Sunday 9 October 2011

100,000 'Steel Helmets' Goose-step in Berlin

The Daily Mirror dated Tuesday May 10th 1927

The Stahlhelm or Steel Helmet Nationalist movement was founded in Germany just after WWI by Franz Seldte, .During the 1920’s the Stahlhelm became increasingly anti-democratic and anti-republican and Seldte hoped that the organization could become a leading organ of a united right-wing movement. In 1931, he, together with Alfred Hugenberg and Adolf Hitler create the Harzburg Front, an alliance against the then current German Government.

He hoped to lead the Nazis into a government led by him, but soon realize that Hitler was the man of the moment and when, in 1933, Hitler came to power, Seldte joined as Reich Minister for Labour. Also at that time the Stahlhelm members were integrated into Ernst Röhm's Sturmabteilung (SA) militia.

He was captured and arrested at the end of the war but died in a US military hospital before being arraigned on charges.



Charles Nungesser was a French pilot and adventurer and a renowned ace in France, rating third highest in the country for air combat victories during World War I.

After the war, Nungesser mysteriously disappeared during an attempt to make the first non-stop transatlantic flight from Paris to New York, flying with wartime comrade François Coli. Their aircraft took off from Paris on 8 May 1927, was sighted once over Ireland, and then was never seen again.

Two weeks after Nungesser and Coli's attempt, Charles Lindbergh successfully made the journey, flying solo from New York to Paris in Spirit of St. Louis.



"I think you've had enough for your money"  Makes a change from the false ending where the artiste leaves the stage, waits for the applause to start to tail off, then bounds back on for an 'unexpected encore'.


"Well lass, that there wet stuff is the water and France is over yonder.  I would come with you but the Duck and Slug Ale House is expecting me for their Chef's Special eight course lunch. Don't forget to a send post-card."


Those were the days when everyone over the age of 10 smoked and the average life expectancy was about 60 years.  At those prices I'm not surprised.



Click on this and take a closer look. You are only a couple of answers and 84 years away from winning £100. I reckon 58 across is SOLO, 58 down should be SLY, and 63 across YEWS, but then 60 across is wrong!


If a man stood like this over a lady these days he'd be done for sexual harassment at the very least, and with a name like Rod La Rocque probably done for appearing in porn films as well.  Actually Rod made 104 quite legitimate films between 1914 and 1940.  The cast of 'Resurrection' includes one of Leo Tolstoy's sons, Count Ilya Tolstoy.








2 comments:

  1. An interesting article thank you. We recently visited the memorial Nungesser and Coli at Etretat, Normandy – some pictures here http://www.normandythenandnow.com/last-flight-of-the-white-bird-at-etretat/
    It’s a stunning memorial at the place Nungesser and Coli last saw France.
    Also posted is an old image of the original memorial blown up in WW2. Memorial styles certainly change!
    We are glad Nungesser and Coli and their bravery are not forgotten.

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  2. Thank you for your comment.Finding 'forgotten' stories is one of the delights of looking through old newspapers.

    Mike

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