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IM HERZLAND GERMANIENS

(IN THE GERMAN HEARTLAND)

RARE NAZI PHOTO BOOK FOCUSSED ON THE WEHRMACHT ENTERING BOHEMIA AND MORAVIA, AND HITLER’S VISIT IN MARCH 1939

Im Herzland Germaniens (In the Germanic Heartland) is an extremely rare Nazi photo book about the historical Germanic influences in early Bohemia* and Moravia, the arrival of the Wehrmacht in Böhmen und Mähren, and Adolf Hitler’s “liberation” visit to Prague and the industrial city of Brünn in March 1939. Via the Munich Agreement, in November 1938 Hitler was given a free hand by the leaders of Great Britain, France and Italy to take what he wanted of the country as well as allowing Poland and Hungary to take those parts of Czechoslovakia that they made a claim to.

* Bohuslav Lobkowitz von Hassenstein in the 15th century had called Bohemia (Böhmen in German) “the heartland of Germany” - see arrows at the top of the image on the left.

This excellent book Im Herzland Germaniens starts with a chapter by Erwin Stranik about the ancient origins of Germanic culture in Bohemia and Moravia, accompanied by photos of beautiful historical buildings and sights in the area.

Well-read persons with an interest in this fascinating era are aware that at the end of World War I a very sizable portion of Germany along its eastern border, and a large piece of the northern edge of the Austro-Hungarian Empire was detached from those two countries to constitute a new country - Czechoslovakia. Since parts of Czechoslovakia included some of the oldest remains and cultural artifacts of early Germanic peoples in central Europe, Hitler and the Nazis claimed them (largely Bohemia and Moravia and that portion of Silesia taken from Germany in 1918) as everlasting parts of the country of Germany, and were very determined to include them in the Nazi plans to establish the largest Germany they felt they could possibly lay claim to.

The rest of this 66-page photo book closely examines the arrival and pleasant reception given to the Wehrmacht and German officials, in the part of Czechoslovakia that was to be called the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia, and also details of Adolf Hitler’s one and only visit to the country.

The photo content of Im Herzland Germaniens is fantastic and is not found in other Third Reich books: Nazi tanks, soldiers, motorcycles, Geländewagen and halftracks rolling into the country and entering Prague and Brünn (now Brno in the Czech Republic), civilians welcoming the Germans on the street, Hitler greeting ethnic German students in Prague, Adolf Hitler greeting Reichskommissar Konrad Henlein, Luftwaffe airplanes over Prague, NSV soup kitchens feeding Czech civilians, Reichsprotector of Bohemia and Moravia Freiherr Konstantin von Neurath, etc., etc.

This 7-½ x 10-3/8 inch Heinrich Hoffmann-type Nazi photo book was published by Rudolf M. Rohrer Verlag and printed in Brünn. It is undated, but it was no doubt published soon after the German take-over of Czechoslovakia in March 1939.

This original example of Im Herzland Germaniens comes with its original dust jacket. One of the quotes on the front flap says “Because of Hitler’s actions, Bohemia and Moravia became the heartland of Germany again.” As a postscipt, Hitler and the Nazis laid no claim to the “Slovakia” part of Czechoslovakia , which declared its independence and was allowed to become an independent country in 1939.

This 80+year old softcover example of Im Herzland Germaniens is in very nice used condition with a tight spine. The original dust jacket shows Wehrmacht troops on the Charles Bridge in Prague, with Hradcany Castle in the background. A previous owner taped the edges of it to avoid further wear. The rare book is complete and has no unpleasant odor.