Feldgrau.net

Happy Christmas to all Feldgrau-types, and a happy and healthy 2005.

Peter H.
(Vancouver, Canada)

Thanks everyone. Howard, I look forward to hearing what your 1935 dictionary has to say. The more I think about it, the more I'm sure my grandfather used the word "Jerries." It wasn't meant as an insult. I think it was just the general, slang way that UK-types had of referring to Germans. ...

Does anybody know whether film footage exists of the Battle of Kursk? Newsreels, presumably.

That would be quite a sight! Would love to see it.

Not sure whether this is a "Soldatenheim" or a "General military discussion" topic. When was the word "Jerry" first used with reference to Germans? My impression is that it was primarily a Second World War term, but I'm wondering whether it was used during the First Wor...

I find myself automatically self-censoring whenever the topic of the Wehrmacht comes up. I don't generally raise the topic unless I'm absolutely sure of how the person I'm talking to will react. Even then I cut remarks short. That's why it's good to have this and other sites where one can speak free...

Not meaning to get all heavily serious on a light-hearted thread, but my understanding (from a Russian family member) is that the Russian name for German soldiers was Fritz, not Hans (plural: Fritzi).

To Helmut's questions at the beginning of this thread, I'd like to add another: -at what age were Germans called up? I'm thinking specifically of the period 1939-1941 -how long was the period of service? I imagine it changed over the years 1933-1945 -could you join up voluntarily, before your call-u...

Hello Kristian, Thanks for your post - I enjoyed it and would very much like to hear more. No need to apologize for your English. I wish I could write German half as well. How are things in Kiel? I lived there for a year many years ago and have good memories of it. This seems to be taking on the ton...

Have you searched this forum specifically about "Other Losses"? There was a debate about its accuracy in here some time ago. Thanks, Patrick. I've just read through the whole twelve pages of the thread on Bacque's Other Losses . Pretty intense! I'm glad I just borrowed my copy from the li...

I'm looking for reading material in English or German on German POWs in the immediate post-war period, say early 1945 to 1947. My focus is on camps run by the western Allies (i.e. not Soviet POW camps). Personal accounts and memoirs are welcome. I'm familiar with Paul Carell's Die Gefangenen and wit...

Yes, Mike, just making those colour films available is a great benefit. But the narration was disappointing. I certainly haven't got Matt's eye for detail, but the documentary struck me as superficial and predictable. I didn't come away with any new insights, and no phrases from the narration have s...

ak47u, I haven't watched that series for a long time so I don't off-hand know the song you mean. Do you know any of the words? That would help.

Reb, there must have been something wrong with that Yorkshire pudding you ate. It should be light and crisp and puffy. Unfortunately some people make it heavy and soggy.

It's definitely worth trying again.

I read Meyer's book years and years ago, having ordered it from a bookseller in Germany. It's a good read and worth having. Go ahead and order it.

Thanks again for your ideas. Yes, life in London is expensive. I've booked into a fairly reasonably-priced club. In some ways it would make more sense to stay outside London and just make day trips into London as required, but as well as Feldgrau-kind of activities, I have to make sorties to relativ...