Did the RAF deliberately bomb the Baedeker publishing house during the war? trends now
QUESTION Did the RAF deliberately bomb the Baedeker publishing house during the war?
On the night of December 3, 1943, the RAF carried out an attack on Leipzig in which the warehouse used to store the Baedeker company's stock — along with large parts of the ancient German city — was destroyed, forcing the company out of business. The firm was re-established almost from scratch in 1948.
Dietrich Baedeker, born in Bremen in 1660, became a printer in Bielefeld but it was his descendent, Karl Baedeker, who established the publishing firm proper in 1827.
Karl, seeing the increasing popularity of travel among the rich and the advent of the railways, identified a market for books that would advise people on where to go and what to see.
While Baedeker publishing was not a specific target for the bombing, it was thought at the time that the Luftwaffe was selecting targets in the UK from the guidebooks published by the company.
These raids became known as the Baedeker Blitz and started during 1942.
The first Baedeker raid is thought to be the one carried out on Exeter on several nights between April 23 and May 4 of that year.
This was believed to be retaliation for the RAF bombing of some historic German cities, including Lubeck and Rostock on the Baltic coast.
These raids became known as the Baedeker Blitz and started during 1942. Pictured: Damage in Canterbury sustained by bombing
The first Baedeker raid is thought to be the one carried out on Exeter on several nights between April 23 and May 4 of that year. Pictured: Prime Minister Winston Churchill in 1941
Fires devastated Exeter's shopping centre and in total the raids left 163 people dead and 131 badly injured.
However, as Exeter was also, at that time, a port city, that was initially considered to be the motive for the bombing.
Other raids on historic cities followed, including Bath, Norwich, Hull, Lincoln, Cowes, Grimsby, York and Canterbury.
While some of those towns and cities, such as Hull and Grimsby, may be thought of as legitimate military targets because of their port facilities, it is harder to make a case for Norwich, Canterbury and York.
What
