Why Hitler told the Luftwaffe: Blackpool must be spared

[Blackleaf]

Today, the coastal resort of Blackpool, in Lancashire, in the North West of England, is Britain's biggest seaside resort, with 10 million visitors a year. Its giant fairground, the Pleasure Beach, famous for its Pepsi Max Big One (which was the tallest, steepest and fastest rollercoaster in the world when it opened in 1994), is Britain's biggest tourist attraction.

The resort is also famous for the Blackpool Tower, which is very similar to the Eiffel Tower, which was built in 1894.

But back in the early 1940s, the town was a target for the Nazis - but, strangely, not the Luftwaffe.

There has been a mystery over the years over why the Luftwaffe spared Blackpool during their bombing raids on Britain, even though they ruined nearby towns, and hundreds of RAF Wellington bombers were made in the resort

The answer may be in the fact that Blackpool was central to Germany's invasion plans of Britain - Hitler wanted to use the resort as his personal playground if the Nazis invaded Britain.

Thankfully, as we all know, Germany did not manage to invade.

Why Hitler told Luftwaffe: Blackpool must be spared

By Daily Mail Reporter
23rd February 2009
Daily Mail


Blackpool escaped being blitzed during the Second World War because Hitler wanted to use the resort as his personal playground.

The Fuhrer planned to watch his triumphant troops goosestepping down the seafront's Golden Mile before unfurling the swastika flag on top of Blackpool Tower.

The plan to spare Blackpool made little military sense.

Kaiser's beach? Adolf Hitler ordered the Luftwaffe not to bomb the piers and Blackpool Tower because he wanted the seaside town as his own personal playground

Hundreds of the RAF's Wellington bombers were built in the town and thousands of troops went on leave there.

But it escaped almost unscathed from the Luftwaffe's bombing blitz.

The reason has now been explained in documents recovered from an old German military base.

Golden Mile: Hitler's plans for the seaside town included having German soldiers goosestepping along the seafront

They clearly show that Blackpool Tower and the resort's three piers were not to be damaged in air raids, by order of the Fuhrer.

Hitler's plans to invade Britain also included a drop by paratroopers in Blackpool's Stanley Park.

It was chosen because the layout of paths in its ornate Italian Gardens was unmistakable from the air.

An aerial photo of Blackpool Tower, beach and the promenades taken in 1936.

Thousands of British soldiers took leave during the war at the seaside town
Elaine Smith, chairman of Blackpool's Civic Trust, said last night: 'These maps will be the source of much interest in the town, particularly to those who lived here through the Second World War.

Documents recovered from Germany reveal the Fuehrer also planned to drop paratroopers into Blackpool's Stanley Park


'It had been known that Hitler intended to use Blackpool as his personal playground after what he hoped would be a successful invasion on England and the end of war.

'We did escape a lot of the bombing, despite the fact so many troops spent time in the town and there were major aircraft manufacturing factories here.

'He probably wanted to keep the resort exactly as it was so he could enjoy it as Chancellor of Britain.'

The marked maps, based on aerial photos, were approved by Hitler in the early 1940s when his ambitions to invade England were at their height.

The papers were rescued from Germany by York-based publisher Michael Cole.

He said last night: 'They have immense historical significance as they are some of the last surviving remnants of invasion material.'

dailymail.co.uk

 

[#juan]

Whenever I hear about Blackpool I think of this little poem:;-)

The Lion and Albert

There's a great seaside place called Blackpool
That's noted for fresh-air and fun
And Mr. and Mrs. Ramsbottom
Went there with young Albert their son.

A grand little lad was young Albert
All dressed in his best, quite a swell,
With a stick with an ‘orses ‘ead ‘andle
The finest that Woolies could sell.

They didn't think much to the ocean
The waves were all spiddlin' and small
There were no wrecks, and nobody drowned,
Fact nothing to laugh at all.

So seeking for further amusement
They paid and went into th’t zoo
Where they'd lions and tigers and camels
An’ old ale an’ sandwiches too.

There were one great big lion called Wallace
His nose were all covered with scars
He lay in a somnolent posture
With the side of his face on’ ta bars

Now Albert had heard about lions
How they were ferocious and wild
To see Wallace lying so peaceful
Well it didn't seem right to the child

So straight way the brave little fella
Not showing a morsel of fear
Took his stick with his horses head handle
And pushed it inta’ Wallace's ear

You could see that the lion didn't like it
By giving a kind of a roll,
He pulled Albert inside the cage with ‘im
And swallowed the little lad ‘hole

Then Pa who had seen the occurrence
And didn't know what to do next
Said, "Mother! Yon lion's ate Albert."
And Mother said, "Well I am vexed."

Then Mr. and Mrs. Ramsbottom
Quite rightly, when all's said and done
Complained to the animal keeper
That the lion had eaten their son

The keeper were quite nice about it
He said, "What a nasty mishap."
"Are you sure that its your boy he's eaten?"
Pa said, "Am I sure? There is ‘is cap."

The manager had to be sent for
He came and he said, "What’s to do!"
Pa said, "Yon lion's ate Albert!"
"And him in his Sunday best too."

Then Mother said, "Right's, right young fella."
"I think it’s a shame and a sin."
"For a lion to go and eat Albert
And after we'd paid to come in."

The manager wanted no trouble
He took out his purse right away
Saying, "How much to settle the matter?"
And Pa said, "What do you usually pay?"

But Mother had turned a bit awkward
When she thought where ‘er Albert ‘ad gone
She said, "No! Someone's got to be summonsed
So that was decided upon.

Then off they went ‘ter Police Station
In front of the magistrate chap
They told ‘im what ‘appened to Albert
And proved it by showing ‘is cap

The magistrate gave his opinion
"That no one was really to blame."
And he said, "That he hoped the Ramsbottoms."
"Would have further sons to their name."

At that, Mother got proper blazing
"And thank you sir kindly." said she
"What waste all our lives raising children.
To feed ruddy lions? Not me!"

 

[petros]

Thankfully, as we all know, Germany did not manage to invade.

Ponder this.....

The royal family is German. Did they ever really intend to invade because it was already under German control?