Völkischer Beobachter Front Pages: December 1944.

Background: This page is part of a larger project to trace the history of World War II as reflected in the headlines of the Völkischer Beobachter, the Nazi Party’s daily newspaper.

December 1944 was the last burst of optimism. After relatively desultory headlines for the first part of the month, 19 December proclaimed the beginning of what the Allies called the Battle of the Bulge. Although the battle continued into January, by the end of the month it was evident that the German offensive had failed.

Völkischer Beobachter: December 1944

	1 December 1944 Betrayed by Traitors Estonians and Latvians Who Fled to Finland Sent Back to the Soviets Finland had signed an armistice with the Soviet Union on 19 September 1944
	2 December 1944 England Wants to Swallow Libya Bonomi’s Italy at the Mercy of the Allied Enemy Powers
	3 December 1944 England Drops the Mask Churchill Remains Moscow’s Servant London Also Gives Arcizewski the Cold Shoulder
	4 December 1944 Given War Shortages, the Vienna edition of Völkischer Beobachter was no longer published on Mondays.
	5 December 1944 Growing Chaos in Invaded Europe Crises, Starvation, and Bolshevist Revolts Everywhere behind Enemy Lines
	6 December 1944 Schirach to His Political Leaders Vienna: A Fortress of the Hardest Resistance
	7 December 1944 The Führer Receives Szalasi Hungary Will Always Be on the Reich’s Side
	8 December 1944 For Orderly Prosperity and Lasting Peace Japan’s Heroic Battle
	9 December 1944 New Kamikaze Successes Special Attack Group Sinks a Battleship and Five Transports
	10 December 1944 Both Sides of Budapest The Soviet Assault on Hungary Battle at the Saar — Eisenhower’s New Attempt
	11 December 1944 No Issue
	12 December 1944 Von Ribbentrop: We Will Never Surrender! Radio Speech on the Anniversary of the German-Italian-Japanese Military Alliance
	13 December 1944 German Victory — Or the Downfall of Europe Reich Press Chief Dr. Dietrich Spoke about the Tragedy of the Betrayed Peoples
	14 December 1944 Determination and Faith: The German Miracle Dr. Goebbels Spoke in a Large West German City
	15 December 1944 “In the Interest of Europe’s Future” The Führer at the Congress of Journalists
	16 December 1944 To Be in Germany Is to Be in Europe “We Are Winning with Germany” The conclusion of the congress of journalists.
	17 December 1944 Churchill Announces the War Goal for Germany Mass Murder and Expulsion of Millions! Demagogic Slogans of Hatred Conceal Britain’s Bankruptcy in the Polish Question
	18 December 1944 No Issue
	19 December 1944 Attack at the West Wall Begins Forward American Positions between High Venn and Northern Luxembourg Seized The Enemy Completely Surprised The beginning of the Battle of the Bulge.
	20 December 1944 The Winter Battle in the West Attack Along the Entire Front Continues
	21 December 1944 An Army Eager to Attack The World Holds Its Breath
	22 December 1944 Into the Ardenne 20,000 Prisoners from the Winter Battle in Belgium
	23 December 1944 Budapest’s Fateful Hour New Phase in the Battle for Hungary’s Capital
	24 December 1944 Winter Battle in Belgium Proceeding Well Dillingen Freed from the Enemy
	25 December 1944 No Issue
	26 December 1944 Enemy Has Lost 700 Tanks and Armored Vehicles The Ring around Bastogne Tightens Our Offensive Spearheads West of the Ourthe This was an overly optimisted headline, as the spearhead of Patton’s Third Army reached Bastogne on the afternoon of 26 December.
	27 December 1944 No Issue
	28 December 1944 Confession of Someone Disappointed The Norwegian Immigrant Chief Complains
	29 December 1944 Voluntary Sacrifice “Storm Vikings” Dönitz to the Fighters at the Mouth of the Schelde
	30 December 1944 Churchill Fails in Athens The Battle Continues — Moscow’s Forces at Work in London
	31 December 1944 “In Firm Confidence and Determination” In Defense or Attack, We Will Fight as Germans Reich Marshall Göring on the New Year