Day 90 of 100
Hindenburg watches Göring christen the giant Junkers airliner at Tempelhof
In bright sunshine at Tempelhof airport, Göring christened a new four-engined Junkers airliner “Generalfeldmarschall von Hindenburg” in front of the President, on his first visit to the airport. The Interior Ministry ordered German merchant ships to fly the swastika flag from 1 May, the new Secret State Police Office took over the power to ban Berlin newspapers, and Göring founded an Air Defence League. Goebbels inspected the stands going up on the Tempelhofer Feld for Monday’s rally.
Laws and decrees
Erlaß über das Setzen der Hakenkreuzflagge auf Kauffahrteischiffen
Decree on flying the swastika flag on merchant ships
From 1 May all German merchant ships were to fly the swastika flag, the size of the company flag, from the signal mast or starboard signal yard, in addition to the black-white-red ensign at the stern.1
Politics and power
Government, terror and persecution
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Propaganda Berlin
Swastika flag for merchant ships
By decree of the Reich Interior Minister, issued in agreement with the Transport Minister, the coastal states and the shipowners’ association, every German merchant ship was to fly the swastika flag from 1 May, at the signal mast or starboard yard, alongside the black-white-red flag at the stern.1,2
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Terror Berlin
Gestapo takes over press bans
With effect from 29 April the new Secret State Police Office took over from the Berlin police president the power to seize printed matter anywhere in Prussia and to ban periodicals published in Berlin, under a provision of the Prussian law of 26 April.3
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Military morning, Berlin
Reich Air Defence League founded
At the instigation of Göring, now Reich Minister for Aviation, the Reich Air Defence League (Reichsluftschutzbund) held its founding meeting in Berlin. It was to train the civilian population in self-protection against air raids and to supply personnel for official air-raid precautions. Göring’s appeal claimed that thousands of military aircraft stood ready around a country that was itself defenceless in the air.4
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Opposition Berlin
Left-leaning war-disabled league votes to dissolve
After the authorities had put eight of its regional branches under commissioners, the national conference of the Reich League of War-Disabled (Reichsbund der Kriegsbeschädigten), a league of the left, resolved to dissolve the league and advised members to join the Nazi war victims’ association to protect their claims.7
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Persecution Heidelberg
Radbruch dismissed in Heidelberg
It was announced that the former Social Democratic Reich justice minister Professor Radbruch, of the Heidelberg law faculty, had been dismissed from his teaching post by Baden’s commissarial government under the new civil service law.2
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Propaganda afternoon, Berlin
Goebbels inspects the 1 May sites
In the afternoon Goebbels drove with police and army officers, technicians and journalists to inspect the sites of Monday’s celebrations: the Lustgarten, where Göring was to speak at the night-time close, and the Tempelhofer Feld, where the stands were nearly finished and nine 33-metre flagpoles were going up behind the grandstand for swastika and black-white-red flags.6
Everyday life
What else was happening in Germany
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Transport 12:30, Berlin, Tempelhof airport
An airliner named after Hindenburg
At 12.30, in bright sunshine and before huge crowds, the newest four-engined Junkers airliner, D 2500, was christened “Generalfeldmarschall von Hindenburg” at the flag-decked central airport of Tempelhof. Göring gave the christening speech; Papen, Blomberg, Seldte and Hammerstein attended. Hindenburg, making his first visit to the airport, thanked his hosts for the honour and gave the captain, Brauer, a signed portrait for the cabin. He then stayed to watch the stunt pilots Udet and Michaelis.4,5
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Economy
No amnesty for unpaid taxes
The Reich Finance Ministry denied rumours circulating in some districts that all tax arrears were to be written off. Tax offices were told to counter the rumours and to keep collecting.2
Elsewhere in the world
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United Kingdom
Everton win the FA Cup at Wembley
Everton beat Manchester City 3–0 in the FA Cup final at Wembley before more than 90,000 spectators, with Dixie Dean leading their attack. German sports pages reported the match at length.8
More pictures
Sources
- Erlaß über das Setzen der Hakenkreuzflagge auf Kauffahrteischiffen vom 29. April 1933 documentArchiv.de, text after RGBl. 1933 I S. 244
- Hamburger Fremdenblatt, Reichsausgabe, 30 April 1933 Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek, Zeitungsportal, p. 2, "Hakenkreuz in der Handelsschiffahrt" and "Kein Verzicht des Reiches auf Steuern" (Berlin, 29 April); p. 3, "Professor Dr. Radbruch entlassen"
- Das Vollzugsorgan des nationalsozialistischen Polizeisystems. Zur Geschichte der Gestapo. Teil 1 Hartmut Rübner, Sozial.Geschichte Online 31 (2022), DuEPublico, p. 20, note 25
- Sächsische Volkszeitung, 30 April 1933 Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek, Zeitungsportal, pp. 1–2, the Reichsluftschutzbund and the christening of the Junkers aircraft (Berlin, 29 April)
- Hamburgischer Correspondent, 30 April 1933 Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek, Zeitungsportal, p. 3, "Generalfeldmarschall v. Hindenburg. Die Taufe des Großflugzeuges auf dem Tempelhofer Feld" (Berlin, 29 April)
- Hannoverscher Kurier, 30 April 1933 Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek, Zeitungsportal, p. 1, report of Goebbels's tour of the 1 May sites (Berlin, 29 April)
- Dresdner Nachrichten, 30 April 1933 Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek, Zeitungsportal, p. 3, "Der Reichsbund der Kriegsbeschädigten löst sich auf" (Berlin, 29 April)
- Solinger Tageblatt, 2 May 1933; Ohligser Anzeiger, 2 May 1933 Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek, Zeitungsportal, Solinger Tageblatt p. 7, "Everton gewinnt den Cup"; Ohligser Anzeiger p. 6 (attendance)
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