Gallery

From Memel to Danzig

Looking inside the Nazi Trojan Horse, the lower decks of the Schleswig-Holstein would look similar to the photo at the right. The storm troopers that were picked up by the S-H were relaxing as well as they can as they await the order to pounce on the Westeplatte. They were not awaire of the future resistance of the Polish defenders.
In a similar photograph (all of the on-board and action photos were made by the S-H's official photographer.)
Bottom: Gauleiter Forster and Skipper Kleikamp review the naval cadets.
This act was followed by that of Polish Minister Chodacki who has his turn at reviewing the cadets. At this point, the minister was still expecting the visit by the Schleswig-Holstein to be a peaceful visit.

*-  At left, troops scurry to board the Schleswig-Holstein after the Baltic Rendezvous.
These troops were kept hidden until the firing started.

The Schleswig-Holstein's troops below deck helped raise the total German strengt in the Danzig area to be 12,000 men, armed with 44field guns, 48 anti-tank guns, 12 anti aircraft guns, and 160 light machine guns. Meanwhile, the Schleswig-Holstein gun crews launched baloons in order to measure humidity & air pressure to compute accurate artillery fire.

Danzig Study Group U.S.A.
Danzig Report Nr. 154 - October - November - December - 2011, Page 7.