|
The World War II bio section of our website deals primarily with the major figures in the war, including economic, military, political, religious, and scientific leaders with of course a ficus on the military figures. Much of the world's population was caught up in the War to varying degrees. And all of those people have interesting stories to tell, playing their part, however in history. One of these individuals is a young German junior SS officer. What makes Hartmann stand out is that he was an avid photographer. Many Germans convinced of theuir cubilising mission, took their camerras to war with them, to record theur exploits ikn the East. And he has left a fascinating photographic record of one young man's NAZI and World War II experience. His images showcase all kinds of interesting aspects, including confortable childhood, the Hitler Youth, Aryan certification, military training, Lebensborn marriage, SS assessment, military equipment, Ukranian friendship, the trackless East, racism, primitive infrastructure, and a sencelass death in eastern Ukraine. Through it all Hartmann remained a dedicated, loyal supporter of Hitler and the NAZI mission as was his young wife.
Hans-Jörg's father was Artur Emil Gottfried Hartmann was a cavalry officer during World War II. It looks to us like a family a conservative family in comfortable ciurcumstances. They appear to have grown up on a ciuntry estate. One photograph gives the impression of the Junker Class, reinforced by his calvalry role in World War I. He is described as a 'gentleman, business manager and land-owner'. This would have affected the family political outlook. They would have been very conservative and anti-Bolshevik and perhapos concerned about growing Polish populations in eastern Germany from which farm laborers were drawn. All of this would have drawn the family toward right-wing politics. And his father in fact becane a minor NAZI functionary. What many conservatives did not understanbd was that Hitler was intent on a revolution of his own, a fundamental reordering of society. Conservatives wanted to resist the Bolsheviks, not to reorder society.
We know that Hans-Jörg was highly nationalistic because he joined the Hitler Youth (HJ). We are not sure about other leanings as a young man, but nationalism and anti-Bolshivism would certainly have been a draw. We are less sure about anti-Semitism, but it is a possibility. And after a short time in the group, it would have been a fact. He joined the HJ before Hitler and the NAZIs seized control and mnade it mandatory. At the time the HJ was controlled by the SA and the boys acted more like SA thugs. They were older teenagers, not the 10-year olds that were inducted once the NAZIs conntrolled Germany. The HJ boys were vuirtually older teenage boys. You can see that in the groupo photograph of Hans-Jörg joined. Few girls were involved. This was not unusual in Germany. All the major political parties has uniformed youth auxileries. After leaving the HJ, Hans Jörg joined the SA (1933), but quickly transferred to the SS (1935). We are not sure just why, but suspect the Night of the Long Knives were a factor.
The rise of the NAZIs was a boon to geneologists. It became important to obtain an Ariernachwei
(Aryan certificate). This was a document needed to certifyied that an individual was Aryan. This did not nean German. It refered to NAZI racial doctrine and the core NAZI concept of a Herrenrass/Herrenvolk (master race). NAZI ideology which claimed the the Nordic or Aryan races, predominant among Germans and other northern European peoples, were at the peak of a racial hierarchy and uniuquely capable of creating high culture. Not only were other races seen as inferior, but some were seen as ciruopting culture--especially the Jews. Africans and Slavs were also demionized. Upon seizing power (January 1933), they immediatelt moved to begin implementing their racial doctrine. The NAZIs now controling the German state required all employees and officials in the public sector, including education. This was done by the Law for the Restoration of the Professional Civil Service (April 1933). To demonstrate this the Ariernachweis was required. It was also became a primary requirement to become a Reich citizen, for people of German or related blood who wanted to become a Reich citizens. This became more formally established with the issuance of the Nuremberg Laws (1935). Scandaavians in particular were considered to be Aryan. Al of this took place before anyrging was known abour DNA. The NAZIs primarily used skin, gair, and eye color as indivctors. There were all sorts of charlatans, looking for Government grabts, who tried to devedlop 'scientific' measures such as scull shape. There were two main types of Ariernachweis. Dirst was the Kleiner Ariernachweis (Lesser Aryan certificate) and the Großer Ariernachweis (Greater Aryan certificate). Hans-Jörg was one of countless Germans who compiled the dicyments needed for an Ariernachweis. As he wanted to be a SS officer, he needed the Großer Ariernachweis.
Himmler wanted to professionalize the SS, poart of his effort to make it very different than the SA. He wanted make it an elite force. To that end he set up the SS-Junkerschulen (Junker Schools). They were leadershipb training facilities for SS-Junkers, meaning SS officer candidates. The term Junkerschulen was introduced after the schools had been set up. The first two were established at Bad Tölz (1934) and Braunschweig (1935). Additional schools were founded during the War, for some reason rather late in theWar. They were opoened at Klagenfurt and Posen-Treskau (1943), and Prague (1944). By elite, Himmler meant character (defined differenbtly than we would tiday) and race, not education. The Wehrmacht's war schools required a secondary school diploma. The SS-Junker Schools did not. Training at these schools provided a entry inti the Sicherheitspolizei (SiPo--security police), the Sicherheitsdienst (SD--security service), and later for the Waffen-SS officer cadre. Hans-Jörg entered SS-Junkerschule Bad Tölz as an officer candidate, about ayear befire Hitler anbd Stalin launched World War II (April 1938). Here is the SS-Junkerschule of Hartmann, "Hartmann has a solid, impeccable character. Physically mediocre, his services are sufficient and better. In recent times, he has suffered from bad family circumstances; this is also due to the lack of concentration. Lack of front service and short training time still allow him sufficient achievements in practical service. His level of performance at the front is still uncertain. Guidance in and out of service was very good. In relations, especially with superiors, he is calm and reserved., yet trusting. Hartmann is still capable of development in his life and will become a useful leader with the appropriate performance".
The Lebenborn Program was one of SS Reich Führer Himmler's pet projects. It was based on Gernmany's falling birth rate which was not helpful foir a country preparing ba vast milutary effort and ruling much of the world. But Himmler did not want just any babyies, he wanted blond blue-eyed babies. And to achieve this, Himmler would launch a mass kidnapping effort in yhe occupied countries invoviong tens of thousands of children. The program began on a much smaller scale in the Reich. The SS set up homes for young women whio had goitten themselves pregnant. The father had ton be unidentified. Both had to be vlond and blue eyed. I am nit sure what lkevel of background checks were required. We think any of the afthers weree SS men (some married) who reported the women as potenbtial candiadates. Given spcial mores at the time, the women wanted to get as far away from home as oossible and fid not want to keep theit=r babaies. Theu were palced in suitable himes, oftn SS families. This involved some 6.000-8,00 babies, hardlyh a number that would have any impact on Germany' falling birthrate. Hartman's experience was differemt. Apparently one of the women at the Lebensborn home wanted to keep her baby. So they found a suutable husband for her. Hartman married Dorothea Hembes (October 1940). Sghe is the mother of the baby boy seen here (figure 1). Werner was born Lebensborn Steinhoring home (May 27, 1939). Hartmann adopted the child upon the marriage. Mother and son were moved to the SS family residence at Klagenfurt. We believe that such mnarriages were relatively rare. What we do not kjnow is how the two families took to this marriage and adoption. We jnow nothing about Hembes's family. We know that Hartmann's family was very conservative. We notice an evaluation at Bad Tolz indicating that there were family problems. This could have been part of the problem
The Waffen SS had played no real role in the Polish (September 1939) and Western Campaigns May =June 1940) amd displayed a level of military uncompetence. Only in the area of brutality and criminal behavior did they shine. This was what finally turned Anwehr commander, Admiral Canaris, against the NAZI regime.
Hartmann was assigned to Germania, replacement battalion (February 1940). His evaluatiin read, "Hartmann "is of moderate physical size. [Hartman was 5'8"] His official appearance leaves something to be desired. This small lack of appearance does not allow for personal performance. Hartmann has a tendency to softness as a superior, which has a detrimental effect on the education of underlings and men (especially in times of war). [However] through the influence of his company commander and his work on himself, he has acquired the respect and trust of his subordinates. He was involved in the Polish campaign as MG platoon leader and was wounded [in the upper right arm]. At his request and the existing inclination he was transferred to the [75mm] infantry gun replacement company.
Hitler promoted the invasion of the Soviet Unioin as a vast effort to save European civilization from Soviet Bolshevism. He hope to gain the support particularly from France, but Vichy refused to participoate. Himmler attempted a recruitment of effirt of his own. But was unable to obrain enough volunteers to even form one division. Hartmann was promoted to SS Obersturmfuhrer (August 1, 1940). He was attached to 4th company, SS regiment Nordland. Thus was as part of the cadre of German officers around which a foreign SS division would be built. The division progressed from a motorised infantry formation to a Panzer division. It was to be composed oif Dutch, Danish, and Scandinavian volunteers. It would be the 5th SS Panzer division Wiking. Hartmann was given command of 12th company regiment Nordland (April 1941). The SS division Wiking was composed of three infantry regiments: Germania (mostly German), Westland (Dutch and Flemish), and Nordland (Danes, Norwegians, and Swedes). Obviously such a limited number of colunteers from occupied Western Europe was not going to have any real impoact in the campaign against the Soiviet Union. Wiking was part of thev First Pamzer Army, also rerred to as Panzergruppe Kleist (Panzer Group Kleist) commanded by Colonel General Ewald von Kleist.
While occupied Western Europe had no interest with war in the East, the occupied East was different. The Germans were so brutal in Poland, there were be no interest there. But the sutualtiion in the Baltics and Ukraine was different. Here the Germans were treated as liberatirs--the inky non-German population to welcome the Wehrnmacht. There was interest in the Baltics because of Soviet brutality (1940-41), but even combined these Baltics were small countries. with small popoulations and caoabilitues. The Finns , anxious to regain land seized in the Winter War (1939-40), were interested, but only to retake lost land. They were not prepared to go further. Urkraine was different. This was a sizeable country where the Germans ciould have recruited quite a number oif divisions. Soviet brutality, especially the engineered genocidal Ukranian Famine. had alienated the Uktanian people. Hitler would, however, not hear of arming the Ukranians. They along with the Poles, BaltsBylorussians were among the proole slated for destruction as part of Generalplan Ost. Ir did not look like they would even be need in the ooening ohase of Barbarossa. This assessment of course changed as the campaign played out. Hitler was, however, implaccable. Eastern Europe was to be brutally ruled, not liberated. Ukranian nationalists attempting to set up a nationmal government were arrested.
Hartman's photographs give an excellent idea of the trackless expanses as the Germans moived East. In the West, the Germans reached the Hannel after only 10 days of tough campigning. Thast was the hardest part of the campaign. After that the British began oprepoaring to evacuate and French resistance gradually weakened. The battle was essentially won. The Soviet Union could not have been more different. The Wiking Division was part of Army Grouup South. It was not ready for combat until (June 29, 1941). That was one week after the launch of the operation. The iniintial action was fought near Tarnopol in Galicia, Ukraine. The Divusioin cut a swath through the central Ukra=ne. Much of the Soiviet tank forces were in Ukraine, so porgress was slower than repoorted by Army Group Center to the north. And depite huge success, Soviet resistance instead of diminishing gradually intensifued. Casualties nounted. But Harmann and his conmrads mover ever eastward toward a never ending horizon. What should be remembered is that Wiling was a motirized division. The men noived in trucks and other vehicles. This was not the case for the vast majority of the Ostheer which moved east on foot with their supplies carried on horse drawn carts. Can you imagine? Invading the Soviet Union on foot.
Hitler was well aware that his enemires outnumberred him and had vast resources. He calculated, however, that he could defgaet them one by one by superior fighting spiirit and high quality weaponry. He was half right. The Germans man fior man and unit fir unit were the most formidable fughtung firce of the War. And armed with the moderm tactical concept of Blitzkrieg, they scired imopressive victories at the omnset of the War, including the opening phase of Blitzkrieg. Weaponry was another matter. The Germans found in the Battle of Britain that other countries could build high performance aircraft and in greater mumbers that the Germams. Now in the Soviet Union, Hartmann does not mention it, but he photoigraphs Soviet tanks that are superior to the German tanks. The soviets tahanks to Stalin's Great Purges do not yet have needed tactiacl dictrine to fully utilize them. And the new modern tanks are just begining to aoppoear. If the Gerams could have defeated the Red Army in a swift summer camapoif=gn as in France, it would no matter. But if they failed as they did, they woukd have to face the Soviet tanks in a griueling war of attrition, a struggle theu could not win once Ameriuca came into the War. Germany with its limited resources was not going to win the War once it became a war of attriution.
Navigate the CIH World War II Sectione:
[Return to Main World War II A-L biography page]
[Return to Main World War II biography page]
[Return to Main World War Royal Air Force page]
[Return to Main World War II essay page]
[About Us]
[Biographies]
[Campaigns]
[Children]
[Countries]
[Deciding factors]
[Diplomacy]
[Geo-political crisis]
[Economics]
[Home front]
[Intelligence]
[Resistance]
[Race]
[Refugees]
[Technology]
[Bibliographies]
[Contributions]
[FAQs]
[Images]
[Links]
[Registration]
[Tools]
[Return to the Main World War II page]
