Wolfram von Richthofen

[crankcase]

Originally Posted by Michael_Dailey

I am an MvR fan myself but I wouldn't so quickly posit that he would have went after Hitler or would have not tolerated terror bombings, etc. He was a product of his country and his time. I seem to recall in his autobiography that early in the war when he was in the cavalry, he didn't seem to mind the idea of taking hostages, executing civilians suspected of spying during the German drive through Belgium, etc.

MDD

michael,
fair point... i also thought of MvR's attitude to events when on the ground (early days in the cavalry) but don't tip in the other direction: there rules of war sanctioned proportionality in reprisals against partisan attacks. while i also think MvR would not have gone the lengthf a von Stauffenberg (but then again, maybe he would have), i think he would have been nauseated by the barbarities of the nazi regime.

to add relativism and contextuality to the debate, i refer all interested to joerg friedrich's book on the "rule of war" (has it been translated into english yet?). it makes a convincing case that basically decent men on the german side slid down a slippery slope when confronted with eastern front wartime conditions. rommel fought a clean war in africa, because conditions permitted it (few civilians around). that is why i like to think that MvR's instinct would have been in favor of fighting cleanly, but when one is thrust into contradictory and ambiguous positions, who knows how we actually behave? the mystery of character, upbringing and human nature...
marc

[Dario_Silva]

in Spain

[Epee]

Originally Posted by Michael_Dailey

I am an MvR fan myself but I wouldn't so quickly posit that he would have went after Hitler or would have not tolerated terror bombings, etc. He was a product of his country and his time. I seem to recall in his autobiography that early in the war when he was in the cavalry, he didn't seem to mind the idea of taking hostages, executing civilians suspected of spying during the German drive through Belgium, etc.

MDD

MvR's "autobiography" is widely believed to have been heavily "edited" by the authorities before it was published. Modern research has shown that MvR's regiment had nothing to do with the execution of the "monks" mentioned and that in fact the men were probably priests and that the building was a school rather than a monastary.

In Russia MvR did hold an Orthodox priest as insurance of the townsfolk's behavior; the man was released unharmed. Oddly MvR uses the word "betrayed" when the priest is later approached by Cossacks. This may just be a clumsy translation but it also indicates that this priest was at least the acting local authority.

One very telling incident, not recorded in the autobiography, happened when MvR's patrol was fired on from a cottage. It was immediately surrounded and a handful of adolescent boys detained. Buckshot had injured a trooper's hand and a horse. Stating that he had "not yet killed anyone" MvR explains his reticense to execute the boys. As the house is searched the boys "somehow" eascape out the back with MvR's shooting his handgun at them, a shotgun is found and MvR has the cottage burned.

Now MvR's batman reported that MvR would have him set wine bottles along a wall "30-40 meters distant" and MvR would break all of the bottles, rapid fire, without missing with his handgun. I think he let the boys run, sent bullets whistling about their ears and burned the house as a message to leave the war to the professionals.

[Willi Von Klugerman]

Now MvR's batman reported that MvR would have him set wine bottles along a wall "30-40 meters distant" and MvR would break all of the bottles, rapid fire, without missing with his handgun. I think he let the boys run, sent bullets whistling about their ears and burned the house as a message to leave the war to the professionals.

Its quite plausible.MVR was a marksman as we all know due to hunting.He problably didn't like the thought of executing the boys and let them run,fire at them while intentionaly missing them.

[Frank_Olynyk]

Has anyone read the recently published biography of Wolfram von Richthofen? It was published in 2008 by the University Press of Kansas, written by James S Corum, and is over 400 pages long.

Frank.

[FliegerJG1]

Originally Posted by Frank_Olynyk

Has anyone read the recently published biography of Wolfram von Richthofen? It was published in 2008 by the University Press of Kansas, written by James S Corum, and is over 400 pages long.

Frank.

I have not read the book but it has mixed reviews on Amazon. Apparently it is heavy on Luftwaffe history and seems too light on biographical material on Wolfram.

FliegerJG1

[Gregvan]

Hi All,

Another (I I believe much more authoritative) biography of Wolram is currently being written by a well-respected British aviation/Luftwaffe historian. He has the cooperation of Wolfram's son. I've contributed a few bits & photos relating to Wolfram's WWI career. It will be a terrific book.

Greg