** Nazi economy transport








NAZI Economy: Transport

 Deutsche Reichsbahn Gesellschaft World War II
Figure 1.--The state-owned Deutsche Reichsbahn Gesellschaft (German State Railroad Company--DRG or DR) was perhaps the finest rail system in the world. With the Olympic Games, the DR planned to reap a windfall from foreign tourists in 1936. News began surfacing of the ugly, threatening anti-Semetic signs all over the country. [Menkis and Troper, p. 112.] The DR opened the Reichsbahnzentrale für den Deutschen Reiseverkehr Reichsbahn (Headquarters for the German Tourist Traffic--DVR) and desiminated huge quantites of sanitized tourist advertising throughout Europe. The DVR continued to operate after the Olympics. This DVR war-time advertising image show how Germans were faring in occupied countries, probanly taken in 1940 0r 41. BDM girls are passing out Christmas gifts to the youngr children. The DVR caption reads, "Fête de Noël pour les enfants des Allemands de l'etranger à la Auslandsorganisation de Berlin." (Meaning, "Christmas party for the children of Germans abroad from the to Auslandsorganisation Berlin.") The caption is written in French, the scene apparently occured in occupied France. Auslandsorganisation (officialy written Auslands/Organisation--Foreign Organization, AO) was the NAZI Party unit for Germans living abroad. The DR was apparently trying to promote traffic to occupied countries. At the same time the DR was delivering train full of Jews in horrific condutions to the gettoes being established in occupied Poland. After the invasion of the Soviet Union (June 194), such advertising soon disappeared as the German economy and th DR begn to come under increasing tress from the war.

The primary method of transport in Germany during the NAZI era , both before and during the World War II, was the rail system. Germany had one of the finest, if not the best rail system in the world. The German economy was dependent of the rail system and the Whermacht depended on the system for both the movement of men and equipment. A great deal of attention has been given to Germany's new Autobahn, but they actually carried little traffic. Most photographs of the Autobahns show thm largely empty with not cars and trucks or even a few. Actually the highly mechanized American Army would make more use of them in the final months of the war than the poorly mechanized, gasoline-starved Wehrmacht. River barges were of some importance, but it was the rail system that knit Germany together and crried the great bulk of industrial production, raw material, and agricultural products as well s passenger traffic. The rail system was state owned and managed by a German Government agency -- the Deutsche Reichsbahn Gesellschaft (DRG often DR for short). It was a civilian/commercial entrprise, only operated by the Government. This did not change with the onset of the War. Germany's economy still had to function and the economy was a primary support for the war effort. The need to move men and equipmen, however, became of primary importance. As a result the DR was placed under the guidance of the German Army General Staff (OKH) and a Transportation Division was established which issued aide range of regulations governing the operation of the DR. The whrmacht was not a fully mechanized military force and thus the railways were essential. But even the motorized units had to rely on the rail system. You did not drive tanks and atilley to the battlefield as well as other equipment and spolies, you transpprted thm by rail. The Wehrmacht establishd its own rail arm. Despite the military's control of the DR during the war, the DR also continued to operate to fullfill needs of the German civilian economy. As the War progressed and Germans conquered one country after another, the DR began supervising rail operations in these countries, as well as in countries like Romania which adhered to the Axis. The DR became deply involved in German war crimes, moving Jews to the ghettoes and death camps in Poland. The killing oprtions could not be effctively run without the support of the DR and large numbers of DR personnel were thus fully aware of just what was being done. And the DR alo moved slve and other forced laborers. The DR also played a central role in the explottion and looting of occupied countries. Given its importance to the German war economy, the DR becme a primary target of the the Allid trategic bombing campaign. Bomving rail lines was difficult and the damage easily repaired. This rail marhlling centers were the primary target and they of course were located in or near cities. Severe damage to the R did not, howver, occur until 1944. During 1942-43, the Luftwaffe effectively defended the Reich. Once the long-range P-51 escorts, were available the Luftwaffe was essentially destroyed in the skies over German cities (February-March 1944). The 8th Air Force bombing campaign was not pursued intensly, as Gen. Eisenhower was given control over air forces and the primary effort was focused on France and the support of the D-Day landings. The Allied Trnsportation Plan was a key part of the D-Day planning designed to cut off and isolate German forces in France, especially units on or near the landing beaches. Finally, control of the 8th Air Force was returned to the air commanders (September 1944). This is when the destruction of the German war economy and the DR began in earnest. The bombr's not only hammered Grmany's industrial cities and with them every rail marshelling yard of importance, but the P-51s and other aircraft came down on the deck and litteraly destroyed everything that moved throughout the Reich. By the end of the War the once extenive DR rail netwok no longer existed.

German Transport Systems

The primary method of transport in Germany during the NAZI era, both before and during the World War II, was the rail system. Germany had one of the finest, if not the best rail system in the world. The German economy was dependent of the rail system and the Whermacht depended on the system for both the movement of men and equipment. A great deal of attention has been given to Germany's new Autobahn, but they actually carried little traffic. Most photographs of the Autobahns show thm largely empty with not cars and trucks or even a few. Actually the highly mechanized American Army would make more use of them in the final months of the war than the poorly mechanized, gasoline-starved Wehrmacht. River barges were of some importance, but it was the rail system that knit Germany together and crried the great bulk of industrial production, raw material, and agricultural products as well s passenger traffic.

The Deutsche Reichsbahn Gesellschaft (DRG/DR)

The German railwayt system develpped in the mid-19th century as regiinal systems in the various German states. Prussia developed the largest system. The gobernment from the offset considered mikitary factors as wekll as commercial matters. This is something that did not occur in America and Britain. The Prissian system thus was primarily built arround military as well as industrial needs. The German rail system was state owned and managed by a German Government agency -- the Deutsche Reichsbahn Gesellschaft (DRG usuallynoften DR for short). It was a commercial entrprise, only operated by the Government. The Deutsche Reichsbahn Gesellschaft (DRG usually DR for short) was the state-owned German National Railway. It was created after World War I from the regional railways of the individual states that had been united (1870). The DR is believed to have been the largest commercial enterprise in the capitalist world in the inter-War era. It was extensive, complex, and highly efficent. The old saw that the trains ran on time is an understatement. The commercial nature of the DR did not change with the advent of the NAZIs or the onset of the War. Germany's economy still had to function and the economy was a primary support for the NAZI war effort. The DR did not benefit from the massive NAZI ream=rmament program. Little investmebt in the system sich as added rolling stock ware not made. Thus Germanybvwent to war with essentially the same rail system Hitker had inherited in 1933. This is important because significantly greater demands were put on the DR durung the War. The military did assume opperational control.

Military Controls

The need to move men and equipmen, however, became of primary importance once the War began. As a result the DR was placed under the guidance of the German Army General Staff (OKH) and a Transportation Division was established which issued aide range of regulations governing the operation of the DR.

Military Importance

The whrmacht was not a fully mechanized military force and thus the railways were essential. But even the motorized units had to rely on the rail system. You did not drive tanks and atilley to the battlefield as well as other equipment and spolies, you transpprted thm by rail. The Wehrmacht establishd its own rail arm. Despite the military's control of the DR during the war, the DR also continued to operate to fullfill needs of the German civilian economy.

German Control of Foreign Rail Systems

As the War progressed and Germans conquered one country after another, the DR began supervising rail operations in these countries, as well as in countries like Romania which adhered to the Axis.

War Crimes

The DR became deply involved in German war crimes, moving Jews to the ghettoes and death camps in Poland. The killing oprtions could not be effctively run without the support of the DR and large numbers of DR personnel were thus fully aware of just what was being done. They could observe how the Jews were being treated and how hundreds of thousands of people were being delkivered o small isolated camps where nothing further was heard from them. Countles images taken by the Germans show despeate Jews climing into nd descending from DR railcars or foreign railcars under DR control. And the DR alo moved slave and other forced laborers. The DR also played a central role in the explottion and looting of occupied countries.

Allied Strategic Bombing Campaign

Given its importance to the German war economy, the DR becme a primary target of the the Allid trategic bombing campaign. Bomving rail lines was difficult and the damage easily repaired. This rail marhlling centers were the primary target and they of course were located in or near cities. Severe damage to the R did not, howver, occur until 1944. During 1942-43, the Luftwaffe effectively defended the Reich. Once the long-range P-51 escorts, were available the Luftwaffe was essentially destroyed in the skies over German cities (February-March 1944). The 8th Air Force bombing campaign was not pursued intensly, as Gen. Eisenhower was given control over air forces and the primary effort was focused on France and the support of the D-Day landings. The rAllied Trnsportation Plan was a key part of the D-Day planning designed to cut off and isolate German forces in France, especially units on or near the landing beaches. Finally, control of the 8th Air Force was returned to the air commanders (September 1944). This is when the destruction of the German war economy and the DR began in earnest. The bombr's not only hammered Grmany's industrial cities and with them every rail marshelling yard of importance, but the P-51s and other aircraft came down on the deck and litteraly destroyed everything that moved throughout the Reich. This included trains, bothe locomotives and good trains. By the end of the War the once extenive DR rail netwok no longer existed.

Sources

Menkis, Richrd and Harold Troper. More than Just Games: Canada and the 1936 Olympics.






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Created: 1:44 AM 6/15/2015
Last updated: 4:25 AM 7/28/2020