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Information on the back of photo reads: "This is all that remained of the famous Nazi Volkswagen factory at Fallersleben, Germany, when U.S. Army ground forces captured the town following four daylight attacks on the plant by bombers of the Eighth U.S. Air Force and the British Royal Air Force. Prior to the attacks, 18,000 employees worked here but this figure fell to 7,000 after the first Allied visits. Later, work in the factory came to a complete halt. Only 40 workers were killed during the bombings because of air raid shelters. The plant was originally built by the Deutsche Arbeiter Front (German Labor Part) in 1938-39 to produce the "people's car", or Volkswagen, for sale to the German people at about 900 marks ($360). After it was completed, the German High Command converted it to jeep and mine production. Before the Allied air attacks, the plant was capable of monthly production of 1,800 kubelwagen (jeeps), 1,000 amphibious jeeps, 1,200 V-1 bombs, 100,00 Teller mines and the repair of 30 Ju-88 aircraft wings."

Allied Air Attacks Knock Out Nazi War Plant, Fallersleben, Germany

Identifier:
041171
Collection Number:
A&M 3904
Title:
Allied Air Attacks Knock Out Nazi War Plant, Fallersleben, Germany
Date:
ca. 1945
Description:
Information on the back of photo reads: "This is all that remained of the famous Nazi Volkswagen factory at Fallersleben, Germany, when U.S. Army ground forces captured the town following four daylight attacks on the plant by bombers of the Eighth U.S. Air Force and the British Royal Air Force. Prior to the attacks, 18,000 employees worked here but this figure fell to 7,000 after the first Allied visits. Later, work in the factory came to a complete halt. Only 40 workers were killed during the bombings because of air raid shelters. The plant was originally built by the Deutsche Arbeiter Front (German Labor Part) in 1938-39 to produce the "people's car", or Volkswagen, for sale to the German people at about 900 marks ($360). After it was completed, the German High Command converted it to jeep and mine production. Before the Allied air attacks, the plant was capable of monthly production of 1,800 kubelwagen (jeeps), 1,000 amphibious jeeps, 1,200 V-1 bombs, 100,00 Teller mines and the repair of 30 Ju-88 aircraft wings."
Acquisition Source:
Webb, Barry H.
Acquisition Method:
Acquired
Medium:
print
Projects:
West Virginia History OnView