Jürgen Ohlsen in his own uniform, not the pre-1933 historically correct one he wore in the Kampfzeit HJ QUEX film.

[billy8]

I own this photograph (on the verso it states "Echte Photographie") from a Fotatelier in Berlin–Schöneberg of Jürgen Ohlsen who played the title role of Heini Völker in the film HITLERJUNGE QUEX in 1933. Ohlsen was born in Berlin-Schöneberg in 1907 and he and his family resided there in 1933. The photo shows him in his own HJ Bann 195 uniform with rank cord and his early DJ and HJ enameled badges. Obviously not the pre-1933 film uniform he wore from the 'Kampfzeit' depicted in the film. Bidding started at €20 and I won it for €150 plus auction house fees, etc. It is currently underway to me from Germany.

It is not a film postcard such as the famous "Roßkarte" or "Das Programm von Heute " Künstlerkarten. I do not know why the film title, or perhaps the words meaning Jürgen "was" the Quex, is printed on the card. Perhaps this was done by his family as Jürgen was so happy to have been chosen to paly the role, and the photograph was printed in the postcard format typical of those times, as a vanity piece? The paper stock, the typsetting etc are certainly not matching any Roßkarte or Das Programme von Heute cards, and of course the 1933/34 uniform he is wearing is not the uniform from the film.

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[Jack]

Nice. That's the great thing about this forum, that you can always spot things you haven't seen before.
In my opinion, this may be some kind of early autograph card that was provided to Ohlsen for his 1933 tour throughout Germany. There was a lot of organised hype about the film, but always without Ohlsen's real name being mentioned. That was already the case in the film - "ein Hitlerjunge". Probably to draw attention exclusively to the "movement" and to give the film authenticity, as quasi-documentary and non-fictional.... By 1935, Ohlsen's film career was already over, under rather nebulous circumstances. He had that in common with Hermann Braun, who was originally intended to take part and then fell ill. His anti-government remarks were his doom, and he was finally killed on the Eastern Front in 1945.

 

[billy8]

Thanks Jack, for your comments and reply. As the verso side of the card was partially obscured with the auction house Lot # sticker, I was only able to see the "Echte Photographie" logo and a partial street address of the Photo atelier in the listing, but not its name. Hopefully when the card arrives it will become a bit more clear as to where the photograph originated. Newspaper articles in August 1933 stated the Von Schirach's office ordered the name of the actor who played Heini (J.O.) be kept unpublished, purportedly because he was a 15-year old carpenter's apprentice who wanted to return to that training and vocation after the film was over without a lot of hassle. But I have magazine articles which name him prior to August, and the Ufa press-book itself does so without any comment to the media that his name was to remain unstated. Even the review of the world premiere in Munich in early September 1933 in the Berliner Lokal–Anzeiger states that "Jürgen Ohlsen plays the Hitler Youth." The Terra film studio PR for Ohlsen's subsequent feature film two years later stated: 'The Hitlerjunge Quex – Jürgen Ohlsen – is signed to the Ernst Udet Film by Terra, The Miracle of Flight.'
I discovered much more information about Ohlsen (including his Wehrmacht military records) and the novel and the film for my forthcoming book
Hitler Youth Quex – A Guide for the English-speaking Reader to be published in December/January (tbc.)
William

 

[Jack]

Sounds exciting. Good luck with it. Have you discovered anything about the reasons for the end of his film career?

 

[billy8]

Thank you for your comments. I believe that he was not interested in becoming a movie actor, and was happy to return to normal life --- the HJ, then the NS Studentenbund, the RAD, he married in the late 1930's,and then was a soldier in a Pioniere troop in the Wehrmacht. He became an engineer after the war.

 

[Jack]

I only know the rumours that Ohlsen played tennis with Jewish friends and had other contact with them.
Compare the press reports from August 1935.
"Groß-Glienicke. Hitlerjunge Quex a Jewish Servant! The Bann 195 of the Hitlerjugend announces: The actor of the "Hitlerjunge Quex", Jürgen Ohlsen, who lives in Groß-Glienicke (Ost-Havelland) and is still a Stammführer of the Jungvolk, albeit suspended, does not know how to spend his free time any better than playing tennis with Jews, allowing himself to be invited to their home and generally always taking a stand for them. Jürgen Ohlsen is no longer one of us."

The newspaper received a warning for publishing the article without the permission of the RJF.
Of course, that would be a much more convincing reason for ending his career than just continuing his education. And at the same time logical that THAT should not get out to the general public.
Source: NS-Presseanweisungen der Vorkriegszeit. Bd. 3/II 1935

 

[billy8]

I only know the rumours that Ohlsen played tennis with Jewish friends and had other contact with them.
Compare the press reports from August 1935.
"Groß-Glienicke. Hitlerjunge Quex a Jewish Servant! The Bann 195 of the Hitlerjugend announces: The actor of the "Hitlerjunge Quex", Jürgen Ohlsen, who lives in Groß-Glienicke (Ost-Havelland) and is still a Stammführer of the Jungvolk, albeit suspended, does not know how to spend his free time any better than playing tennis with Jews, allowing himself to be invited to their home and generally always taking a stand for them. Jürgen Ohlsen is no longer one of us."

The newspaper received a warning for publishing the article without the permission of the RJF.
Of course, that would be a much more convincing reason for ending his career than just continuing his education. And at the same time logical that THAT should not get out to the general public.
Source: NS-Presseanweisungen der Vorkriegszeit.

The report on Ohlsen associating with Jews was reported in a newspaper, the Tetlower Kreisblatt, on Thursday, August 22, 1935, which I found on microfilm. This story was then picked up by Jewish exile newspapers such as the Pariser Tageblatt and from there picked up by other media. Ohlsen's police records, however, show him a member of his Bann 195 for another eleevn months, which contradcts his reported expulsion.

 

[billy8]

A new book in English on the novel and film Hitlerjunge Quex has been published in December 2022, with 63 B&W photos and 4 colour plates.
It is 403 pages long with all of the major Ufa film studio promotional material on the film translated into English for the first time. It is listed here for sale: Hitler Youth Quex: A Guide for the English Speaking Reader Book

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[billy8]

The newspaper received a warning for publishing the article without the permission of the RJF.
Of course, that would be a much more convincing reason for ending his career than just continuing his education. And at the same time logical that THAT should not get out to the general public.
Source: NS-Presseanweisungen der Vorkriegszeit. Bd. 3/II 1935

Hi Jack,
I do not have any access to the multi-volume NS-Presseanweisungen der Vorkriegszeit reference books, unfortunately. If by any chance you have a photocopy or scan of the page(s) regarding the RJF warning the Tetlower newspaper, I would appreciate a copy very much.
Many thanks,
William

 

[Jack]

Hi William,

Unfortunately I can't help you with the book or a copy; I don't own it either.
However, the 1987 edition of the volume in question is already available for a bargain price, for example at Abebooks UK. If you need details, please feel free to DM me.

 

[billy8]

Thanks, Jack,

As it happens I ordered a used copy for. €36 ppd to Australia last night.
Probably the one you cited on Abe Books, but ordered off ZVAB.
cheers
William

 

[Jack]

Ah, great. I hope that this will help you to continue with this exciting topic. And of course good luck with the book.

 

[billy8]

Thank you. The book seems to be doing well. International Historic Films in Chicago, USA said it was shaping up to be the best-selling title I have sold through them (which began in 2012 and is now 4 titles including the QUEX). I attribute that to the fact that the film, also sold on DVD with English subtitles by IHF, is far better recognised and known about than film director and producer Karl Ritter; who is the subject of a biography and the two other previous titles covering his feature films Legion Condor (1939, abandoned because of the Molotov-von Ribbentrop Pakt), and Besatzung Dora (1943, completed but then banned due to reversals on all three German war fronts).

cheers
William

 

[billy8]

NS-Presseanweisungen der Vorkriegszeit -- translation of the Jürgen Ohlsen/Tetlower Kreisblatt - related document by the Reichsministerium für Propaganda und Völkserklärung Press Office to all German print media Editors:



ZSg. 101/6/71
August 26, 1935

Order to the editors :

The press officer of a Brandenburg ban. The Hitler Youth had recently made an article available to the local newspapers, i.e. the "Teltower Rundschau", the "Märkische Volkszeitung" etc., in which it was stated that the actor who played the Hitler youth Quex from the well-known film was a Jew. Appropriate conclusions were drawn from this. The newspapers have been warned because they published this article without contacting the Reich Youth Leadership or the responsible regional office of the Ministry of Propaganda. On this occasion, on behalf of the Ministry of Propaganda, we would like to point out once again that the press officers of the Hitler Youth cannot themselves demand that articles be printed unless the Reich Youth Leadership or the Ministry of Propaganda have given their approval. For all future cases, this note is very noteworthy, as it makes it clear that the press officers of the Hitler Youth often do not have the required journalistic reliability. Inquiries are therefore appropriate in all important cases.
8/26/1935 Dr. Kausch.Fa., D., K.

“Hitler youth Quex expelled from the HJ In the Teltower Kreisblatt of 22. August I935 reads: "Gross Glienicke. Hitler youth Quex a Jew servant! The ban 195 the Hitler Youth reports: The actor of the Quex" , Jürgen Ohlsen, who lives in Groß-Glienicke (East Havelland) and is still the leader of the young people, although he is on leave, knows no better way to spend his free time than playing tennis with Jews and inviting them to their apartment and always to take a stand for them. Jurgen Ohlsen is no longer with us. Film Kurier No. 199 v . August 27, 1935, p. 3

 

[billy8]

Here is the article on Jürgen Ohlsen from the 1935 newspaper the TETLOWER KREISBLATT accusing him of frequenting with Jews, and expelling him, and his BDM sister, Waltraut, from the Hitler Youth. His poice files do not reflect this expulsion, and show that he was a HJ member for almost another full year, before he joined the NS Student Bund and later the RAD, and then the Wehrmacht. All these details are in my new book.

--- William

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[Jack]

Nice to see the original scan for once and a big thank you to the Berliner Staatsbibliothek/Berlin State Library as well as many others for not only digitising the old sources but also making them available online for free. Great job!