Research and Consulting
- At August 11, 2018
- By Heather
- In Research
0
Did you know that to support its mission of preserving history and educating the public about WWII, the World War II History Project offers research, consulting, and digitization services?
Over the years, Heather Steele has assisted WWII authors, documentary producers, veterans, families and enthusiasts with a variety of projects related to World War II in English, French, and German. She has translated German documents, assisted in interviewing German veterans, connected former enemies, and provided archival research. She has digitized veterans’ precious photos and records so that they can be passed down to future generations. She also helps new WWII non-profits establish themselves with local, state and IRS officials; conducts funding research for them; and writes proposals for funding.
Luftgaukommando Report Example
On the research side, WWII History Project can help you obtain (to the extent they exist) from the US National Archives in College Park, MD (NARA II):
- American unit records, mission records, after-action reports, escape and evasion records, Missing Air Crew Reports (MACR’s), military attache and diplomatic dispatches,
- French, Belgian and Dutch Resistance files and files regarding European escape lines,
- Luftgaukommando reports (about Allied planes downed in German-occupied territory),
- POW lists and POW camp records, both Allied and Axis (limited),
- Captured German files (including political, Waffen-SS, etc.),
- Investigation and court records detailing atrocities of German citizens against Allied service personnel,
- Maps,
- Photos,
- Moving picture files, including captured Axis newsreels, some American gun-cam footage, etc.
With our partners, we can also provide you from the US National Archives in St. Louis:
- Military personnel files,
- Individual Deceased Personnel Files (IDPF’s),
- Morning reports.
On trips to the UK, we can also obtain unit, mission, after-action, and other records from:
- the UK National Archives in Kew, England,
- the Imperial War Museum Archives in London,
- the BBC Archives in Reading, etc.
Heather photographing Luftwaffe documents in Freiburg
On trips to Germany, we can also search for:
- Unit records, air victory reports, and other records housed at the German National Archives in Freiburg,
- The fate of missing and killed German soldiers through inquiries to WASt,
- Military personnel files and courts-martial infractions,
- Local city files including: address books and registrations, Gestapo records (if they exist), local institutions during the war (for example Hitler Youth Glider aerodromes, etc.), leave records, etc.
- Interviews with well-known personalities during the war at the German radio archives in Frankfurt,
- And much more depending upon your requirements….
Portrait of Hitler left in French house near Paris occupied by German troops during the war
Our Executive Director, Heather Steele, also provides translation of German military records into English, and is available to develop and lead customized battlefield tours throughout Germany and other parts of Europe.
Email us at info at ww2historyproject.org to find out more how we can help you solve your World War II-related mysteries.
Glass Houses
- At September 21, 2012
- By Heather
- In Research
- 0
Hello to my dear Old Bolds (and friends),
Do you remember when your kids would call and start by saying, “I’m fine, I really am. But …. ” Well, everything here is just peachy, but…
Let me start at the beginning. Despite the rain we got a good start out of Jackson, and my neighbor was a sweet lady who neither hogged the armrest nor took up any of my seat nor started drinking alcohol at 7 am nor farted the whole way. In the world of airplane travel, it was a stellar morning.
Coming in through some strong buffeting wind to land was very exciting, but I’m guessing it might have been the computer that helped set us down as smooth as silk. Got the rental car, made it to the archives, and submitted my request for materials at 1:30. And then waited. And waited. Normally, it takes about an hour to pull a cart-full of boxes. Yesterday it took 2.
Yes, so in the normal scheme of things, no big deal, but when time is so short that I run from place to place and don’t leave my boxes ever to eat or drink while I’m there because there’s no time, it was an eternity. Finally, at 3:30 I got a copier and settled in to work, just as a tornado warning was announced.
If you’ve never been to NARA II, let me tell you how new and beautiful it is. It is so new and beautiful that one whole entire side of the building – six stories – is made of atrium-like glass. So focused on my files and my copier, I hadn’t even glanced outside recently. When I did look up and out, the trees were bent over sideways, lashed by horizontal streams of shotgun pellet rain.
Oh dear. A warning blared over the PA. A tornado was bearing down on us, and we needed to get away from the glass and take shelter under a desk immediately. Actually a little silly advice for us, because if that glass shattered, the desks probably wouldn’t do much to save us.
Instead of fear, I felt an almighty sense of frustration and resignation, and let myself be herded along to the basement. Honestly, though, thinking about the precious files sitting in harms’ way upstairs, I wondered about the wisdom of constructing this place out of glass.
In any case, after an hour, the all clear was sounded, and some of us quickly moved to copy a few essential pages before being booted as they closed at 5.
Today they stay open from 9 to 9, so we’ll see if I can make better progress. I’ll be meeting the sons of a pilot who evaded with Bob Sweatt here at noon. They’ll be bringing me some of his fake papers from his time in France in ’44, and I’ll be showing them how to get their father’s mission records. Win-win-win.
