Ok, this is what I was able to get from him..
Posted on 07/30/2012 5:46:33 PM PDT by Bikkuri
I have a friend from Holland (Netherlands).. he showed me (never seen before) pictures of his grandfather (that was an SS), BUT he is really reluctant to show them because he doesn't want a bad image on his family (name)..
A lot of the SS were not directly involved with what happened to the Jews. They may have not even have been at Melmedy as was believed.
There is a quote from a man who was in the SS who knew what was going on but was repulsed by it. He stated years later, “There were those who did not know what was going on, and I do not know there fate. There were those who knew what was going on and didn’t think it wrong, and I suspect I know their fate. Lastly, there are those of us who knew what was going on, knew it was wrong, and did nothing to stop it, and I suspect I know our fate.”
It was entirely possible to be SS and not have been in the purification units.
Those arereally good pictures, the quality is truly outstanding. Muesuems would probably like to have scans of these.
All these people are dead.
Great stuff.
exaclty.. took me 3 years for me to get him to release them... Hope people here do not dissuade him from posting all.. he says he has over 700 pics..
Those are excellent photos. Please thank him for sharing them with us, and I hope he allows you to post more of them.
Those are fine pictures, Bik. Just everyday snapshots of soldiers doing routine and mundane things (with the exception of the last snap, which looks like a goofy party of some sort).
Those are the same kinds of pictures that soldiers all over the world take of each other. Nothing to be ashamed of. Except for the uniforms and helmets, those pics look just like the ones in my dad’s old Army scrapbooks.
He should really consider contacting a museum or historical society to give copies of the photos. It’s the quality photos like this that get archived and preserved, and this is just the tip of the iceberg from what you’ve said.
Thank you for sharing and a pox on anyone who would dissuade him in any way. These are very nice examples of History.
I know that, my friend... just getting him to understand that (and he is older than me.. and not much knowledge about FR, nor American thinking..) is difficult :/ I am now getting to reading the comments; took me awhile to get the pics up, having to input a ‘capcha code’ for each pic and addingg the HTML for each took awhile ;::/
would love to have the history with the pictures.
Here you go.. come of the pics (and Trapper, thank you.. I hope he will be able to see what you said; I have been trying to explain the same thing to him..)
For those with honest comments, I thank you, and I am sure he feels better... to those with jerk comments... maybe this iis why we don’t have more historical pics..
come -> some
Appreciate your doing this. I met a guy from Holland years ago, when I was still quite young, and one of the things he told me was that he could tell that Americans liked him because they busted his b*lls. Everybody’s cultures are different. What we find amusing can be offensive to others, and vice versa. I hope he will eventually understand that we mean no harm, and are grateful for his sharing his family’s photos with us.
Thanks for the work you’re doing to bring these images to us, Bik. Much appreciated.
Please tell your friend that we thank him for sharing these important historical images with us. We’re enjoying this little seen look into history.
Thank him please for the pictures. How young most of the soldiers look.
Thanks, Bikkori for the ping and for these pictures. They are awesome.
They show a slice of life that a German soldier saw through his own eyes.
Seventy years have passed. This is a look at a world that no longer exists.
Tell your friend that we would like to see more.
When I first saw these pics, I was amazed at the quality.. I hope I can get him as a member here (and he will soon know that no one... well most, anyway) will not him him or his family.. These pictures are VERY important for history books.. and the quality of the pics deserves to be printed in them...
darn it.. I should check befoer I post... I meant that he should no that no one will HATE him or his family.. btw, I promised not to give that info out, pretty well known for the FReeper community..
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