Drug and alcohol use in the Luftwaffe

[keith A]

I recently read that there were serious problems in the Luftwaffe in the latter years of the war involving the use of drugs and alcohol. I know that PERVETIN has been included in the discussion throughout the war but were there specific cases of units or pilots who were noted for their use and abuse of other stimulants?

I assume many pilots (just as happened in the RAF and USAAF) used stimulants i.e. lots of cigarettes, a few beers, a glass of whiskey or a couple of of Benzedrine tablets. But I am interested in identifying those that were NOT (unofficially) condoned. And whether there are accounts of indiscipline.

I confess my question came when looking at photos of Robert "Bazi" Weiss who looks like he is "wired" most of the time

regards

Keith

[Nick Beale]

I’ve merged six previous threads on this that I found with the search function here: http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthread.php?t=6520

[keith A]

Cheers Nick, I'm on a couple of those threads. It does look like me info is vague because the sources are vague. Pervitin was a standard issue pick-me-up for the Luftwaffe and I do know from memoirs that a number of senior Waffen-SS officers in Normandy were hitting the bottle and dodging combat

It was more the disciplinary issues with the use of illegal stimulants in the Luftwaffe that I was interested in. My bad. Putting that in the message bar would have probably induced potential readers to popping a tab of two of Pervitin.

Given the heat of some of the replies maybe I will dodge researching further. It was only that the statement that certain Luftwaffe units had pilots unwilling or unable to engage with the enemy in 1944-45 (enough of a statement to indicate a problem identified by Luftwaffe staff) was worth getting a bit of qualification and quantification.

Before I get bashed for leaving out the Brits I have in my entries into the discussions highlighted a few well-known individuals (aces) who went beyond the "a few pints" (a social drinker) to a bottle of whiskey a day (functioning alcoholic). Although I do remember reading one account of the state of British military society where it was noticed that during the war overindulging in cigarettes and alcohol was part of living in a stressful time.

best regards

Keith

[keith A]

I should also note that the late Geoff Wellum cited Bob Holland of 92 Squadron would play the piano all night while high on Benzedrine and pints of beer and fly next day (after a gulp or two of pure oxygen)

[VtwinVince]

I think these issues, as you state, were endemic to all combatants regardless of country of origin. Have a look at the postwar social issues which were common in western society, such as rampant alcoholism and associated family violence issues, many of which were the fallout of the war generation's self-medicating.

[edwest2]

A few comments if I may.

Complex subjects require adequate document citations. Word usage for posts should be precise. I know the internet encourages what I call "the one line response." A worrying trend since actual research can be discouraged by a learned desire for the quick and easy. I've noticed recent scholarship, though well footnoted, contains poor word usage or is not vetted by more experienced persons. This sloppy approach is not useful. Just dashing off an article or quick blog post rarely advances historical research. I think a "just the facts" approach is far more useful. That's what we want, isn't it?

Best,
Ed

[keith A]

I've noticed recent scholarship, though well footnoted, contains poor word usage or is not vetted by more experienced persons.

Fair points to both, chaps.

Interestingly the WW1 American pilot Charles Veil admitted to addiction after being treated to pain for his wounds by Opium, and at least one French ace post-war was convicted of becoming a drug-trafficker (see David Mechin's brilliant French ace volumes). Goering obviously developed his taste post war, the actress Billie Carleton who died of an OD in 1918 was in a romantic relationship with a pilot of Billy Bishop's 85 Squadron as we both know Vince. "Dope Girls" despite it's name is a great book on WW1-1920s on Commonwealth troops and their use of drugs.

The RAF pilot approach to alcohol seems to have bled into the USAAF in England in WW2.

best regards

Keith

[edwest2]

Hi Keith,

"I think" and "seems to" are not good approaches. A bit of a tangent, but I recently reviewed a book about aerospace "research and development." The book's title was overly broad, and the author failed to answer basic starting questions: Who did the research, Where was it carried out, and What types of equipment were used? I was quite surprised to discover the author was a Professor at a prestigious college.

Best,
Ed

[VtwinVince]

I don't know, Ed. A certain medical product was pushed by a certain individual with no actual concrete data, under the guise of his 'feeling' that the product actually worked as advertised. So much for deferring to 'the knowledge' or 'the science'.

[edwest2]

If we were talking about medical products...