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To: Frederick303

Yes, I understand what you are saying; yet, it is a fair assessment in view of 70 years of apparent silence. Not even a family spokesman is recorded as saying anything about his thoughts on his SS service—yet.

Of course, God knows man’s heart.


122 posted on 04/08/2016 12:08:40 PM PDT by TurkeyLurkey
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To: TurkeyLurkey

My grandfather was drafted into the 13th reserve regiment of the German army in December of 1917.

Fought on the western front from 1918 to the summer sometimes, wounded and sent to hospital in berlin, was involved in the Spartist uprising in January 1919 (losing side).

Died in 1978, 60 years later. Coherent to the end

Never said one thing about any of it to anyone in his family about what went on. As a 13 year old I tried to get it out of him, he would answer with minimal sentences saying nothing of value other than the regiment # and the fact he fought both the French and British.

His autopsy showed his chest had been crushed in a trench cave in. Never spoke to anyone about it, but that explained how he ended up in a berlin hospital.

Was on Guam as a Seabee (76th Battalion) in WWII, never spoke a line about it. Only thing I could get out of him was how the chrome lined Jap type 99 rifles did not rust like Springfield’s they had.

A lot of these old Krauts were very self-contained. Their private thought were not something they readily shared. much different than the current mindset. The same was true of some WWII vets on both sides. different era different expectations of how a man behaved.


123 posted on 04/08/2016 12:20:14 PM PDT by Frederick303
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