert surveillance in the hope of discovering any other agents he has operating inside Germany."

"That is reasonable," von Schlabrendorff acknowledged.

Schellenburg actually had his sights set higher, but he wisely chose not to say anything at this point. Better to wait until the possibilities of his idea revealed themselves.

OOC: Given Meteor's proximity to a Bharati military base, she'll probably see some patrol aircraft and/or a patrol vessel while she's there.