Castans' MvR book

[Someone]

I was particularly amused by the discussion of Richthofen's libido, or better said, the new directions it might have taken.

I quote:

Doch wo blieb Richthofen's überschüssige Libido? Eines der ganz wenigen innig geliebten Wesen in Richthofen's Leben war Moritz.

(Roughly translated: But what became of Richthofen's excessive libido? One of the few deeply loved beings in Richthofen's life was Moritz.)

As you may know - Moritz was Richthofen's dog. These two sentences lead into an entire paragraph describing the intensity of the pilot's love towards the animal without ever directly saying what the lead statement so strongly implies.
I don't know if it was Castan's intent to make such a ludicrous accusation (I doubt it), but his curious placement of text sure brought a grin to my face.

[rainbase]

Didn't Herman Goering have some kinda of bizarre affair going with a French farmer's sheep? As I recall, the story goes he had proposed marriage to the stinky, woolen covered object of his lust, but was forced to break it off when offered command of JG1. Originally, Herman had hoped to keep his "mistress" in a small pen behind his quarters but it just didn't work out.

[Someone]

I suppose an absurd course of speculation regarding the sexual exploits of a given subject is considered appropriate when trying to establish a psychological profile in a book devoted to the subject?
I am almost finished with the Castan book and found it very amusing. I agree with many of the points made here, particularly concerning the references to certain questionable sources and highly dubious qualifications. In Germany the book seems to have gained quite a bit of popularity since the "Red Baron" film (which I also found highly amusing), since it established a revival in interest for the subject. Particularly transient fans are usually taken by speculations into the psyche of their new hero, since they are mostly bored by too many technical details of planes and tactical warfare in the air.
I suppose the diaries of Kunigunde will also experience a similar burst in popularity as people go in search of references supporting the allegation that Manfred von Richthofen was not able to dance.

[FliegerJG1]

Originally Posted by Someone

I suppose the diaries of Kunigunde will also experience a similar burst in popularity as people go in search of references supporting the allegation that Manfred von Richthofen was not able to dance.

Manfred von Richthofen has been characterized in so many ways that it's a shame we don't have more first-hand account of who he truly was. He seems to have been a good student of the arts as he was able to dance and sing well. There's also a clue that he may have been a good amateur artist. If anyone is newly interested in the Richthofen story, the diaries of Kunigunde would be a great place to start!

FliegerJG1

[Someone]

Originally Posted by FliegerJG1

Manfred von Richthofen has been characterized in so many ways that it's a shame we don't have more first-hand account of who he truly was. He seems to have been a good student of the arts as he was able to dance and sing well. There's also a clue that he may have been a good amateur artist. If anyone is newly interested in the Richthofen story, the diaries of Kunigunde would be a great place to start!

FliegerJG1

Oh, oh, oh! If someone got their hands on the diaries of my mother, I would probably crawl into a dark hole somewhere. Mothers always tend to embellish and add a touch of character to their children that wasn't really there. I am still quite young, but my mother has already fabricated her own "Elisabeth myth" and presents this image of me to friends and family. It is only sparsely rooted in reality, since anything I do suddenly becomes an indication of possible talent. Do you think this was the case with Kunigunde's diaries, or do you see her as a bit more objective?

[FliegerJG1]

Even if one considers any embellishment that they might find in the diaries, there is still plenty of factual detail in there to use as a framework for further research. As with reading anything, one must use discretion. I really enjoyed her accounts of Manfred's visits home. Overall, it's an excellent account of the war years from her perspective and the most lengthy first hand account of Manfred and Lothar that we have.

FliegerJG1

[Someone]

I'll have to agree with you on that one.
Tell me something - what is the most you would pay for a 1937 edition of Kunigunde's diaries?

[Germanophile-1]

Originally Posted by Someone

I'll have to agree with you on that one.
Tell me something - what is the most you would pay for a 1937 edition of Kunigunde's diaries?

In response to the question, one German bookseller offers the book for 33 euros (plus postage & handling) as follows:

Richthofen, Kunigunde Freifrau von:
Mein Kriegstagebuch. Die Erinnerungen der Mutter des roten Kampffliegers. Mit 43 Aufnahmen aus Familienbesitz und einem Geleitwort von Hermann Göring. Berlin, Wegweiser-Verlag, 1937. 195 S., 8°, OHLdr.

nur minimal berieben und gebräunt, sonst tadellos, nicht gelockert, keine losen oder gar fehlenden Seiten.

Sprache: Deutsch

Preis: EUR 33,00

And one might obtain a copy at an even better price on German eBay. In any event, Mein Kriegstagebuch is an interesting book -- and Castan's cavalier use of it does not do justice to either Freifrau von Richthofen's book or a meaningful understanding of the life and times of her son, Manfred Freiherr von Richthofen.

Peter