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Rarely seen WWII tools of warfare

While in Berlin I had the chance to visit the German Technical Museum, among its many fine collections are some of the rarer seen Nazi tools of warfare

"Biber" one man mini sub, used in the final months of the war as primarily a defensive weapon, most of the operators died of CO2 poisioning IIRC

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Some type of gyrocopter which i am unfamiliar with, since it is unpowered I assume this was an invasion or clandestine ops only vehicle which allowed the occupant to autorotate in.
If anyone knows more please post.

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one of the early flying wing glider prototypes I believe, i dont know any of the specifics
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V1 along with some other prototypes

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It was off hours and I was alone in this wing of the museum, I had the chance to spend some time alone in one of the original "final solution" rail cars...

it left me speechless for quite some time, I didnt expect such intense feelings
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Gyrocopter
"Focke-Achhgelis FA-230 Bachstelge the rotary-wing kite which was towed by U-boats to give their observers greater height" rotors are made of wood (ribs and skin) to lower the radar profile and because of shortages of lightweight metals.

Winged missle in front of V1 -
Henschel HS-293 - the worlds first radio controled glider bomb - launched from aircraft and guided visually. Used mainly against shipping it was responsible for sinking the Italian Battleship Roma when the Italian fleet surrendered to the Allies in September 1943.

Missle against the wall -
Rheintochter - two-stage anti-aircraft rocket, some were radio-controlled from ground based RADAR - two models Mark I at 20 feet in length and the Mark II 17 feet - quite effective but only 80 of the Mark Is were ever launched.

Incomplete missle -
Appears to be another glider bomb the Schmetterling. Some 60 were produced but never used. Like the HS-293 it had strap-on rocket boosters (4) to aid in launching. The pod on the bottom of the HS-293 I believe is the booster.

The flying wing is probably one of the many glider prototypes built by Horten to work out control problems. Jet powered versions were designed. Most of the construction was of wood.

Source - German Secret Weapons: Blueprint for Mars by Brian Ford copyright 1969 Brian Ford

Info on the Biber (beaver) can be found here

From Brian Ford's book (Regarding the researchs project of Draegerwerk company in Lubeck): ...the air purification apparatus they evolved for submarine use. It was designed to draw air from a midget submarine through a mixture known as "Kalkpatrone" (soda-lime) and then, after the addition of extra oxygen from a cylinder of the gas, the mixture was returned through a rubber pipe to the occupants. If the 'pilot' of such a midget submarine wished to conserve oxygen, it was possible for him to plug a mask-hose on an adapter on the outlet tube and then breathe it through the special injector apparatus and the soda-lime container, thus taking only the oxygen needed for his personal requirements. He breathed out through the mask, which contained a one-way valve letting the waste gases straight out into the compartment. Thus, though oxygen economies were effected, carbon dioxide accumulated in the atmosphere - although it was naturally, removed by passage over the soda-lime from the air he was about to inhale. This was not a good principle, and in later models of this type it was found to be preferable to allow the exhaled gasses to be passed throught the soda-lime before returning to the compartment. In this manner the carbon dioxide levels were kept low.
 
Very interesting. Thanks for the pics.
 
The rail car is very Interesting!

I notice a curious lack of "emblems" on those other items. I've heard that the swastika (and just about anything else reminiscent of Nazism) was outlawed in Germany but I wouldn't have imagined it would carry over to including pieces in a museum.
 
Amazing stuff, Av

The rail car is very Interesting!

I notice a curious lack of "emblems" on those other items. I've heard that the swastika (and just about anything else reminiscent of Nazism) was outlawed in Germany but I wouldn't have imagined it would carry over to including pieces in a museum.

Yeah, it's amazing how such a prominent symbol in history is outlawed even in museums.
I build a lot of scale models and I always get a little ticked off when they don't include the swastika on any of the German planes. (I would like them to be exact replicas.)
Pretty ridiculous, IMO.
 
That cattle car is not much different than the cargo containers the US and allies used in Afghanistan to hold and transport "enemy combatants". Nothing ever really changes except the names and places.
 
Not only is there a vast difference of scale (among other things), public dissent in the US can stop our leaders' mad rush to whatever it is they try to rush us to. NaN is otherwise 100% correct and it can seem that the only difference between Nazi Germany's crimes and those of other nations is that Germany was better organized. People of no nation should ever believe they're inherently less evil than those of any other. They might just be less organized.

As for the ban on the Nazi symbols, etc.; Germany went from being one of the most intolerant societies of all time to being one of the most tolerant in a pretty short time. They're struggling with "tolerance issues" now, but they made a pretty clean break with their Nazi past. Maybe the US would have more easily overcome its past if pinheads didn't have a Confederate flag to rally around. I'm not saying I agree with bans on symbols, because I don't, but it does make me wonder.
 
  • #10
I just mentioned the swastika cos it was such a prominent symbol of Germany of the era and it seemed to be emblazoned on everything. If I were at the museum I would have been the one to ask where the swastikas were. I would think they would have some amazing examples of propagandart, statuary, paintings, decoration, etc. not seen in books. Perhaps it was all destroyed by the allies or Germans after the war? Seems like they're kinda hiding the fact it was such a widely abused symbol by the Reich.

We generally like to think we are high minded enough not to get wrapped up in ideologies and symbolism as the WW2 Germans but I don't think this is actually so. Ideologies are always sneaky by capitalizing on "just the right moments" (national fear) and always seem to lead to idiocies (wars over territory, either idological or economic territory). I don't think any countries are exempt of this and none will lay it out in the way I said it, of course!
 
  • #11
I just mentioned the swastika cos it was such a prominent symbol of Germany of the era and it seemed to be emblazoned on everything. If I were at the museum I would have been the one to ask where the swastikas were. I would think they would have some amazing examples of propagandart, statuary, paintings, decoration, etc. not seen in books. Perhaps it was all destroyed by the allies or Germans after the war? Seems like they're kinda hiding the fact it was such a widely abused symbol by the Reich.

We generally like to think we are high minded enough not to get wrapped up in ideologies and symbolism as the WW2 Germans but I don't think this is actually so. Ideologies are always sneaky by capitalizing on "just the right moments" (national fear) and always seem to lead to idiocies (wars over territory, either idological or economic territory). I don't think any countries are exempt of this and none will lay it out in the way I said it, of course!

There are some amazing examples of propaganda and Nazi artwork not found in books. My grandfather brought back Nazi stamps, stationary, envelopes, etc. from a German Officer and I have never seen any images of similar stuff. Also when I did an internship at a museum I found several German Medals and ribbons I could not identify nor could I find similar images of these, all emblazoned with the swastika.

That said its sad that the Swastika, an ancient symbol used by many cultures, is now associated with one of the most horrific things in recent history. This symbol now invokes revulsion by many people when it once had a variety of meanings to many different groups of people.
 
  • #12
I did see a few swastikas in the museum but it was obvious that the intent was not to glorify the symbol itself. There was one train engine with the eagle with a swastika in its talons on the front, plus a small aviation display of nazi medals and some other paraphernalia.

“Collective fear stimulates herd instinct, and tends to produce ferocity toward those who are not regarded as members of the herd.” Bertrand Russell

Av
 
  • #13
Not only is there a vast difference of scale (among other things), public dissent in the US can stop our leaders' mad rush to whatever it is they try to rush us to.

Public dissent certainly has that potential within our blueprint, the question is whether you can get enough people dissenting to make a difference... like calling for war crimes tribunals for U.S. officials/officers involved in the authorization of or direct use of "water-boarding" against "enemy combatants" (a practice for which Japanese officers were apparently executed after WWII). That'll never happen. Great photos by the way, thanks for posting them. I wonder what sort of stuff will be in a museum of this nature in the U.S. in about 50 years, hmmm...
 
  • #14
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Thanks for sharing the pics Av, in their final days the Nazis came up with some strange last-ditch efforts to turn the war around.
 
  • #15
That said its sad that the Swastika, an ancient symbol used by many cultures, is now associated with one of the most horrific things in recent history. This symbol now invokes revulsion by many people when it once had a variety of meanings to many different groups of people.

I have a beautiful woven reed poison dart quiver from a South American tribe that is covered in Swastika like symbols. A friend brought it back for me from French Guiana. Can you imagine travelling down there and not going to see the Tepui's? Different folks, different strokes.
 
  • #16
That cattle car is not much different than the cargo containers the US and allies used in Afghanistan to hold and transport "enemy combatants". Nothing ever really changes except the names and places.

You forgot the rest of the story though..
the cars might be similar..but what happened to the occupants is very different..

I assume you are not actually trying to compare modern POW's in Afghanistan and their treatment by US forces to Jews and their treatment by the Nazis during WWII.
no one could really be that sick and demented..so im just going to assume you meant no such comparison..

Scot
 
  • #17
Yes, it is a shame that a symbol used by almost all humans since prehistoric times could be used for 15-20 years politically and ruined for essentially the rest of human history. Thanks to the current neo-Nazi movement many of the classic pagan Celtic / Viking symbols are falling prey to this trend of becoming ideologically linked to right-wing political and religious groups.

The Swastika: Symbol Beyond Redemption?
by Stephen Heller is an interesting read on the subject even if I don't agree with all his personal conclusions at the end. Mainly he concludes with the idea that certain people have a right to try to reclaim the symbol and use it to make (anti-fascist) statements and certain people don't... even if the statements are essentially the same. That in itself seems a bit "fascist" to me! lol!
Minus the last two opinion soaked chapters however, it's a very interesting book on the history of the symbol itself and of course it's more nefarious modern use. Lots of images I've never seen before as well.
 
  • #18
You forgot the rest of the story though..
the cars might be similar..but what happened to the occupants is very different..

I assume you are not actually trying to compare modern POW's in Afghanistan and their treatment by US forces to Jews and their treatment by the Nazis during WWII.
no one could really be that sick and demented..so im just going to assume you meant no such comparison..

Scot

No, but we must remain vigilant. Study 1930's Germany and then look at the last 8 years of the US politics and you will see some scary parallels. Remember the Nazis took power through the democratic process set up in Germany.
 
  • #19
to the general war topic:
All wars are fought over ideologies (enforcing political or religious philosophy) or 'economics' which is the expansion / acquisition of capital be it political or monetary. There are no other reasons, except the disguised excuses dished out by politicians, which can be legion. Simply examine the "excuses" for any war or action by any government with the question of "who profits?" (philosophically or monetarily) and you will begin to understand what I'm saying. In my eyes, all victims of war are the same, to indicate one victim group suffers more than another seems to me rather silly.

As far as Americans being able to "defend themselves against an out of control system" or sway the system once it's determined to put something in motion is a nice fantasy (especially of the gun people) but not something I've ever seen happen. For an example, the civil war was crushed and it involved nearly 1/2 the country and was 120+ years ago with nearly non-existent communications technology (pony express?). Any revolution to actually stop the activities of a malevolent US government today would have to be nothing short of a total and instantaneous "transformation" of national consciousness. In other words a "miracle". lol!

However the governments ability to perform that same transformational consciousness changing trick on the country is almost as miraculous until you understand how it works. There's a reason the government is referred to by some as a machine. All the aspects (parts) of the government PR engine working together; media + linguistics (labels), semiotics (symbols) and semantics (perception changing words) used by those in positions of "power" and "authority" can easily change a nations 'will'. They will make you believe it's your idea and of course the best ("only") option available. As a people, we believe we'd see it coming (some nefarious domestic political power) but I am not so sure, and I'm less sure about that all the time.
 
  • #20
My comment on all this neat stuff is if as much ingenuity had/is put into things like our educational system, Green technology, social issues, and all the other things cool....the world would be a lot better of a place!
 
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