Holewa, Herbert Franz Richard (Oral history)

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Description

Object description

German civilian with Reich Labour Service (Reichsarbeitsdienst) in Upper Silesia, Germany, 1938-1939; paratrooper served with 2nd Paratrooper Regt, 7th Air Div on Crete, Greece, 5/1941-6/1941 and Soviet Union, 9/1941-11/1941; served with 2nd Paratrooper Regt, Ramcke Parachute Bde, Deutsches Afrika Korps in North Africa, 8/1942-11/1942; NCO served with 2nd Bn Paratrooper Regt, 2nd Parachute Div in Soviet Union, 10/1943-5/1944 and France, 6/1944-9/1944; prisoner of war in France and No 183 A Camp, Quorn, No 22 Camp, Cannock and No 256 Camp, Market Rasen in GB, 1944-1948

Content description

REEL 1 Background in Silesia, Germany, 1918-1938: family; historical sketch of Silesia; education; membership of Roman Catholic youth organisation; his political outlook; employment; effect of Nazi regime on everyday life. Aspects of period with Reich Labour Service in Upper Silesia, 1938-1939: call-up for service with Reich Labour Service and work undertaken; attitude of German people to approaching war, 1938-1939; contact with Polish Police at Kattowicz, 7/1939. REEL 2 Continues: Aspects of period as private with No 17 Wireless Coy, Signals Corps in Germany, 9/1939-12/1939: call-up to signal unit; duties. Aspects of training as paratrooper in Germany, 1939-1941: transfer to airborne forces, 12/1939; reliability of Waffen-SS in battle; parachute training; firepower available to airborne units, 1940. Recollections of operations as paratrooper with 2nd Paratrooper Regt, 7th Air Div on Crete, Greece, 5/1941-6/1941: briefing for parachute drop, 19/5/1941; flight to Crete and equipment carried. REEL 3 Continues: his parachute jump at Maleme, 20/5/1941; advance on New Zealand positions at Maleme; capture of British prisoners at Maleme, 20/5/1941; capture of British stores at Canea; treatment of British prisoners of war; reputation of different national groups in battle; behaviour of German paratroopers in battle; relations with Cretan civilians, 5/1941-6/1941. Recollections of operations as paratrooper with 2nd Paratrooper Regt, 7th Air Div in Soviet Union, 9/1941-11/1941: role of unit on River Neva in Leningrad area, 10/1941-9/1941; quality of Soviet opposition on River Neva; his wounding on River Neva, 12/11/1941. REEL 4 Continues: opinion of quality of Soviet sharpshooter rifle; comparison of German and Soviet equipment, 1941; evacuation and hospitalisation; living conditions for troops. Aspects of operations as paratrooper with with 2nd Paratrooper Regt, Ramcke Parachute Bde, Deutsches Afrika Korps in North Africa, 8/1942-11/1942: positions on Qattara Depression, Egypt, 8/1942; airborne troops' attitude towards General Erwin Rommel; water discipline at El Alamein, Egypt; under British bombardment at start of Battle of El Alamein, 23/10/1942; his wounding at Halfaya Pass, Egypt, 18/11/1942. Aspects of operations as NCO with 2nd Paratrooper Regt, 2nd Parachute Div in Italy, 9/1943-10/1943: Allied use of fighter bombers on River Volturno. REEL 5 Continues: positions on River Volturno and opposing forces; need to conserve ammunition; relations with Italian civilians. Aspects of operations as NCO with 2nd Paratrooper Regt, 2nd Parachute Div in Soviet Union, 10/1943-5/1944: nature of fighting in Soviet Union; fatalistic attitude of German troops in battle; retreat into Moldavia and Romania, 5/1944; conditions for German troops in Soviet Union, 1943. Aspects of operations as NCO with 2nd Paratrooper Regt, 2nd Parachute Div in France, 6/1944-9/1944: rumour that German general had sold Brest to Allies; transfer to France; relations with civilians in Brittany; opinion of American forces; his capture in Brest, 18/9/1944. Recollections of period as prisoner of war in France and GB, 1945-1948: treatment by United States Army personnel in Brittany, 9/1944-11/1944. REEL 6 Continues: transfer to GB, 11/1944; reception of German prisoners of war in GB; degree of knowledge amongst prisoners of war of German concentration camps; camps he was held in; passive prisoner of war resistance in No 183 A Prisoner of War Camp, Quorn; nature of No 22 Prisoner of War Camp, Cannock; contrast between camp speakers in No 22 Prisoner of War Camp, Cannock and No 183 A Prisoner of War Camp, Quorn; removal to No 256 Prisoner of War Camp at Market Rasen, 8/1945; relaxation of security after prisoners of war helped put out forest fire near No 256 Prisoner of War Camp, Market Rasen; prisoner of war work he did; meeting English wife in Bawtry, 1950.

Object Details

Category: Sound
Related period: 1990 to the present day (production), Second World War (content), Second World War (association)
Creator: IWM (Production company)
Wood, Conrad (Recorder)
Holewa, Herbert Franz Richard (Interviewee/Speaker)
Production date: 1991-11-12
Dimensions: whole: Duration 180, Number Of Items 6
Catalogue number: 12340

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Holewa, Herbert Franz Richard (Oral history)

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