Aftermath and retaliation Bombing of Lübeck in World War II

the melted bells of st. mary s church

a. c. grayling in book, among dead cities, makes point area bombing directive issued raf on 14 february 1942 focused on undermining morale of enemy civil population , lübeck – many timbered medieval buildings – chosen because raf air staff eager experiment bombing technique using high proportion of incendiaries them carry out directive. raf aware technique of using high proportion of incendiaries during bombing raids effective because cities such coventry had been subject such attacks luftwaffe during blitz. winston churchill wrote president franklin d. roosevelt inform him similar coventry-scale attacks mounted throughout summer. soviet leader joseph stalin congratulated churchill on outcome, expressing satisfaction @ merciless bombing , expressing hope such attacks cause severe damage german public morale – key objective churchill. series of follow-up attacks, taking same pattern, mounted against rostock between 24–27 april 1942.

the german authorities mounted prompt relief operation city s dispossessed. 25,000 people had been left homeless raid. local branch of national socialist people s welfare (nsv) organisation opened food stores , distributed 1.8 million oranges, 10 tonnes of apples, 40,000 loaves of bread, 16,000 eggs, 5,000 pounds of butter, 3,500 cans of food, 2,800 boxes of smoked herring , 50 barrels of bismarck herring. however, substantial amounts of luxury goods such champagne, spirits, chocolates, clothing , shoes pilfered nsv officials. number of them arrested , in august 1942 3 sentenced death embezzlement further eleven jailed. incident harmed nsv s image, had been positive point.

the nazi leadership alarmed @ possible impact of raid on civilian morale. in opinion of joseph goebbels, propaganda minister, raid fulfilled raf s directive, wrote in diary: damage enormous, have been shown newsreel of destruction. horrible. 1 can imagine how such bombardment affects population. commented: thank god, north german population, on whole tougher germans in south or south-east. can t away fact english air-raids have increased in scope , importance; if can continued on these lines, might conceivably have demoralising effect on population. despite goebbels fears, civilian morale in lübeck held , effect of bombing on city s economic life overcome. offset damage raid had on german morale, german hierarchy launched publicized raid on exeter on 23 april 1942, first of baedeker raids .