Völkischer Beobachter Front Pages: October 1942.

Background: This page is part of a larger, and likely unfinishable, project to trace the history of World War II as reflected in the headlines of the Völkischer Beobachter, the Nazi Party’s daily newspaper.

October 1942 was the calm before the storm. Submarine were sinking a lot of Allied ships. The campign in the Soviet Union seemed to be going well, although there were hints of difficulties.. Two issues suggest that the worst was behind Germany. To a German who believed the VB, the future was promising.

Völkischer Beobachter: October 1942

	1 October 1942 The Führer Opens the Fourth WHW with a Gripping Speech No One Will Tear Victory from Us! Adolf Hitler: “We Stand behind Our Soldiers as our Soldiers Stand before Us”
	2 October 1942 A Hard Blow for Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin Over a Million BRT Sunk in September! 1 Cruiser, 11 Destroyers, and 2 Auxiliary Cruisers Destroyed
	3 October 1942 Strong Impact of the Führer Speech throughout the World Time is Working Surely for Germany Big Impact on Opinion in London
	4 October 1942 Rommel before the German and Foreign Press “We Stand at the Gates of Egypt — Ready as Always to Act” Troop Quality and Leadership Create Victory
	5 October 1942 Hermann Göring: “Further Improvements by Breaking the Blockade Also in the Food Supply — the Worst Is behind Us The Reich Marshall Honors Farmers — Two Farmers Awarded the Knight’s Cross
	6 October 1942 Göring’s Speech Smashes England’s Last Illusions Territory and Time — Guarantees of German Victory “Times” Admits: The German People is a United Front
	7 October 1942 Enzo Grossi’s Brilliant New Feat of Arms Battleship of the “Mississippi” Class Sunk off the West-African Coast Hit by Four Torpedoes from an Italian U-Boat A later investigation found that Enzo Grossi had unsuccessfully attacked an American cruiser.
	8 October 1942 Soviets Must Fight on Alone Churchill and Roosevelt Deaf to Stalin’s Pleas Times: “Something in Our War Organization Is Not in Order
	9 October 1942 Open Letter to Roosevelt “The USA Is at Risk of Losing the War” “Fortune” Calls for a War Court for Incompetent Government Officials
	10 October 1942 Counterattack Strengthens the Front Major Soviet Defeat at Illmensee Over 3000 Prisoners and 10,000 Dead Bolshevists
	11 October 1942 Over 10,000 Kilometers from Their Bases German U-Boats Attack near Cape Town Major New Successes by Our Navy 22 Ships totaling 141,000 BRT Sunk
	12 October 1942 Dr. Goebbels Spoke to German Writers Intellectual Achievements — Roots of Our Strength A Major Affirmation in a Great Age
	13 October 1942 Cowardly Crimes at Sercq New Proof of British Mistreatment of Prisoners Sweden: “A Stain on England’s Military Honor”
	14 October 1942 Frantic Searching for Spiritual Weapons Warming Up Wilson’s Betrayal Official USA Radio Announcer Speaks out of School
	15 October 1942 143,000 BRT between Newfoundland and Cape Town! Large Troop Transports Sunk In Tough Pursuit another 18 Ships Sunk Irreplaceable Losses of Enemy Shipping
	16 October 1942 Illusionary Plans of Bankrupt Warriors Concentrated Forces — Not Chaotic Dispersal “Economist”: The Shipping Question Is of Critical Importance
	17 October 1942 British Mistreatment of Prisoners Proven with Documents The OKW Refutes Lying English Statements The map is of Stalingrad, which the Germans were expecting to capture shortly.
	18 October 1942 Reuter: A Critical Point in the Battle for Stalingrad Charging into the “Red Barricades” The Powerful German Attack Continues The article to the top right is titled “The Worst Is behind Us.”
	19 October 1942 Reich Minister Dr. Goebbels Spoke in the Movement’s Capital “Those Who Had Nothing Became Owners” The Greatest Opportunity in Our National History
	20 October 1942 Since the Beginning of the War Over 8,000 Enemy Planes Shot Down by Flak The German Flak Soldier is a Master of his Weapon
	21 October 1942 The Last Defense in Stalingrad Stukas Destroy the Steel Plant “Red October” Hard Fighting in Clean-up Operations in the Ruins of the Industrial District
	22 October 1942 New British War Crimes English Bombers Attack German Military Medical Facilities Crimes Resulting from Defeats
	23 October 1942 A Document of British Brutality No Longer Soldiers, But Rather Criminals American Magazine Describes with Cynical Openness the Behavior of English “Commandos”
	24 October 1942 Triumph of American Hypocrisy USA Gangsters Pretend to Affirm the Laws of War They Fear Punishment for Their War Crimes
	25 October 1942 Roosevelt is the Chief Witness against Churchill “The Geneva Convention — Only a Theory” U.S. President an Incompetent Attorney in Front of the Press
	26 October 1942 104,000 BRT and a Destroyer Sunk U-Boats Hunt from Cape Town to the Arctic Sea First Sinking at the Mouth of the Congo
	27 October 1942 The Battle in Egypt British Counterattack Suffers Heavy Losses 104 Enemy Tanks Already Destroyed in Tough Defense
	28 October 1942 Twentieth Anniversary of the March on Rome Beginning of a New Historic Epoch Mussolini’s Road to Power
	29 October 1942 Festive Beginning of Year XXI of the Fascist Regime “A Turning Point in World History” The Führer’s Message to the King and Duce
	30 October 1942 British Press Worried about the Pacific Washington Reckons with the Worst USA Claims of Success Prove to Be Bluffs
	31 October 1942 The Duce to the Führer “Victory Will Reward Us for Our Sacrifice” A Response to British Arrogance