What constitutes the legend of Dolfo Galland

[Ruy Horta]

Originally Posted by Adriano Baumgartner

Good night to all!
1- He cared about his airmen (as Franek pointed out positively)

Not all share this feeling, see for instance Steinhilpher and Steinhof.

Agree that Galland was very effective in self promotion and knew how to play his former enemy (flattery). His Spitfire comment (depicting him both as a rebel and again flattering his enemy) is also part of this legend. His leading the "Top Gun" Unit in the West also makes him a prime candidate for fame.

1. Self promotion (during and after the war)
2. Rebel
3. Western Theatre
4. Top Units (JG 26 and JV 44)
5. (early) Succes

[Kurt Braatz]

The more I learn about the Luftwaffe in WW II, the more I find history is what the survivors made it. We all know the number of Galland's aerial victories. But did anyone ever count the wingmen he lost? And in fighter tactics, searching for his contributions is another sobering experience. Yes, at times he saved peers from being harrassed by the Gestapo, but if you want to know what kind of friend he was, read his reviews of Günther Lützow in the latter's personnel file at the Bundesarchiv in Freiburg. I do not want to run the man down entirely, but in my opinion he is amongst the most over-estimated, over-hyped leaders in contemporary history.

[Franek Grabowski]

The history is always written by survivors, but it is sometimes possible to review it. There were some figures in aviation, who were promoted well beyond their achievements, this often being a result of their social status.
Nonetheless, gentlemen, this thread is about the myth of Galland, let's have it all debunked another time.

[Ruy Horta]

Kurt,

Interesting you mention it, but I was about to at least compare Galland to Lutzow, as an examination in character based on secondary sources. I decided to skip it, to keep focus. Of course this does make me (us) very curious!

[Cpt_Farrel]

I've heard less than flattering comments about Galland as well but something that struck me when following this discussion about his post-war fame - his friendship with Tuck and Bader must have been a tremendous boost for his "good German" rumour among the victors, wouldn't it?

/Anders

[Snautzer]

In the political snake pit of nazi germany galland rose to great heights into the ranks.
After the war he rose again in the ranks of the victors.

The man was not only a very very good pilot but a briljant politician/tactician

Nobody does that whitout making enemies.

regards

[JägerMartin]

Originally Posted by Cpt_Farrel

I've heard less than flattering comments about Galland as well but something that struck me when following this discussion about his post-war fame - his friendship with Tuck and Bader must have been a tremendous boost for his "good German" rumour among the victors, wouldn't it?

/Anders

Absolutely, he became very well-known and liked in the USA and UK & Commonwealth as a result of this networking

[ArtieBob]

IIRC, the story for Galland is a somewhat different than recounted in previous posts. The USAAF established a historical research project in Germany after WWII.
A number of former Luftwaffe and German aircraft industry personalities were invited to participate in this project. This effort was much more than the “interrogation” of POWs (which also was done, but that covered many more personnel and not to the depth of the US study). I am certain that Galland participated in this project and in fact some of the data presented in “The First and the Last” , are exactly the same as in documents at the USAF HRA archives from the German project. IMHO, Galland’s book was a successful attempt to commercialize on his involvement with this project and explains both why it may have appeared in English first, it also may explain his later linkages with USAF and RAF personnel.

Best Regards,

Artie Bob

[andrek]

People, do you know Buddy Guy? If, then you know Adolf Galland.

Buddy Guy is one of the last real blues guitar players on earth. I think he is 80 years old or maybe a bit younger. He can really play guitar. He can play his guitar on a higher level as for example a Eric Clapton or Jimi Hendrix - but only if Buddy Guy likes to do that! He very much likes to play with the audience. He is a talker and a very folksy guy. Most of his shows ran about 70 minutes. It is 15 minutes of talking and 50 minutes of music and 5 minutes of nothing. He is unique and authentic. The people love him.

I have a older colleague who is a blues fan and who did two interviews with Galland. He said that Galland was very similar to Buddy Guy. He was authentic and never played a role. He was always himself. He wasn' t a intellectual like a Steinhoff, but he could talk big and this way he made hundereds of personal contacts and those contacts helped him much in wartimes and after the war.

In relation to a Lent or a Steinhoff he was a boor.

Did he ever had a office in Berlin?

[FalkeEins]

Originally Posted by ArtieBob

I am certain that Galland participated in this project and in fact some of the data presented in “The First and the Last” , are exactly the same as in documents at the USAF HRA archives from the German project.

see Don Caldwell's 1991 Galland interview here...

http://members.aol.com/geobat66/galland/caldwell.htm