Goering's private train (Sonderzug) and staff; Luftwaffe officers at HQ Eastern Front; Romanian air force visitors
Creator(s)
- John C. Bechtler
- Paul Pleiger (Subject)
- Eitel Lange? (Camera Operator)
- Paul Koerner (Subject)
- Ms. Claranne M. Bechtler
- Fritz Goernnert (Subject)
- Kattengel (Subject)
Biographical History
Written note on can of 'Goenert" refers to Dr. Fritz (Friedrich) Goernnert, of Goering's administrative staff (Stabsamt), responsible for the Reich Marshal's three special trains; he maintained close contact with Martin Bormann & the Nazi Party. OSS Report on Nazi Art Looting names Goernnert and Gen. Kattengel [sic] among participants in Goering's structure for looting art in occupied Europe. The report describes Kattengel as working directly under Goernnert, and indicates Goering's private trains were used to transport much of the art looted from German-occupied Europe. The trains were named "Asien" [Asia] and "Robinson."
Paul Pleiger was found guilty in the "Ministries Case" (Wilhelmsstrasse Prozess) at Nuremberg 1947/48. Industrialist Paul Pleiger was General Director of the Reichswerke Hermann Goering.
Paul Koerner was found guilty in the "Ministries Case" (Wilhelmsstrasse Prozess) at Nuremberg 1947/48. Koerner was also a defense witness for Goering in the main (IMT) Nuremberg Trial. Paul Koerner was chief of the four-year-plan. He was also known as "Pilly" Koerner during the Third Reich.
Gen. Kattengel is included on the OSS report on Nazi Art Looting, described as working under Fritz Goernnert on Goering's administrative staff.
Scope and Content
Events seen may be 1941 to 1943, many are 1942. Brief scene of rifle practice at shooting range in Rominten, near Goering's HQ (train) with Luftwaffe men, including Eitel Lange, Goering's still photographer (see also Film ID 2551). Goering in summer uniform under trees with Romanian air force visitors including tall dark officer, & German officers, including Adolf Galland. (May be 4 October 1941 according to Goering photo album #39 at LOC) 01:00:32 - 01:00:36 glimpse of Goering's valet, Robert Kropp, walking unobtrusively behind the group, very close to the train. Goering & others walking, & next to train, talking, includes Romanian air force officers, Paul Koerner, Bernd von Brauchitsch. 01:00:48 L to R: (Unidentified), Goering, Gen.Kastner-Kirsdorf, Gen. Walter von Axthelm, (Unidentified). Camera pans left 01:00:50 - 01:00:57 Goering in conversation with many officers, seated at large round table next to train (Goering's moving HQ). Lunch under trees, round table with white cloth & flowers, passing photos. 01:01:17 Gen.von Axthelm facing camera, others seen from rear, including Goering's adjutant Jeschonnek and Gen. Galland. 01:01:28 3 officers in conversation, Josef 'Beppo' Schmid (head of Luftwaffe intelligence) almost facing camera; trees behind. 01:01:37 Camera pans to left. 01:01:45 L to R Galland, Axthelm, (Unidentified), Jeschonnek, Romanian air force officer. 01:01:49 Josef Schmid seen in several shots. Visitor & Paul Koerner greeting other officers, heil, walk to cars. 01:02:14 Cameraman filming. Views inside train. 01:02:34 Pan right out window to Goering, others outside at table. On the left, staff members and speaker (partly obscured by tree) [See Notes] 01:03:14 Goering's personal staff gathered in shirtsleeves, including Goernnert and (unconfirmed) Schwester Christa, Red Cross nurse in white, who administered Goering's drugs. According to Eitel Lange's book on Goering, they were listening to recordings of Reichstag speeches from 1932, in celebration of Goering's 10 years as Reichstag president. 01:03:20 Men at table with Goering include Jeschonnek, Galland & Schmid in white uniforms, probably Gen.Hugo Sperrle across table from camera 01:03:21- 01:03:27 Foreground, head of man photographing is probably Robert Kropp, Goering's valet. 01:03:47 CS Bernd von Brauchitsch, Goering's adjutant, seated at train window smoking. 01:03:50 Goering walking, visiting with nurses & wounded on, near train. 01:04:38 Civilian in train: Paul Pleiger. Pan to younger man, CU. Train moving slowly among trees. 01:05:-- Civilian, Paul Pleiger, industrialist, with Fritz Goernnert talking by train. (See Biog/Hist. Notes) 01:04:41 Barrier & sign: "Durchfahrt nur mit Sondergenehmigung". Small guard unit with rifles takes position. Cars arrive with Goering & officers, up & past. Goering's 2 regular special trains (Sonderzug) were called "Asien" and "Robinson."
Note(s)
Handwritten title on original film can: "Goering, Train, Goenert, Kattengell". Bechtler Collection Tape #5
See also Film ID 2544 and 2548 for additional scenes with Friedrich 'Fritz' Goernnert, on Goering's administrative staff and responsible for his 3 trains; the wavy-haired man who may be Kattengel or Kaltengel; dark-haired man in shirt and tie; and the man with glasses (photographer Eitel Lange). See Film ID 2841, Story 4624 for newsreel coverage (DW 627/38/1942) of same scene as 01:03:50 to 01:04:48.
See Library of Congress: Goering photo albums: 39-59 has multiple photos of the same two foreign officers with Goering and mention of Gen. Ionescu; also Jeschonnek, dated October 4, 1941 See NARA photos in Heinrich Hoffmann Collection, "FHQ" 5294, frames 8, 9, 10. Paul Pleiger wears same mourning band on lapel as in this film footage, dated 1943: Sept or Oct. Heinrich Hoffmann Collection on bsb-muenchen.de website dates it 14.-19. September 1943, and shows Pleiger with Goering, Bodenschatz, and Keitel at FHQ Wolfschanze during Mussolini's visit. See also FHQ 5149, 5150 & 5151, Frame 23, dated July 1941.
Subjects
- LANGE, EITEL
- GUNS
- SCHMID, JOSEF (BEPPO)
- TRAIN STATIONS
- CAMERA OPERATORS
- NURSES
- GALLAND, ADOLF
- TRAINS
- CAMERAS
- LUFTWAFFE (GERMAN AIR FORCE)
- GOERING, HERMANN
- AUTOMOBILES
- UNIFORMS
- NAZI OFFICIALS
- MILITARY OFFICERS
- SOLDIERS/MILITARY (GERMAN)
- ART
- WAR CRIMINALS/WAR CRIMES TRIALS
- GOERNNERT, FRITZ
- CIVILIANS
- INDUSTRY (GERMAN)
- WOUNDED
- BELOW, NICOLAUS VON
- GERMANS
- PHOTOGRAPHS
- LOOTING
- INDUSTRIALISTS
Places
- East Prussia, Germany
- Rominten, East Prussia, Germany
Genre
- Unedited.
- Film