"We don't have to worry about these 'men's things'." Female star Anneliese Akerman changed the subject just right.
"That's right." That's what Czechoslovak actress Lyda Balova was waiting for.
"Next (interviewer) please." Mrs. Katie went straight to the point.
The interviewer named Eva Carlson came through the door.
"Ah..." Czechoslovak actress Lida Barova immediately showed a more professional eye: "It looks good."
"Good day, ladies." Eva Carlson saluted gracefully.
"Please take a seat, Ms. Carlson." Mrs. Katie is the assistant casting director: "Don't be nervous."
"Okay, ma'am." Eva Carlson changed her title immediately during the conversation alone. She'd obviously done her homework ahead of time, too.
"We have received a remittance of 100,000 marks from your generous sponsor." Mrs. Katie smiled: "When the specific role arrives in Sicily, you can negotiate with the director, and you will definitely be satisfied."
"So the director is not in the car?" Eva Carlson was slightly disappointed.
"Yes. The director will arrive by special plane." Mrs. Katie seemed to be chatting with an old friend. It completely bridges the gap between directors and actors.
"Okay." Eva Carlson nodded slightly.
"Do you have any questions?" Mrs. Katie asked kindly.
"Do you still have it?" Eva Carlson responded with a smile. This is a smart move to proactively lower your profile.
"Okay, Ms. Carlson. Please take your luggage and go to the "front sleeper car." "Ms. Katie wrote a casting pass ticket in her hand, stood up and handed it to her.
"Thank you, madam." Eva Carlson took it gracefully.
"100,000 marks." Watching Eva Carlson step out of the carriage, the legendary French actress Josephine Baker looked meaningfully at the stack of "casting pass tickets" pressed under Mrs. Katie's wrist.
"Ah! So, why not?" Mrs. Katie smiled unabashedly.
The monetary unit of the Third Reich at this time was the Reichsmark, which was issued in 1924. In 1940, the exchange rate to the US dollar was 2.5:1. For reference, the average pre-tax monthly salary of ordinary workers in Germany was 194 Reichsmarks in 1943. The price of 1 liter of milk before the war was about 0.23 Reichsmarks. The price of a one-way third-class railway ticket with a mileage of 430 kilometers was 17.2 Reichsmarks. An Opel Kadett sedan is priced at 1,795 Reichsmarks, and the slightly larger Opel Olympia is priced at 2,500 Reichsmarks. These two are almost the cheapest four-seater passenger cars in Germany. It was also the model with the largest number of copies before the war.
However. The basic model of Opel Olympia, regardless of currency depreciation, is almost as expensive as 10 MG42 general-purpose machine guns. But the price of one Tiger is enough to buy more than 100 of these compact family cars.
With the purchasing power of 1 million Reichsmarks, you might as well look at the selling prices of Imperial weapons at this time.
Ruger P08 pistol, 35 Reichsmark(!). Walter P38 pistol, 32 Reichsmark (!). MP40 submachine gun, 60 Reichsmark (!). K98 rifle, 70 Reichsmark (!). K41 semi-automatic rifle, 150 Reichsmark. MG34 general machine gun, 310 Reichsmark. MG42 general machine gun, 250 Reichsmark. 42mm PaK 41 anti-tank gun, 8000 Reichsmarks. 50 mm PaK 38 anti-tank gun, 10,600 Reichsmarks. 75mm PaK40 anti-tank gun, 12,000 Reichsmarks. 88mm PaK 43/3 anti-tank gun (Black Panther main gun), 21,000 Reichsmarks. ·280/320mm Raketenwerfer 41 rocket launcher, 1835 Reichsmark. 150mm s.Fh 18 heavy long-range field gun, 60,000 Reichsmarks. 170mm K18 cannon, 117,000 Reichsmarks. 280mm Bruno railway gun, 1 million Reichsmarks. 380 mm Siegfried railway gun, 1.5 million Reichsmarks.
If you just think that Ms. Eva Carlson is the only one who brings capital to join the group, you would be totally wrong.
As the interview continued, Mrs. Katie issued a total of 10 direct casting tickets. Easily receive 1 million Reichsmarks. Even if there is no discount, it is still enough to buy a 28cm Bruno railway gun!
Known as the "King of War in the Railway Age", railway guns, also known as train guns, refer to large-caliber artillery installed on railway trains, pulled by locomotives, and capable of maneuvering and shooting on the railway. Railway guns have been the most unique part of the artillery family since they entered the American Civil War. Although in the face of modern technology, train guns appear too large and bulky. However, considering the historical fact that many large cities in Europe are located along railway lines, in specific battles, mobile train guns can destroy various solid fortifications and carry out long-range strikes against important enemy targets. In addition, in coastal defense operations, train guns can also make up for the shortage in the number of shore guns, giving defenders greater flexibility.
Recalling the Czech Legion's armored train journey across Siberia, the train guns, which were widely used during World War I, made great progress in World War II. At this time, the German Army was equipped with a "Fögler" turntable. The load-bearing weight is usually 80 to 180 tons, and it can also provide a 360° firing range without blind angles, which fundamentally solves the problem of the train gun's firing limit. The train guns of this period also successively applied some advanced technologies, such as new retreat and re-entry devices, electric gun adjustment devices, large-capacity magazines, etc. As a result, the power of the new train gun has been improved in both offensive and defensive operations.
When the train gun participates in military operations, the Deutsche State Railways will be responsible for its operation and dispatch, and railway workers will also participate in the repair and maintenance of the locomotive. The German artillery department is responsible for the combat deployment of train guns, while the railway engineers are responsible for the construction of train gun firing positions, installation of turntables, defense and warning, concealment and camouflage.
Take the latest K5(E) train gun, which fully applied the latest artillery technology at the time and was called a "real train gun" by the German artillery, as an example. The actual caliber of the K5(E) train gun is 283 mm, and the barrel length is 21.539 meters (76 times the caliber). The internal structure of the gun's bore has a variety of different designs, including: 10 mm deep rifling, 7 mm deep rifling, grooved rifling, and some remove the rifling and replace it with a smoothbore structure, increasing the caliber to 310 mm. When firing ordinary grenades weighing 255 kilograms, the gun has a muzzle velocity of up to 1120 meters per second, a maximum range of 59 to 62 kilometers, a rate of fire of 8 to 15 rounds per hour, and a lining barrel life of 240 to 550 rounds. By May 1943, the German Army had ordered a total of 30 K5(E) train guns, 3 complete barrels and 30 lined barrels. In order to achieve ultra-long range, the maximum elevation angle of the artillery reaches +50°. Use the "Fogler" turntable to obtain a 360° shooting range. The total combat weight of the train gun reaches 218 tons and the total length is 31.1 meters.
The K5(E) is the large-caliber train gun with the largest number of equipment and the most successful design of the German Army in World War II. The gun was designed by Krupp in 1934, and various tests began in 1936. It was equipped with troops in 1940, with a total of 8 guns. By the time Germany was defeated in 1945, a total of 25 guns had been produced.
A K5 (E) train gun battery is usually equipped with only 1 to 2 train guns. A complete K5(E) train gun system includes: 1 K5(E) train gun, 1 train gun traction locomotive, 1 propellant vehicle, 1 diesel locomotive (for use when using the "Fogler" turntable Mobile crane, train gun and ammunition truck), 2 artillery shell trucks (each can carry 113 rounds of 280 mm artillery shells, each shell weighs 255 kg), 2 cargo tractors, 1 equipment transport truck (used to transport spare parts and supplies), 1 armored railway security vehicle equipped with light weapons, 1 cooking vehicle, 1 fire control vehicle, 1 anti-aircraft gun vehicle (equipped with a 20 mm Flak 38 light anti-aircraft gun) and 3 vehicles carrying security personnel transport truck.
That is to say. In 1943, for 1 million Reichsmarks, you could buy an entire K5(E) train gun battery!
To earn this huge sum of money, Mrs. Katie only spent one morning's driving time, and the price was only 10 "casting pass tickets."
That's all.
