Meissler's (7./JG52) story and interrogation report
 

Hello, friends!

Well-known story:
28.5.43 Uffz Herbert Meissler (7./JG52) in Hartmann's Bf109G-4 14997 made a force landing and became a POW. He return to Germany after the war. From his words, his Bf109 had a technical troubles, nothing about battle damages.
The Soviet version was that Bf109 was damaged in dogfight and than forced by 3 Yak-1 to landing on the Soviet side. But after Meissler's postwar story this version was blamed as propaganda.

But ... just read the interrogation report in TsAMO. Meissler told that his Bf109 mission was escort of "Stuka" formation. Just before the target area (Krymskaya) the formation was attacked by 8 Yaks. One of the Yaks hit Meissler's Bf109's engine by cannon fire. Meisler made an attempt to escape to the West, but was tied by 3 Yaks [812.IAP] and forced to land. His hope was to escape [by feet] after the landing, but Yaks remained in area and had opened a fire, then he tried to escape.

So his postwar version "upgraded" the reality a bit. Sadly, his version appeared even in reputable B.Barbas's volume about III./JG52.

Best regards,
Andrey

Re: Meissler's (7./JG52) story and interrogation report
 

And don`t you think that he just told his interrogators what they want to hear? Frankly I don`t believe in Russian interrogation reports.

Robert

Re: Meissler's (7./JG52) story and interrogation report
 

Hello, Robert

You probably saw many Russian interrogation reports?

The quality of these reports differed considerably depending on interrogators, the war period, etc. From many spring-1943 int.reports of 4.Air Army only the report of croat deserter N.M. Cvikic [a rough transliteration from Russian] (15./JG52) was certainly untrue (about JG52 losses). Most of other POW gave a real picture. Info about losses of their units were in good correspondence with modern data mainly, for example. The same is about units movement from airfield to airfield (by the way, a good additional source for the De Zeng/Stankey series of books) etc. Many POWs said about their believing in Hitler's final victory. It is certainly not "what interrogators want to hear".
Conclusions of the reports were also sober mainly: "The data are good correspond with other POWs data, air recce and radio recce"; "POW didn't said all that he must know" etc.

"Frankly I don't believe in postwar stories" :-)

Best regards,
Andrey

Re: Meissler's (7./JG52) story and interrogation report
 

I just don`t believe in NKWD stories and Soviet propaganda.

Robert

Re: Meissler's (7./JG52) story and interrogation report
 

Why NKWD? Intelligence section (RazvedOtdel) ot the Staff of 4.Air Army (and 56.Army, 58.Army etc).

And it is strange a bit that you don't see the difference between the routine intelligence and the propaganda.
"Propaganda", really, made a show from Meissler case. Good work, appeared even in US "Life" magazine in Nov.43. The difference from many other cases was the reality of the case.

But initial message was about Meissler's own words - in 1943 and in 1949.

Re: Meissler's (7./JG52) story and interrogation report
 

Yes, yes of course not NKVD. Bullshit.
And here I can give you a good example what NKVD have made with Russians:
"Sziroka strana moja rodnaja
Mnogo w niej lesow, polej i riek
Ja drugoj takoj strany nie znaju
Gdie tak wolno dyszyt czelowiek!"
Why people hated own country? Did Meissler have a chance to tell the truth that Soviet pilots were falling from the sky like ducks? No. He did not. NKVD (or whatever) was too efficient to give him this chance. Member of my family had had this dubious pleasure to be interrogated by NKVD and he was beaten almost to dead. He did not answer any question but his interrogation protocol was full and was signed, not by him, but who cares?
Sorry I don`t believe in single word in Soviet documents.

Regards

Robert

Re: Meissler's (7./JG52) story and interrogation report
 

Andrey, when many ex-POWs from all countries recall their lives in the prisoner camp, most told a same story: despite all the brutal and illegal method used by the enemy interrogators, they sood their ground never reveal any useful information except their name rank and unit, many were hailed as hero after they returned home,but if we have a chance read their interrogation report, sometimes it told a very different story, something is simply not meant to been seen, so let it go, had they been suffered enough already?

Re: Meissler's (7./JG52) story and interrogation report
 

Many other POW pilots said the many unpleasant things (or simply about their crash-landing due to technical problem, without enemy fire), why Meissler can't say it, if it was so? For example, he said that Soviet night air raids against his airbase were low-effective (no personal casualties, 4 a/c had some damages, almost all bombs didn't hit the airfield or fell in the center of airfield, where no a/c at night). In your logic, Meissler's only option was to say about terrible losses due to night raids.

Really, intercourse with NKVD was a hard expirience.
As you probably understand, you don't know certainly, what is true:
1. He said nothing really (so signed document is untrue)
2. He said all he know (or most of he know) and signed the protocol, but said to family that said nothing (for obvious reason).
As you can guess, the 2nd version was most common. But maybe it isn't about your relative, yes.
It is off-topic, of course.

You are living in the interesting world.

Good night

Regards,
Andrey

Re: Meissler's (7./JG52) story and interrogation report
 

Hello, Mars!

Yes, of course. I saw interrogations reports of the German V.AK, for example. Most of Soviet POWs said all or almost all that they knows (but some real heroes were, indeed).

Return to Meissler.
The coin has a two side. What about captain P.T.Tarasov (812.IAP), who claimed a victory against Bf109? If Meissler's postwar version is true, Tarasov's award is undeserved. And vice versa.

Meissler's interrogation statements looks like a true in many details (according to modern knowledge).

I also thought that the story is simply interesting for air enthusiasts. One more fact to the well-known episode.

Best regards,
Andrey

Unteroffizier Herbert Meissler
 

Hi guys

Interesting discussion of an episode that is still rather unclear and the subject of much debate. One way that the conflicting accounts may be resolved would be by examining any existing photographs of this aircraft following the emergency landing and noting any damage to the engine cowl. If there is evidence of strikes to this area of the aircraft it would bolster the Russian version of events while the absence of such would appear to give credence to the post-war account of Meissler. Therefore, the question is if any such photographs clearly depicting the engine cowl exist? I have only seen the following two photographs of this machine as well as the ones where it is covered in white smoke during the propaganda film shooting where unfortunately the cowling is obscured. The first photograph displays the starboard side of the fighter quite well and no damage is apparent to me but it may have been taken prior to the capture or after the machine was repaired by the Russians. The second photograph depicts the possible victor Kaptain Pavel Tarasov (24 victories) being congratulated by General-Mayor Eugene Savitsky.

http://img172.imagevenue.com/loc89/t...r_122_89lo.jpg http://img209.imagevenue.com/loc25/t...2_122_25lo.jpg

Horrido!

Leo