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Wehrmacht History 1935 to 1945

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F8 Escort

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T6 Torpedo boat
Laid down 9 January 1937

Komet HSK 7 Auxiliary cruiser
Launched 16 January 1937

On 30 January 1937, The Enabling Act of Mar 1933 was renewed by the German Reichstag even though Frick's Interior Ministry had wanted the government to have a larger say, and the Reichstag to give formal assent to new laws. The formal legal principle was retained that laws were, in theory, approved by the Reich government as a collegium , and not by Adolf Hitler alone this despite the fact that Adolf Hitler had long abandoned any pretence what the State was governed by a collective leadership, and instead issued decrees and directives on his own behalf. In a speech to the Reichstag upon the renewal, Adolf Hitler formally declared the German withdrawal from the Treaty of Versailles.

On 6 February 1937, Nationalists start a powerful offensive in the Jarama Valley. Nationalist General Orgaz is in command of around 40,000 troops, most of them Spanish Foreign Legion and Moroccan cavalry, supported by antitank artillery, two battalions of Wehrmacht operated heavy machine guns. Wehrmacht ground troops under the command of the Condor Legion, Wehrmacht operated tanks and planes Condor Legion, and 600 Blueshirts under the command of the right wing Eoin O'Duffy.

Admiral Hipper Heavy cruiser
Launched 6 February 1937

Lützow Heavy cruiser
Laid down 8 February 1937

On 31 March 1937, Bombers of the Luftwaffe Condor Legion in Spain, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Wolfram von Richthofen, bombed the mountain strongholds of the Republicans, not easily reached by artillery, and battered the key village of Ochandiano before it was quickly taken by the Army of Navarre. In the same region, the Spanish Nationalist forces, commanded by General Emilio Mola y Vidal, began an offensive against Basque forces in Vizcaya with the intention of capturing the Basque stronghold of Bilbao.

Z3 Max Schulz Destroyer
Commissioned 8 April 1937

F8 Escort
Commissioned 8 April 1937

On 26 April 1937, Bombing of Guernica in Spain by the Condor Legion of the National Socialists German Luftwaffe in support of the Francoists. Three quarters of the town is destroyed and hundreds killed.

Wilhelm Gustloff Hospital ship
Launched 5 May 1937

Volkswagen was founded on 28 May 1937 as the Gesellschaft zur Vorbereitung des Deutschen Volkswagens mbH (Society for the preparation of the German People's Car, abbreviated to Gezuvor) by the National Socialist Deutsche Arbeitsfront (German Labour Front). The purpose was production of a vehicle that could hold two adults and three children and be able to reach a top speed of the least 100 km/h and cost around the same price as a motorcycle at that time. The prototype would become known as the KdF-Wagen and would be one of the first for wind tunnel testing. By 1939 only 30 Volkswagen KdF-Wagens would be built before the factory would be converted to produce military vehicles to assist the German Military. This vehicle was designed by Ferdinand Porsche's consulting firm, and the company was backed by the support of Adolf Hitler

Wallis Simpson marries The Duke of Windsor on 3 June 1937 at the Château de Candé, lent to them by French millionaire Charles Bedaux. The date would have been King George V's 72nd birthday; Queen Mary thought the wedding had been scheduled for then as a deliberate slight. No member of Edward's family attended.

Blücher Heavy cruiser
Launched 8 June 1937

Z6 Theodor Riedel Destroyer
Commissioned 2 July 1937

On 19 July 1937, The Republican army retreats at Brunete, overwhelmed by the Nationalist forces. Until today the Republic, at terrible cost, held the bulge they created in taking Brunete. During this period, the Nationalists concentrated overwhelming artillery and air power on the bulge, drawing upon supplies that had been accumulated for the Santander offensive; the Republican had no uncommitted reserves of men or weapons upon which to draw. Hundreds of retreating Republican soldiers, whose lives could have been saved by retreating while the Republican air force was still able to limit the freedom of the Condor Legion, die under the machine gun fire of Heinkel He 111's and Messerschmitts Bf 109's. Gerda Taro, companion of Robert Capa, is heavily injured by an accident during the retreat.

On 5 August 1937, The Soviet Union commences one of the largest campaigns of the Great Purge, to eliminate anti-Soviet elements. Within the following year, at least 724,000 people are killed on order of the troikas, directed by Joseph Stalin. This was an offensive that targeted social classes such as the kulaks, ethnic or racial backgrounds which were seen as non-Russian, and Joseph Stalin's personal

The Battle of Cape Cherchell was a naval battle between the Nationalist heavy cruiser Baleares and the Spanish Republican Navy light cruisers Libertad and Méndez Núñez in the Spanish Civil War, several miles north of the Algerian city of Cherchell. In the early morning hours of 7 September 1937, Baleares unexpectedly met a Republican convoy consisting of two merchant ships escorted by Republican cruisers and destroyers. Baleares was beaten off and badly damaged in the engagement, but the merchant man were lost when they tried to slip away along the Algerine shoreline.

Adolf Hitler, in a note to Brussels on 13 October 1937, guarantees the inviolability and integrity of Belgium so long as the latter abstains from military action against Germany.

Walter Warzecha
Takes command of the Pocket Battleship Admiral Graf Spee on 2 October 1937 to 1 November 1938

The Hossbach Memorandum was held on 5 November 1937 by Adolf Hitler and his military and foreign policy leadership where Adolf Hitler's future expansionist policies were outlined. The meeting marked a turning point in Adolf Hitler's foreign policies, which then began to radicalise. It outlined Adolf Hitler's plans for expansion in Europe. According to the Memorandum, Adolf Hitler did not want war in 1939 with Britain and France. What he wanted was small wars of plunder to help support Germany's struggling economy although the National Socialists never let on about their financial problems. Adolf Hitler wanted a full-scale European war with Britain and France between 1941, 1944 and 1945. The memorandum was named for the keeper of the minutes of the meeting, Adolf Hitler's military adjutant, Colonel Count Friedrich Hossbach. Besides Colonel Hossbach and Adolf Hitler, those attending the meeting were the Reich Foreign Minister Konstantin von Neurath, the Reich War Minister Field Marshal Werner von Blomberg, the Army Commander General Werner von Fritsch, the Kriegsmarine Commander Admiral Erich Raeder and the Luftwaffe Commander Hermann Göring.

First World War General Erich Ludendorff died at his home in Tutzing on 20 December 1937 at age 72. He was given against his explicit wishes a state funeral organised and attended by Adolf Hitler, who declined to speak at his eulogy. Erich Ludendorff was buried in the Neuer Friedhof in Tutzing.

Gallery

Komet HSK 7 Auxiliary cruiser
Admiral Hipper Heavy cruiser
Lützow Heavy cruiser
Z3 Max Schulz Destroyer
F8 Escort
Blücher Heavy cruiser
Z6 Theodor Riedel Destroyer
Heinkel He 111's
Messerschmitts Bf 109's

Sources

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