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Photos from Alain Godec French Soldiers stand by one of Hitler's Mercedes near the Berghof at Berchtesgaden
The Eagles Nest (tea house) on the Kehlstein Mountain Photo on right: Lt MESSIAH (with a scarf) and his men
These photos shows the  big flag (which was in fact Dutch) that the French put on the balcony/terrace of the Berghof. The French looking for a French flag, found only a Dutch Flag. When used the right way (vertical stripes instead of horizontal) made it look like the French flag.
Goering's Guest house	12th Company, 3rd Battalion, of "Regiment de Marche du Tchad Lt. Messiah sitting with his hands on his lap with a beret.

 

This is a letter in response to Major Dick Winter's recollections in his book "Beyond Band of Brothers". He wondered why the 7th Infantry Regiment was nowhere to be found when Easy Company entered Berchtesgaden after the 7th Infantry Regiment of the 3rd Infantry Division captured it.

March 18, 2006 Dear Mr. Winters,  We are writing in regards to what you have termed the "controversy" regarding the capture of Berchtesgaden.  We are of the opinion that there is overwhelming documentation to support the fact that the 7th Infantry Regiment of the 3rd Infantry Division deserves the title of "liberators".  Some, but by no means all, of the sources follow.  To preclude any inference of bias none of the sources have ties to the 3rd Division.   In THE LAST OFFENSIVE Charles B. MacDonald states on page 442, “It was congestion, not resistance, that slowed entry into Berchtesgaden.  “Everybody and his brother,” said one radio message, “are trying to get into the town.”  Motorized troops of the 3d Division got there first, in the late afternoon of 4 May.”  In CRUSADE IN EUROPE President, then General of the Army, Dwight D. Eisenhower states on page 418, "On May 4 the 3rd Division of the same Corps captured Berchtesgaden."  In SWORDS AND PLOWSHARES General Maxwell D. Taylor, former Commanding General of the 101st Airborne, states on page 106, "On May 4 the Division received an order to move on Berchtesgaden behind LeClerc's tanks sharing the Salzburg autobahn with the 3d Infantry Division, Unfortunately, a bridge was destroyed on our side of the autobahn, so that 3d Division units got into Berchtesgaden ahead of us on the afternoon of May 4, followed by two battalions of the 506th Parachute Infantry."  In BEYOND THE RHINE Donald R. Burgett, a member of A Company of the 506th PIR, states on page 132, "Radio transmissions were made by the 506th Regiment's 2nd Battalion to 101st Command, telling of the problem with Major General O'Daniel blocking the way.  It took time to send and receive orders to counter those of General O'Daniel.  By that time the General had received word by radio that the 7th Regiment of his 3d Division had entered Berchtesgaden, and only then did he lift his roadblock and allow the 2nd Battalion 506th to proceed."  You pose the question, "If the 3rd Division was first into Berchtesgaden, where did they go?"  That question is perhaps best answered by Professor John C. McManus of the History Department of the University of Missouri - Rolla.  In what may be the most researched and detailed account of the capture of Berchtesgaden, "The Last Great Prize", published in the May 2005 issue of WORLD WAR II magazine, he gives the following account of a meeting between Colonel Robert Sink, your Regimental Commander and Colonel John Heintges, Commander of the 7th:        Heintges returned to his command post and was visited by Colonel Robert Sink, the commander of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment.  The two men were old friends, and they warmly greeted each other.  They then sat down for a nice lunch and went up to Heintges room for a few drinks.     Sink turned to Heintges and said: "Well, Johnny, I'm up here ... to relieve you.  My Regiment is on the way up here."     Heintges was surprised because the 3rd Division staff had led him to believe that the 7th Infantry would get to stay in Berchtesgaden for awhile.  "I just talked to Division a little while ago," Heintges uttered, "and they told me I'd be up here for five or six days."     "Oh yes," Sink replied, "but those plans were all changed and you're going back to Salzburg.”     Heintges excused himself, called the 3rd Division and found out that Sink was correct.  The 7th Infantry had orders to Salzburg, its original - and authorized - zone of operations."     It is our hope that this information will help to dispel any doubts that you may have about the 7th Infantry and Berchtesgaden.  If this can be accomplished we all move one step closer to the end of any "controversy".  It is not our desire to detract from the accomplishments of the men of Easy Company or the 101st.   That would be impossible.  We seek only to have the deeds of the veterans of the 7th acknowledged for themselves and their families.  Our fathers served with the 30th Regiment of the 3rd Division in World War II.  We look upon the men of the 7th as their "brothers in arms" and will do all that we can to insure that their deeds are recognized.     On a personal note, Lt. Col. Sherman Pratt USA (ret), a veteran of both World War II and Korea, is a friend.  In 1945 then Lt. Pratt was in command of L Company of the 7th Infantry when they entered Berchtesgaden on the 4th of May.  After the publication of BAND OF BROTHERS he wrote Steven Ambrose seeking and acknowledgement of the facts.  He was summarily rebuffed.    We are aware that you receive many letters and have countless demands on your time.  However, we respectfully request the favor of a reply that we may share with Mr. Pratt and other veterans of the 7th.     You have our deepest gratitude for your service to Our Country, as do all those who served in whatever branch or theatre.  We wish you all only the best.  GOD BLESS AMERICA AND THOSE WHO SERVE,  Lee Hatfield, Son of Lee Hatfield   30th/3rd                            Lewis Pergament, Son of Hyman Pergament  30th/3rd Michael Wells, Son of Franklin Wells  30th/3rd

 

The Truth! US View An Update on the Third Division Confrontation with Ambrose – Spielberg over Historical Distortion in the Berchtesgaden Capture by  Sherman Pratt, Lt Col US Army (Ret), Company Commander,  Company L, 7th Infantry, WWII and  Russ Cloer, Capt., I & R Platoon Leader, 7th Inf. Regt., 3rd Inf. Div.,  VI Corp., 7th Army, US Army. For some months the U.S. Army’s Third Infantry Division vets have been attempting to get Historian Stephen Ambrose and filmmaker Stephen Spielberg (Saving Private Ryan) to set the record straight as to which unit arrived in Berchtesgaden first. Subsequent to our earlier protests, we now find additional and unimpeachable authorities to support our contentions. We here pass these along to anyone interested in joining us in the struggle to correct the falsehood of Ambrose and Spielberg.  Allied Commander Dwight Eisenhower, and the CG of the 101st Airborne Division, General Maxwell Taylor, have both specifically credited the Third Division with the honor of entering Berchtesgaden first. In his book, "Crusade in Europe", on page 418, Gen Ike wrote, "On May 4th....the Third Division captured Berchtesgaden," In General Maxwell Taylor’s memoir "Swords and Plowshares", wrote, in part, on page 106, "On May 4th the Division (Taylor’s 101st Airborne) received an order to move on Berchtesgaden....unfortunately a bridge was destroyed on our side of the autobahn so that the 3rd Division got to Berchtesgaden ahead of us on the after-noon of May 4th." One would think that these two honored and reliable authorities would be more than adequate to result in a retraction and correction by Ambrose and Spielberg. But so far, in spite of continued complaints no such development has occurred. Again Hollywood demonstrates it is far more interested in box office receipts than historical accuracy. Unfortunately, far too many of those men who deserved the tribute, are no longer alive to enjoy it. But little is fair in this life. Those of us who are still here to experience the change are happy to accept it with the same good grace that we volunteered to serve.

 

The Truth! French View Regarding the picture with de Valence, O'Daniel and Leclerc,  with gratitude to Alain Godec  Here is what Lt. De Valence said about it : bh64aax.jpg This photo of General O'Daniel, General Leclerc de Hauteclocque, and Lieutenant De Valence was most certainly taken in Berchtesgaden on May 5, 1945, as this was probably the only time Leclerc was wearing a "cap". De Valence was wounded in Normandy (he lost an arm) but came back at the end of the war, therefore being with Leclerc at Berchtesgaden. "The scene took place on the autobahn going to Munich, at a by-pass  junction to detour a river, probably the Paar river. The Tactical Group (Combat Command) of Lieutenant-Colonel de Guillebon is stopped by the right side of the autobahn approx 100 meters away of the by-pass. Lt-Col de Guillebon explains to General Leclerc that the Americans are refusing to let the French pass before they, themselves, have crossed the bridge being constructed on the river by one of their units that belongs to the 3rd I.D.  *(Also de Valence, whom I have just wrote, says that probably a unit of the 101st did throw the bridge on the river but further in his story he mentions that O'Daniel did say that "his men" had put the bridge. This the reason why I have put (3rd ID. !). With your knowledge of 3rd I.D. you may know who put that bridge, the 101st or 3rd I.D. and correct deValence's text accordingly.) General Leclerc who I accompany, goes to the bridge near which, and below the road, we see a group of American officers among which is a General. This is General O'Daniel in person, whose face does not appear to me very friendly. He removes his glove from his right hand to shake the hand of Leclerc who asks me to translate his words : Leclerc : 'Why, General, are you refusing to let my Combat Command cross which has been held back by this for an hour?" O'Daniel : "Because, General, first you are not on your march axis/route and because second, those are my Engineers who have thrown the bridge on the river and in consequence your element will only cross it when my troops will be on the other side." General Leclerc raises his voice and asks me to reply that he knows very well that if General O'Daniel let his troops cross first, that is because he thinks that there is no longer any German resistance on the other side, otherwise he would let cross the French Combat Command.  General Leclerc turns towards me and says to me, "And translate this exactly what I have just said ! Repeat exactly without changing a word !" I must say that my translation was not as brutal. General Leclerc turned back and got onboard his command-car, after having told de Guillebon that his objective remained unchanged and he had, as soon as possible, to move toward Berchtesgaden." The 3rd I.D turned right for Berchtesgaden and arrived first. The French followed and primarily went to the train station where they found Goering's train with goods and secret papers on the V1/V2 which were later sent to France. Then an officer (Cne Touyeras) asked de Guillebon to go to the Obersalzberg and he went there taking the left route which the Americans still left unattended."

 

The Spanish View I was reading the "Berchtesgaden Chapter" in your father's web and I would add something about. As a Spaniard, I would like to tell you that one of the companies from the French 2nd Armoured Division that arrived to Berchtesgaden - the 9Th company from the "Regiment de Marche du Tchad" - was formed almost entirely by" Spanish Republicans" (It was the same company that enter first in Paris). The story of this unit is so interesting but it has been historically silenced. They were people who can't go back home because they were political refugees. They fought under the French flag from 1940 to 1945. Many of them fought with Leclerc in Africa, Normandy, Paris, Alsace, German Campaigns and another important group of "Republican Spaniards" do the same with the 13eme Demi-Brigade de la Legion Etrengere in Narvik, Ethiopia, Syria, Bir-Hakeim, Libya, Tunisia, Italy (Cassino), France and Germany with the 1st Free French Division. I just want to tell you that because I've had the chance to talk with some of these veterans (very few of them) and they have the feeling that history has passed over them because nobody talks about them. That's the reason I do. Chris Lopez cristobal@jessedesign.com A friend from Spain

 

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Photos courtesy of the 3rd Signal Company,  3rd Infantry Division, US Army and Jean-Pierre Muller representing the 2nd French Armored Division

 

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Last update April 17, 2008