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Getbig Main Boards => Gossip & Opinions => Topic started by: Dr Dutch on July 05, 2012, 12:27:04 PM
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DON'T MENTION THE WAR !!
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I heard Wes was a highly decorated hero in the Civil War
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I heard Wes was a highly decorated hero in the Civil War
That's cool....guess he was too old to fight in WW2...
Anyway my grandfather blew up a building full of German weapons....that COOL.. 8)
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My Grandfather ( my mother's father ) served in the South Pacific and the ship he was on was torpedoed , he was fine not sure if anyone else was hurt
My Grandfather ( my father's father ) served stateside in WW1 at the time of his death in 1997 he was one of the oldest WW1 vets in the U.S. at 93
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That's cool....guess he was too old to fight in WW2...
Anyway my grandfather blew up a building full of German weapons....that COOL.. 8)
Tough and hard times those. Props to your Grandad.
Can't imagine what people went through
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My Grandfather ( my mother's father ) served in the South Pacific and the ship he was on was torpedoed , he was fine not sure if anyone else was hurt
My Grandfather ( my father's father ) served stateside in WW1 at the time of his death in 1997 he was one of the oldest WW1 vets in the U.S. at 93
Wow
ND, if your paternal Grandad was born in 1904, he was very young during WW1, wasn't he? 1914-1918
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Wow
ND, if your paternal Grandad was born in 1904, he was very young during WW1, wasn't he? 1914-1918
He was The Kid from hell..... 8)
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My maternal grandparents in Rotterdam hid jewish refugees below their store/shop (they had an art galerie). One day there was a razzia, and the refugees had to quickly hide. One German soldier saw a foot of a jewish child stick out of the hiding place, and whispered to gramps: "hide him, quickly..".
My grandparents never held a grudge against the Germans after the war, a great part due to this soldier... 8) 8)
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Grandpa drove an M18 Tank Destroyer built by Buick. Served in 8 European countries. Saw Dachau, Obersalzberg, Nuremburg during the trials, La Havre, the Ardennes in the Battle of the Bulge.
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Grandpa drove an M18 Tank Destroyer built by Buick. Served in 8 European countries. Saw Dachau, Obersalzberg, Nuremburg during the trials, La Havre, the Ardennes.
8) Is he still alive ?
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That's cool....guess he was too old to fight in WW2...
Anyway my grandfather blew up a building full of German weapons....that COOL.. 8)
It's funny you say that, I heard a story about my grandfather and another guy running a long fuse into some kind of underground mine full of German Ammunition and blowing it up.
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Yes, indeed. GrandDa, on my Da's side, served (underage) on a minesweeper. He lost an older brother, who pulled the same duty. Got a few of his medals, somewhere.
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Wow
ND, if your paternal Grandad was born in 1904, he was very young during WW1, wasn't he? 1914-1918
Enlisted illegally at 15 0r 16 if I recall correctly
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It's funny you say that, I heard a story about my grandfather and another guy running a long fuse into some kind of underground mine full of German Ammunition and blowing it up.
Well, this happened near Rotterdam, Holland..
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These guys never had the help that's available for todays vets.....
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8) Is he still alive ?
No, he died in 2008 at 82. He was kind of like the old man on Gran Torino.
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No, he died in 2008 at 82. He was kind of like the old man on Gran Torino.
That's cool. He was actually very young in the war....respect.
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NO BUT PANCHO VILLA IS MY GRANDPA
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NO BUT PEEWEE HERMAN IS MY GRANDPA
8)
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My dad's dad fought in Okinawa. He recovered a trunk from a burned down village. In it was a bunch of track and field gear, trophies, and a photo album. There were pictures in there from America; the kid in the pics once competed at the LA Coliseum, plus some stuff from NYC, like the Statue of Liberty and whatnot.
Gramp held on to it for forty some years.
During the olympics in '88, he contacted the local paper here and told them his story. They found the dude in the pics! He was some kind of sports official/ambassador in Japan. They flew the guy in and met at the newspaper's office, where my grandpa returned his stuff. They did a big story on it.
The guy was really nice and grateful to get his things back.
True story.
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My dad's dad fought in Okinawa. He recovered a trunk from a burned down village. In it was a bunch of track and field gear, trophies, and a photo album. There were pictures in there from America; the kid in the pics once competed at the LA Coliseum, plus some stuff from NYC, like the Statue of Liberty and whatnot.
Gramp held on to it for forty some years.
During the olympics in '88, he contacted the local paper here and told them his story. They found the dude in the pics! He was some kind of sports official/ambassador in Japan. They flew the guy in and met at the newspaper's office, where my grandpa returned his stuff. They did a big story on it.
The guy was really nice and grateful to get back his things.
True story.
8)
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Wow
ND, if your paternal Grandad was born in 1904, he was very young during WW1, wasn't he? 1914-1918
I just checked his obituary he was 95 when he died in 1997, he was born in March of 1902.
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I just checked his obituary he was 95 when he died in 1997, he was born in March of 1902.
Much respect. RIP.
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All rode submarines and died in action except for one, who came back from a russian "work" camp which cost him his health.
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I had an old Jewish grandma a few generations ago. I guess she hid from some Germans in an attic or something, wrote in her diary about it. Big deal, pics or it didn't happen is what I say. I bet she couldn't even bench her own body weight.
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I had an old Jewish grandma a few generations ago. I guess she hid from some Germans in an attic or something, wrote in her diary about it. Big deal, pics or it didn't happen is what I say. I bet she couldn't even bench her own body weight.
:)
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Yes, he murdered thousands of Jews.
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My gramps was a radio operator on a bomber in WWII. They were on a bombing mission over axis airspace, the plane got hit and was going down, the pilots ordered the crew to evacuate. My gramps was the first one out. The second guys equipment malfunctioned and blocked the evacuation for the other 8 crew members. The rest of the crew went down with the plane :-\
I was never old enough to ask him about it, I only know what my dad has told me.
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My gramps was a radio operator on a bomber in WWII. They were on a bombing mission over axis airspace, the plane got hit and was going down, the pilots ordered the crew to evacuate. My gramps was the first one out. The second guys equipment malfunctioned and blocked the evacuation for the other 8 crew members. The rest of the crew went down with the plane :-\
I was never old enough to ask him about it, I only know what my dad has told me.
Man, that's messed up. Good for him, though.
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Man, that's messed up. Good for him, though.
To add to the story. He was training for the 1940 summer Olympics as a wrestler - he had qualified for the Canadian team. The Olympics were canceled due to the war, he dropped the dream and joined the war effort. Strong guy, shaped like a keg and could press some serious weight.
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To add to the story. He was training for the 1940 summer Olympics as a wrestler - he had qualified for the Canadian team. The Olympics were canceled due to the war, he dropped the dream and joined the war effort. Strong guy, shaped like a keg and could press some serious weight.
War is a fucked up thing, too bad.
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I served at Treblinka during WW2.
(http://www.holocaustresearchproject.org/survivor/images/Ukranian%20guard%20in%20black%20uniform.jpg)
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Mine was a combat engineer (Royal Corps of Engineers, otherwise known as sappers)
Fought in El-Alamein, Italy, Normandy then Korea.
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Our grandpas were bad ass.
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Our grandpas were bad ass.
Spot on bro
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Both my grandfathers were in the air force in WWII.
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There was no air force during World War II. It was called the Army Air Corps. My father was a Sgt. during World War II in the Army Air Corps. Maybe he served with you grandfathers.
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My paternal grandfather was an army medic. He served most of WWII in Bulgaria and France.
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I just checked his obituary he was 95 when he died in 1997, he was born in March of 1902.
Still very young
When men were men, and had to grow up quick. Thanks for sharing
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<<<< Gramps was there for the first test of the atomic bomb ,pretty awesome i think.
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My grandfather joined the navy at 17 after Pearl Harbor. He fought on the Natoma Bay at battle of Leyte Gulf. His ship was hit by a kamakaze. They had the peices of the plane melted down and formed into horseshoes. He had it in his metal case. He was a gunner on a plane and had some cool stories to share, but died before I could get them all. I was 15 so I didn't care as much about his stories. :-\
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DON'T MENTION THE WAR !!
Sorry to burst your bubble, but Wes was born before the war - Thanks
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It sucks that we were too young to really care about their stories back when. I'd give anything to hear a few more tales from Gramps.
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Something special died with that generation. Although, I hope I never have to be as brave as they were...to be there and face that adversity is to truly know the meaning of sacrifice. Most of us will never know that pain.
Exactly.
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Good thread,except for the thread title. ;)
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wes his father was killed in a concentration camp, he felt out of the watchtower and broke his neck
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So would I. I miss my grandpa now more than ever. The older I get, the more I wish I had his teachings to help me, but all I have is so limited, and faded with time and memories. And my grandma too. I just wish I could have a week with them, to spend with them, and let them know how much they meant to me for the short time I knew them. And to ask the gazillion questions I have.
When I was young, I swore if I had a daughter, she'd bear my grandmother's name. She does. My grandmother was the greatest lady I ever knew, and my grandfather was the bravest man I ever knew.
Something special died with that generation. Although, I hope I never have to be as brave as they were...to be there and face that adversity is to truly know the meaning of sacrifice. Most of us will never know that pain.
So true. Coming out of the great depression and then heading overseas to fight in the wars... that generation was just different.
My grandfather joined the Navy @ 17 right after V-J day, was in Korea, and Vietnam (he fought alongside the Marines on more than one occaison)... Theyre just different.
Grandma raised 4 kids while he was overseas, never complains, nicest people you've ever met (well, Grandpa is most of the time. He was pretty rough when I was younger, 31 years in the Navy and 2 wars will do that to you.)
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Grand dad was a Hautpman in the Luftwaffe - Total officer type guy and not a committed national socialist.
Grand dad from wife side - Latvian Waffen SS - PaK (Panzerabwehr) - Got drafted at the end of the war when the russian beast were already on Latvians front door.
Before anybody asks or says something stupid the Latvia Waffen SS did not participate in the mass killings in Riga that happened before and the killing apart from progroms were done by German Einsatztruppen.
Latvian Waffen SS was highly regarded by the German high command, they were extremly motivated and highly trained ferocious warriors, the Germans however misunderstood their battle spirit for the love of Hitler etc. which wasn't the case - ask my grand dad and he will tell you they just wanted to give the Latvian families time to prepare for the russian onslaughter.
He got captured put in a gulag for 4 years - after that he was send home and send to a gulag a few years back again.
One hard mofo
He's still alive living in a village in the house that he build with his own hands, the village is dying away there are no jobs there his country is in ruins and he totally broken - It breaks my heart to see him that way.
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Grand dad was a Hautpman in the Luftwaffe - Total officer type guy and not a committed national socialist.
Grand dad from wife side - Latvian Waffen SS - PaK (Panzerabwehr) - Got drafted at the end of the war when the russian beast were already on Latvians front door.
Before anybody asks or says something stupid the Latvia Waffen SS did not participate in the mass killings in Riga that happened before and the killing apart from progroms were done by German Einsatztruppen.
Latvian Waffen SS was highly regarded by the German high command, they were extremly motivated and highly trained ferocious warriors, the Germans however misunderstood their battle spirit for the love of Hitler etc. which wasn't the case - ask my grand dad and he will tell you they just wanted to give the Latvian families time to prepare for the russian onslaughter.
He got captured put in a gulag for 4 years - after that he was send home and send to a gulag a few years back again.
One hard mofo
He's still alive living in a village in the house that he build with his own hands, the village is dying away there are no jobs there his country is in ruins and he totally broken - It breaks my heart to see him that way.
Ya, I'm sure they were angels who had the Jews' best interests in mind ::)
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Ya, I'm sure they were angels who had the Jews' best interests in mind ::)
I said Glass of Juice! NOT GAS THE JEWS!!!!
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My dad fought on D-Day in Nomandy. He rarely talked about WW2 when he was alive. He gave me a German soldier's helmet. I still have it. Plus a blackjack he made while holed up in a building while bombing was going on.
My mom was born in Paris and had many Jewish friends that were abducted and taken away, never seen them again. She talks about it less than my dad. She became an French-American translator for the French goverment during the war and that is how she met my dad. It must have been horrible beyond belief.
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My grandfather (my mothers dad) fought for the American Army (he was imigrand in the U.S. since 1920) and his brother (imigrand in the U.S. since 1915) was a translator for the British, New Zealand and Australian soldiers in Crete during the war.
I have an original army bag, gift from a New Zealand soldier to my grandfather's brother. The bag stil has the name of the soldier on it...
My grandfather (my dads dad) fought against the Italians at 1940 in Northern Greece and Albania.
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My dad fought on D-Day in Nomandy. He rarely talked about WW2 when he was alive. He gave me a German soldier's helmet. I still have it. Plus a blackjack he made while holed up in a building while bombing was going on.
My mom was born in Paris and had many Jewish friends that were abducted and taken away, never seen them again. She talks about it less than my dad. She became an French-American translator for the French goverment during the war and that is how she met my dad. It must have been horrible beyond belief.
And actually France is the country that suffered the least during WW2. The vast majority chose to be cowards and managed to turn things around at the last minute.
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And actually France is the country that suffered the least during WW2. The vast majority chose to be cowards and managed to turn things around at the last minute.
Yea, I ask my mom daily why she didn't grab a rifle and go after Hitler. She is such a pussy. ::)
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Yea, I ask my mom daily why she didn't grab a rifle and go after Hitler. She is such a pussy. ::)
Well, the Brits sucked it up, so did the Russians, Yougoslavians, etc....The disgusting thing about France (I was born here) is that they all try to pass as resistants (the Resistance never had more than a 75 000 people in it- that number jumped suddenly to 200 000 between March and July1944). Thing is, you can't be on both sides of the fence.
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Well, the Brits sucked it up, so did the Russians, Yougoslavians, etc....The disgusting thing about France (I was born here) is that they all try to pass as resistants (the Resistance never had more than a 75 000 people in it- that number jumped suddenly to 200 000 between March and July1944). Thing is, you can't be on both sides of the fence.
Point well taken. You are still in France? If so, what area? I am wanting to go to Paris. My mom has never had any desire to go back. Between the war and the wino mom and dad her time there was not very enjoyable.
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Point well taken. You are still in France? If so, what area? I am wanting to go to Paris. My mom has never had any desire to go back. Between the war and the wino mom and dad her time there was not very enjoyable.
I live in Paris; always lived here. Somehow I wouldn't be a great judge to tell you if it's worth the ride or not; probably is. I know the city inside out which grants me a certain number of good things. All depends where you stay, with whom and what you have access too. Parisians are assholes for most part.
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I live in Paris; always lived here. Somehow I wouldn't be a great judge to tell you if it's worth the ride or not; probably is. I know the city inside out which grants me a certain number of good things. All depends where you stay, with whom and what you have access too. Parisians are assholes for most part.
My daughter went to Paris about 15 years ago with the Girl Scouts. Some Frenchman on the train just started yelling at all of them and cussing. Freaked the shit out of them. She agrees with you, their assholes. I would like to see if I have any relatives alive there and see my Grandparents graves. I will talk to my mom and find out what area they lived in and PM you.
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My daughter went to Paris about 15 years ago with the Girl Scouts. Some Frenchman on the train just started yelling at all of them and cussing. Freaked the shit out of them. She agrees with you, their assholes. I would like to see if I have any relatives alive there and see my Grandparents graves. I will talk to my mom and find out what area they lived in and PM you.
No problem.
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Pierre Woodman is French....and he's pretty awesome.
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Pierre Woodman is French....and he's pretty awesome.
Lol. I knew him about 10-15 years ago. He was a pretty cool guy. Was married to Tanya back then. Heard they split little time after that.
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Ya, I'm sure they were angels who had the Jews' best interests in mind ::)
look I like you man but with a comment like this it shows me that you really don't know what you are talking about.
But I do know because I have read more books than I can count about the subject with primary focus on the Reichs SS and Waffen SS and especially everything about Concentration camps etc. etc.
So let me tell you and seriously I am not talking down on you but you are misguided.
For starters, there is a huge difference between the Waffen SS (the fighting arm of the SS) and the Einsatzgruppen who were mostly drafted from SS police battalions.
To be accepted you had to be up to the standard of racial doctrine of the third Reich but there are many accounts of complaint letters send by officers of the Waffen SS in regards to orders given to them by the High Command how to treat Russian POW after Barbarossa was in full swing, that is just one example that not everybody who was in the Waffen SS did also participate in the mass shootings of jews in the east.
In fact (and If you want to I can recommend some good books on that subject unfortunately all written in German) the mostly volunteers who were shooting and volunteered for the Einsattruppen were a very small % of the overall SS.
The Waffen SS was an elite military Unit, no different to the US Marines - they were the firebrigade of the east to be used to halt the enemy what ever the cost, no other unit has received that many casualties than the SS has.
Now, once again an entirely different matter was the drafting of SS from foreign countries - most of these people had no love for Hitler at all or no ill feelings towards jews, but they were simply rounded up and given a uniform - take my grand dad for example he didn't know he was going to be in the Waffen SS until he got his uniform.
There are so many more excamples why the Waffen SS was not what a lot of people want to believe - the National geographic educated person thinks of any Waffen SS member as a member of the death scull brigade, but did you know that there was an uproar amongst the Waffen SS when members (mostly old) SS who were ordered to become Concentration camp guards were ordered to wear the death skull sign, until than it was only the elite of the elite that were allowed to wear that and there was a general feeling of disgust that "these" SS members who were mostly the once that the HQ wanted to get rid off where wearing now a sign that was highly regarded and by many worn with pride.
If you can read German I highly recommend a book called Saat in den Sturm - its written in a very honest way by the youngest SS German volunteer who took part in the french invasion and later in the eastern front - its a very honest book and the author himself since than has died i believe.
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look I like you man but with a comment like this it shows me that you really don't know what you are talking about.
But I do know because I have read more books than I can count about the subject with primary focus on the Reichs SS and Waffen SS and especially everything about Concentration camps etc. etc.
So let me tell you and seriously I am not talking down on you but you are misguided.
For starters, there is a huge difference between the Waffen SS (the fighting arm of the SS) and the Einsatzgruppen who were mostly drafted from SS police battalions.
To be accepted you had to be up to the standard of racial doctrine of the third Reich but there are many accounts of complaint letters send by officers of the Waffen SS in regards to orders given to them by the High Command how to treat Russian POW after Barbarossa was in full swing, that is just one example that not everybody who was in the Waffen SS did also participate in the mass shootings of jews in the east.
In fact (and If you want to I can recommend some good books on that subject unfortunately all written in German) the mostly volunteers who were shooting and volunteered for the Einsattruppen were a very small % of the overall SS.
The Waffen SS was an elite military Unit, no different to the US Marines - they were the firebrigade of the east to be used to halt the enemy what ever the cost, no other unit has received that many casualties than the SS has.
Now, once again an entirely different matter was the drafting of SS from foreign countries - most of these people had no love for Hitler at all or no ill feelings towards jews, but they were simply rounded up and given a uniform - take my grand dad for example he didn't know he was going to be in the Waffen SS until he got his uniform.
There are so many more excamples why the Waffen SS was not what a lot of people want to believe - the National geographic educated person thinks of any Waffen SS member as a member of the death scull brigade, but did you know that there was an uproar amongst the Waffen SS when members (mostly old) SS who were ordered to become Concentration camp guards were ordered to wear the death skull sign, until than it was only the elite of the elite that were allowed to wear that.
There are always people that sign up to do the right thing in every military unit, no different to that guy that was telling the story about the German Soldier that told his relative to hide the Jewish kid quickly.
It sucks that the whole group gets lumped in as evil genocidal killers, but that life.
People always want to demonize the bad guys, but the truth is, many were just soldiers, like in any other military, fighting an enemy they may or may not agree with. Im sure most werent directly responsible for slaughtering Jews.
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There are always people that sign up to do the right thing in every military unit, no different to that guy that was telling the story about the German Soldier that told his relative to hide the Jewish kid quickly.
It sucks that the whole group gets lumped in as evil genocidal killers, but that life.
People always want to demonize the bad guys, but the truth is, many were just soldiers, like in any other military, fighting an enemy they may or may not agree with. Im sure most werent directly responsible for slaughtering Jews.
I am in no way or form closing my eyes to the mass killings, my wife's mother lives about 10 min away from the forest were they killed millions all mass graves are marked now like this
(http://jewishphotolibrary.smugmug.com/VIDEOS/JEWISH-LATVIA-A-Photo-Essay/i-ZGpz7gX/0/L/LV-1560-Mass-graves-Bikernieki-L.jpg)
And there are hundreds...
When you read some of the first hand stories how this went along for days and weeks you really cannot help but start imagine your own wife and kids and how you would feel like.
It was horrific hopefully NEVER EVER to be repeated.
But there are so many other stories as well, like the General in the east (wehrmacht) cannot remember his name but he is mentioned in the German book - What makes normal people become mass murderes which entirely deals with the psychological aspect how the mass killing was organized (its an excellent book for understanding what really went on and how this all could have happened) he talks about a General that with his troops rounded up the jews he was supposed to "evacuate" and put them on trucks and drove them to safety - his troops shot at the SS that wanted to stop them at a bridge and only because he was nearly executed did not all survive, but he and his troops saved about a thousand lifes and there are monuments in Israel one were they call him a righteous man.
its not always black and white there are a lot of gray shades as well.
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look I like you man but with a comment like this it shows me that you really don't know what you are talking about.
But I do know because I have read more books than I can count about the subject with primary focus on the Reichs SS and Waffen SS and especially everything about Concentration camps etc. etc.
So let me tell you and seriously I am not talking down on you but you are misguided.
For starters, there is a huge difference between the Waffen SS (the fighting arm of the SS) and the Einsatzgruppen who were mostly drafted from SS police battalions.
To be accepted you had to be up to the standard of racial doctrine of the third Reich but there are many accounts of complaint letters send by officers of the Waffen SS in regards to orders given to them by the High Command how to treat Russian POW after Barbarossa was in full swing, that is just one example that not everybody who was in the Waffen SS did also participate in the mass shootings of jews in the east.
In fact (and If you want to I can recommend some good books on that subject unfortunately all written in German) the mostly volunteers who were shooting and volunteered for the Einsattruppen were a very small % of the overall SS.
The Waffen SS was an elite military Unit, no different to the US Marines - they were the firebrigade of the east to be used to halt the enemy what ever the cost, no other unit has received that many casualties than the SS has.
Now, once again an entirely different matter was the drafting of SS from foreign countries - most of these people had no love for Hitler at all or no ill feelings towards jews, but they were simply rounded up and given a uniform - take my grand dad for example he didn't know he was going to be in the Waffen SS until he got his uniform.
There are so many more excamples why the Waffen SS was not what a lot of people want to believe - the National geographic educated person thinks of any Waffen SS member as a member of the death scull brigade, but did you know that there was an uproar amongst the Waffen SS when members (mostly old) SS who were ordered to become Concentration camp guards were ordered to wear the death skull sign, until than it was only the elite of the elite that were allowed to wear that and there was a general feeling of disgust that "these" SS members who were mostly the once that the HQ wanted to get rid off where wearing now a sign that was highly regarded and by many worn with pride.
If you can read German I highly recommend a book called Saat in den Sturm - its written in a very honest way by the youngest SS German volunteer who took part in the french invasion and later in the eastern front - its a very honest book and the author himself since than has died i believe.
I'm misguided in what exactly?
Are you saying the Waffen-SS were the Jews' secret protectors or something?
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I'm misguided in what exactly?
Are you saying the Waffen-SS were the Jews' secret protectors or something?
You are misguided because you think every member of the Waffen SS was also a jew killing monster, they were just an elite unit - I know my grand dad never wanted to be in the Waffen SS because it was well known that the surviving chances of members of the Waffen SS was less than zero - he never had and probably never will harbor any ill feelings towards the jews, he hates the russians but if you read up a little how the Russians scared and raped Latvia you understand why.
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You are misguided because you think every member of the Waffen SS was also a jew killing monster, they were just an elite unit - I know my grand dad never wanted to be in the Waffen SS because it was well known that the surviving chances of members of the Waffen SS was less than zero - he never had and probably never will harbor any ill feelings towards the jews, he hates the russians but if you read up a little how the Russians scared and raped Latvia you understand why.
Is that what I wrote? Someone's using the straw man argument, methinks.
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Is that what I wrote? Someone's using the straw man argument, methinks.
Forget it - again its not fun having arguments with you.
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Forget it - again its not fun having arguments with you.
haha, kein problem mein freund :)
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haha, kein problem mein freund :)
Less dich mal ein in die Materie
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Nein.
/knowledge of German vocabulary
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Stark:
Very interesting stories about you family history and events at that time in history. Read a few books/articles about the SS. Don't know if any of the authors held any bias, but there is a strong theme running through their writings that suggestion that many of the SS core were bi-sexual or homosexual. With the practice not that well hidden during that period in history. Confirmation, or not, to these suggestions put forth by journalist/authors? (and yes, the German military did enter schools and select volunteers for the Fatherland)
Dutch Guy:
You probably have seen "Solders Of Orange", with Rutger Hauer. Saw in in film class and it always stuck with me. Exceptional film and story telling. Subtitles, of course.
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Stark:
Very interesting stories about you family history and events at that time in history. Read a few books/articles about the SS. Don't know if any of the authors held any bias, but there is a strong theme running through their writings that suggestion that many of the SS core were bi-sexual or homosexual. With the practice not that well hidden during that period in history. Confirmation, or not, to these suggestions put forth by journalist/authors? (and yes, the German military did enter schools and select volunteers for the Fatherland)
Dutch Guy:
You probably have seen "Solders Of Orange", with Rutger Hauer. Saw in in film class and it always stuck with me. Exceptional film and story telling. Subtitles, of course.
Its true the whole aspect of the SS was very homoerotic - before Himmler had to act it was very common and probably was after the clamp down as well.
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Only faint family connection to WWII was that one time, during the pacific theater campaign, there were more US marines/navy on American Samoa than the total native population (just a guess, roughly 40-45 thousand locals than). According to my grandfather, who lived there all his life. Probably one of the reasons so many came over to the mainland and settled in Oceanside and San Diego after the war.
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Stark:
Thanks for the quick and honest answer. Some lesser persons would have avoided that question. I give you props (props: proper respect in American slang).
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The SA/Sturmabteilung was homo and was also led by homo after homo (think Röhm), the SS however wasn't homo at all.
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The SA/Sturmabteilung was homo and was also led by homo after homo (think Röhm), the SS however wasn't homo at all.
hmm well that is were you are wrong - just because Röhm was a homosexual doesn't mean that everybody in the SA before they were disbanded were raging homosexuals.
The same can be said about the SS - but there WERE very strong homo erotic tendencies in the SS and the SA - its complicated to explain you really need to read about it.
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So would I. I miss my grandpa now more than ever. The older I get, the more I wish I had his teachings to help me, but all I have is so limited, and faded with time and memories. And my grandma too. I just wish I could have a week with them, to spend with them, and let them know how much they meant to me for the short time I knew them. And to ask the gazillion questions I have.
When I was young, I swore if I had a daughter, she'd bear my grandmother's name. She does. My grandmother was the greatest lady I ever knew, and my grandfather was the bravest man I ever knew.
Something special died with that generation. Although, I hope I never have to be as brave as they were...to be there and face that adversity is to truly know the meaning of sacrifice. Most of us will never know that pain.
This. Could barely have said it better myself. My grandfather enlisted in the Marines when he was 18. He was in the 1st Marine division and was an island hopper in the pacific-he fought on both Peleliu and Guadalcanal, plus others. He said, much like many others have said, that Peleliu was a living hell and even Okinawa seemed like a vacation in comparison. Here is him on Peleliu receiving his silver star-2nd from the right:
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This. Could barely have said it better myself. My grandfather enlisted in the Marines when he was 18. He was in the 1st Marine division and was an island hopper in the pacific-he fought on both Peleliu and Guadalcanal, plus others. He said, much like many others have said, that Peleliu was a living hell and even Okinawa seemed like a vacation in comparison. Here is him on Peleliu receiving his silver star-2nd from the right:
Mad respect. Some of the most bloody and terrible battles of WWII happened during that Island hopping campaign.
Now days we'd just sail a carrier battlegroup right up to their doorstep. Different type of men back then.
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Waffen SS may have been another story (great-uncle of mine served in that), but the regular Wehrmacht soldiers were just regular dudes. My paternal grandparents were ordered to house a German soldier aged 19, my dad was only a few years younger and they became friends. This soldier didn't no shit about politics, didn't even know what a Jew was. Just a farmers son from southern Germany. He was killed in battle a few weeks before the end of the war. My father and grandparents were extremely sad about it, cause it was just some kid......war is a political thing, ordinary people take the bullets. :( :(
Guy was called Gunter...
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Waffen SS may have been another story (great-uncle of mine served in that), but the regular Wehrmacht soldiers were just regular dudes. My paternal grandparents were ordered to house a German soldier aged 19, my dad was only a few years younger and they became friends. This soldier didn't no shit about politics, didn't even know what a jew was. Just a fermers son from southern Germany. He was killed in battle a few weeks before the end of the war. My father and grandparents were extremely sad about it, cause it was just some kid......war is a political thing, ordinary people take the bullets. :( :(
Well, the Wehrmacht were not exactly innocent either.. especially on the eastern front. They did a lot of nasty stuff too, make no mistake about it.
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Well, the Wehrmacht were not exactly innocent either.. especially on the eastern front. They did a lot of nasty stuff too, make no mistake about it.
Yeah, but so did the Russian's they were fighting. Pretty sure no ones hands were clean, not Germany, The US, Russia, Japan - it was a brutal war all around. Just because its looked upon as a "just" war for the Allies doesnt mean that horrible things didnt go on, on all sides.
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Well, the Wehrmacht were not exactly innocent either.. especially on the eastern front. They did a lot of nasty stuff too, make no mistake about it.
I know. But the Wehrmacht didn't consist of millions of devils...
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Yeah, but so did the Russian's they were fighting. Pretty sure no ones hands were clean, not Germany, The US, Russia, Japan - it was a brutal war all around. Just because its looked upon as a "just" war for the Allies doesnt mean that horrible things didnt go on, on all sides.
I'm fully aware of how the media and propaganda glorified the Allies role in WWII, but even with that in mind it's not fair to compare America/Britain to Germany and Russia and say they all did almost equally bad things. It's not even close. Germany and Russia were two monsters and it's actually quite sickening how people look at the war with such a double standard. In my mind fighting on the side with Russia was just as bad as having been allies with Germany. It's inexcusable. Unfortunately, not a lot of people knew back then just how bad things were in the Soviet Union.
I know. But the Wehrmacht didn't consist of millions of devils...
Didn't stop them from executing people, plunder their villages and rape their women now did it?
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I'm fully aware of how the media and propaganda glorifies the Allies role in WWII, but even with that in mind it's not fair to compare America/Britain to Germany and Russia and say they all did almost equally bad things. It's not even close. Germany and Russia were two monsters and it's actually quite sickening how people look at the war with such a double standard. In my mind fighting on the side with Russia was just as bad as having been allies with Germany. It's inexcusable. Unfortunately, not a lot of people knew back then just how bad things were in the Soviet Union.
Didn't stop them from executing people, plunder their villages and rape their women now did it?
Agreed. The Russian's were a brutal opponent.
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Agreed. The Russian's were a brutal opponent.
x2 They paid an exorbitant price, and exacted many others.
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my granpops met gene autry(western movie star) while fighting in WW2
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Nope. 4F. Stayed and fucked your grandma.
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Okinawa was hell on earth
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hmm well that is were you are wrong - just because Röhm was a homosexual doesn't mean that everybody in the SA before they were disbanded were raging homosexuals.
The same can be said about the SS - but there WERE very strong homo erotic tendencies in the SS and the SA - its complicated to explain you really need to read about it.
I served in the SS myself, no signs of homo anywhere to be seen. I even sat butt naked on uncle Heini's lap while he stroke my hair several times.
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We still miss you uncle :'(
(http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2687/4492768313_2be0c21164_z.jpg)
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My grandpa served for Canada in the North Atlantic.
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My Grandpa was in the Navy and he said those Kamikaze pilots were ruthless. He enlisted so he could go in the Navy instead of the other forces. He figured it would be safer on the ship but a lot of those guys died. Nowhere to hide on a boat in the ocean...lol. My uncle was in the Marines and was part of the Normandy invasion. He said the stench was so bad with blood and guts everywhere. Only a few of his buddy's survived. WW2 was no joke.
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(http://www.geschiedenis24.nl/.imaging/stk/geschiedenis/zoom/media/geschiedenis/nieuws/twee/2008/October/40165472/original/40165472.jpg)
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Dad was an Army Air Corps Armourer,...that is he loaded and fused bombs onto bombers,...after he passed we found a letter signed by Curtis Lemay commending him for "an incidence of significance"...This was a total suprise, He Never mentioned it once...The letter also talked about how he loaded and fused the incendiaries used for the Dresden firestorms.
He went to WWII much older than the others,...in his thirties...He probably would not have been called up in the draft. He said he did it because of Franklin Roosevelt...we have no idea today just how popular Roosevelt and his policies were then.
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Dad was an Army Air Corps Armourer,...that is he loaded and fused bombs onto bombers,...after he passed we found a letter signed by Curtis Lemay commending him for "an incidence of significance"...This was a total suprise, He Never mentioned it once...The letter also talked about how he loaded and fused the incendiaries used for the Dresden firestorms.
He went to WWII much older than the others,...in his thirties...He probably would not have been called up in the draft. He said he did it because of Franklin Roosevelt...we have no idea today just how popular Roosevelt and his policies were then.
Not surprised your dad never talked about dresden.
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Dad was an Army Air Corps Armourer,...that is he loaded and fused bombs onto bombers,...after he passed we found a letter signed by Curtis Lemay commending him for "an incidence of significance"...This was a total suprise, He Never mentioned it once...The letter also talked about how he loaded and fused the incendiaries used for the Dresden firestorms.
He went to WWII much older than the others,...in his thirties...He probably would not have been called up in the draft. He said he did it because of Franklin Roosevelt...we have no idea today just how popular Roosevelt and his policies were then.
just how old are you Sync? I'm 43 and my Grandpa was in WW2. You gotta be in your 60's.
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47...My dad did everything late in life,...including fathering a child when he was 56 and mom was over 45...I was a ....surprise. My brother and sister are much older than I am.
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Dad was an Army Air Corps Armourer,...that is he loaded and fused bombs onto bombers,...after he passed we found a letter signed by Curtis Lemay commending him for "an incidence of significance"...This was a total suprise, He Never mentioned it once...The letter also talked about how he loaded and fused the incendiaries used for the Dresden firestorms.
Imagine fusing the incendiary bombs which unbeknown to him would be used to kill thousands of children by fire. That's something you wouldn't want reminded of or commended for and guys like your dad would have to live with the knowledge of what these bombs would do for the rest of their lives. Not easy, especially as they saw their own kids grow up. It's not just about killing the enemy while seeing the whites of their eyes as they try to kill you. My grandmother had 2 younger brothers who both were on lancaster bombers during ww2. They absolutely could not talk about it.
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This guy saw action in the South Pacific , also didn't ever talk about it