Eric Chaim Kline, Bookseller - Old and Rare Books

Was jeder wissen muss (What Everybody Needs to Know) [BRESLAU/WROCLAW]

n/a

NP: NP, 1945. Original document. Loose leaf. Octavo (8 1/4 x 5 3/4"). Original orange flyer, text on both sides. Flyer air-dropped behind front line by the Red Army, printed "195 4/ 22/1945" at bottom of verso.

'Germany lost the war, everybody knows that. Everybody is asking now - what is to become of Germany after the war? Nazi propaganda scares you alleging horrors of Bolshevism, and goes on and on to say that the Red Army intends to destroy all Germans. Don't believe it!'

A quote of Stalin expressing the opposite follows.

'The war criminals, the culprit for the frivolous destruction of millions of human lives - Hitler and his clique - are not put on par with the German people.'

This is followed by a quote from Stalin's order No. 55 of February 23, 1942, stating that Hitlers are coming and going but the German people and state will remain.

'For a long time Stalin pointed out the causes of the suffering of the German people and shown, how it can find its salvation.'

Following is a Stalin quote from a little more than two months before the battle of Stalingrad, suggesting that the German people start understanding that it has to get rid of the Hitler clique.

The final three paragraphs address the soldiers, officers, Volkssturm (people's Guard) of the occupation force Wroclaw (Breslau). It lays out that resistance is useless, "you all know it," and implores these fighters not to believe the horror stories of Siberia, and promises that captives will not be deported to Siberia but send back to Germany if they capitulate by their own free will.

The flyer closed with: Stop the hopeless resistance! That way you will save your life for yourself and your families!

Text in German. Name penciled to top of front page. No. 229 stamped to top right front corner. Most of right and bottom edge with slight discoloration due to water exposure, not affecting text. Very good condition. Item #54025

Price: $750.00