Hptm Rudolf Von Moreau

[Chris Goss]

The above was part of the crew that set a record flight across the Atlantic in 1938 but was also a member of K88 in Spain. Can anyone help me with his career history?

[Kurt Braatz]

Rudolf Freiherr von Moreau, born Feb 8, 1910 in Munich. Studied History, Economics, Philosophy and Fine Arts in Germany, Ireland and Prague. Volunteered for the Reichswehr in 1931. Underwent secret aircrew training in Schleissheim and Brunswick at the Deutsche Verkehrsfliegerschule as member of "K 31", the legendary crew that also comprised Wolfgang Falck, Guenther Lützow, Hannes Trautloft etc. Bomber pilot in the Spanish Civil War. Adjutant to Erhard Milch (1937). Posted to the Luftwaffe Test Centre in Rechlin (1938). Non stop world record flight Berlin-New York and back with Fw 200. World record flight Berlin-Tokyo and back with Fw 200(both in 1938). Crashed in April 1939 on a Ju 88 flight test.

Hope that helps!
Kurt

[Mikael Olrog]

He was more than bomber pilot in Spain since he at one time was in charge of VS 88, also refered to as Verscuchstaffel Moreau in documents and he led the infamous attack on Guernica.
/Mikael

[Chris Goss]

Kurt/Mikael: Many thanks for this. I have a photo of him after the flight to the USA and have been approached by his son wanting to know more about him. Did he plan as well as lead the Guernica attack and was he flying Ju 52s at the time?

[Kurt Braatz]

He did not plan the bombing of Guernica on April 16, 1937, and there is no evidence he personally took part in it. His unit, however, flew sorties over Guernica on that day. When Guernica was bombed, he was CO of VB/88 (Versuchsbomberstaffel 88), who were combat testing He 111B, Do 17E and Ju 86D in northern Spain.

Wolfgang Falck and Guenther Luetzow were his closest friends. I know from Wolf Falck that Moreau was not a Nazi at all. I'd be cautious to draw conclusions from the bombing of Guernica to the moral righteousness of those involved in the operation. For a number of yet undisputed reasons the bridge and railway station near Guernica were considered military targets. The Italian-German mission failed to destroy these targets accidently. All sources indicate there was no intention to bomb the city.

If Moreau's son wants to contact me directly, let me know.

[Mikael Olrog]

I've got to acknowledge that I don't know from archival documents weather or not Moreau took part in or led the attack on Guernica, it was stated in a book I read in on the subject.

Best regards
/Mikael

[Peter Achs]

From October to December 1937 Moreau flew the Ju 52/D-AMUO around Africa. The second pilot was H. Rother from Lufthansa. This was a propaganda flight of the Junkers factory, on board also was Junkers director Koppenberg.
Moreau crashed on 31. March 1939 near Rechlin.

Regards
P. Achs

[RT]

To add to Guernica that there were 167 victims, that rep-troops were stationned in/at the entry of the village nd some were among the victims
One more thing, the famous paint of Picasso "Guernica" has been painted in 1936, then first named bull-fight shown to the rep-high rank personnalities, possibly largo Caballero, that found the paint a bit "trash", nd not at all in the "republican" standarts, later he made career in an other way..

remi

[Peter Spoden]

concerning air-attacks we see here, how propaganda works:

"to add to Guernica that there were 167 victims".

Martin Middlebrook, the British historian, writes in his book "The Battle of Hamburg", page 328, that in July 1943 44600 civilians died in Hamburg, 50% women , 30% mostly old men and 5400 children.

Peter Spoden