| Original caption: “This was the scene as Nazi troops staged a sham battle in Nuremberg, Germany, at the conclusion of the party congress. Chancellor Hitler was among the thousands of spectators.” Panzerkampfwagen I Sonderkraftfahrzeug 101s and Panzerbefehlswagen Sonderkraftfahrzeug 265s in a combat demonstration during the 1937 Nuremberg Rally. Nazi German infantry accompany the armor. On Sunday, September 13, 1937, Führer und Reichskanzler (“Leader and Reichchancellor”) Adolf Hitler (April 20, 1889 – April 30, 1945) reviewed the Heer (“Nazi German Army”) and spoke to the 1937 Reichsparteitag der Arbeit (“Reich Party Day of Labor”). The Heer then exhibited maneuvers. As in former years, the last day of the Nuremberg Rally, September 13, saw a display of Germany’s military prowess. Much new equipment was paraded: motorized infantry, motorized artillery, machine gun battalions with motorcycles and armored cars of various types, tank regiments, anti-tank battalions equipped with guns of various calibers, searchlights, and signal and communication units. The mechanization of the new army was impressive. Stellvertreter des Führers (“Deputy Führer”) Rudolf Hess (April 26, 1894 – August 17, 1987) addressed the Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei (NSDAP – “National Socialist German Workers’ Party”) Leiters. Hitler gave a farewell address to close the 1937 Reichsparteitag. Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times reporter Frederick T. Birchall (1871 – March 7, 1955) was there, and filed a report about the maneuvers on September 14, 1937: “‘Army Day’ at Congress” “It has become the custom for the last day of the party meeting to be ‘Army Day,’ however, the day of all military forces – The Army, the Navy and the Air Force. It sends these hundreds of thousands home with an enduring last impression of German strength and efficiency.” “It was an impressive and convincing demonstration that the Army and the Air Force together put on today. The Navy’s share was limited to the parading of a couple of battalions of sailors picturesque in white blouses, dark blue trousers tucked into half boots — a bright spot in the array of gray and gray green uniforms spread over the rest of the field. The sailors goose-stepped past Hitler like the rest. But it did not become them. They were distinctly out of their element.” “The rest of the demonstration, however, came pretty close to being terrifying in the efficiency of men and machines. It was not large by the standard of Nuremberg displays. Not more than fifty thousand men and fourteen hundred and fifty planes altogether took part, but it was a bewildering array of the new destruction equipment-motorized infantry, motorized artillery, machine gun battalions with motorcycles and armored cars of various types, regiments, anti-tank battalions, anti-aircraft battalions equipped with guns of varied calibers, searchlights and detectors, and signaling and communication forces without end.” “Cavalry Is Cavalry Again” “The new Army’s mechanical aspect is its most impressive feature, although it was notable today that the cavalry had become cavalry again in the old sense. Men rode horses and carried sabers and carbines were slung from their shoulders. It is understood the German cavalry is now half horse-carried and half motorized as a result of the lessons learned in Spain.” “An Air Force regiment much larger than a normal infantry regiment led the way onto the field in the general assembly and occupied its right front. The naval battalions took the center, two infantry regiments the left and the cavalry and horse-drawn field artillery occupied the spaces between them. Motorized infantry, two regiments of light tanks, motorized artillery, signal corps and anti-tank battalions filled in the background.” “Twelve thousand men, fifteen hundred horses and fourteen hundred motorized pieces of equipment were in position in twenty-seven minutes, and their chief, General Walter von Reichenau [(October 8, 1884 – January 17, 1942)], commanding the Army Corps in Bavaria, lined up with the forces’ supreme commanders before the tribune on which Hitler had just arrived. War Minister Werner von Blomberg [(September 2, 1878 – March 13, 1946)], carrying his Marshal’s baton, stood in advance of Generaloberst Werner von Fritsch [(August 4, 1880 – September 22, 1939)], the army commander [Both had been removed from their posts in the Blomberg-Frisch Affair in February 1938; Blomberg was replaced with General der Artillerie Wilhelm Keitel (September 22, 1882 – October 16, 1946), Stabschef der Oberkommando der Wehrmacht (OKW) and Frisch was replaced with Generaloberst Walther von Brauchitsch (4 October 1881 – 18 October 1948) – Editor]; Generaladmiral Erich Raeder [(April 24, 1876 – November 6, 1960)], the navy ruler, and Generaloberst Hermann Goering [(January 12, 1893 – October 15, 1946)], the air force commander. Through loudspeakers a voice reported to the Chancellor that the assembly was complete.” “Hitler Hails Troops” “Hitler’s strong voice, plainly audible in the farthest corner of the field, answered with this short address:” “‘Hail, soldiers! This is the fourth time we meet on this field. Much has changed in these years, but the change has been all for the Fatherland’s good.’” “‘Many of you will have completed your two-year service when return to your barracks and will go back to your homes. During those two years you have become men — men of whom the nation is proud. Germany’s defense brought her security abroad and made it possible for her to concentrate on her internal problems.’” “‘Only strong nations enjoy the benefits of peace. Germany, therefore, loves and honors her soldiers – because they are the bearers of a proud tradition.’” “Navy bands struck up “Deutschland Weber Alles” and the “Horst Wessel Lied” and at their close the field was cleared, the infantry, cavalry, field artillery and Air Force moving off to the right and the motorized detachments to the left. In nine minutes by the watch there remained only an expanse of green turf amid a great ring pink, which was the massed faces in the stands. The array of a few minutes ago might have been a dream.” “Air Force Converges” “An Air Force display began the demonstration. It was headed by seventeen fast pursuit planes flying over the field in the shape of a swastika. Loudspeakers announced, meantime, that the air force was coming. It had flown from four different points in Germany and rendezvous twenty-five miles away.” “It appeared almost before aerial the flying swastika was out of sight, in from the west low clouds, squadron after squadron of planes, bombers, fighters and pursuit planes flying at various heights and in different formations until were deafened by the roar of the engines and the sky was filled with aircraft. They seemed like huge flocks of crows flying homeward.” “Eighteen squadrons of Dorniers, Junkers and Heinkels took part in this fly-past. The planes dipped low in salute before the rostrum and passed into the clouds. Meantime seven batteries of anti-aircraft sped onto the field, unlimbered and took up positions to repel the ‘attack.’ It was announced there were a thousand men in the air and five thousand on the ground in this demonstration.” “The great planes returned and from a height swooped down singly over the guns if bombing and machine gunning them. Their dives were timed at a speed of three hundred and seventy miles an hour (six hundred kilometers an hour). The noise of the guns was deafening. When more planes came from another direction the guns instantly swung around and met the new attack.” “Many Diesel-Engined” “It was noted that perhaps one-third of the planes equipped with the new Diesel engines Germany is adopting. They left a slight trail of smoke. The defending gun service was remarkable. in swiftness of its changes of range and direction and its volume fire. That any airplane could survive such a concentration of shells. seemed impossible.” “A cavalry charge of one regiment against another and a charge tanks against other tanks followed, after which the signal service gave a demonstration of communication by lights, wireless and telephone between front and rear. One wireless truck contained a folding eighty-foot (twenty-four meter) radio mast hoisted and secured to the ground in three minutes and refolded and stowed away in the truck in less time. Meantime, signal lights were changing, a loudspeaker was chattering Morse code and motorcyclists dashed in and out supposedly carrying orders.” “The Heer display’s crowning feature was a demonstration of attack and defense in which all arms participated, Thin-spread infantry took up positions across the arena, lying prone and firing. Engineers rushed barbed wire entanglements into place before them. First light machine guns, then heavier machine guns, field artillery and anti-tank detachments came from the rear in their support.” “Land Mines Used” “On the other side, meanwhile, infantry scouts wriggled over the ground drawing the defenders’ fire ascertalned their position and strength. Machine guns, throwers, motorized infantry tanks came to support the advance. Tanks were seen on the defenders’ side and land mines were passed forward by the attackers and laid in a line ahead. Finally the attack was driven back, the retreat hidden in a cloud of smoke from the land mines as advancing defense tanks exploded them. Cavalry completed the rout.” “A parade past Hitler closed the 3-hour military spectacle. It left the impression that the German military machine, as regards both men and equipment, has been restored to its old pre-eminence. There was seen today perhaps 1/20 what the German peace-time establishment could produce at need. If it is a sample of the rest, it portrays a strength no other European nation can match. And that is the impression the thousands of German people here, part of the great nation now organized in 1 mighty unit, will take home as they stream from Nuremberg tonight. | |
| Image Filename | wwii0824.jpg |
| Image Size | 128.17 KB |
| Image Dimensions | 1000 x 601 |
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| Caption Author | Written or Adapted by Jason McDonald |
| Date Photographed | September 13, 1937 |
| Location | |
| City | Nuremberg |
| State or Province | Bavaria |
| Country | Germany |
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| Record Number | |
| Status | Caption ©2026 MFA Productions LLC Please Do Not Duplicate or Distribute Without Permission; Image in the Public Domain |
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