Were cards made for every deceased soldier? I have only read about these today on this forum. I probably don't have a chance of finding my uncle's, if one was made for him, but I can try!
Gebreiter Hans Roth?
German Death Cards site
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dgebreiter
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Hans
AnreeLivingston
Write more about your uncle. Now. Or write me.
Write more about your uncle. Now. Or write me.
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maschinengewehr42
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I was under the impression that Sterbebilder were given out at the funeral of the deceased to all who attended. It is hardly likely that every distant relative or acquaintance of the soldier concerned would wish to hang on to their card forever, so it's inevitable that many will pass into the hands of interested collectors at some point. I do not object to the sale of these cards; in my opinion it is not incompatible with a feeling of respect for the deceased, provided they are treated as the memorials that they are, and not as other militaria such as uniforms, as a commodity to be dealt in.
When cards are obtained by collectors who have an obvious interest in them, the man they memorialise will never be entirely forgotten. I can understand how some people can be repulsed by the very idea of buying and selling Sterbebilder, but they have a real fascination for many, and it's only natural that they have acquired a financial value as interest in them rises. But nobody should ever forget what they represent - someone's son, husband, or father fallen in battle or lost to sickness and mourned by his family. These were real people's lives that were lost, and their tokens of remembrance should be treated with respect.
When cards are obtained by collectors who have an obvious interest in them, the man they memorialise will never be entirely forgotten. I can understand how some people can be repulsed by the very idea of buying and selling Sterbebilder, but they have a real fascination for many, and it's only natural that they have acquired a financial value as interest in them rises. But nobody should ever forget what they represent - someone's son, husband, or father fallen in battle or lost to sickness and mourned by his family. These were real people's lives that were lost, and their tokens of remembrance should be treated with respect.