Order Castles of the Third Reich
Encyclopedia
A documentary motion picture, Order Castles of the Third Reich tells the history and purpose of the three NSDAP Order Castles, Ordensburg Krössinsee
, Ordensburg Vogelsang
, and Ordensburg Sonthofen
(a never-built fourth school was planned within the castle walls of Ordensburg Marienburg, once the seat of the Teutonic Knights
). Written and directed by R.J. Adams, the film captures all four castles as they appeared under the Third Reich and as they appear today.
by using current HD footage of each site intersped with first generation archival footage and never before seen photos. Also featured is Heinrich Himmler
's castle at Wewelsburg
, the finance school at Herrsching
and a complete tour the SS-Junkerschule Bad Tölz
(SS officer's training center).
The NS-Ordensburg program began in the spring of 1933 when Adolf Hitler
and Robert Ley
, Reichs organization leader visited a trade school in Bernau where both men became convinced that similar academies were needed to educate the Führer's rising generation, more specifically Hitler's political soldiers. The schools were planned in various remote locations such the Pomerania
lakes District in West Prussia
, the Eifel
in west Germany
, the Allgäu
in Bavaria
and along the Nogat
River in East Prussia
.
Requirements Ordensjunkers (Castle Squire
s) candidates were required to be at least 5 ft 4, between 23 and 26, racially pure and in good health and without any physical limitations. At the out break of the war a very high percentage of Junker
s were killed in action.
and Sonthofen
on April 24, 1936 by Adolf Hitler
, Krössinsee represented the program's first year of training and ending four years later at Marienburg
. Built by architect Clemens Klotz
, the Volkish styled complex of buildings consisted of numerous buidlins with granie foundations, rustic stone facades and thatched roofs and cost an estimated 20 million Reichsmarks to complete. The complex was laid out on a grid system and consisted of two 150 feet (45.7 m) towers, the barracks called the Kameradschafthausen, a court of honor, sports hall and mammoth administration building.
Adolf Hitler Schule In 1937, the students known as Ordens Junkers began sharing the compound with older boys of the Hitlerjugend, the Hitler Youth. These boys between 12–18 years eventually became the sole occupants of all three Castles with the Nazi invasion of Poland (1939) and the start of World War II
.
Classes began each morning at 7 am and included studies in philosophy, politics and world history. Afternoons were devoted to military drills, battle tactics, sports and equestrian techniques. The school was recognized for its outstanding equestrian program. The nearby lake provided the means for students to develop their rowing and sailing skills. The commanding officer of the castle was Otto Gohdes
On May 16, 1941, the Ordensburg was renamed Die Falkenburg am Krössinsee Castle Falkenburg at lake Krössin by the Robert Ley, the Reichs Organization leader and Minister of Labor.
Today, the complex is used as a military installation by the Polish Army's 2nd Battalion, 12th Panzer Brigade.
called the Eifel
. Built by Clemens Klotz
, the sprawling complex included the Adlerhof (Eagle court), a church like structure called the Gemeinschaftshaus (community house), Wirtschauftgegebäude (economics building), Haus des Wissens or (House of Knowledge), the Kameradschaftshäusen or (Barracks), the Burgsschenke or cantine, Swim and sports Hall. A massive building called the Kraft durch Freude
("Strength through Joy") Hotel with 2000 beds was planned but never built due to the outbreak World War II
.
The daily rountine consisted of 6:00 early morning exercise 7:00 muster, 8:00 - 10:00 project groups, 10:00 - 12:00, mess followed by lectures and afternoon sports, group projects 5:00 - 6:30 pm and rest at 10:00 pm. Studies consisted of National socialist race science, geopolitics and intensive sportive education (especially equitation). Another emphasis was pilot training, The curriculum included NSDAP race science, geopolitics and intensive sports education. Another aspect of Vogelsang's program was pilot training.
With the outbreak of war in September 1939, the Junkers were called to arms and the Castle was handed over to Wehrmacht
(German army
) and used for accommodating troops during the western campaign of 1940 and again in December 1944 during the Battle of the Bulge
. In the interim Vogelsang was transformed into an Adolf Hitler Schools, where members of the Hitlerjugend between 15-17 were given the same basic studies as the Junker
s as well as extensive training in military tactics.
Destruction came in the winter of 1944 an allied bombing raid destroyed the east wing and a portion of the south wing of the Adlerhof . In February, 1945 the site was occupied by the 47th U.S. Infantry division followed by the British army six months later and finally by the Belgian army. Renovated by Belgian military authorities, the compound became a training center for NATO forces from all over the world until it's closure in 2006.
Today the former Ordensburg is open to the general public and the surrounding area is used for hiking the trails of the Eifel National Park.
that the Junker
s would have begun their third year of study but in September 1939 when the war broke out the leadership course came to an abrupt end whithout anyone ever graduating from the elite program. However, the vast facility was to serve as an important facility when three hundred members of the Hitlerjugend (Hitler Youth
) were transferred from Ordensburg Krössinsee
to Sonthofen in 1937.
Construction began in the fall of 1934 but as with Krössinsee and Vogelsang, the project was never fully completed. Designed by one of Hitler's favorite architects, Hermann Giesler
, the huge complex underwent revisions and expansions lasting eight years at a cost of 150 million German Reichsmark
s.
Phase one which took two years to build was dedicated simultaneously with Krössinsee and Vogelsang on April 24, 1936 and included the Burg
(central castle) with its Ehrenhof (court of honor), Wohnhof (assembly grounds) and the east and west wings of the structure consisting of the Fuchsbau (Wolf's Den/cantine) and Gemeinschaftsraum (community room).
Phase two completed in 1937 included the Unterkunftsgebäude (accommodations or barracks building), Turnhalle (gymnasium) and the 140 feet (42.7 m) Palace (tower) which was completely functional.
Phase three consisted of the Schwimmhalle (pool), Musiksaal (music room), Gymnastiksaal, Technisches Haus, Seminarbau as well as several other structures.
Daily HJ schule schedule began with inspection at 6 am followed by a rigid class room study of German history, geography, Social studies, World history, studies in racial doctrine, fine arts and metal works. Sports and conditioning, a vital part of the program was conducted in the late afternoon. Skiing played an essential role during the long winter months. From 1936 to 1941, Burg Sonthofen was under the command of Reichstag
deputy Robert Bauer.
Following the war in April 1945, was occupied by the French military as a hospital followed a few months later by the American Army who established a training center for US Constabulary troops. In 1956 the facility was handed over to the Bundeswehr
and was re-named the General Ludwig Beck
Kaserne one of the principal players in the plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler
known as "Operation Valkyrie
"
's Nogat
river is one of the greatest castles of the middle ages
. Built during the 13th and 14th centuray by the legendary Teutonic Knights
, Marienburg
not only served as the order's principal fortress but during the Third Reich it was used as a Nazi shrine for mythical Germanic worship. Youth groups from all over Germany would descend on the castles to partake in a variety of ceremonies, rituals and theatrical pageants
. The leadership of the Reich found the strict military
and monastic life style of the Teutonic
order very conducive to the development and training the Führer
's rising generation.
Had the NSDAP leadership program continued beyond the second year of training at Vogelsang
the Ordensjunkers would've advanced from their third year at Sonthofen
to their fourth and final year at Ordensburg Marienburg. Within the shadows of the historic Teutonic
fortress where the legendary knights ruled the Prussian lands five centuries before, the Junker
s of the Third Reich would've completed their training just outside the wall of the lower castle.
, The Ordensburg in Sonthofen, Allgäu Wewelsburg from 1933 to 1945, place of cult and terror Historical photos of the Wewelsburg
Ordensburg Krössinsee
Ordensburg Krössinsee was placed near the city of Falkenburg in Pomerania, today Złocieniec Poland. It was the first of three NS-Ordensburgen, the educational centers for or cadres of the Nazi Party.- History :...
, Ordensburg Vogelsang
Ordensburg Vogelsang
Ordensburg Vogelsang is a former national socialist estate placed at the former military training area in the national park Eifel in North Rhine-Westphalia. The landmarked and completely preserved estate was used by the National Socialists between 1936 and 1939 as an educational centre for future...
, and Ordensburg Sonthofen
Ordensburg Sonthofen
The Generaloberst-Beck-Kaserne are barracks of the armed forces of Germany, the Bundeswehr, in Sonthofen in Oberallgäu.- History :The estate was built in 1934 as NS-Ordensburg Sonthofen by the German Labour Front for the NSDAP.Three NS-Ordensburgen existed:*Ordensburg Krössinsee, in...
(a never-built fourth school was planned within the castle walls of Ordensburg Marienburg, once the seat of the Teutonic Knights
Teutonic Knights
The Order of Brothers of the German House of Saint Mary in Jerusalem , commonly the Teutonic Order , is a German medieval military order, in modern times a purely religious Catholic order...
). Written and directed by R.J. Adams, the film captures all four castles as they appeared under the Third Reich and as they appear today.
Synopsis
A documentary film tour of Odensburgen Krössinsee, Vogelsang, Sonthofen, and MarienburgMarienburg
-The historical German names of these places:*Ordensburg Marienburg , the large brick castle built by the Teutonic Knights**Malbork, Poland, site of the Ordensburg Marienburg, formerly Marienburg in Westpreußen and during World War II, Nazi Stalag XX-B for enlisted men*Alūksne, Latvia*Feldioara,...
by using current HD footage of each site intersped with first generation archival footage and never before seen photos. Also featured is Heinrich Himmler
Heinrich Himmler
Heinrich Luitpold Himmler was Reichsführer of the SS, a military commander, and a leading member of the Nazi Party. As Chief of the German Police and the Minister of the Interior from 1943, Himmler oversaw all internal and external police and security forces, including the Gestapo...
's castle at Wewelsburg
Wewelsburg
For the village of Wewelsburg see Village of WewelsburgWewelsburg is a Renaissance castle located in the northeast of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, in the village of Wewelsburg which is a quarter of the city Büren, Westphalia, in district of Paderborn in the Alme Valley. The castle has the...
, the finance school at Herrsching
Herrsching
Herrsching am Ammersee is a municipality in Upper Bavaria, Germany, on the east shore of the Ammersee, southwest of Munich. Population is some 8,000 in winter, increasing to 13,000 in summer....
and a complete tour the SS-Junkerschule Bad Tölz
SS-Junkerschule Bad Tölz
SS-Junkerschule Bad Tölz was the officers' training school for the Waffen-SS. It was the SS equivalent of Britain's Sandhurst and the USA's West Point. The school was established in 1937, in the town of Bad Tölz which is about 30 miles south of Munich and the location was seemingly chosen because...
(SS officer's training center).
The NS-Ordensburg program began in the spring of 1933 when Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
and Robert Ley
Robert Ley
Robert Ley was a Nazi politician and head of the German Labour Front from 1933 to 1945. He committed suicide while awaiting trial for war crimes.- Early life :...
, Reichs organization leader visited a trade school in Bernau where both men became convinced that similar academies were needed to educate the Führer's rising generation, more specifically Hitler's political soldiers. The schools were planned in various remote locations such the Pomerania
Pomerania
Pomerania is a historical region on the south shore of the Baltic Sea. Divided between Germany and Poland, it stretches roughly from the Recknitz River near Stralsund in the West, via the Oder River delta near Szczecin, to the mouth of the Vistula River near Gdańsk in the East...
lakes District in West Prussia
West Prussia
West Prussia was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia from 1773–1824 and 1878–1919/20 which was created out of the earlier Polish province of Royal Prussia...
, the Eifel
Eifel
The Eifel is a low mountain range in western Germany and eastern Belgium. It occupies parts of southwestern North Rhine-Westphalia, northwestern Rhineland-Palatinate and the south of the German-speaking Community of Belgium....
in west Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, the Allgäu
Allgäu
The Allgäu is a southern German region in Swabia. It covers the south of Bavarian Swabia and southeastern Baden-Württemberg. The region stretches from the prealpine lands up to the Alps...
in Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
and along the Nogat
Nogat
-----------------The Nogat is a 62km long delta branch of the Vistula River and does not empty at Gdańsk Bay as the main river does.The Nogat has its origin near the city of Biała Góra as an anabranch of the Vistula River. Shortly after the river Liwa flows into the Nogat. Than the river passes...
River in East Prussia
East Prussia
East Prussia is the main part of the region of Prussia along the southeastern Baltic Coast from the 13th century to the end of World War II in May 1945. From 1772–1829 and 1878–1945, the Province of East Prussia was part of the German state of Prussia. The capital city was Königsberg.East Prussia...
.
Requirements Ordensjunkers (Castle Squire
Squire
The English word squire is a shortened version of the word Esquire, from the Old French , itself derived from the Late Latin , in medieval or Old English a scutifer. The Classical Latin equivalent was , "arms bearer"...
s) candidates were required to be at least 5 ft 4, between 23 and 26, racially pure and in good health and without any physical limitations. At the out break of the war a very high percentage of Junker
Junker
A Junker was a member of the landed nobility of Prussia and eastern Germany. These families were mostly part of the German Uradel and carried on the colonization and Christianization of the northeastern European territories during the medieval Ostsiedlung. The abbreviation of Junker is Jkr...
s were killed in action.
Krössinsee
Completed in less two years and deciated similtaniously with VogelsangVogelsang
-Places:*Vogelsang, Brandenburg, a municipality in the Oder-Spree district, Brandenburg, Germany*Vogelsang, Cologne, a city part of Ehrenfeld, Cologne, Germany-People:*Karl Freiherr von Vogelsang, Social reformer...
and Sonthofen
Sonthofen
Sonthofen is the most southerly town of Germany, located in the Oberallgäu region of the Bavarian Alps. Neighbouring Oberstdorf is situated 14 km farther south but is not classified as a town. Sonthofen is located at...
on April 24, 1936 by Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
, Krössinsee represented the program's first year of training and ending four years later at Marienburg
Marienburg
-The historical German names of these places:*Ordensburg Marienburg , the large brick castle built by the Teutonic Knights**Malbork, Poland, site of the Ordensburg Marienburg, formerly Marienburg in Westpreußen and during World War II, Nazi Stalag XX-B for enlisted men*Alūksne, Latvia*Feldioara,...
. Built by architect Clemens Klotz
Clemens Klotz
Clemens Klotz was one of Adolf Hitler's architects. After beginning his career focusing on residential designs in the Cologne area, Klotz received a series of prestigious commissions from the National Socialist Party's German Labor Front...
, the Volkish styled complex of buildings consisted of numerous buidlins with granie foundations, rustic stone facades and thatched roofs and cost an estimated 20 million Reichsmarks to complete. The complex was laid out on a grid system and consisted of two 150 feet (45.7 m) towers, the barracks called the Kameradschafthausen, a court of honor, sports hall and mammoth administration building.
Adolf Hitler Schule In 1937, the students known as Ordens Junkers began sharing the compound with older boys of the Hitlerjugend, the Hitler Youth. These boys between 12–18 years eventually became the sole occupants of all three Castles with the Nazi invasion of Poland (1939) and the start of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Classes began each morning at 7 am and included studies in philosophy, politics and world history. Afternoons were devoted to military drills, battle tactics, sports and equestrian techniques. The school was recognized for its outstanding equestrian program. The nearby lake provided the means for students to develop their rowing and sailing skills. The commanding officer of the castle was Otto Gohdes
On May 16, 1941, the Ordensburg was renamed Die Falkenburg am Krössinsee Castle Falkenburg at lake Krössin by the Robert Ley, the Reichs Organization leader and Minister of Labor.
Today, the complex is used as a military installation by the Polish Army's 2nd Battalion, 12th Panzer Brigade.
Vogelsang
The second year of study in the Junker program was held at Burg Vogelsang locating on a slope overlooking the Urft river in the region of west GermanyGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
called the Eifel
Eifel
The Eifel is a low mountain range in western Germany and eastern Belgium. It occupies parts of southwestern North Rhine-Westphalia, northwestern Rhineland-Palatinate and the south of the German-speaking Community of Belgium....
. Built by Clemens Klotz
Clemens Klotz
Clemens Klotz was one of Adolf Hitler's architects. After beginning his career focusing on residential designs in the Cologne area, Klotz received a series of prestigious commissions from the National Socialist Party's German Labor Front...
, the sprawling complex included the Adlerhof (Eagle court), a church like structure called the Gemeinschaftshaus (community house), Wirtschauftgegebäude (economics building), Haus des Wissens or (House of Knowledge), the Kameradschaftshäusen or (Barracks), the Burgsschenke or cantine, Swim and sports Hall. A massive building called the Kraft durch Freude
Kraft durch Freude
Kraft durch Freude was a large state-controlled leisure organization in Nazi Germany. It was a part of the German Labour Front , the national German labour organization at that time...
("Strength through Joy") Hotel with 2000 beds was planned but never built due to the outbreak World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
The daily rountine consisted of 6:00 early morning exercise 7:00 muster, 8:00 - 10:00 project groups, 10:00 - 12:00, mess followed by lectures and afternoon sports, group projects 5:00 - 6:30 pm and rest at 10:00 pm. Studies consisted of National socialist race science, geopolitics and intensive sportive education (especially equitation). Another emphasis was pilot training, The curriculum included NSDAP race science, geopolitics and intensive sports education. Another aspect of Vogelsang's program was pilot training.
With the outbreak of war in September 1939, the Junkers were called to arms and the Castle was handed over to Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
(German army
German Army
The German Army is the land component of the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany. Following the disbanding of the Wehrmacht after World War II, it was re-established in 1955 as the Bundesheer, part of the newly formed West German Bundeswehr along with the Navy and the Air Force...
) and used for accommodating troops during the western campaign of 1940 and again in December 1944 during the Battle of the Bulge
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was a major German offensive , launched toward the end of World War II through the densely forested Ardennes mountain region of Wallonia in Belgium, hence its French name , and France and...
. In the interim Vogelsang was transformed into an Adolf Hitler Schools, where members of the Hitlerjugend between 15-17 were given the same basic studies as the Junker
Junker
A Junker was a member of the landed nobility of Prussia and eastern Germany. These families were mostly part of the German Uradel and carried on the colonization and Christianization of the northeastern European territories during the medieval Ostsiedlung. The abbreviation of Junker is Jkr...
s as well as extensive training in military tactics.
Destruction came in the winter of 1944 an allied bombing raid destroyed the east wing and a portion of the south wing of the Adlerhof . In February, 1945 the site was occupied by the 47th U.S. Infantry division followed by the British army six months later and finally by the Belgian army. Renovated by Belgian military authorities, the compound became a training center for NATO forces from all over the world until it's closure in 2006.
Today the former Ordensburg is open to the general public and the surrounding area is used for hiking the trails of the Eifel National Park.
Sonthofen
It was at Ordensburg SonthofenOrdensburg Sonthofen
The Generaloberst-Beck-Kaserne are barracks of the armed forces of Germany, the Bundeswehr, in Sonthofen in Oberallgäu.- History :The estate was built in 1934 as NS-Ordensburg Sonthofen by the German Labour Front for the NSDAP.Three NS-Ordensburgen existed:*Ordensburg Krössinsee, in...
that the Junker
Junker
A Junker was a member of the landed nobility of Prussia and eastern Germany. These families were mostly part of the German Uradel and carried on the colonization and Christianization of the northeastern European territories during the medieval Ostsiedlung. The abbreviation of Junker is Jkr...
s would have begun their third year of study but in September 1939 when the war broke out the leadership course came to an abrupt end whithout anyone ever graduating from the elite program. However, the vast facility was to serve as an important facility when three hundred members of the Hitlerjugend (Hitler Youth
Hitler Youth
The Hitler Youth was a paramilitary organization of the Nazi Party. It existed from 1922 to 1945. The HJ was the second oldest paramilitary Nazi group, founded one year after its adult counterpart, the Sturmabteilung...
) were transferred from Ordensburg Krössinsee
Ordensburg Krössinsee
Ordensburg Krössinsee was placed near the city of Falkenburg in Pomerania, today Złocieniec Poland. It was the first of three NS-Ordensburgen, the educational centers for or cadres of the Nazi Party.- History :...
to Sonthofen in 1937.
Construction began in the fall of 1934 but as with Krössinsee and Vogelsang, the project was never fully completed. Designed by one of Hitler's favorite architects, Hermann Giesler
Hermann Giesler
Hermann Giesler was a German architect during the Nazi era, one of the two architects most favored and rewarded by Adolf Hitler ....
, the huge complex underwent revisions and expansions lasting eight years at a cost of 150 million German Reichsmark
German reichsmark
The Reichsmark was the currency in Germany from 1924 until June 20, 1948. The Reichsmark was subdivided into 100 Reichspfennig.-History:...
s.
Phase one which took two years to build was dedicated simultaneously with Krössinsee and Vogelsang on April 24, 1936 and included the Burg
Burg
Burg is the word for castle in various Germanic languages.Burg or Bürg or Buerg may refer to:*Burg bei Magdeburg, a city in Germany*Den Burg, a town in the Netherlands* Burg, former name of Melber, Kentucky...
(central castle) with its Ehrenhof (court of honor), Wohnhof (assembly grounds) and the east and west wings of the structure consisting of the Fuchsbau (Wolf's Den/cantine) and Gemeinschaftsraum (community room).
Phase two completed in 1937 included the Unterkunftsgebäude (accommodations or barracks building), Turnhalle (gymnasium) and the 140 feet (42.7 m) Palace (tower) which was completely functional.
Phase three consisted of the Schwimmhalle (pool), Musiksaal (music room), Gymnastiksaal, Technisches Haus, Seminarbau as well as several other structures.
Daily HJ schule schedule began with inspection at 6 am followed by a rigid class room study of German history, geography, Social studies, World history, studies in racial doctrine, fine arts and metal works. Sports and conditioning, a vital part of the program was conducted in the late afternoon. Skiing played an essential role during the long winter months. From 1936 to 1941, Burg Sonthofen was under the command of Reichstag
Reichstag (Weimar Republic)
The Reichstag was the parliament of Weimar Republic .German constitution commentators consider only the Reichstag and now the Bundestag the German parliament. Another organ deals with legislation too: in 1867-1918 the Bundesrat, in 1919–1933 the Reichsrat and from 1949 on the Bundesrat...
deputy Robert Bauer.
Following the war in April 1945, was occupied by the French military as a hospital followed a few months later by the American Army who established a training center for US Constabulary troops. In 1956 the facility was handed over to the Bundeswehr
Bundeswehr
The Bundeswehr consists of the unified armed forces of Germany and their civil administration and procurement authorities...
and was re-named the General Ludwig Beck
Ludwig Beck
Generaloberst Ludwig August Theodor Beck was a German general and Chief of the German General Staff during the early years of the Nazi regime in Germany before World War II....
Kaserne one of the principal players in the plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
known as "Operation Valkyrie
Operation Valkyrie
Operation Valkyrie was an emergency continuity of government operations plan developed in Nazi Germany for the Territorial Reserve Army of Germany to execute and implement in case of a general breakdown in civil order of the nation...
"
Marienburg
Nestled on the banks of PolandPoland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
's Nogat
Nogat
-----------------The Nogat is a 62km long delta branch of the Vistula River and does not empty at Gdańsk Bay as the main river does.The Nogat has its origin near the city of Biała Góra as an anabranch of the Vistula River. Shortly after the river Liwa flows into the Nogat. Than the river passes...
river is one of the greatest castles of the middle ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
. Built during the 13th and 14th centuray by the legendary Teutonic Knights
Teutonic Knights
The Order of Brothers of the German House of Saint Mary in Jerusalem , commonly the Teutonic Order , is a German medieval military order, in modern times a purely religious Catholic order...
, Marienburg
Marienburg
-The historical German names of these places:*Ordensburg Marienburg , the large brick castle built by the Teutonic Knights**Malbork, Poland, site of the Ordensburg Marienburg, formerly Marienburg in Westpreußen and during World War II, Nazi Stalag XX-B for enlisted men*Alūksne, Latvia*Feldioara,...
not only served as the order's principal fortress but during the Third Reich it was used as a Nazi shrine for mythical Germanic worship. Youth groups from all over Germany would descend on the castles to partake in a variety of ceremonies, rituals and theatrical pageants
Pageants
Pageants is an indie rock duo formed in 2011 and based in Long Beach, California. Its members consist of Rebecca Coleman on vocals and guitar, high school friend Devin O'Brien on guitar, and occasionally Lia Braswell on Drums...
. The leadership of the Reich found the strict military
Military
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
and monastic life style of the Teutonic
Teutons
The Teutons or Teutones were mentioned as a Germanic tribe by Greek and Roman authors, notably Strabo and Marcus Velleius Paterculus and normally in close connection with the Cimbri, whose ethnicity is contested between Gauls and Germani...
order very conducive to the development and training the Führer
Führer
Führer , alternatively spelled Fuehrer in both English and German when the umlaut is not available, is a German title meaning leader or guide now most associated with Adolf Hitler, who modelled it on Benito Mussolini's title il Duce, as well as with Georg von Schönerer, whose followers also...
's rising generation.
Had the NSDAP leadership program continued beyond the second year of training at Vogelsang
Vogelsang
-Places:*Vogelsang, Brandenburg, a municipality in the Oder-Spree district, Brandenburg, Germany*Vogelsang, Cologne, a city part of Ehrenfeld, Cologne, Germany-People:*Karl Freiherr von Vogelsang, Social reformer...
the Ordensjunkers would've advanced from their third year at Sonthofen
Sonthofen
Sonthofen is the most southerly town of Germany, located in the Oberallgäu region of the Bavarian Alps. Neighbouring Oberstdorf is situated 14 km farther south but is not classified as a town. Sonthofen is located at...
to their fourth and final year at Ordensburg Marienburg. Within the shadows of the historic Teutonic
Teutons
The Teutons or Teutones were mentioned as a Germanic tribe by Greek and Roman authors, notably Strabo and Marcus Velleius Paterculus and normally in close connection with the Cimbri, whose ethnicity is contested between Gauls and Germani...
fortress where the legendary knights ruled the Prussian lands five centuries before, the Junker
Junker
A Junker was a member of the landed nobility of Prussia and eastern Germany. These families were mostly part of the German Uradel and carried on the colonization and Christianization of the northeastern European territories during the medieval Ostsiedlung. The abbreviation of Junker is Jkr...
s of the Third Reich would've completed their training just outside the wall of the lower castle.
Literature
- Rolf Sawinski: Die Ordensburg Krössinsee in Pommern (Gebundene Ausgabe), Aachen 2004, ISBN 3-933608-77-5
- Hans-Dieter Arntz: Vogelsang - Geschichte der ehemaligen Ordensburg, Helios-Verlag, Aachen 2008, ISBN 978-3-938208-71-7
- Hans-Dieter Arntz: Ordensburg Vogelsang... im Wandel der Zeiten. Helios-Verlag, Aachen 2007, 64 S., ISBN 978-3-938208-51-9
- Hans-Dieter Arntz: Ordensburg Vogelsang 1934–1945, Beitrag zum DEUTSCHLAND ARCHIV – DRITTES REICH (Dokumente), Archiv Verlag Braunschweig 2009, Verlags-Art. - Nr.: 1202900
- Hans-Dieter Arntz: Ordensburg Vogelsang 1934 bis 1945 – Erziehung zur politischen Führung im Dritten Reich. Helios Verlag, Aachen 2010, 6. Auflage ISBN 978-386933-018-1
- Ruth Schmitz-Ehmke: Die Ordensburg Vogelsang: Architektur – Bauplastik – Ausstattung. (Landschaftsverband Rheinland - Landeskonservator Rheinland. Arbeitsheft 41) Rheinland-Verlag, Köln. 2003. (2. veränd. und erw. Auflage)
External links
- Official website,
- Military forum, The Ordensburg in Sonthofen, Allgäu Wewelsburg from 1933 to 1945, place of cult and terror Historical photos of the Wewelsburg,
, The Ordensburg in Sonthofen, Allgäu Wewelsburg from 1933 to 1945, place of cult and terror Historical photos of the Wewelsburg