Through my continued interest in the history of Camp King, which began with the podcast Graham and I recorded in 2007, I’ve been able to gather more and more information. Through learning more about this part of our German history, my circle of like-minded correspondents has also widened.

My special gratitude goes to Ambassador Dolibois, who gave permission to share 12 special photos. In 1945,  Ambassador Dolibois was stationed at Camp King with the U.S. Army Intelligence. After the war, he was transferred from Oberursel to Luxembourg, and then served as Goering’s interrogator before and during the Nuremberg trials.

For today’s post, I have chosen a few photos taken around the area of Camp King and the adjacent Motorwerke.

Unidentified officer at Camp King in 1945

For more on Ambassador Dolibois’s role as an American interrogator at Mondorf Palace, Luxembourg, listen to his interview on youtube.

Motorenwerke Rolls Royce 1945

The Motorenfabrik Oberursel was occupied by U.S. troops at the end of WW II.

M.I.S. Center Motor Pool at the Motorenwerke in Oberursel 1945

At the Motor Pool in Oberursel 1945

Motor Pool, Oberursel 1945

The Ambassador has also published Pattern of Circles: An Ambassador’s Story.

Special credit also goes to Hanns-Claudius Scharff, who was instrumental in obtaining these photos from Ambassador Dolibois. His father published  The Interrogator: The Story of Hanns Joachim Scharff: Master Interrogator of the Luftwaffe (Schiffer Military History).

One of my friend’s invited me to take photos from her ninth-floor apartment where one has a splendid view towards the Feldberg on one side and the former U.S. Military Camp King on the other side.

The picture on the left shows the snowed-in settlement of Camp King with the Mountain Lodge perched on the hillside (you can recognize it by its steeple).

Sunday afternoon was a busy time in front of the lodge. This hill leading to the lodge is the best one around the neighborhood in regards to sledding.

… by the way, even more snow is in the forecast for 2 February 2010.

When a stateside acquaintance sent me this National Public Radio (NPR) article about White House To Oversee New Interrogation Team, which honored Hanns Scharff ‘s work,  I felt immediately transferred back to our very first podcast Graham and I had done in January 2007.

Our topic was then A walk through Camp King and during the podcast, we also talked a bit about Hanns Joachim Scharff, the German interrogator, who detained and questioned captured airmen in World War II. Not only did his distinctive methods break down barriers so effectively that the USAF invited him to speak about his methods to military audiences in the United States after World War II, but they are still being taught to young interrogators today.

One of the last original buildings (repainted autumn 2009) of Camp King, where Hanns Scharff used to work.

Hanns Joachim Scharff, in his position as Intelligence Officer, gained the reputation as the man who could get all the answers he needed from prisoners of war.

What exactly did Scharff do or say to make his prisoners drop their guard and converse even though they were conditioned to remain silent?

The Interrogator, written by Raymond T. Toliver and Hanns Joachim Scharff, are available at:

The Interrogator: The Story of Hanns Joachim Scharff: Master Interrogator of the Luftwaffe (Schiffer Military History) from Amazon.com

The Interrogator: The Story of Hanns Joachim Scharff, Master Interrogator of the Luftwaffe (Schiffer Military History) from Amazon.de

The Interrogator: Story of Hanns Joachim Scharff Master Interrogator of the Luftwaffe (Schiffer Military History) from Amazon.co.uk

It has been snowing since late morning and there are no signs of letting up. The streets are deserted and the air is thick with snow.

Overlooking Camp King, Oberursel

Im Rosengärtchen, Oberursel

Later on we will be heading out to an outdoor mulled wine party. We were supposed to bring folding chairs – I guess we can forget about those. Dressed in a snowsuit seems more reasonable and being armed with a hip flask of whiskey (to keep the mulled wine warm) is crucial.

We will be celebrating Julfest (winter solstice). In the old days, people used to set cartwheels on fire and let them roll down the hill, which was meant to fertilize the fields.

We won’t be doing any of that today as we will only gather around a bonfire in somebody’s back courtyard.