Library of Congress, NARA, & Air University von Rohden Collections

[Richard T Eger]

Rather unique, the von Rohden collection in scattered amongst 3 U.S. historical repositories. The following are descriptions taken from two of the depositories on-line data bases and from an on-line bibliography of a paper:


<U>Library of Congress</U>

"Europaische Beitrage zur Geschichte des Weltkrieges II, 1939-1945 : Luftkrieg (European contributions to the history of World War II, 1939-1945: air war) / Hans Detlef Herhudt von Rohden, editor. -- Fourteen volumes; see notes in LC card in MicRR card catalog, under "Europaische Beitrage..." -- n.p. : 1946- . -- 13 microfilm reels ; 55 microfilm reels.

LC Call Number: Microfilm 1750

Describes the Luftwaffe's participation in World War II. The collection is of unusual importance because most Luftwaffe documents were destroyed before Germany's defeat, and the original documents (commonly called the "von Rohden collection") were returned to West Germany in 1967. They have been difficult to access by American scholars since then. These films contain unique documents, especially after reel 13 of the document section.

Further information on the history of this collection and on other collections of German World War II documents at the Library of Congress may be found in the Microform Reading Room's vertical file under "Rohden," and in the Manuscript Division under the title, Guide to Captured German Documents.

NOTE: Volumes 1-3 and 5-14 in German and English; volume 4 in English only.

An additional 73 reels of documentation is available at the National Archives under the number T-971, as well as an unpublished index to their contents. These additional reels contain much that the Microform Reading Room collection does not have, although they also duplicate many documents in the collection here.

LCCN: mic55-3119

GUIDE: Not in LC. "Die Entwicklung des Projekts R" is on a separate reel.

1. Germany. Luftwaffe--History--Sources. 2. World War, 1939-1945--Aerial operations, German--Sources."

Another reference to the same collection:

"Library of Congress
Microform Reading Room
First and East Capitol Streets, S. E.
Washington, DC 20240
(202) 707- 5471

Herhudt Von Rohden, Hans Detlef, 1899-? . Microfilm 1750.

Microfilm; 1943-1945; 68 reels.

Director of the German historical section of the Luftwaffe (1943-1945). This collection, known as the Von Rohden Collection of German Aeronautical Documents, originated from 32 boxes of documents stored at Maxwell AFB, Alabama. It was prepared under the direction of Von Rohden, and describes the Luftwaffe's
participation in World War II from the German point of view. It includes draft essays which he coauthored expressing ramifications of strategic air power. There are official records and documents ranging from those of the Fuhrer and the Reichmarschall to the individual luftflotte. Between May 1945, when Von Rohden was detained as a prisoner of war, and 1947 he was afforded the opportunity to investigate German air history. There are 13 reels of narrative in German and English, and an additional 55 reels of documentation. An additional 73 reels of documentation are available at the National Archives under the number T-971 [some of which are duplications]. ... The importance of the films lies in the fact that the original documents were returned to Germany c1967 and access has become very difficult for American scholars. For many researchers the films offer the only access. These documents are, practically speaking, the only primary materials for the history of the air war, since the Germans burned about 95% of Luftwaffe documents when the approach of Allied troops made Germany's defeat certain."


<U>NARA</U>

Record Group "242.9.3 Microfilm copies of the von Rohden collection of research materials on the role of the German Air Force in World War II

Textual Records: Collection, 1911-47 (73 rolls), consisting of studies, reports, texts of speeches, issuances, and other records, 1911

[Richard T Eger]

From 12 O'Clock High!:

Andreas Brekken
Abschussmeldungen, microfilms in the Bundesarchiv
Thu Mar 15 12:26:49 2024


Hi, gang.

I have just posted a topic regarding the microfilms of Abschussmeldungen at the BA/MA Freiburg to the LWAG site.

Please visit at:

http://lwag.org

and by the way, Freiburg WAS interesting!

Andreas

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

Don Caldwell
Too bad Indiana Jones is a fictional character...
Thu Mar 15 14:22:01 2024


...or we could send him after your "Holy Grail."

My cynical estimate, Andreas, is that BA-MA has fed you a line, and you swallowed it. I, too, have seen the famous "message under the glass". I've been asking for
specifics -- who, where, when -- for more than five years, with no luck. The two logical US archives, the USAFHRA at Maxwell and the NARA in DC, profess to know
nothing of any German victory claims documents, either in paper or microfilm form.

We'll need to get much more specific to find anything in the USA. The microfilm archivist at Freiburg promised to go thru their "administrative files" for the 1960s to find out
where the supposed originals were supposedly sent, but I've heard nothing. Perhaps there's an expert on the US archives reading this post who will take up the quest.

PS -- Do these C-Dokumente have RL-Bestaende?

Horrido!

Don Caldwell

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

Andreas Brekken
The holy grail
Thu Mar 15 14:42:03 2024


Hi, Don.

Well, they only have the C numbers as You and I have seen. The message I read was dated September 2024. Maybe they renew it now and then to keep us interested?

The only further "clue" I have is the reference to similar documents in the Von Rohden collection. (to be specific it has reference "4376/1407" in this collection, and the
"name" of this part of the collection is "Abschussmeldungen").

I haven't been able to access this collection yet, but I have found reference to it on the Internet on the NARA site. It certainly would suggest that some kind of information
regarding this topic made it across the sea at some time.

Herhudt von Rohden was as far as I know a high ranking officer from the historical branch of the RLM? who was given the task to analyze the Luftwaffe's actions during
WWII.

So, maybe he was the one who kept the Holy Grail?

And hey, I have probably somewhere between 30 and 60 years still to waste on this stuff..... and maybe one day I get lucky and find something of real interest to the
community?

Have a nice day, I am off to France for the weekend.

Andreas

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

G.R.Morrison
von R's Abschussmeldungen
Thu Mar 15 15:36:46 2024


Now don't get excited!
Some time ago I spent several days going through 'as many' of these rolls as I could. The contents are a mish-mash, with no 'logical' order -- or even relationship between
one series of frames and another. I did see some intriguing things, but also much -- for me -- 'junk,' such as a speech by Goering urging that Nazi values be maintained...
However, I did indeed come across a VERY few documents, including an eyewitness corroboration for a B-17 shoot-down by III/JG 3. The 'names' I recognized included
Alfred Surau, Ekkehard Tichy, Heinz Lange and Walter Dahl. The last two were the 'signers' of the documents, and as a curiousity, I noticed that the further up the chain of
command, the less-legible your signature.

These documents got me excited to continue looking, but alas, I'm afraid they were the 'singletons' in this collection. Remember, a great deal DID get burned.

Sorry to disappoint, GRM

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

Bob Korkuc
III./JG 3 B-17 Downing
Sun Mar 18 19:20:33 2024


Hi George,

Long time no talk. I was interested in this reference. Do you recall the date of the downing?

Also, since I came to you for questions on 381st BG B-17 42-37786 some years ago, I am proud to say that I confirmed that Curt Clemens of the 8th Staffel of JG 3
claimed credit for downing my uncle's plane on 25 Feb 1944.

Also, I was fortunate that I was able to locate the Clemens family in Germany and obtain photos of Curt Clemens and his ME-109.

Hope you are well!

Bob Korkuc
8 Pilgrim Ave
Merrimack, NH 03054
rek@korky.mv.com

[Richard T Eger]

The reader is referred to the "Archives in the USA" forum, "NARA microfilm" topic, for further discussion of the von Rohden collection.

Regards,
Richard

Dear LWAG:
At AFHRA,some of the von Rohden collection documents are to be found in various files in the Karlsruhe Collection, i.e. many of the Karlsruhe documents are designated with von Rohden series numbers such as 4376 or 4406. Also, right next door to the AFHRA at Maxwell Air Force Base, at the Fairchild Library, in the first floor reference area, is the microfilm area which includes some of the NARA T-971 von Rohden rolls. For my topic of pre-war German aircraft production and production capacity, my records show I researched the following rolls: 6,7,9,12,15.16,17,18,19,20,22,26,27,32.33,36,37,38 ,39,42,44,45,46,,51,52,56 and 58. These are only part of the Fairchild Library T 971 microfilm collection which itself is not complete. Fairchild also has incomplete sets of of the NARA series T 321, OKL documents, and T 177, Air Ministry documents.
The NARA, College Park, Maryland, T 971 microfilm collection is, of course, complete and is in the fourth floor microfilm reading room which is equpped with approximatley ten microfilm reader-copy machines as well as at least twice that many microfilm readers. Louis, the gentleman who runs the microfilm room, is particularly familiiar with the Captued German Documents collections. The College Park facility is the best research archive I've ever had the pleasure of visiting; immaculately maintained, gleaming five and six storey steel and green-tinted glass buildings set amidst the tree-covered hills near the University of Maryland. The microfilm room itself is just as well maintained and all the microfilm collections, kept in steel cabinets around the large room, are directly accessible to the researcher - no need to fill out request slips and wait for material.
The T 971 finding aid is now on-line at:
http://www.archives.gov/research/captured-german- records/microfilm/t971.pdf[*]
[*] note this direct link is not complete
Best wishes, Todd Martin
toddemartin@gtmc.net