This new book by Patrick Brion is the culmination of 18 years worth of meticulous research on the subject of the Me 262 production facility, in and around the razorback mountain "Walpersberg" near Kahla in Thuringia.
The book contains over 400 photos with many illustrations of documents of all types as they related to this production site. Patrick was aided by many others, including most noteably Klaus Müller, co-author himself of a book on the REIMAHG entitled
Deckname LACHS. Following Klaus' publication of his book, he began on another aspect regarding the construction of the runway on top of the mountain, which he personally took part in as a teenager. The runway was used to transfer the newly built Me 262's to Zerbst airfield nearby. It was far too short to land on, so take-offs were an all or nothing proposition. Klaus decided to fold in his own efforts into the current book.
As noted, this is a pictorial history. Text is fairly minimal, but certainly adequate. It is in both English and German. A 600-page all text book is planned to follow.
The table of contents is as follows:
Foreword 4
Preface 8
Timetable 12
Planning to build the factory 21
Aiming to produce the jet fighter Me 262 45
Workforce and Camps 61
The factory seen by the Allies 105
Occupation and Dismantling 135
Postwar - Today 201
The old tunnel system 221
Retracing the past 231
Objects and documents 255
A word of gratitude 274
Sources 275
I can heartily recommend this book to anyone interested in the Me 262 production facility at the Walpersberg. Patrick has covered the subject from virtually every angle, complete with photos and documents, some of them arcane in the extreme. Still, like someone starting out with a jigsaw puzzle in which many of the pieces are missing, Patrick has been able to assemble a sufficient number of these minor documents to paint an excellent picture of the whole.
If there is any particular weakness, it is not having ground photos of Me 262's being produced before capture, nor a feel for the day to day operations. Documentation on such is virtually non-existent, so one can forgive this lack. However, one is greeted by many aerial photos taken by Allied reconnaissance aircraft and photos of Me 262's as captured. Klaus Müller's photos of the runway construction provide a "You are there" feeling.
Details in the photos of the numerous massive and minor structures are carefully explained, as well as the extensive tunnel network within the Walpersberg, giving one the feeling of a pretty throrough understanding of what was accomplished or intended. Some structures were still only partly built and tunnels incomplete at the time of capture.
The use of forced/slave labor is covered in detail in a rather reverential tone. Not only has Patrick carefully researched the history of this site, but he and his wife Steffi have participated in many commemoration ceremonies for those that had been forced to work there, some losing their lives in the process.
The front and back covers of the book can be found at:
http://www.lwag.org/reference/REIMAHGF.jpg
http://www.lwag.org/reference/REIMAHGB.jpg
If you are interested in obtaining a copy of this book, you can write to Patrick at
patrickbrion@hotmail.com. The price is 35 Euro plus shipping.
Regards,
Richard