General der Fallschirmtruppe Hermann Bernhard Ramcke

German Luftwaffe 1935-1945.
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heinz kling

General der Fallschirmtruppe Hermann Bernhard Ramcke

Post by heinz kling »

He was awarded with the Brillanten by Hitler in full expectation that he will fight it out to the end in Brest and take his own life. Yet he surrendered. Apparently Hitler had not learned from the experience of GFM Friedrich Paulus of Stalingrad infamy after all.
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Post by Timo »

As there appears to be no question included in your posting, did you only post the above to insult Ramcke? Or did I miss something here?
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Enrico Mölders
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Post by Enrico Mölders »

Hello Heinz,

are only those wich lost their life for Germany good fellows and all the others who survived because they surrendered or had just luck are just cowards ?

What if all of the best men lost their life, who should have built up Germany after the war ?

Ich wünsche noch einen schönen Tag, Enrico
' ... zu bedauern die Nation die Helden benötigt ! ' Berthold Brecht
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Post by Gareth Collins »

Ramcke was an Excellent soldier and an excellent commander. His bravery is unquestioned. I too am baffled by this post, are you stating that because he didn't commit suicide he's less of a man? I fail to see what purpose, to anyone, commiting suicide would have accieved.
heinz kling

My post

Post by heinz kling »

Ramcke does not deserve the Brillanten as much as Paulus his GFM baton. Both were awarded not on merit, but for political purposes by Hitler.
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George Harper
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Ramcke

Post by George Harper »

Ramcke does not deserve the Brillanten as much as Paulus his GFM baton. Both were awarded not on merit, but for political purposes by Hitler.
Well Heinz, you must have seen an awful lot of combat to feel qualified to make such a declaration about a soldier such as Ramcke. He was a very effective commander who had the undieing respect of his men and the admiration of his enemies. How can his defence of Brest be faulted? Could you have done better? Troy Middleton described the men of 2FJD as the best soldiers he had fought in two world wars. Ramcke was largely responsible for their effectiveness.
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Post by WT »

A late business acquaintance of mine served in the 2nd Parachute Division and was captured at Brest. His platoon ran out of ammunition and there was nothing left to do.

He held Gen. Ramcke is very high esteem. When he spoke of Gen. Ramcke his tone and respect for the general was unlike that of anyone I've ever seen.
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Fallschirmjaeger 2./273
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Re: General der Fallschirmtruppe Hermann Bernhard Ramcke

Post by Fallschirmjaeger 2./273 »

heinz kling wrote:He was awarded with the Brillanten by Hitler in full expectation that he will fight it out to the end in Brest and take his own life. Yet he surrendered. Apparently Hitler had not learned from the experience of GFM Friedrich Paulus of Stalingrad infamy after all.
Dear Heinz,

even though this articel is now over a year old. My question is how you were able to get to this assumption or statement. As this is new to me.

Regards
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Nibelung
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Post by Nibelung »

Well seem's everyone who survived the war was a traitor to heinz...What about Sepp Dietrich, he didn't kill himself in the end although he was a loyal soldier to Hitler all the way.

Nibelung
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-- Sine doctrina vita est quasi mortis imago. --
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Post by siege1863 »

Well, Ramcke certainly felt he was entitled to wear the Knight's Cross. Here he is in 1965, on the occassion of the reunion at Wolfsburg of Fallschirmpioniere veterans. Ramcke is pictured next to Generalmajor Hans Kroh, another Knight's Cross winner.

Heinz--

Where did you come up with the idea that when the KC was bestowed to Ramcke, it was "in full expectation that he will fight it out to the end in Brest and take his own life"? If this was "expected" of all KC winners, there would have been a lot less generals and senior officers. As for the award being "political", this is hooey. Ramcke earned it for the total destruction of Brest. The intent was to prevent the Allies from using it as a port. Ramcke did just that. If you have a chance to read Troy Middleton's memoirs, he frequently corresponded with Ramcke after the war. Not likely something he would do if he did not respect the man.

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Paddy Keating

Post by Paddy Keating »

Ramcke also won Prussia's highest valour award for NCOs and Other Ranks while serving with the Marine Infantry in Flanders in WW1. The instigator of the topic clearly knows very little about Ramcke, whose qualities as a commander are a matter of record. That said, the German writer Erich Kuby was sued by Ramcke in 1959 over a satirical theatre piece by Kuby that suggesting that the defence of Brest was a futile waste of life. However, Kuby had more right than Mr Kling to question Ramcke's handling of Brest; he was in Brest with 2. FJD as an NCO. But he never questioned his former commander's bravery. That was always beyond question.

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Re: General der Fallschirmtruppe Hermann Bernhard Ramcke

Post by tigre »

Hello to all :D; just a little complement...............

Bernhard Ramcke pictured as Generalleutnant with his decorations..............

Source: Vom Schiffsjungen Zum Fallschrimjager-General. eBay Auction.

Cheers. Raúl M 8).
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Serás lo que debas ser o no serás nada. General José de San Martín.
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tigre
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Re: General der Fallschirmtruppe Hermann Bernhard Ramcke

Post by tigre »

Hello to all :D; a little more...............

Bernhard Ramcke in Africa..............

Source: Bundersarchiv.

Cheers. Raúl M 8).
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Bernhard Ramcke with Hans Kroh...........................
Bernhard Ramcke with Hans Kroh...........................
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Serás lo que debas ser o no serás nada. General José de San Martín.
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tigre
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Re: General der Fallschirmtruppe Hermann Bernhard Ramcke

Post by tigre »

Hello to all :D; a little more...............

Generalmajor Hermann Bernhard "Papa" Ramcke and...............

Source: Deutsche Fallschirmjäger im Zweiten Weltkrieg. Volkmar Kühn.

Cheers. Raúl M 8).
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The Desert Fox (Wüstenfuchs) Rommel............................
The Desert Fox (Wüstenfuchs) Rommel............................
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Serás lo que debas ser o no serás nada. General José de San Martín.
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