FINNS’ CABINET RESIGNS AS SOVIET BOMBS CITIES (12/1/39)

The first contact between Soviet aircraft and Finnish fighters happened at 11:45-11:55 on 1 December 1939 when six Polikarpov I-16s from 7 IAP jumped a Bulldog pair of LLv 26. While the other Bulldog was separated, a BU-64 piloted by Toivo Uuttu was left alone to fight the Russians. After scoring hits on one I-16, he himself was also shot down and he crashed at Muolaanjärvi getting injured in the process. Uuttu’s victim also crashed and became the first aerial victory ever over Finland.

Uuttu reported: I flew southeast of Muolaanjärvi but I did not see any movements so I descended lower. Suddenly I saw tracers flying all around me. When I looked over my shoulder, I saw three I-16s attacking me. I pulled up and left and as they overtook me, I was able to fire a short burst on passing I-16. I hit his engine and saw black smoke coming out of the engine. It started sliding downward smoking. Tracers were flying all around my plane. Suddenly my plane shuddered and when I pulled on stick, it did not move. I considered jumping, but in fear that they might shoot me on parachute I decided to fight it out to the last. I continued evading my attackers using only rudder and aerlions. We had descended to altitude of 200m and when I looked behind, I saw one still shooting. I shut off my engine and tried to make a forced landing to forest. When landing, I pulled with all of my strength on the stick and it moved back a little bit, but then the Bulldog hit the woods and I passed away

Himmler Decree Concerning Procedures for
Confiscation of Works of Art, Archives and Documents

1 December 1939

The Reichfuehrer-SS Berlin,
Chief of German Police in the Ministry of Justice.
Reich Commissioner for the Strengthening. of Germanism
S I V 1 Nr. 844 III/ 39-151-F-Sdb. P

Urgent Decree

The regional officers of the secret police in the annexed eastern territories
The commanders of security police and security service in Cracow, Radom, Warsaw, Lublin.

For information .

* * *

Subject matter: Procedure for the confiscation of works of art, archives, documents, collections etc.

I

The Chief Custodian East has issued the following order dated 1 December 1939 concerning confiscation:

1. To strengthen Germanism and in the interest of the defense of the Reich, all articles mentioned in section II of this decree are hereby confiscated. This applies to all articles located in the territories annexed by the Fuehrer’s and Reich Chancellor’s decree of 12.10.1939 and in the General Government for the occupied Polish territories. They are confiscated for the benefit of the German Reich and are at the disposal of the Reich Commissioner for the Strengthening of Germanism.

Provided always that this does not apply to articles which are fully or for more than 75% the property of German citizens or persons of German race. In particular are confiscated all articles mentioned in Section II which are in archives, museums, public collections or in the private possession of Poles and Jews if their protection and expert safekeeping is in German interest.

II

1. Historical and pre-historical articles, documents, books, which are of interest for questions of cultural value and of public life, especially for the question of the German share in the historical, cultural and economic development of the country, and documents which are relevant for the history of present events.

2. Articles of art of cultural value e. g. pictures, sculptures, furniture, carpets, crystal, books etc.

3. Furnishings and jewelry made of precious metal.

III

The administration of the confiscated articles is ordered hereby and a commissioner is to be appointed by the president of the association for research and education “The Ancestral Heritage Registered Society”, Berlin-Dahlem, Puecklerstrasse 16, is to be entrusted to be the general custodian. He is empowered to appoint custodians and deputies and is entitled to take all steps necessary for the protection and maintenance of the confiscated articles

IV

All confiscations made before this decree by authorities of the Reichfuehrer SS and chief of German police and the Reich commissioner for the Strengthening of Germanism are hereby confirmed. They are to be regarded as made for the benefit of the German Reich and are at the disposal of the Reich commissioner for the Strengthening of Germanism.

V

In due course the usual questionnaires for cataloging the confiscated articles are to be sent to the Chief Custodian East.

VI

This decree is made in pursuance of the ordinance of Prime Minister, General Field Marshal Goering of 19.10.39-St. M. Dev. 9547.

This decree has been extended by a further confiscation decree of 6.12.1939 as follows:

In section II of my decree of 1.12.1939 concerning confiscation of works of art and of cultural value the following categories are to be added :

4. Al l articles, especially apparatus and accessories for conserving, developing, serving to and maintaining the confiscated objects and collections. Under this category fall also items of natural, medical, technical, and agricultural science, i. e. not only .appliances.

5. Armour, costumes, national dresses, musical instruments, coins, stamps, and similar collections.

6. The articles under 1-5 apply also if they are in schools, particularly universities, colleges, technical institutes.

II
[Note: This is the formatting of R-145]

I request to proceed at once with the confiscations in accordance with this decree. One copy each of the confiscation minutes is to be sent to:

1. Reich Security-Main Department.

2. Prof. Dr. Heinrich Harmjanz, Berlin-Dahlem, Pucklerstrasse 16, who as delegate of the president of the association for re-search and education “The Ancestral Heritage Registered Society” Berlin-Dahlem, has been appointed general custodian for these values. His deputy is the manager of the association for research and education “The Ancestral Heritage Registered Society” Berlin-Dahlem, SS-Sturmbannfuehrer Wolfram Sievers.

III

Before archives, documents and libraries are handed over to the “Ancestral Heritage Registered Society” further instructions from the Reich Security Main Department have to be awaited. Care has to be taken that the confiscated archives, works of art etc. are kept safely in suitable rooms.

Signed. H. Himmler

Interesting Note: Heinz Seetzen, future Commander of SS Einsatzkommando 10a, and Einsatzgruppen "B", is appointed Head of the Gestapo and the SD in Aachen, Hamburg, Vienna, Stettin and Kassel on December 1st, 1939.

Heinz Seetzen, who came to the death squad from the Gestapo, was a hard leader who is reputed to have ordered all Einsatzkommando 10a members to participate in executions.

Equipments List of the Bulgarian Army on 1 December, 1939, as reported by German Intelligence (SD) to OKW:

225,276 Rifles Manlicher
69,493 Rifles Mosin (in 1940-1941 48 000 of these sold to Finland)
112,608 Carbines Manlicher
8 444 Pistols
4252 LMG
3296 HMG
308 ATR
367 mortars
412 75 mm guns
189 75 mm mountain guns
14 77mm guns
10 88mm old (not QF) guns
135 105 mm howitzers RM
13 105 mm mountain howitzers
22 105 mm guns
36 120 mm howitzers
10 120mm old (not QF) guns
30 150 mm howitzers
412 20mm AA guns (250 RM 1936, 16 RM 1939, 24 RM M30 (motorized), 72 RM 1939 (motorized), 50 Oerlikon)
20 88mm AA guns (Krupp M1937 with 5 command units Pshorr)
3 old 88mm AA guns Krupp M1916 with 1 command unit Zeiss
6 150cm lights “Siemens-shukker” M1937 with 2 direction units
14 Ansaldo tanks (CV3/33)
8 Vickers tanks

Sorry it’s so late. Haven’t had a lot of spare time today.

I'm just glad you are able to post them, whenever it happens. I was too busy to read it earlier anyway. But your posts are always rewarding when I do get to them.