Foreword (Italiaander)
Event ID: 612
Categories:
21 April 1938
Source ID: 54
“Young people choose their war heroes at their own discretion, not among the army commanders and generals, whom they certainly admire with reverence, but whose deeds and achievements they will only be able to fully appreciate and recognise in all their greatness later in life, when they are more mature. The fiery enthusiasm of youth is directed towards immediate and visible action. Neither Scharnhorst nor Gneisenau, nor even the popular Father Blücher, are heroic figures for them; the distance is too great. Their enthusiasm is ignited by Schill’s officers, by Lükow’s wild, daring horsemen, and by the youthful poet and warrior Theodor Körner. And later, when the events of the World War were unfolding at the beginning of our century, there was no lack of reverent admiration among young people for Hindenburg and Ludendorff, who defeated Tannenberg and held their ground against a world of enemies; their pride and admiration also went to the leaders and admirals who brought home fresh laurels from the Battle of Skagerrak. But in their hearts they carried the storm song with which the young regiments once broke through the enemy’s ring of fire at Langemarck, and for them the name Weddigen sounded louder than the thunder of the naval battle.
The youth were particularly fired up by the exploits of our fighters in the air. The war has opened up a new world of combat here. Here, the individual stands out from the crowd; here, achievement has risen to the level of immediate individual action. As the author of this book says at one point, ‘In today’s world, aviation is the form of life in which heroism is most strongly expressed.’ This heroic example had a tremendous effect on German youth. It ignited a passionate desire in them. The names of Bölcke and Immelmann were known to the entire population, especially the youth. New names were constantly being added. The ranks of these daring men, whose successes grew daily, became ever larger. And the greatest among them, once a student of the unforgettable Bölcke, eventually became the unsurpassed master, teacher and expert: Manfred von Richthofen. He became a model of bravery, decisive action, and unshakeable certainty of will and achievement. His physical and mental strength never faltered, even in the most difficult weeks of the war. And yet it was not these genuine soldierly virtues alone that won him the hearts of the German people. He would not have become the ideal and the darling of the people if his fame had not been accompanied by constant loyal camaraderie with everyone who, like him, wore the soldier’s uniform, and by unusual modesty. For his heart remained simple and his nature unpretentious. It is these high human qualities that give his deeds and his person the highest consecration. Thus, the sound of the name Manfred von Richthofen is both a reminder and a wake-up call. May this book, which provides a vivid insight into the life of our hero, be a memorial stone that keeps alive in our youth the passionate will to risk life and limb when the fatherland calls. With boldness and strength, like their great role model Manfred von Richthofen, our youth will march towards the enemy as fearless warriors, true to the words once put into verse by our young poet Walter Flex, who fell in the World War:
Teeth clenched,
hearts torn apart,
and forward with a hurrah!
Thomsen
Chief of Field Aviation and Chief of the General Staff of the Air Force during the war.”
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