When Hitler visited Linz, Austria after the Anschluss, by chance he encountered his childhood friend August Kubizek. Both became friends in Linz based on their shared interest in Richard Wagner. Hitler recognized Kubizek in the crowd even though that had not seen each other for decades. The last time being when they shared a room in Vienna as struggling artists before WW1. Hitler stopped his entourage and waived Kubizek over shaking his hand enthusiastically. They stayed in touch. Hitler inviting Kubizek to share a Wagner performance of the opera Renzi with him at Bayreuth in 1939 and 1940. Both guests of the composer Richard Wagner's grandson Wieland Wagner.
Read Kubizek's book "The Young Hitler I knew". According to Kubizek, the maniac Linz crowd flooded onto him. Causing great anxiety in this childhood friend.
@clarkewi that is one of the most interesting comments I’ve ever read about something I’ve never heard up but now how to find everything I can about. Thanks.
It's amazing he survived, he got the iron cross for it, which was rare for a messenger, it's almost like someone was looking over him to make it out of the war, it's like the future was planned by something more deeper, we don't know if the Nazis party would have developed the way it developed without Hitler, I wonder
Dr Felton, your ability to research and find intricate facts to present concerning the war stories you narrate always amazes me. We are definitely better off having a historian like yourself present the history of WW2. Thank you very much.🇺🇸
There were reports on incidents at Hitler's Prague visit. As he inspected the Westwall a few weeks later he drove through Aachen (Germany) not in an open car but an sedan with enhanced protection. This was caused by an incident in Prague where someone had thrown a flowerpot at Hitler (and is said to actually have hit him). I heard this as a personal account by my unlce who was part of the parade organisation in Aachen in 1939.
😂..a flowerpot.. Well, it’s at least an effort. But all these people who where opoosed to nazism and no one managed to kill these nazi subhumans.. That Prague attack was so lame…. Why run to the car and shoot… why not a couple of men with grenades throwing them in the car….. ?
@@BoliBompa-gw8bt Hm. I'm not happy with your comment. Calling a human being "subhuman" is exactly what the nazis did. Just because we were born later does not prevent us from falling into the same kind of thinking. Actually I think a lot of people are/were being killed by flowerpots. Maybe it actually was something more serious. I can only refer to what my uncle had been told back then. But he actually saw that Hitler had a bandage. And besides this at that point of time he was not necessarily regarded as the "evil" entity he became later. Even the Czechs got away quite well in the first years as Hitler kept to the promises in the contract that he had sealed with Benes to legalise the occupation (e.g. they were not drafted into the Wehrmacht). So although there were actual protests and demonstrations it more or less stayed calm in Bohemia and Moravia.
I'd love a video on the SS-Begleitkommando or Fuhrerbegleitkommando(Hitlers 8 man and eventually 12 man security squad). You never hear much about them in discussion and I think it would be a very interesting topic as they played a vital role in protecting Hitler throughout his career.
I've watched an interesting interview here on youtube with his (for lack of a better term I say) Stewart at the Berghof who was in close contact with the entire "inner circle" and many of the security detail. He said, compared to modern day security of a politician the security around Hitler was miniscule. Wether that's really true or not is up for debate but it seemed to be his honest opinion. If true, Hitler even said to him that he didn't need more security because if someone wants to get him he will anyway.. It's an intesting watch but it's in german and I can't remember if there are english subtitles.
Evan I didn’t even know about those security squads. Yes I knew he had his own personal bodyguards but never knew what they were called and how many men were in the squads. Now I do👍🏼
That unit was not effective in combat. They were hot stuff on the parade ground, but out of their depth in combat. In 1944 they were chewed up by Pattons third army in the battle of the bulge because as they were marching to the west, they were chewed up because they had no scouts on their flanks. A veteran outfit would not have made that mistake.
Dr. Felton, the image at 6:36 is not Prague, but instead is the second largest city Czech city, Brno. You can see the entrance to “Church of St. James” in the background and they are riding through the square now known as “Namesti Svobody”. The plague column on the left side of the image still stands, along with the church in the background. Funny enough, the corner building to the right of the image is now a Starbucks! I spent three years living there, I’ll always be able to recognize that square haha.
Always nice to pay attention to someone who introduces a documentary without taking side toward either direction and uses a polite language to inform us the events of the pass. This is the main reason why I appreciate the way you introduce us a documentary. Good job!
Kudos, Mr. Felton, not only for your superb research and presentation on lesser known but It intriguing events, but your masterful ability to pronounce German parlance. Guess the Germans can't help but create mile-long military terms and descriptions.
For exactness reasons, old ,military german' had so long words. In current ,military german' heavy influenced by english language, both for Kolonne ( army) and Geleitzug ( navy) the word Konvoi is used, as example. Mister Feltons german is not bad, but he has problems with german ,ch' sound, which is not spoken ,k'.
Fascinating video as usual. It is interesting to look at how the various war leaders approached the subject of their personal safety/security. Of the major leaders, Churchill was probably the most heedless of his own safety. Throughout the war he had only a single police detective permanently assigned to him, though on occasion this was augmented. But Churchill was breathtakingly indifferent to security, and often seemed to get a thrill out of placing himself in dangerous situations. On the other side of the Atlantic, US President Franklin Roosevelt was protected by the Secret Service, then a part of the Treasury Department whose normal job was tracking down currency counterfeiting. Unlike today, the Secret Service in those days was quite small and only around 15-20 men were detailed to FDR's security. This meant that there were rarely more than four or five men on duty at any given time. Making matters worse, FDR also enjoyed traveling in open cars whenever possible. This was partly due to his physical infirmity which made it almost impossible to greet the general public in any other way. When traveling, local police were recruited to augment security and plain clothes men were often stationed on the running boards of the presidential touring car. After the attack on Pearl Harbor Roosevelt's 1939 Lincoln K touring car was modified and became the first presidential auto to be armored and bullet resistant side windows were added. However, the car remained a convertible and FDR continued to ride top down whenever the weather permitted. This was also when the first rail car was delivered for the exclusive use of the president. A giant pullman business car named the Ferdinand Magellan; it was so heavily armored that it was believed impervious even to bombs. It was also air and watertight. But of all the war leaders, it was Stalin who had by far the heaviest security. The man was completely paranoid and had levels of security that would rival that of major leaders today. That might even be a good topic for a future video.
@@Rusty_Gold85 -Instead, they elected a guy who advised injecting bleach, stared at a solar eclipse, bragged about passing a dementia test, and tried to overthrow a democratic election. The world still laughs at Trump.
6:50 The Mercedes-Benz W31 type G4 6x4 (rear 4 wheels drove) was a German three-axle off-road vehicle first produced by Mercedes-Benz as a staff/command car for the Wehrmacht in 1934. The cars were designed as a seven-seat touring car or closed saloon, and were mainly used by upper echelons of the Nazi regime in parades and inspections, as they were deemed too expensive for general Army use.
I never ceased to be highly impressed at Felton's ability to produce so much archival material in photos, film and details. This video is one of his best. Hitler sure maintained a fleet of classy cars. He had pageantry down pat.
amazing detail and research.Once again,Dr Felton,you knock it out of the park.I notice in a few photos,Hitler appears to have a holstered,small caiber automatic pistol on his belt.I assume that would have been one of his Walther PP or PPK,perhaps just for ceremonial appearance or uniform consistency
I've been subscribed to you for years, I get excited when your theme song starts because I know something special is going to happen. Even better is I've been seeing you in television history shows more often and I know that the show is valid because you're on it.
I didnt comment in a while Mark. Still here though, still enjoying your unique and superb content! keep doing what you do mate, we love every bit of it!
Great video but I’m sad you didn’t mentioned the annexation and Hitlers subsequent visit to the Memelland in 1939. The region was part of East Prussia and was given to the new Republic of Lithuania in 1923. It was the last annexation and part of appeasement before the start of WW2.
@@Smudgeroon74 Gdansk was founded by the Polish king Mieszko and bot the city and the region has been and had been back then in Poland for the majority of its history. It wasn't stolen but given back to its rightful owner.
Umm, it was German-speaking and never should have been taken from Germany. Lithuania certainly never conquered it! They occupied it illegally. So what happened to Wilson and his "self-determination of all peoples?"
2 года назад+17
Hitler's unnecessary exposure shows his arrogance but he was lucky on many attempts against his life. Heydrich, another arrogant Nazi, would not be so lucky a couple of years later! Thanks for this audio!
Amazing! Another aspect is referenced in John Toland's book "Adolf Hitler" in which an excerpt references that occasionally Hitler would disguise himself, slip his SS bodyguards and go out on his own posing as a normal person to getaway from it all and to find out what the average German was thinking about the war and such. In the excerpt, he took along a friend, and they went to a pub for that evening before returning to his official residence. Of course these episodes upset his bodyguards, but what could they do?
The owner, surprised to see the German leader at his bar, asks if he’d like his top-notch bourbon on the house. “No thanks,” Hitler replies. “I’ll just take a screwdriver.” One screwdriver turned into 10 before Adolf called it quits and headed home. The next night, Hitler returned to the bar, but this time takes up the owner’s offer on the bourbon. “Even the best vodka can make a man sick if he’s had too many,” says the owner. “It wasn’t the vodka,” Hitler replies. “I blame the juice.”
Great video! Don’t know how Dr Felton finds the energy to unearth so much information and so many facts on a regular basis! I find these stories fascinating. Thank you!
Supplement: On October 5, 1939, when the last fights of the 1939 campaign near Kock were still going on, for the first time and as it turned out - the last one, Adolf Hitler came to Warsaw. There, in Aleje Ujazdowskie, decorated for the occasion with swastika flags, he received the ceremonial parade of the Wehrmacht, which entered the Polish capital a few days ago. The German dictator did not expect that the Polish resistance was planning to kill him that day. Although the first Wehrmacht units entered Warsaw on September 30, it was not until the following day - October 1 - that ten German divisions of the 8th Army of Gen. Johannes Blaskowitz were officially entered the city. It was he who, on September 28, together with General Tadeusz Kutrzeba, signed the act of surrender in the defense of the Polish capital, which heroically defended itself against the aggressor for three weeks. In order to humiliate the Varsovians, the Fuhrer decided to personally triumph in the ruined city. As it turned out later, this was the only visit of the Nazi leader to occupied Warsaw, the capital of the country which, as Nazi propaganda spread, "for hundreds of years had blocked the Germans' way to the East." October 5 at 11.30 the Führer landed with high dignitaries of the Third Reich at the Warsaw Okęcie. At the airport, he was greeted by Wehrmacht commanders, including generals: Blaskowitz, Gerd von Runstedt, Walther von Brauchitsch, Albert Kesselring and Walther von Reichenau. After arriving in Warsaw, Hitler changed into a limousine and, after driving around some city districts and seeing its ruins with his own eyes, went to Piłsudski Square (in 1940 it was renamed Adolf Hitler's Square by the occupation authorities). There he was greeted by some German troops. The main point of the program of the Nazi dictator's stay in Warsaw was the afternoon parade of the victorious 8th Army of General Blaskowitz on Aleje Ujazdowskie, one of the main streets of the city, part of the Royal Route. In connection with Hitler's arrival, the Germans took special security measures along the entire route. The traffic in Śródmieście stopped completely for a few hours - it was impossible to walk on the sidewalks or even look out of the windows. Inhabitants were herded to the gates or locked in their apartments, some had to leave them, others - were arrested as a precaution. Failure to comply with the orders was punishable by death, which was announced in Polish with megaphones. On October 5, 12 people were held hostage in the Capital City Hall, including members of the Citizens' Committee created during the defense of Warsaw: Zdzisław Lubomirski, Ludwik Józef Evert, Father Henryk Hilchen, Abraham Gepner, Czesław Klamer, Antoni Snopczyński, Artur Śliwiński, Witold Staniszkis, Władysław Baranowski , Antoni Baryka, Franciszek Urbański and Szmul Zygielbojm. All detained - according to the provisions in the act of surrender of September 28 - were to provide protection against acts of sabotage in the streets of the city taken over by the Germans. As it turned out later, they were also arrested in connection with the Wehrmacht parade marching through Warsaw. The actions of the German authorities were to ensure safety for the leader of the Third Reich. However, the fate of the war was close to a different course - the occupiers did not expect that the Polish resistance, established in the capital before its capitulation (September 27 - the underground Polish Victory Service), planned an attack on Hitler. His visit to Warsaw became a convenient occasion to conduct it. The plan developed by the head of the SZP, Gen. Michał Karaszewicz-Tokarzewski, provided for the deprivation of Hitler's life while driving through the streets of Warsaw. Its implementation was supervised by Major Franciszek Niepokólczycki, commander of the 60th Sapper Battalion during the 1939 campaign, chief of the Polish Armed Forces diversion staff. The co-workers of Maj. Niepokólczycki, among others Lieutenant Franciszek Unterberger, Lieutenant Res. Czesław Sawicki and Capt. Edward Brudnicki. Lieutenant Dominik Żelazko was responsible for delivering materials from the ammunition depot, a total of half a ton of TNT. They were placed in two boxes (250 kg of TNT in each) and hidden at the intersection of Jerozolimskie Avenue and Nowy Świat Street - one in the Railway Directorate building, the other - at the building of Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego, in a makeshift excavation. The detonation of the charges was to take place from the basement of Cafe Club, located at ul. Nowy Świat 15. On October 4, the plan implementer reported to General Karaszewicz-Tokarzewski about the successful completion of the preparations. Now only Hitler's passage was expected. Despite the fact that the next day the Führer drove through the area near which the explosives had been planted, the explosion did not take place. "Why the explosion did not take place? Tokarzewski explained to me after the war that he did not have any intelligence at that time and that the parade surprised the bombers. Niepokólczycki did not get there that morning (October 5), because the Germans closed access to the streets where Hitler was supposed to pass. The officer present at the scene received an order to act on his own, but only in the event that he saw Hitler himself in front of him. courier of the Polish Underground State. Stefan Korboński, the last Delegate of the Government of the Republic of Poland to Poland, recalled that the attack failed as a result of the Germans cleaning the streets of Warsaw, "which pushed the observers from their positions, so that the person who was supposed to launch the explosive from the neighboring ruins did not receive an appropriate signal, and she was unable to see Hitler passing by herself. " It was not certain that Hitler or his closest associates were driving in the column of cars passing through the intersection where the explosives were hidden. "It is hard to guess today how the war would have turned out if it were not for this one second of hesitation. It is only certain that if Hitler and his surroundings died at that moment, the Germans would have unleashed all their fury on the defenseless population of Warsaw and the defeated country. It is difficult to imagine the extent of the massacre, from which he was separated by one hand movement "- pondered Nowak-Jeziorański. After the parade, Hitler visited the Belweder Palace, where he paid a visit to the office of Marshal Józef Piłsudski, who died in 1935. Then he hastily returned by air to Berlin. The explosives, which were to kill the Nazi leader, were discovered on October 5, during the cleaning work after the parade. Earlier, on April 18, 1932, the attack on Adolf Hitler in Bobrek was one of the first officially mentioned attempts on his life, but very little known. Polish historians did not take up the topic - then Bobrek, now a district of Bytom (Upper Silesia), was located in Germany. The assassins were workers in local plants and were associated with the communists. Soon, not only Nazism, but also Moscow, will cut through the ranks of this group due to the purges. The plan to get rid of Hitler was made when his arrival in Bytom for the pre-election rally was announced. But - which the conspirators did not know - he was already accompanied by the "guardian devil", who allowed Hitler to escape from each attack. But that is a topic to be told for another occasion.
You invented this, and putting quotation marks around your own words is dishonest: as Nazi propaganda spread, "for hundreds of years had blocked the Germans' way to the East."
I'm man enough to admit that I get the same thrill when I here Mr. Felton's intro music that I got when I was a kid and 'In Search Of with Leonard Nimoy', 'National Geographic Presents' or 'Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom' came on TV on Saturday nights. Mr. Felton, you're a treasure. I will absorb what you post. Please keep up the good work!
It's one of history's ironies that so many people wanted him dead, and tried multiple times, but in the end, the only one who managed to succeed was himself.
@@stuartvasepuru1423 i always assumed stalin wanted him dragged like mussolini but bringing him back to moscow for trial would have been huge for the soviets
"Much to the surprise of his German Generals Hitler personally presided over a troop review of the German Wehrmacht in Downtown Warsaw" arguably one of the most spectacular videos of World War 2. The context of how this was even possible would be greatly appreciated as it was hardly a surprise to Hitler that he could do this..
Great work as always. Just watched a Netflix movie last night: Munich-The Edge of War. Then watched your video this morning. It was like you needed to give me background for the film. Thanks for all the hard work.
Mark why don’t you upload the audio files from your war stories as podcast episodes? I would love to have these to listen to and I’m sure many others would too.
A small mistake; von Below was not Hitler's Wehrmacht adjutant but his Luftwaffe adjutant. Otherwise many thanks for once again a great video from you!
@@Kozzzmozzz7 von Below was Luftwaffe adjutant en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicolaus_von_Below and Rudolf Schmundt was Wehrmacht adjutant 1938-44 and Wilhelm Burgdorf 1944-45
I live in a medium sized city in the NW part of the US. I work in a service industry. I worked on a project at a woman's house who was born in Germany but migrated with her parents to the US. She was Very young so she speaks with NO accent. During one of our conversations picking up on the fact that I am interested in history she mentioned that her grandfather was Hitler's driver. I was amazed! Later I worked for her father as a referral from her. As I was most interested that it was HIS father that was the driver I brought the subject up. He was NOT interested in Anyway to speak of it and changed the subject Immediately so I dropped it. However how often do you meet people that close to history?
I cant imagine how uncomfortable this made her father feel. I for one do not hold him at fault for was his father/family did, but I dont speak for everyone.
@@scallie6462 Yes and I realized MY interest in history should have been tempered with courtesy as I too would NOT hold him accountable for his father. After I asked I realized it put him on the spot.
The man had balls, I'll give him that. Compare him going to the front lines with any other "leader" who all did/do stay as far away from what they wrought as they possibly can.
I really like that even when doing audio episodes you still add some relevant photos to serve as visual aid. I was getting tired of the old audio episodes with a static photo.
In photo at 2:20, Guy in the very back RIGHT hand side looks like Max Wunsche. He would go on to have a distinguished career in waffen SS including commands held with the 1st and 12SS in the panzer regiment
It’s him, good catch. I once found SS Staff Sgt. Rochus Misch in an Eva Braun video on RUclips and you can see that he was really close to the inner circle.
Hitler did not feel it, as he believed in "Vorsehung" (Providence) which he made clear in the bomb attack on him by Georg Elser. For his bodyguards, it was a nightmare.
He must have been tripping, must have been thinking this is destiny, think about it, how do you go from being a artist, and dreams of being a artist in 1912 to being a god 20 years later
A video devoted to Noel Mason-MacFarlane would be interesting. There's a good fictionalised novel based on him, called Midnight in Berlin, by author James MacManus. The plot features the bordello made (in)famous in Tinto Brass's 1976 film Salon Kitty.
I would love a video on the MEK, Marine Einsatzkommando, specifically MEK 71, I really have trouble finding information on their operations. Great work Mark.
The failed assassination attempt in Warsaw nobody even knew about until much later has got to be one of the biggest JUST moments of the war. Whoever assembled that IED which failed to explode must have cursed themselves for the rest of their life (if they even survived the war).
My mom's family was living in Gogolin during Hitler's stop there from September 13-17, 1939. His train was drawn onto an unused siding along the Gogolin - Neustadt railway line by the woods near Karlubitz. A considerable amount of visiting with the local populace occurred. A large German Army field kitchen fed Hitler’s entourage and the townsfolk alike. My grandmother did not have to cook dinner for the family during the entire visit. At one point, my Mom and one of her friends had their photo taken standing on the running board of Hitler’s armor-plated touring car while handing him flowers. This photo, along with many others, was left behind when they evacuated ahead of advancing Soviet forces in mid-January 1945.
Its just mind-blowing of how close Hitler could have been stopped in these situations. No wonder he believed that Destiny was on his side and that he was invincible.
When Hitler visited Linz, Austria after the Anschluss, by chance he encountered his childhood friend August Kubizek. Both became friends in Linz based on their shared interest in Richard Wagner. Hitler recognized Kubizek in the crowd even though that had not seen each other for decades. The last time being when they shared a room in Vienna as struggling artists before WW1. Hitler stopped his entourage and waived Kubizek over shaking his hand enthusiastically. They stayed in touch. Hitler inviting Kubizek to share a Wagner performance of the opera Renzi with him at Bayreuth in 1939 and 1940. Both guests of the composer Richard Wagner's grandson Wieland Wagner.
Jeez never new that , and iv studied this era.
Read Kubizek's book "The Young Hitler I knew". According to Kubizek, the maniac Linz crowd flooded onto him. Causing great anxiety in this childhood friend.
@clarkewi that is one of the most interesting comments I’ve ever read about something I’ve never heard up but now how to find everything I can about. Thanks.
Nice never knew that thankyou for sharing
@@clarkewi shi I wanna read or listen to this book
I would have guessed that the front visits of Hitler in 1914 to 1918 were vastly more dangerous than the later ones.
It's amazing he survived, he got the iron cross for it, which was rare for a messenger, it's almost like someone was looking over him to make it out of the war, it's like the future was planned by something more deeper, we don't know if the Nazis party would have developed the way it developed without Hitler, I wonder
@@shazanali692 that's called metaphysics
@@shazanali692 don't forget who funded him also.
@@takeitsleezy4520who funded him?
@@Dickiemiller179 man use your own intuition. I am wrong sometimes. But the talk of multi polar world is 70 years behind. Let's just say that.
I love the way you so elegantly explain things. Thank you for making the best historical documentaries on RUclips!
@George Washington Yup..same fekkers are raping my country ..kommiekakk..🙏
I love Mark's voice and theme music.
@@bejoyful his proper British accent, is second to none. 💯
@George Washington Can you provide any fact checked evidence for this claim?
@@arthemy2890 he's a pro 💯
Dr Felton, your ability to research and find intricate facts to present concerning the war stories you narrate always amazes me. We are definitely better off having a historian like yourself present the history of WW2. Thank you very much.🇺🇸
seconded
Eww. Reagan 💩
@@antjack2602 Your not the first and surely not the last.😂
@George Washington Don’t like Biden either but this isn’t the place for politics man. Just enjoy the video
@George Washington Let's GO Benito!!!
There were reports on incidents at Hitler's Prague visit. As he inspected the Westwall a few weeks later he drove through Aachen (Germany) not in an open car but an sedan with enhanced protection. This was caused by an incident in Prague where someone had thrown a flowerpot at Hitler (and is said to actually have hit him). I heard this as a personal account by my unlce who was part of the parade organisation in Aachen in 1939.
Hitler was the victim of several assassination attempts.
To bad it didn’t kill him lol
😂..a flowerpot.. Well, it’s at least an effort.
But all these people who where opoosed to nazism and no one managed to kill these nazi subhumans..
That Prague attack was so lame….
Why run to the car and shoot… why not a couple of men with grenades throwing them in the car….. ?
@@BoliBompa-gw8bt Hm. I'm not happy with your comment. Calling a human being "subhuman" is exactly what the nazis did. Just because we were born later does not prevent us from falling into the same kind of thinking.
Actually I think a lot of people are/were being killed by flowerpots. Maybe it actually was something more serious. I can only refer to what my uncle had been told back then. But he actually saw that Hitler had a bandage.
And besides this at that point of time he was not necessarily regarded as the "evil" entity he became later. Even the Czechs got away quite well in the first years as Hitler kept to the promises in the contract that he had sealed with Benes to legalise the occupation (e.g. they were not drafted into the Wehrmacht). So although there were actual protests and demonstrations it more or less stayed calm in Bohemia and Moravia.
Thank you for your hours of research and digging. Helps me build a bigger picture of not just the war, but human nature.
Hitler greatest story never told is 6 hours long. It's a great documentary that's very insightful.
Best history channel on the web. I learn so much from Mark Felton
Never will i get tired of listening to Mark's videos on such interesting specifics in history.
I'd love a video on the SS-Begleitkommando or Fuhrerbegleitkommando(Hitlers 8 man and eventually 12 man security squad). You never hear much about them in discussion and I think it would be a very interesting topic as they played a vital role in protecting Hitler throughout his career.
Didn't they eventually get peeled off and end up at brigade strength? Or was that the org. they were drawn from?
I've watched an interesting interview here on youtube with his (for lack of a better term I say) Stewart at the Berghof who was in close contact with the entire "inner circle" and many of the security detail. He said, compared to modern day security of a politician the security around Hitler was miniscule. Wether that's really true or not is up for debate but it seemed to be his honest opinion. If true, Hitler even said to him that he didn't need more security because if someone wants to get him he will anyway.. It's an intesting watch but it's in german and I can't remember if there are english subtitles.
Evan I didn’t even know about those security squads. Yes I knew he had his own personal bodyguards but never knew what they were called and how many men were in the squads. Now I do👍🏼
That unit was not effective in combat. They were hot stuff on the parade ground, but out of their depth in combat. In 1944 they were chewed up by Pattons third army in the battle of the bulge because as they were marching to the west, they were chewed up because they had no scouts on their flanks. A veteran outfit would not have made that mistake.
Great pity they didn’t put him down though.
Brilliant work Mr Felton as always
Dr Felton you are one of few, that keep RUclips worthy with such valuable content. Thank you for everything!
so well researched. Thank you for making the best historical documentaries on RUclips!
Dr. Felton, the image at 6:36 is not Prague, but instead is the second largest city Czech city, Brno. You can see the entrance to “Church of St. James” in the background and they are riding through the square now known as “Namesti Svobody”. The plague column on the left side of the image still stands, along with the church in the background. Funny enough, the corner building to the right of the image is now a Starbucks!
I spent three years living there, I’ll always be able to recognize that square haha.
🤔…Somewhere here is a *possible* “inspiration” for a Photoshop joke, isn’t there?
(😏!)
I love your content, you are nice to listen to and actually well informed.
Mr. Felton, you never dissapoint!
Its Dr. Just saying.
Yup. That's doctor
Dr as in driver, he is a driver
@@jrdsm where did you get your schooling from?
Always nice to pay attention to someone who introduces a documentary without taking side toward either direction and uses a polite language to inform us the events of the pass. This is the main reason why I appreciate the way you introduce us a documentary. Good job!
There are two sides to WW2?
Agreed.
The best historian on RUclips. Dr. Felton is the GOAT.
Kudos, Mr. Felton, not only for your superb research and presentation on lesser known but It intriguing events, but your masterful ability to pronounce German parlance. Guess the Germans can't help but create mile-long military terms and descriptions.
For exactness reasons, old ,military german' had so long words. In current ,military german' heavy influenced by english language, both for Kolonne ( army) and Geleitzug ( navy) the word Konvoi is used, as example.
Mister Feltons german is not bad, but he has problems with german ,ch' sound, which is not spoken ,k'.
You always have the best information about these topics. Just great detailed info not available anywhere else. Thanks.
Great Episode, Dr. Felton is a wizard, his ability to finds history treasures like no one else.
We need to find the prototype of the time machine the Professor surely owns.
Imagine what we could do with it!
Back to back awsome evenings!
Thank you more and more Dr. Felton!
Fascinating video as usual. It is interesting to look at how the various war leaders approached the subject of their personal safety/security. Of the major leaders, Churchill was probably the most heedless of his own safety. Throughout the war he had only a single police detective permanently assigned to him, though on occasion this was augmented. But Churchill was breathtakingly indifferent to security, and often seemed to get a thrill out of placing himself in dangerous situations. On the other side of the Atlantic, US President Franklin Roosevelt was protected by the Secret Service, then a part of the Treasury Department whose normal job was tracking down currency counterfeiting. Unlike today, the Secret Service in those days was quite small and only around 15-20 men were detailed to FDR's security. This meant that there were rarely more than four or five men on duty at any given time. Making matters worse, FDR also enjoyed traveling in open cars whenever possible. This was partly due to his physical infirmity which made it almost impossible to greet the general public in any other way. When traveling, local police were recruited to augment security and plain clothes men were often stationed on the running boards of the presidential touring car. After the attack on Pearl Harbor Roosevelt's 1939 Lincoln K touring car was modified and became the first presidential auto to be armored and bullet resistant side windows were added. However, the car remained a convertible and FDR continued to ride top down whenever the weather permitted. This was also when the first rail car was delivered for the exclusive use of the president. A giant pullman business car named the Ferdinand Magellan; it was so heavily armored that it was believed impervious even to bombs. It was also air and watertight. But of all the war leaders, it was Stalin who had by far the heaviest security. The man was completely paranoid and had levels of security that would rival that of major leaders today. That might even be a good topic for a future video.
Excellent info.
I couldn't imagine the US electing a Handicapped president these days
@@Rusty_Gold85 I like your taste in sarcasm lol. Considering America has a handicapped president as we speak.
@@Rusty_Gold85 they elected a mentally handicapped president in 2016
@@Rusty_Gold85 -Instead, they elected a guy who advised injecting bleach, stared at a solar eclipse, bragged about passing a dementia test, and tried to overthrow a democratic election. The world still laughs at Trump.
What a gold mine of information by a master historian. Respect from Canada.
I know right, it's almost like you are there
6:50 The Mercedes-Benz W31 type G4 6x4 (rear 4 wheels drove) was a German three-axle off-road vehicle first produced by Mercedes-Benz as a staff/command car for the Wehrmacht in 1934. The cars were designed as a seven-seat touring car or closed saloon, and were mainly used by upper echelons of the Nazi regime in parades and inspections, as they were deemed too expensive for general Army use.
Mark, I love your videos. I have been subbed for years. I always learn something new. Thank you for always producing such quality content.
I never ceased to be highly impressed at Felton's ability to produce so much archival material in photos, film and details. This video is one of his best. Hitler sure maintained a fleet of classy cars. He had pageantry down pat.
Very interesting. This is the only history channel I enjoy watching. Very in depth, amazing job 👍👍
amazing detail and research.Once again,Dr Felton,you knock it out of the park.I notice in a few photos,Hitler appears to have a holstered,small caiber automatic pistol on his belt.I assume that would have been one of his Walther PP or PPK,perhaps just for ceremonial appearance or uniform consistency
Always love the stories! Great info - thank you
I've been subscribed to you for years, I get excited when your theme song starts because I know something special is going to happen. Even better is I've been seeing you in television history shows more often and I know that the show is valid because you're on it.
Cheers Dr. Felton, really enjoy your detailed videos. 👍 Respects from 🇨🇦
u are a friendly guy
Mark Felton ranks with Ken Burns as the best history documentarians. Thank you for your work Mark.
Thank you Mr. Felton. Amazing how interesting real history can be.
I didnt comment in a while Mark. Still here though, still enjoying your unique and superb content! keep doing what you do mate, we love every bit of it!
Great video but I’m sad you didn’t mentioned the annexation and Hitlers subsequent visit to the Memelland in 1939. The region was part of East Prussia and was given to the new Republic of Lithuania in 1923. It was the last annexation and part of appeasement before the start of WW2.
The Treaty of Versailles in 1919 was a disgrace. Germany had some of their land stolen from them. Western Prussia and Danzig was now a part of Poland.
@@Smudgeroon74 Gdansk was founded by the Polish king Mieszko and bot the city and the region has been and had been back then in Poland for the majority of its history. It wasn't stolen but given back to its rightful owner.
@@Smudgeroon74 Yeah, those poor Germans, they can never catch a break.
@@yobama8424 Majority of danzig were german.
Umm, it was German-speaking and never should have been taken from Germany. Lithuania certainly never conquered it! They occupied it illegally. So what happened to Wilson and his "self-determination of all peoples?"
Hitler's unnecessary exposure shows his arrogance but he was lucky on many attempts against his life. Heydrich, another arrogant Nazi, would not be so lucky a couple of years later! Thanks for this audio!
@John Titor why are you so desperate to link a comment to Israeli leadership?
@@archstanton6102 He isnt wrong tho, many western leaders have ties to israel.
Muuuuhh austrian painter baddddd
@@mojewjewjew4420 I look forward to your fact checked and peer reviewed evidence on this?
You are a remarkable historian. Have a great 2022.
You have a wonderful gift of oration. I love listening to your stories. I have learned a great deal! Thanks
Extroadinary interesting historical video of Mark. Such detail and precise dialogue easy to follow.
Phenomenal detail and great presentation, as ever, many thanks UK
Mr. Felton another superb documentary very well explained in detail. Thank you again.
Wonderfully detailed presentation that takes the viewer right thru time to the event with this Mark Felton Time Machine. Thank you Mr. Felton.
Amazing! Another aspect is referenced in John Toland's book "Adolf Hitler" in which an excerpt references that occasionally Hitler would disguise himself, slip his SS bodyguards and go out on his own posing as a normal person to getaway from it all and to find out what the average German was thinking about the war and such. In the excerpt, he took along a friend, and they went to a pub for that evening before returning to his official residence. Of course these episodes upset his bodyguards, but what could they do?
"So Hitler walks into a bar..."
The owner, surprised to see the German leader at his bar, asks if he’d like his top-notch bourbon on the house. “No thanks,” Hitler replies. “I’ll just take a screwdriver.” One screwdriver turned into 10 before Adolf called it quits and headed home.
The next night, Hitler returned to the bar, but this time takes up the owner’s offer on the bourbon. “Even the best vodka can make a man sick if he’s had too many,” says the owner. “It wasn’t the vodka,” Hitler replies. “I blame the juice.”
@@imperiumoccidentis7351 Badum-tiss!
Did he shave off his mustache? Use prosthetics? I am curious as to how he could disguise himself...
Some of John Toland's material in the book "Adolf Hitler" is suspect. Ghost writers supposedly helped and "supplied" information.
Always of the highest quality - thank you again, Dr. Felton!
nothing like a fresh Felton video
Every video on this channel is extremely interesting! I have not come across a bad one yet!
Great video! Don’t know how Dr Felton finds the energy to unearth so much information and so many facts on a regular basis! I find these stories fascinating. Thank you!
as soon as I hear the music I know it's gonna be great--thanks so much for these!
Thank you for another well done documentary.
Super excellent documentary from and beautifully narrated as usual by Dr Felton!
Really informative video, as usual. But a slight error: at 6.32 this is Hitler in the centre of Brno (Brun), the second city of Cz, not Prague.
"pes nevim" co nevíš pse?
Brünn (second biggest city of Czechia)
I say this alot and I know you have conveyed your appreciation already but I must say you simply narrate perfectly! 👏
Supplement: On October 5, 1939, when the last fights of the 1939 campaign near Kock were still going on, for the first time and as it turned out - the last one, Adolf Hitler came to Warsaw. There, in Aleje Ujazdowskie, decorated for the occasion with swastika flags, he received the ceremonial parade of the Wehrmacht, which entered the Polish capital a few days ago. The German dictator did not expect that the Polish resistance was planning to kill him that day. Although the first Wehrmacht units entered Warsaw on September 30, it was not until the following day - October 1 - that ten German divisions of the 8th Army of Gen. Johannes Blaskowitz were officially entered the city. It was he who, on September 28, together with General Tadeusz Kutrzeba, signed the act of surrender in the defense of the Polish capital, which heroically defended itself against the aggressor for three weeks. In order to humiliate the Varsovians, the Fuhrer decided to personally triumph in the ruined city. As it turned out later, this was the only visit of the Nazi leader to occupied Warsaw, the capital of the country which, as Nazi propaganda spread, "for hundreds of years had blocked the Germans' way to the East."
October 5 at 11.30 the Führer landed with high dignitaries of the Third Reich at the Warsaw Okęcie. At the airport, he was greeted by Wehrmacht commanders, including generals: Blaskowitz, Gerd von Runstedt, Walther von Brauchitsch, Albert Kesselring and Walther von Reichenau. After arriving in Warsaw, Hitler changed into a limousine and, after driving around some city districts and seeing its ruins with his own eyes, went to Piłsudski Square (in 1940 it was renamed Adolf Hitler's Square by the occupation authorities). There he was greeted by some German troops. The main point of the program of the Nazi dictator's stay in Warsaw was the afternoon parade of the victorious 8th Army of General Blaskowitz on Aleje Ujazdowskie, one of the main streets of the city, part of the Royal Route.
In connection with Hitler's arrival, the Germans took special security measures along the entire route. The traffic in Śródmieście stopped completely for a few hours - it was impossible to walk on the sidewalks or even look out of the windows. Inhabitants were herded to the gates or locked in their apartments, some had to leave them, others - were arrested as a precaution. Failure to comply with the orders was punishable by death, which was announced in Polish with megaphones. On October 5, 12 people were held hostage in the Capital City Hall, including members of the Citizens' Committee created during the defense of Warsaw: Zdzisław Lubomirski, Ludwik Józef Evert, Father Henryk Hilchen, Abraham Gepner, Czesław Klamer, Antoni Snopczyński, Artur Śliwiński, Witold Staniszkis, Władysław Baranowski , Antoni Baryka, Franciszek Urbański and Szmul Zygielbojm. All detained - according to the provisions in the act of surrender of September 28 - were to provide protection against acts of sabotage in the streets of the city taken over by the Germans. As it turned out later, they were also arrested in connection with the Wehrmacht parade marching through Warsaw.
The actions of the German authorities were to ensure safety for the leader of the Third Reich. However, the fate of the war was close to a different course - the occupiers did not expect that the Polish resistance, established in the capital before its capitulation (September 27 - the underground Polish Victory Service), planned an attack on Hitler. His visit to Warsaw became a convenient occasion to conduct it.
The plan developed by the head of the SZP, Gen. Michał Karaszewicz-Tokarzewski, provided for the deprivation of Hitler's life while driving through the streets of Warsaw. Its implementation was supervised by Major Franciszek Niepokólczycki, commander of the 60th Sapper Battalion during the 1939 campaign, chief of the Polish Armed Forces diversion staff. The co-workers of Maj. Niepokólczycki, among others Lieutenant Franciszek Unterberger, Lieutenant Res. Czesław Sawicki and Capt. Edward Brudnicki. Lieutenant Dominik Żelazko was responsible for delivering materials from the ammunition depot, a total of half a ton of TNT. They were placed in two boxes (250 kg of TNT in each) and hidden at the intersection of Jerozolimskie Avenue and Nowy Świat Street - one in the Railway Directorate building, the other - at the building of Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego, in a makeshift excavation. The detonation of the charges was to take place from the basement of Cafe Club, located at ul. Nowy Świat 15.
On October 4, the plan implementer reported to General Karaszewicz-Tokarzewski about the successful completion of the preparations. Now only Hitler's passage was expected. Despite the fact that the next day the Führer drove through the area near which the explosives had been planted, the explosion did not take place.
"Why the explosion did not take place? Tokarzewski explained to me after the war that he did not have any intelligence at that time and that the parade surprised the bombers. Niepokólczycki did not get there that morning (October 5), because the Germans closed access to the streets where Hitler was supposed to pass. The officer present at the scene received an order to act on his own, but only in the event that he saw Hitler himself in front of him. courier of the Polish Underground State.
Stefan Korboński, the last Delegate of the Government of the Republic of Poland to Poland, recalled that the attack failed as a result of the Germans cleaning the streets of Warsaw, "which pushed the observers from their positions, so that the person who was supposed to launch the explosive from the neighboring ruins did not receive an appropriate signal, and she was unable to see Hitler passing by herself. " It was not certain that Hitler or his closest associates were driving in the column of cars passing through the intersection where the explosives were hidden.
"It is hard to guess today how the war would have turned out if it were not for this one second of hesitation. It is only certain that if Hitler and his surroundings died at that moment, the Germans would have unleashed all their fury on the defenseless population of Warsaw and the defeated country. It is difficult to imagine the extent of the massacre, from which he was separated by one hand movement "- pondered Nowak-Jeziorański.
After the parade, Hitler visited the Belweder Palace, where he paid a visit to the office of Marshal Józef Piłsudski, who died in 1935. Then he hastily returned by air to Berlin. The explosives, which were to kill the Nazi leader, were discovered on October 5, during the cleaning work after the parade.
Earlier, on April 18, 1932, the attack on Adolf Hitler in Bobrek was one of the first officially mentioned attempts on his life, but very little known. Polish historians did not take up the topic - then Bobrek, now a district of Bytom (Upper Silesia), was located in Germany. The assassins were workers in local plants and were associated with the communists. Soon, not only Nazism, but also Moscow, will cut through the ranks of this group due to the purges.
The plan to get rid of Hitler was made when his arrival in Bytom for the pre-election rally was announced. But - which the conspirators did not know - he was already accompanied by the "guardian devil", who allowed Hitler to escape from each attack.
But that is a topic to be told for another occasion.
interesting!
You invented this, and putting quotation marks around your own words is dishonest: as Nazi propaganda spread, "for hundreds of years had blocked the Germans' way to the East."
😊
I'm man enough to admit that I get the same thrill when I here Mr. Felton's intro music that I got when I was a kid and 'In Search Of with Leonard Nimoy', 'National Geographic Presents' or 'Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom' came on TV on Saturday nights.
Mr. Felton, you're a treasure. I will absorb what you post. Please keep up the good work!
It's one of history's ironies that so many people wanted him dead, and tried multiple times, but in the end, the only one who managed to succeed was himself.
But if he hadn't done it the Soviet troops would.
@@mrnygren2 maybe, but Stalin wanted him alive, which would have been worse.
Most people that wanted him dead was outside germany, so it was never a concern.
You know that didn't happen right no body no proof and several people seen him escape even some in US military seen it look it up.
@@stuartvasepuru1423 i always assumed stalin wanted him dragged like mussolini but bringing him back to moscow for trial would have been huge for the soviets
Very interesting video Mark. Thank you for uploading. Love your work and channel
"Much to the surprise of his German Generals Hitler personally presided over a troop review of the German Wehrmacht in Downtown Warsaw" arguably one of the most spectacular videos of World War 2.
The context of how this was even possible would be greatly appreciated as it was hardly a surprise to Hitler that he could do this..
He nearly got blown up though.
One of the best channels to be found on RUclips.
As always, an excellent and informative video.
A good audio episode with fantastic photos, that I never seen before. Almost like a long Mark Felton Productions episode!
According to most historians the world would be a better place if everyone kept a detailed diary with concise and easily quoted entries.
Haha, diaries are like a gold mine for historians
We have Twitter instead 😐
Great work as always. Just watched a Netflix movie last night: Munich-The Edge of War. Then watched your video this morning. It was like you needed to give me background for the film.
Thanks for all the hard work.
Mark why don’t you upload the audio files from your war stories as podcast episodes? I would love to have these to listen to and I’m sure many others would too.
Dr. Felton, you are easily the finest documentarian alive. Thank you for these!
A small mistake; von Below was not Hitler's Wehrmacht adjutant but his Luftwaffe adjutant. Otherwise many thanks for once again a great video from you!
I thought von above was the luftwaffe adj and von below the wehrmacht adj
@@Kozzzmozzz7 von Below was Luftwaffe adjutant en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicolaus_von_Below and Rudolf Schmundt was Wehrmacht adjutant 1938-44 and Wilhelm Burgdorf 1944-45
Mercedes certainly know how to make limousines, some great pictures and and information thanks again.
I live in a medium sized city in the NW part of the US. I work in a service industry. I worked on a project at a woman's house who was born in Germany but migrated with her parents to the US. She was Very young so she speaks with NO accent. During one of our conversations picking up on the fact that I am interested in history she mentioned that her grandfather was Hitler's driver. I was amazed! Later I worked for her father as a referral from her. As I was most interested that it was HIS father that was the driver I brought the subject up. He was NOT interested in Anyway to speak of it and changed the subject Immediately so I dropped it. However how often do you meet people that close to history?
I cant imagine how uncomfortable this made her father feel. I for one do not hold him at fault for was his father/family did, but I dont speak for everyone.
@@scallie6462 Yes and I realized MY interest in history should have been tempered with courtesy as I too would NOT hold him accountable for his father. After I asked I realized it put him on the spot.
Always interesting, thank you.
Very interesting indeed. I never thought of Hitler touring before. Thank you for this piece of knowledge. Your videos are just captivating
Pure excellence as always Doctor Felton.
The man had balls, I'll give him that. Compare him going to the front lines with any other "leader" who all did/do stay as far away from what they wrought as they possibly can.
Winston Churchill wanted to land on the beaches on D Day, but was ordered not to by King George.
Apart from Churchill, then you are right.That mad hatter went to the front in WW1 and WW2...
@@jacketrussell Churchill wanted to watch it from offshore on a ship. Front line yes, but not on the beach.
@@HeinzGuderian_
OK
He did participate in WW1 and is documented to have displayed exemplary courage.
He definitely seemed to have “Nein” lives
6:43 Náměstí Svobody, Brno, Czech Republic
Love from Malaysia...
The Best History Content channel!
not many leaders would take so many risks. very interesting. thank you.
Thank you,Mr Felton
I really like that even when doing audio episodes you still add some relevant photos to serve as visual aid. I was getting tired of the old audio episodes with a static photo.
Every time I watch your videos Professor Felton I learn a lot.
I remain a big fan. 🤙🤙🤙
Always a pleasure to watch your stories.
Your knowledge is incredible, thanks for the great videos! :)
In photo at 2:20, Guy in the very back RIGHT hand side looks like Max Wunsche. He would go on to have a distinguished career in waffen SS including commands held with the 1st and 12SS in the panzer regiment
It’s him, good catch. I once found SS Staff Sgt. Rochus Misch in an Eva Braun video on RUclips and you can see that he was really close to the inner circle.
thank you for your fine work. what an endless supply of stock photos. AND let us all PRAY - NEVER AGAIN.
One can only imagine the level of anxiety Hitler and his cronies might have felt as they drove around in those open-topped cars.
Hitler did not feel it, as he believed in "Vorsehung" (Providence) which he made clear in the bomb attack on him by Georg Elser. For his bodyguards, it was a nightmare.
Mark. Thanks for providing my Friday Night entertainment!
Only 9k likes. Absurd! This man is awesome. I mean this is great stuff.
Remarkable study and details. Has great historical value Thank you DrFelton.
Hitler's triumphal return to his beloved Linz must have been one of the greatest moments of his life.
He must have been tripping, must have been thinking this is destiny, think about it, how do you go from being a artist, and dreams of being a artist in 1912 to being a god 20 years later
Outstanding video and presentation.
A video devoted to Noel Mason-MacFarlane would be interesting. There's a good fictionalised novel based on him, called Midnight in Berlin, by author James MacManus. The plot features the bordello made (in)famous in Tinto Brass's 1976 film Salon Kitty.
Fantastic work..as always thanks for the history lessons.top notch 👍
It would be interesting to see these photos of Hitler’s car parades compared to photos of the exact same locations today.
I would love a video on the MEK, Marine Einsatzkommando, specifically MEK 71, I really have trouble finding information on their operations. Great work Mark.
The failed assassination attempt in Warsaw nobody even knew about until much later has got to be one of the biggest JUST moments of the war. Whoever assembled that IED which failed to explode must have cursed themselves for the rest of their life (if they even survived the war).
It was for the best tbh, the allies had many plans to assassinate hitler but didn't do it because they'd replace him with someone more competent
I'm always astonished at the level of detail provided in these videos.
My mom's family was living in Gogolin during Hitler's stop there from September 13-17, 1939. His train was drawn onto an unused siding along the Gogolin - Neustadt railway line by the woods near Karlubitz. A considerable amount of visiting with the local populace occurred. A large German Army field kitchen fed Hitler’s entourage and the townsfolk alike. My grandmother did not have to cook dinner for the family during the entire visit. At one point, my Mom and one of her friends had their photo taken standing on the running board of Hitler’s armor-plated touring car while handing him flowers. This photo, along with many others, was left behind when they evacuated ahead of advancing Soviet forces in mid-January 1945.
Dr. Mark smashing it as always
That the Poles were close to attacking Hitler’s column is amazing
Hitler...did not fear death.
@@johnrogan9420 he received mumerous awards for courage and bravery under fire during ww1.
A very interesting video! Thanks for posting!
Its just mind-blowing of how close Hitler could have been stopped in these situations. No wonder he believed that Destiny was on his side and that he was invincible.
Maybe think deeper about all this, and about Operation Highjump.
Incredible detail, accurately presented! Vielen Dank aus Berlin, Herr Doktor Felton!