Propaganda Kompanie on Board Prinz Eugen during Op. Rheinubung

[Antonio Bonomi]

Hello everybody,

I write to this forum just to see if I can obtain any help to fill up my informations about who took photos and film on board Prinz Eugen during Operation Rheinubung.

I know there were 3 persons taking photos : Josef Lagemann, Fritz Otto Busch and the Luftwaffe Arado pilot ( name still unknown to me )

There was a troup of persons taking film :  I have one photo of one of them, but probably were more than one person using the camera

Last there was a painter ( kriegsmahler ) taking sketches with carbon on paper, lately making oil colour prints and this guy was Julius Caesar Schmitz-Westerholt but I do not have a photo of him.

Does anybody have informations or photos that could give me an help  

Thanks in advance,  Antonio   

[redfort]

Hi Antonio,
folgende Besatzungen für die Arados ( 1. Bordfliegerstaffel 196 ) waren an Bord der PE bei Operation "Rheinübung".

(FF) Fw. Thiel
(FF) Fw. Scheel
(FF) Fw. Wilhelm Elke
(BO. zgl. 1. Fliegeroffizier ) Ltn.z.S. Kuhlenberg
(BO) Ltn.z.S. Hane
(BO) Ltn.z.S. Koenige

zudem ist am 16.05.41 von Putzig kommend mit einer Arado , ein gewissender Ob.Gefr. Flath .

Source: KTB der 1. Bordfliegerstaffel 196 Wilhelmshaven auf Kreuzer PRINZ EUGEN.

[Trimmer]

Hallo Antonio - wenn diese Aufnahmen vor dem 2.Juni 1941 entstanden könnte es sich bei dem Piloten um Leutnant Hane handeln. Flugzeugführer des Bordflugzeugs der " Prinz Eugen "der am 02.Juni 1941 bei dem Bombentreffer auf der "Prinz Eugen " in Brest genau wie der I.O Fregattenkapitän Stooß den Tod fand.  

Gruß - Achim-Trimmer

[Antonio Bonomi]

Hello everydody,

great info Achim, many thanks !!!   Danke schon !!!

YES, those photos were taken before June 1st, 1941 and Prinz Eugen entering Brest.

Do you know his entire name    Leutnant Hane ..... ( birthname ) ...


@ Redfort

many thanks to you as well,  a very complete set of infos.

Now I need to know the difference between FF and Bo  ( I guess pilot and gunner/observer )  and all their birthnames...... and than contact my source of infos to have the final confirmation about the name he gave me.

Probably it was  (BO. zgl. 1. Fliegeroffizier ) Ltn.z.S. Kuhlenberg having the photo camera and taking photos that day during the battle.

Here attached a scheme of Prinz Eugen showing the positions from were they were working during the Denmark strait battle.

To be noted the railing situation on Prinz Eugen during the battle, with railings folded down on bow and stern and around the main guns. 

Since the railings are present on photos and film it is a fundamental element to be considered to understand from were the photos were taken. 

  Gruss  Antonio 

[redfort]

Hi Antonio,
(FF) = Flugzeugführer / Pilot von der Luftwaffe
(BO) = Beobachter/ Observer von der Marine
1. Fliegeroffizier = kommandierender Offizier des Bordfliegerkommandos 1.196 auf PE

(FF) Fw. Julies Thiel, * 14.04.1914, † 23.02.1942
(FF) Fw. Hubert Scheel, * 15.03.1917, † 23.02.1942
(FF) Fw. Wilhelm Elke, † 29.09.1943
(BO. zgl. 1. Fliegeroffizier ) Ltn.z.S. Kuhlenberg ??
(BO) Ltn.z.S. Günter Hane, * 14.11.1917 in Berlin-Charlottenburg, Crew 1937a, †  02.06.1941
(BO) Ltn.z.S. Koenige ??

dies ist alles was ich an Daten bei mir habe.

@ Achim
Lt. Hane war kein Flugzeugführer sondern als Beobachter bei der 1. Bordfliegerstaffel 196 eingesetzt.

[Antonio Bonomi]

Hello everybody,

@ Axel,

simply FANTASTIC !  .....  WUNDERBAR !!!

This is what I was looking for,....  again it was probably the Fliegeroffizier - Ltn.z.S. Kuhlenberg that was on the Prinz Eugen signal/flag bridge with Schmitz-Westerholt taking some photos with his photo camera.

Now I have the name .... and someone to ask about it ....   Danke schon !!!

Hope to find some more infos on Schmitz_Westerholt and hopefully a photo of him now, ....   

Gruss  Antonio 

[Antonio Bonomi]

Hello everybody,

here the confirmation that one was surely Gunther Hane.

[Antonio Bonomi]

Hello everybody,

and here , still from F.O. Bush book  " The story of the Prince Eugen "  the confirmation of the work on sketches done by the PK Kriegsmahler  Schmitz-Westerholt, ... plus the presence of his friend the " Flying Master " that in my opinion should be the Fliegeroffizier - Ltn.z.S. Kuhlenberg. and he was the one taking some photos.

Very important to realize that what PK Schmitz-Westerholt did was just perfectly corrisponding to the truth, so his sketches must be considered as good as photos from the historical documentation stand point.

  Bye  Antonio 

[Ulrich Rudofsky]

Antonio:  here are some of the pictures by Julius Caesar Schmitz-Westerholt http://www.kbismarck.com/archives/signalart.html 
Also see:
Lütjens Auction https://picasaweb.google.com/116219861399977821152/LutjensAuctionCatalog# Lagemann's Photo of the Schmitz-Westerholt painting http://www.v-like-vintage.net/de/foto_details/75982_foto_Schlachtschiff+Bismarck+(Gemaelde)/ 

[redfort]

Hello everybody,

and here , still from F.O. Bush book  " The story of the Prince Eugen "  the confirmation of the work on sketches done by the PK Kriegsmahler  Schmitz-Westerholt, ... plus the presence of his friend the " Flying Master " that in my opinion should be the Fliegeroffizier - Ltn.z.S. Kuhlenberg. and he was the one taking some photos.

Very important to realize that what PK Schmitz-Westerholt did was just perfectly corrisponding to the truth, so his sketches must be considered as good as photos from the historical documentation stand point.

  Bye  Antonio 

Hi Antonio,
this is Correkt.
Flying Master = 1. Fliegeroffizier

1. Fliegeroffizier ist der stellvertreter an Bord für den Staffelkapitän der 1. Bordfliegerstaffel 196. Diese Position hatte jedes Schiff das ein Bordfligerkommando an Bord hatte. Ein Bordfliegerkommando bestand aus dem fliegenden Personal ( Flugzeugführer/Piloten und Beobachter/ Obeserver) und dem Bodenpersonal (Wartungspersonal der Flugzeuge, bestehen aus 1. Mechaniker, Flugzeugmechaniker, Funkgerätewart, Waffenwart usw. ).

[Antonio Bonomi]

Hello everybody,

@ Axel ( redfort )

Very good !!! Thanks for your infos and confirmations, those are very important to me on my researches.
Now we know who was the Luftwaffe offizier on the signal deck with Schmitz-Westerholt as described by F.O. Busch on his books : it was Ltnt Kuhlenberg.
Now I need to find Ltnt zur see Kuhlenberg birth name and a photo of him together with a photo of  PK Kriegsberichter/Kriegsmaler Ltnt J.C. Schmitz-Westerholt.

@Ulrich,

many thanks for your usual kindness on providing again those very important links to refer to.

This way everybody can take a look at the 4 sketches ( as referred by F.O. Busch on his book ) that Ltnt. Schmitz-Westerholt made on the Prinz Eugen signal deck while the Denmark Strait battle was going on.

Those 4 sketches were printed still during war time on several official Kriegsmarine publications and books.

Signal magazine on 1941; Von Hase book on 1942; Nauticus on 1942; and even more important on :  Schlasctschiff Bismarck Kreuzer Prinz Eugen bei Gronland am 24 Mai 1941 (which is a gift publication for every Prinz Eugen crew member that participate on the Denmark Strait battle printed on the second battle anniversary on 24 Mai 1943 and signed personally by Konteradmiral Helmut Brinkmann and with the crew member name on it ).

Here attached the 4 sketches made by Ltnt Schmitz-Westerholt and commented/signed by Kpt zur See H. Brinkmann of Prinz Eugen.

  Bye / Gruss   Antonio 

[bernd]

Hallo Antonio

der Kameramann ist Hans Peter Frenz.

Gruß Bernd

[Antonio Bonomi]

Hello everybody,

@ Bernd,

DANKE SCHON !!!!!!

absolutely fantastic, so that is the name of the PK guy taken on the photo in Gotenhafen with Kpt. zur see Helmut Brinkamm I imagine.

Do you know the other members of  his team taking the film on Prinz Eugen that day ?

I saw in France a book about Propaganda Kompanie teams assigned on Kriegsmarine warships through teh various WW 2 naval operations, but I could not have it and neither write the title, author and the editor.  Do you know this book ?

Bye / Gruss Antonio 

[Antonio Bonomi]

Hello everybody,

@ Bernd,

here attached the correct positions and passage at midship of Prinz Eugen used by  Josef Lagemann (photos ) and Hans Peter Frenz (film ) to take photos and film during the Denmark Strait battle.

On the main deck there was a way (passage) to go very quickly from port to starboard side of Prinz Eugen at midship, very close to the cranes as you can see on the attached drawing, this passage was between the funnel and the airplane hangar.

The confirmation of what I am stating here can be obtained by a careful study of the Prinz Eugen railing, both portside and starboard side well visible on photos and film.

Bye / Gruss Antonio 

[SchlPr11]

Hallo,
eine der wenigen Publikationen zum Thema:

"Die Propagandatruppen der Kriegsmarine"
Versuch einer Dokumentation
Teil I - Juni 1939 bis Juni 1940
1. Beiheft zur Zeitschrift "Die Wildente"
Hamburg 1964

Eine Fortsetzung hat es wohl später leider nicht mehr gegeben.

REINHARD