Galerie

An amazing Documeny and Story.
The Schleswig-Holstein's Log Book, handwritten by Kapitain zur See, Gustav Kleikamp.

Vistors . . .
Every German Ship-of-the-Line carried its own staff photographer in order to eulogize every move of the big ship and its crew;
In this case, the lensman has loked into the quarters of the ship's crew and found, instead, waiting below deck, the soldiers who began the trip on 24.8.1939.
Propaganda photos of the chief officer of the gunfire, with two 'distinguished' guests - Danzig's Gauleiter Albert Foster in the top photo, and in he bottom photo we see Kleikemp with Poland's diplomatic representative, Minister Chodecki, revieuwing the crew. The guns are already loaded and ready to kick-off the Second World War.
There was no surprise in the fact that diplomatic negiations had failed to reach an agreement.

Translation of Polish caption on Page 4 photo:
At the end of August 1939, a machine gun was installed in the lighthouse, wich on 1.9.39 at 4.45 a.m. began firing on the Polish post on Westerplatte. Cpl. Euginiusz Grabowski, chief gunner of the 75 mm field gun-the only one in the outpost, wrote -
"On the order of Major Sucharski the gun was to take up position; we role it out. Behind the magazine door we receive machine gun fire. We try to get position but under heavy fire. We finally get to the firing position. I give the target: 'Tangent elevation 400, normal grenage charge, short fuse'. The crew works calmy, aims, "Ready back off, fire!" We watch but the shot went over the lighthouse. A momentary concern; I remind them not to count on the first, that the gun settles. A second shot id fired with the same aim. There appears a hole under the machine gun's window, the window got bigger, the machine gun disappears. Pulverized brick & detontion smoke spread out the window opening.
'Our equipment proved efficient, and the crew was well trained'."

Danzig Report Nr. 151.