SECOND WORLD WAR POSTCARDS

This page was last updated
12-Feb-2025 11:38

'DER ADLER' - 1941 KALENDER

Due to the fragile nature of this historic document all images were taken by camera rather than scanned, in order to reduce the stress on the calendar. Unfortuantely that means the images are not of the best quality, however they should be good enough to help the collector determine the order in which the cards appeared in the calendar.

There are 53 pages featuring a tear-off postcard, three pages with full page images that are not postcards and finally three postcards that were to be used to order other propaganda items such as year books and periodicals produced by Verlag Scherl, the printer of this calendar as well as the more well-known Der Adler Magazine.

The images below are shown in the same order as they appear in the calendar from front to back.
This series of postcards appeared as part of an annual calendar produced by Scherl Velag, the same company that printed "Der Adler" - The Eagle, magazine. The calendar appeared in 1941, 1942, 1943 and 1944. I have never seen an example of a calendar from 1940 or 1945 so I suspect only the above mentioned 4 issues were produced.

Jan to Jun 1941 and Jul to Dec 1941

29th Jun to 5th Jul and 6th to 12th Jul

29th Jun to 5th Jul: The card below-left was titled "Verantwortungsvoller Dienst. Männer vom Bodenpersonal machen das flugzeug stärtklar. Aufnahme Dr. Strache" - 'Responsible service. Men from the ground staff prepare the plane for takeoff. Photo by Dr. Strache'

6th to 12th Jul: The card below-right is titled "Besatzungen eines kampfgeschwaders marschieren zu ihren flugzeugen. Aufnahme β. Mai" - 'Crews of a fighter squadron march to their aircraft. Photo by β Mai'

13th to 19th Jul and 20th to 26th Jul

13th to 19th Jul: The title of the card below-left reads "Flugboot vom baumuster Do. 18 für fernaufklärung. Aufnahme A. Stöcker" - 'Flying boat of the Do. 18 model for long-range reconnaissance. Photo by A. Stöcker'

20th to 26th Jul: The card below-right is titled "Deutsche flieger über Scapa Flow. Bomben hageln auf britische kreuzer und Schlachtschiffe. Reichnung R. Heβ" - 'German planes over Scapa Flow. Bombs rain down on British cruisers and battleships. R. Heß'

27th Jul to 2nd Aug and Stukas

27th Jul to 2nd Aug: The following card is titled "Langsamflug, Start und Landung auf jebem noch so kleinen βlatz machen den fieseler "Storch" zum idealen Verbindungsflugzeug. Aufnahme A. Stöcker" - 'Slow flight, take-off and landing on even the smallest of spaces make the Fieseler "Storch" the ideal connecting aircraft. Photo by A. Stöcker'

Stukas: The text below the image of diving Stukas reads "Stukas im Angriff. Dem heft Nr. 19 der Luftwaffen-Illustrierte "der Adler" Jahrgang 1939 entnommen. Zeichnung R. Heβ" - 'Stukas in attack. Taken from issue no. 19 of the Luftwaffe magazine "der Adler", 1939. Drawing by R. Heß'

3rd to 9th Aug and 10th to 16th Aug

3rd to 9th Aug: The card below-left is titled "So sieht der kampfflieger durch die Bugkanzel das feindliche Land. Aufnahme Sr Stempka" - 'This is how the fighter pilot sees the enemy country through the cockpit. Photo by Sr Stempka'

10th to 16th Aug: The card below-right has the inscription "Soeben ist deutsche infanterie auf einem flugplatz in Norwegen gelandet - schon stehen die transportflugzeuge wieder startbereit. Zeichnung R. Heβ" - 'German infantry has just landed at an airfield in Norway - and the transport planes are already ready to take off again. Drawing by R. Heβ'

17th to 23rd Aug and 24th to 30th Aug

17th to 23rd Aug: The card below-left is titled "Eine kette von Sturzkampfflugzeugen Ju 87 im Anmarsch gegen den feind. Aufnahme Schaller" - 'A chain of Ju 87 dive bombers approaching the enemy. Photo by Schaller'

24th to 30th Aug: The card below-right is titled "Der Oberst Befehlshaber der Wehrmacht bespricht mit Reichsmarschall Göring und generalfeldmarschall Keitel den operationsplan. Aufnahme H. Hoffmann" - 'The Colonel Commander of the Wehrmacht discusses the operational plan with Reichsmarschall Göring and Field Marshal Keitel. Photo by H. Hoffmann'

31st Aug to 6th Sep and 7th to 13th Sep

31st Aug to 6th Sep: This card is titled "Deutsche Stukas greifen an. Volltreffer auf polnischen Bunker. Zeichnung R. Heβ" - 'German Stukas attack. Direct hit on Polish bunker. Drawing R. Heβ'

7th to 13th Sep: The card below-right is titled "Funker hart am feind. Gegen fliegersicht gut getarnt - wird die funkstelle schnell aufgebaut. Aufnahme Scherl" - 'Radio operator close to the enemy. Well camouflaged from the view of aircraft - the radio station is quickly set up. Photo Scherl'

14th to 20th Sep and Der Adler Year Book

14th to 20th Sep: The following card is titled "Kampfflugzeuge He 111 in der Nordsee bei angriffsflug gegen englische Seestreitkräfte. Aufnahme H. Schaller" - 'He 111 fighter aircraft in the North Sea during an attack flight against English naval forces. Photo by H. Schaller'

Der Adler Year Book: This page of the calendar advertises the 1942 der Adler Calendar and Year Book.

Adler Kalendar / Yearbook and 21st to 27th Sep

Adler Kalendar / Yearbook: This page of the calendar advertises the 1942 der Adler Calendar and Year Book.

21st to 27th Sep: The page bottom-right is entitled "Mitten im Ziel! Deutscher Bombentreffer auf ein vor anker liegendes "Sunderland" flugboot. Zeichnung R. Heβ" - 'Right on target! German bomb hit on a "Sunderland" flying boat lying at anchor. Drawing by R. Heß'

28th Sep to 4th Oct and 5th to 11th Oct

28th Sep to 4th Oct: This card is titled "Soldaten der Luftnachrichtentruppe mit MG in feindesland. Aufnahme Dr. Weller" - 'Soldiers of the airborne intelligence corps with machine guns in enemy territory. Photo by Dr. Weller'

5th to 11th Oct: The card below-right is titled "Flak Schützt deutsches land. Aufnahme Dr. Strache" -'Flak protects German land. Photo by Dr. Strache'

12th to 18th Oct and 19th to 25th Oct

12th to 18th Oct: The card below is entitled "Der Führer und Oberste Befehlshaber der Wehrmacht bei feinen fliegern an der front. Aufnahme H. Hoffmann" - 'The Führer and Supreme Commander of the Wehrmacht with fine pilots at the front. Photo by H. Hoffmann'

19th to 25th Oct: The card below-right is titled "Deutsche Kampfflugzeuge zerstören einen feindlichen Eisenbahnknotenpunkt. Zeichnung Richard Heβ" - 'German fighter planes destroy an enemy railway junction. Drawing by Richard Heβ'

26th Oct to 1st Nov and 2nd to 8th Nov

26th Oct to 1st Nov: The card below-left is titled "Was spielen und singen sie? Natürlich "Erika..." Eine fröhliche arbeitspause beim Bodenpersonal. Aufnahme A. β" - 'What do they play and sing? Of course "Erika..." A happy work break for the ground staff. Recording A. β'

2nd to 8th Nov: The card below-right is titled "Fallschirmjäger greifen ein. Absprung im Rücken des feindes. Aufnahme Scherl" - 'Paratroopers intervene. Jumping behind the enemy. Photo by Scherl'

9th to 15th Nov and Searchlight

9th to 15th Nov: The title of the next card is "Helm ab zum Gebet!" - 'Take off your helmet and pray!'

Searchlight: The text below this image of a searchlight reads "Das feindliche flugzeug ist im Lichtkegel eingefangen - ein sicheres ziel für die flak. Dem heft Nr 6 der Luftwaffen-Illustrierten "der Adler" Jahrgang 1940 entnommen" -'The enemy aircraft is caught in the beam of light - a sure target for the anti-aircraft guns. Taken from issue no. 6 of the Luftwaffe magazine "der Adler" year 1940'

16th to 22nd Nov and 23rd to 29th Nov

16th to 22nd Nov: This card is titled "In reih und glied. Mehrzwecke-Schwimmerflugzeuge vom Baumunster He 59 wachen einsatzbereit an Deutschlands rüften. Aufnahme A. Stöcker" - 'In a row. Multi-purpose floatplanes from the Baumunster He 59 stand ready for action on Germany's skies. Photo by A. Stöcker'

23rd to 29th Nov: The title of this card reads "Zwei Me-109 Jagdeinfitzer vernichten einen feinblichen fesselballon. Zeichnung R. Heβ" - 'Two Me-109 fighter planes destroy an enemy tethered balloon. Drawing by R. Heß'

Der Adler Kalendar and 30th Nov to 6th Dec

Der Adler Kalendar: Advertisement for the Der Adler Book shop and katalog.

30th Nov to 6th Dec: The next card is titled "Bord und kustenaufklärer vom Baumuster Ar 196. Eines dieser flugzeuge hat am 5.5.40 ein Britisches U-Boot eingebracht. Aufnahme Arado-Archiv" - 'On-board and coastal reconnaissance aircraft of the Ar 196 model. One of these aircraft brought in a British submarine on 5.5.40. Photo from the Arado archive'

7th to 13th Dec and 14th to 20th Dec

7th to 13th Dec: The title of this card reads "Musikkorps der Luftwaffe. Aufnahme Scherl" - 'Music Corps of the Air Force. Photo Scherl'

14th to 20th Dec: The next card has the title "Der kran hebt das katapultflugzeug wieder an Bord, nachdem es den Luftraum in weitem umkreis aufgeklärt hat. Aufnahme Dr. Strache" - 'The crane lifts the catapult plane back on board after it has reconnoitred the airspace in a wide area. Photo by Dr. Strache'

21st to 27th Dec and VERLAG SCHERL

21st to 27th Dec: This card is titled "Weihnachten an der front. Aufnahme Dr. Strache" - 'Christmas at the front. Photo by Dr. Strache'

VERLAG SCHERL: The second last page has the heading "Hals-und Beinbruch! Mit diesem Ruf starten unsre Flieger. "Hols- und Beinbruch!" rut auch DER ADLER allen seinen Freunden zu für den Start in ein glückhaftes neues Jahr! Lassen Sie den ADLER auch im neuen Jahr Ihren Begleiter sein! Falls Sie ihn noch nicht bestellt haben, füllen Sie bitte die Karte aus!" - 'Break a leg! This is the call our planes take off with. "Break a leg!" is what THE EAGLE calls out to all its friends to start off a happy new year! Let the EAGLE be your companion in the new year too! If you haven't ordered it yet, please fill out the card!'.

28th to 31st Dec

28th to 31st Dec: "Flughafen an der Ostsee. Die Tore öffnen sich - die flugzeuge stehen startbereit. Aufnahme A. Stöcker" - 'Airport on the Baltic Sea. The gates open - the planes are ready to take off. Photo by A. Stöcker'

Jan to Jun 1941 and Jul to Dec 1941