Hanna Reitsch: Femal Heroe or Fanatic Nazi devil?

[rammjaeger]

I am interested in the opinion of everybody about Hanna Reitsch.

She is well known for her flying abilities and bravery as a test flyer but during digging in my older sources I found an article of 1970 by Manfred Jurleit. Jurleit wrote two brilliant books about the Me 262 during the early 90s - the best what I was ever reading about this topic.

Now it seems to me that Hanna Reitsch is personal responsible for the senseless death of some German SO-Flieger. SO = Selbstaufopferung or Selbstopfer means sacrifice oneself and is the German equivalent to the Japanese Kamikaze.

Hanna Reitsch
1. suggested (?) to use SO-flyers and
2. was inflaming or misleading young pilots to volunteer for this kind of flights.

An eye whitness, Unteroffizier Hans Joachim Hartung, had heard at first in 1943 about this idea. Later in Hanau he listened to Hanna Reitsch´s speech encouraging pilots to sacrify their lifes. Hartung became member of one of these commands but only a group of 20 of 50 pilots had to do their last flight on 20.April 1945. Another group of 17 died earlier on 16.April in a senseless attempt to destroy the bridges over the river Oder. Don´t know more about this activities.

Gentlemen, your opinion please!

[Billy_Bishop]

My personal opinion, she was a fanatical Nazi, right up to the very end.

I know for a fact that she was/is held up to the current neo-Nazis as THE Aryan woman. As recently as a year ago her story was repeated in several neo-Nazi magazines. It tends to resurface about every 2-3 years, depending I guess on who they're trying to impress.

Hannes,
She was probably one of Hitler's lackey's who was just trying to carry out his last orders for the destruction of the German people. She probably felt and thought that Hitler was a god, just like most of his non-military hierarchy did.
So as we see did "Goering" fit this mold to a tea.
VBR,
Jim

What the hell does this have to do with WWI aviation ?

I've read very little about Reitsch, but she was like Rudel, a Nazi to the end. As much as I would like to respect her as a great woman test pilot, I just can't. I think she was a bimbo.
Jeni

[Andrew_Smith]

Hi Gang,
Let me start by saying, Johnny Dollar I think you were short changed. Do you know of any Forum for WW2...... No? Then go spend a penny. You sound a little like Snoopy to me.(See the thread Manfred or Lothar)

As for Hanna, well anybody who would take a Komet for a test run must be either loopy or have complete faith in the Nazi war machine. I think she was the poster child for the Nazi Womens League, and probably had a thing for Adolf. You cannot just single her out as being a good little Nazi though I am sure that a few dollars changed hands.

Regards,
Andrew.

[rammjaeger]

Sorry Jeni,
I had realy forgotten to invite ladies. It will not occure again!

Hi Al,
I was not aware that Reitsch is so present in Neonazi-magazines because I ignore this typ of "literature". I read some Anglo-american books which were mentioning her surprisingly without every criticism. I remember also a photo with Eric "Winkle" Brown and Hanna Reitsch (during a meeting of former test pilots?).

Yesterday I got a more actual article about the SO-flyers. This article confirmed Hanna Reitsch suggested the use of SO-flyers already on 28.February 1944 (14 month earlier!) to Hitler.
On this day even Hitler refused the idea with the words: "The situation is not justifying such a measure."

Additional she insisted to take part in such a "last mission flight". Now I guess she was realy keen on dying for the leader. At least an older GDR-source is also reporting HR had the intend to die with Hitler in the bunker. But Hitler was nerved and told her to leave Berlin again.

[Vigilant]

Hannes, Off topic this may be but IMHO also fascinating. Since you asked, I think how we should remember her depends on the *details* of her conduct during the war. For example, to go to one extreme, if she had been personally shooting people in the back of the head in Poland I would regard her as beyond discussion. However, I also like the idea (evident in the 'chivalry' of WWI) that pilots form a kind of 'brotherhood' that surpasses differences of ideology or cause. So I guess it is a sliding scale. How far was she involved with the more 'optional' elements of Nazi practice?

Incidently I never knew the 3rd Reich had kamikaze pilots. Can you tell us any more?

I would also be interested to know what you have found on Reitch's career. I was meaning to read up on her when I had the time. But I think she:

(1) Test piloted a V-1 rocket (buzz bomb).
Surely even more insane/brave than the Komet.

(2) Was one of the last pilots to fly into Berlin and see Hitler in the bunker. She took a general (can't recall name) crammed in the back of an unarmed FW-190 and landed on the Ku Dam.

That General's name was General Ritter von Greim. He was a WWI PLM ace.

You may have recalled hearing about this flight in one of Jack Higgin's noevls. I think it was, A Game for Heroes, or something like that. I'll check when I get home.