"Mother of Eagles"

Amy · 23 August 2004, 05:36 PM

After purchasing this fine book by Suzanne Hayes Fischer shortly after it was published, I'm embarrassed to say that I just recently found the time to read it while on vacation.

On page 138 is the following excerpt:

With great trouble, I got a coupon for shoes. For that, I had to commit myself to hand over a still-usable pair. I ran around all day to every shoe store in town--but none had even a single pair in stock. 60

Footnote: 60 This story appears to be pure fiction.

This footnote struck me as odd. Why would this story about searching for shoes be fiction? And, how would anyone know? Did I miss something? Should this footnote belong elsewhere?

Also, did the Baroness write this diary at the time or was this diary a compliation of chronological recollections she made later in order to prepare the book? The Introduction in the book makes note of her different writing styles and therefore makes it hard to really tell.

Mother of Eagles is a definite read. It gives great insight into the lives of those at the time.

Darryl · 23 August 2004, 09:42 PM

Amy,

I suspect the author spoke to Rittm, who nipped back and asked dear old Ma about it.

regards

Darryl

P.S. Seems like a typo on the reference to me.

Gregvan · 23 August 2004, 10:05 PM

Hi Amy,

If you check the other footnotes before and after 60, I imagine you'll see that somewhere they got off by one. I haven't had time to discover exactly where it started.
In other words, Footnote 59 on page 138 about 'rote Gruetze' actually corresponds to footnote 58 on page 198.

Footnore 60 on page 138 (about the shoes) corresponds to footnote 59 on page 198: "Shoes were rationed and one had to exchange an old pair when buying new shoes. Wooden shoes were common at this time."

The footnote 60 on p. 138-"pure fiction" refers to the footnote 61 at the bottom of page 141, about the Belgian pilot who bombed his own town, was shot down, etc.

Greg

Amy · 24 August 2004, 05:07 AM

Thanks Darryl and Greg. I suspected a wrong footnote too. Too bad they all got thrown off.

timjnf · 24 August 2004, 07:38 AM

I won't make any comments about Amy (who I assume to be female, apologies if not, and one of the few females on this forum,) reading a book related to WWI aviation and being concerned with an anecdote about shoes.

Darryl · 24 August 2004, 04:46 PM

So young.....and so foolishly brave!!!!

Michael · 26 August 2004, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by timjnf@Aug 24 2004, 10:38 AM
[b] I won't make any comments about Amy (who I assume to be female, apologies if not, and one of the few females on this forum,) reading a book related to WWI aviation and being concerned with an anecdote about shoes.

Didn't your mother teach you to stay out of trouble?

I wouldn't do that if I were you.

Michael

President, AFC (Amy's Fan Club)

Amy · 29 August 2004, 10:40 AM

My other question regarding this book got lost between the off-kilter footnotes and the jab about women and shoes...

Question is, did the Baroness keep a diary at the time of the war or was this "diary" actually a compilation of chronological events that she remembered in order to get the book written?

I also can't help but commenting on the unhappy-looking "wedding" photo on page 40. Did Lothar and his wife even like each other? It wouldn't appear so in that photo.

FliegerJG1 · 29 August 2004, 01:42 PM

Hello Amy,

I'd like to offer some serious assistance to your comments.

Lothar's wedding photo is indeed unhappy for what one would expect for this type of photo. I believe that his marriage was an "arranged" one. His mother was a social climber and was trying to make the most out of the fame acquired by her two sons. It's not surprising that he eventually divorced.

I can't recall at the moment whether the diary was written during the war or afterwards. I want to say that it was written later because the original book had errors in dates placing Manfred in locations where it would have been impossible for him to be since documented proof places him elsewhere at those times.

Hoping that this is helpful...FliegerJG1

Amy · 30 August 2004, 08:24 AM

FliegerJG1: Thanks for the info about MvR being in different places than what his mother reported in the book. Indeed sounds like the book was written from recollections rather than an actual diary.

Yeah, that wedding photo has d-i-v-o-r-c-e written all over it.

Consequently, several years ago I wrote a letter to Lothar's son Wolf. Wolf von Richthofen fought in WWII with a panzer group (IIRC). I asked him why he didn't join the Luftwaffe. He replied that he had tried to join the Luftwaffe but was rejected for service due to his color blindness. Wolf von Richthofen was very kind in his letter. I'm not sure if he's still living or not as he was in poor health then.