Rooted these figures out for VE Day made in Austria by RoCo, probably early 60s if anyone can identify when they were made. They are l to r Mussolini, Rommel, Goring, De Gaull e Eisenhower, Churchill, Stalin and Hitler in Nazi salute
BBC Radio 4 - Great Lives, Mussolini Mussolini - 28mins audio. Great Lives September 1943, and German troops have just landed in gliders to rescue Benito Mussolini from the mountain resort where he was being held. “I knew my friend Adolf Hitler would not desert me,” he said later. But Mussolini died before the end of the war, shot and then strung up with his mistress in Milan. Who was this man, and is he still relevant today? Nominating him is Professor Margaret MacMillan, not as her hero but as someone she says must not be dismissed as a buffoon. Mussolini founded and led the fascists in Italy, was a brilliant propagandist, and would have probably died in his bed but for the war. Winston Churchill, speaking in 1927, told him his fascist movement "has rendered a service to the entire world." Only later did he dub him the Italian Miscalculator. Mussolini declared war on Britain just as France was poised to fall. As well as archive of Mussolini, Churchill, and the Italian journalist Luigi Barzini, the programme features Professor John Foot of Bristol University. Margaret MacMillan is the author of Peacemakers and a former BBC Reith lecturer. The programme is presented by Matthew Parris. Future great lives in this series include Frida Kahlo, Donna Summer, Hendrick Witbooi and Kenneth Williams of Carry On fame. The producer in Bristol is Miles Warde
BBC Radio 4 - Great Lives, Series 34, Ray Mears on Rommel Ray Mears on Rommel - 30mins audio Great Lives - Series 34 - Episode 4 of 9 The life of Erwin Rommel, for a time Hitler's favourite general is nominated by Ray Mears. Matthew Parris hears why this German soldier was a "great life". They are also joined by Dr Niall Barr, Reader in Military History, Defence Studies Department at Kings College, London. Producer: Perminder Khatkar. First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 2014.
Had those! Probably still have if I can find them. Here's Rommel anyway, perhaps looking a little small in a 1/72 car. Chris
Thank you for the response. I have other such toys including German made WW1 British soldiers. MAYBE time in life for a clear out,
Roco 'Minitanks' 1960s on. These were in Continental 1/87 /HO scale - compatible with early Airfix however not the larger, later figures. They switched to blister packs early 70s. I believe this set was around 1978. I have the figures out of the packet. There are a number of Facebook groups including a Collectors club.
Good Heavens ! I don't remember the figures but just the sight of the box brought back memories. I used to collect the vehicles - pocket money allowing. Haven't thought about them in 40-odd years
Robin Well done young man, one minor (very) complaint. Your Goring was known as Goering in my days ! Best regards Ron
In Germany of these days also known as Hermann Meier "I'll be called Meier if even one enemy plane passes over Germany." H.G., 1939 consequently air-raid sirens were called "Meiers Waldhorn"/"Meiers hunting horn" (he was a passionate huntsman)
Also known I believe as Der Grosser Hermann. I went to school with Herman Goring - not the Herman Goring - a Herman Goring - a lad who like me was born during the war but in his case in Germany and he had an uncle Hermann after who he got named. He had the misfortune to be somewhat corpulent and his school nickname was Grocer (work it out).
Sadly MM repeated some inaccurate cliches including the one about Mussolini having made the trains run on time. No his propaganda machine repeatedly said that he had made the trains run on time but he had not - quite the reverse - but anyone saying otherwise would have been condemned as peddling what some modern populists would call "fake news"
His promise made to the Luftwaffe in September 1939 was recalled when Lancaster 1. Serial Number R 5868 was recovered for display in the RAF Bomber Command Museum,Hendon with the port side of the cockpit displaying "no enemy aircraft will fly over Germany" or similar. Apparently air raid sirens were also referred to as "Meier's Trumpets"...said to have declared himself as Meier on entering a public air raid shelter in Berlin.There was some reference to the remark being anti Jewish,the surname being a common Jewish name.
Goring's antisemitism may have been a case of gross hypocrisy (gross seems to be an adjective that clings to him) as he and his younger brother were brought up in the household of a secular Jew who was their god father (and very possibly their mothers lover) with whom Hermann was very close. His brother assisted a number of Jewish people to escape into Switzerland and only survived because of Hermann's protection. However Hermann would seem to have been willing to sacrifice any principles in favour of his own advancement.
