Before he reached the Rhine River in Germany, Patton bestrode the Seine in France and marked his territory: “Patton, after a flying visit, proudly announced to Bradley that he had ‘pissed in the river that morning.'” Antony Beevor, D-Day, quoting Martin Blumenson, ed., Patton Papers. See Patton Pis for more information.
Abandon ship! Carrying civilians in 1941, the Zamzam was attacked and disabled by Atlantis, a German raider. A cunning photographer led to eventual revenge.
The bathtub? Adolf Hitler’s.
The beauty in the tub? Lee Miller, an American-born model, artist, photographer, and wartime photojournalist for British Vogue.
Direct Hit The Temple—one of four Inns of Court in London—is located between Fleet Street and the River Thames, bordering London’s financial district and the heavily Jewish East End: ideal targets for Luftwaffe bombers.
Phony WarWhen British Major William Martin’s body washed up near Spain in 1943, the Germans obtained a photo of his fiancée Pam – and Allied invasion plans. The Germans were delighted. So were the Allies. Continue reading
Dancing for Joy?Belgium. Nazi HQ, June 17, 1940. Germany overwhelmed France, and Hitler did a celebratory Chaplinesque two-step. Except that the apparent two-step did not happen.
Continue reading
Stalin’s Jewish Ears – A Smoking Gun?Was Stalin Jewish? Hitler had suspicions – and theories, one of which was that Jews had, well, Jewish ears. To see for himself, the German leader ordered a headshot of his Soviet counterpart. Continue reading
Bernhardine Nienau, Chosen by HitlerFor several years before the war, Hitler entertained little Bernile at the Berghof. When her Jewish ancestry was uncovered, he unfriended her. Reluctantly. Continue reading
Real or 1943 ‘Photoshop’?Was this photograph genuine? Hitler had his doubts. Friedrich Paulus, head of the Sixth Army in Stalingrad, was actually a Field Marshal—and German Field Marshals preferred suicide to surrender. At least, they were supposed to.
Winnie’s TinkleIn early March 1945, with the Germans in retreat, it was the snappers who had to hold it in when British Prime Minister Winston Churchill approached the Siegfried Line and relieved himself. Photographers had to exercise self-control. Continue reading
Concentration Camps Cost ExtraA London wax museum mounted this extraordinary exhibition several months before Germany surrendered—and before Auschwitz was liberated. Continue reading
The Minister VanishesThe gap is intriguing: in this small intimate gathering, someone should be on Hitler’s left. Someone was. Continue reading
Location, location, location.When France surrendered to Germany in June 1940, Hitler wanted to rub their noses in it. An old railway carriage did the trick. Continue reading
Shostakovich’s Starvation SymphonyA Red Army soldier purchases a ticket for the historic – in some ways, miraculous – performance of Shostakovich’s Seventh – the “Leningrad.” At the time, cats – being edible – were more valuable than roubles. Continue reading
D-Day’s WheelsLanding craft for Operation Overlord carried troops, tanks, guns, trucks, jeeps. and–bicycles and spare tires and wheels. Continue reading
Into the RhinelandGerman troops remilitarized the Rhineland on 7 March 1936, an act of military bravado that was just that – an act. Hitler took a big gamble. He won.
Continue reading
Wartime Pillboxes, Peacetime BritainBuilt to withstand the ravages of war, concrete pillboxes also defy time. Many are still standing. Continue reading
Hitler in Paris (1)This photograph “shocked the world”, according to the small print above the title of this slim volume by Don Nardo. As well it might: Hitler in Paris was the mother of all photo ops. Continue reading
Hitler in Paris (2)If they look, smell and waddle like generals, they must be generals – unless they are architects and sculptors and who knows what else. Continue reading