1945 USA DR. WERNER VON BRAUN PHOTOGRAPHS

Lot of two different 5"x6.5" black and white vintage photos. Both were taken in early 1945 when von Braun realized that Peenemuende might soon be overrun by Soviet troops from the East. In mid-February, the final V-2 test launch took place from Peenemuende and a week later von Braun and many of his colleagues departed for the South. Moving into Thuringia, von Braun attempted to regroup all of his men, but to no avail. The scientists had been scattered during the chaos during the months of March and April 1945. Von Braun, his brother Magnus, Dornberger and others ended up in a resort lodge in Oberjoch, Germany near the Austrian border. In early May, they all surrendered to units of the American 44th Infantry Division and were immediately taken to the Austrian town of Reutte for preliminary interrogations. One of these pictures shows von Braun and his brother Magnus. It is notated on the reverse 'Mai 1945. Oberjoch'. The other photo shows von Braun, Magnus, several other Germans along with American soldiers. Von Braun has a broken arm in both photos. A great pair of photos taken on a historic occasion.