Völkischer Beobachter Front Pages: September 1940.

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

September 1943 was not a good month for Germany. Italy collapsed, making it necessary for Germany to divert essential resources to rescue Mussolini and set up a rump Italian state. The news on the Eastern Front was poor. Germans were forced to make major retreats.

Völkischer Beobachter: September 1943

	1 September 1943 Polish Emigre General States: This War Was Forced on Germany The Enemy Slogan of Summer 1939: “No More Bloodless Victories for Hitler!”
	2 September 1943 47 Terror Bombers Shot Down over Greater Berlin 15 Warships and 70 Merchant Ships Sunk in August Additional 30 Warships and 580,000 BRT Damaged
	3 September 1943 Entering the Fifth Year of War Germany Is United, Strong, and Powerful
	4 September 1943 U.S. War of Nerves in the Far East Japan Not Impressed by Oral Offensive “Tokyo Faces Each Battle Confidently”
	5 September 1943 Why Mountbatten? Jewish Ancestry was His Ladder to Fame and Rank
	6 September 1943 Bulgaria Bids Farewell to King Boris The Führer’s Wreath on the Coffin of a Friend of Germany
	7 September 1943 Bitter Fighting at the Donbas Bend and near Kharkov Our Soldiers Display Incomparable Heroism
	8 September 1943 British Unions Obey Stalin The Southport Congress Displays Growing Radicalism
	9 September 1943 Stabs an Ally in the Back a Second Time Italian Government’s Cowardly Betrayal Badolgio Gives Italy Unconditionally to the Enemy— Countermeasures Taken _________________________________________________________________ The top headline refers to World War I when Italy joined the Allies in 1915.
	10 September 1943 Stabbing our Troops in the Back Fails Disloyalty Found Us Prepared Military Countermeasures Already in Full Motion
	11 September 1943 The Führer Speaks to the German People about Italy’s Betrayal I Expect that the Nation Will Do Its Duty in All Areas with Bitter Defiance “We Will Now Continue the Battle Free from All Burdensome Restrictions”
	12 September 1943 Germany’s Call: Now More Than Ever! _____________________________________________ The lead article by Wilhelm Weiß is titled “The Counter Blow.” It begins: “The entire German people, and also the world public, today are struck by the Führer’s pitiless reckoning with the Badoglio’s treasonous government in his radio speech. The nation owes deepest thanks to the Führer for his words, which shed illuminating light at a critical moment on one of the most infamous treacheries in world history.”
	13 September 1943 What Happens to Cowards! Badoglio’s Armistice — the Most Dishonorable Document The Traitorous Clique Surrenders All of Italy to the Enemy — A Blank Check for Further Extortion
	14 September 1943 The Leader of the Brilliant and Clever Action — from the Ostmark (the Nazi term for Austria) How Mussolini Was Freed The First Telephone Conversation between the Führer and the Duce — High Honors for the Liberators
	15 September 1943 The Cowardly Treasonous Trio Flees to Palermo The King, Crown Prince, and Marshal Seek “Allied Protection”
	16 September 1943 London’s Fears about the Situation in Italy Critical Phase of the Battle of Salerno
	17 September 1943 Conversation with the Duce’s Liberators _______________________________ The article discusses the soldiers who freed Mussolini.
	18 September 1943 Battle Morale on the Eastern Front Increases Everywhere Front Is Shortened to Avoid Unnecessary Casualties ___________________________________________________________ The article says that given the force of the Soviet attack, the front was shortened to free up troops and prevent unnecessary casualties. In other words, the Germans retreated.
	19 September 1943 Mussolini’s First Speech after Liberation “Once Again at Arms at Germany’s Side The King Fully Responsible: The House of Savoy Betrayed the People to Save the Crown
	20 September 1943 Badoglio’s First Treachery Was before the Capitulation The Treasonous Marshal Received USA Officers in Rome He Also Gave Them His “Marshal’s Word of Honor”
	21 September 1943 The Anglo-American War Goal: Europe Is to Be Turned Over to the Soviets A Spanish Newspaper Convicts the Plutocratic Liars
	22 September 1943 Washington and Moscow Agree “Buffer States against the Soviets Outdated” New American Statements on Bartering Away Southeast Europe
	23 September 1943 Decisive Efforts toward Final Victory Tremendous Increase in Japanese War Production Tojo: The Results Will Astonish the World
	24 September 1943 Ango-American Plans Dismember Italy Eden’s Statement: “Sicily Will Be Separated from the Motherland”
	25 September 1943 The German Wehrmacht Protects Us from This Bolshevist Murder Proved in Documents Official Material on the Mass Murder in Katyn Publicly Revealed
	26 September 1943 The Purpose of the Major Withdrawals Shortening the Front and Supply Lines, Gaining Strength and Room to Maneuver __________________________________________________________ The article attempts to explain why German retreats in Russia are militarily advantageous.
	27 September 1943 Marshal Graziani Accuses the Traitors: They Betrayed Allies and the Italian People Viktor Emanuel and Badoglio Revealed as Cowardly Deserters ___________________________________________________ Graziani was the only Italian marshal who remained loyal to Mussolini after Italy surrendered.
	28 September 1943 Statement on the Anniversary of the Tripartite Pact A Fighting Community of Life and Death Ribbentrop: “Neither Bolshevism nor the Anglo-Americans Will Ever Conquer Europe”
	29 September 1943 The Führer’s Telegram to the Duce Italy’s New Form of Government Recognized by Germany Also Recognized by Japan, Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Slovakia, and Manchuria
	30 September 1943 His Thanks for War Financing Roosevelt Again Demonstrates his Obedience to the Jews His Message Attempts to Dampen Growing Antisemitism in the USA