Si 204 DL+NT

[CJE]

This aircraft landed in Switzerland late April 1945. It was said to have flown the Mufti of Jerusalem to a more friendly country.
Can anyone tell the exact date and place it arrived?

Thanks in advance.

Chris

[Nick Beale]

It landed at Belp (south of Bern) at 13.16 hrs. on 7 May 1945. There were five people aboard.

Source: Karl Ries, Deutsche Luftwaffe über der Schweiz (1978)

Ries doesn't mention the Grand Mufti in connection with DL+NT and Wikipedia says that "After the end of the Second World War, al-Husseini attempted to obtain asylum in Switzerland but his request was refused. He was taken into custody at Constanz by the French occupying troops on 5 May 1945..."

It look like that 5 May date is wrong since a newspaper report with a dateline of 7 May says he arrived "this afternoon." Another report refers to "on Monday" and the 7th was a Monday.

[CJE]

Thanks Nick.

However, it does not mean the Grand Mufti was not aboard.

For the record, I obtained a copy of this image from Paul J. Vercammen, editor of Air Combat, a long long time ago. The original caption stated that this aircraft was "sold" to the Grand Mufti (more likely made at its disposal) and that he used it to flee to Switzerland after having the German markings removed.

After all, Lake Constance is not so far from Belp. He may have been expelled to Germany after having landed in Switzerland as "personna non grata" (sure he was!).

[CJE]

Wikipedia states he was captured by the French on 15 May.
http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohamme...uerre_mondiale

Chris