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Re: Bombing civilian targets by the Luftwaffe?
Oh, another discussion about innocent German airmen and bad butcher Bomber Harris?
A detailed study of US attacks on military and industrial targets in Silesia during 1944 shows that bombings were highly accurate and that civilian losses were quite limited. All this achieved by B-17s and B-24s, much less accurate than Stukas.
Wielun was hit in a multiwave attack that lasted from the morning until early afternoon. It is estimated 75% of buildings were destroyed by both high explosive and incendeniary bombs. Comparingto this, loss of 1200 persons - ~8% of population - seems quite a reasonable figure. Supposedly, many of those died of wounds, half a day bombing caused impossible to give any help. Additionally streets were straffed by the German aircraft.
By the way, 30 tons seem a little bit small bombload for about 6 bombings by two Geschwadern.
Concerning Warsaw, Ghetto could not have been bombed simply because there was no one. It was created only by the German administration. It is a fact, however, that Luftwaffe bombed purely civilian districts as well as straffed people seeking for vegetables in fields surounding the city.
The practice target was not Wieluń but a small city of Frampol, mostly inhabitated by Jewish population. The story was published in Germany during 1970s, so it is no way a Polish propaganda. Interestingly, photos taken during the raid clearly show markers made either by '5th collumn' or diversion groups.
Additionally, current issue of Lotnictwo journal has a one page article describing German attack on another city (name escapes me now) as well as all the military targets there - about 5 AA guns and a railway station on suburbs of the city. I suppose military targets were quite a good excuse.
PS Marius, I am surprised you have not heard about this.
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