Wermacht and/or SS Veterans Stories

[M.Wittmann]

I've published a story on my site with the permission of his son.
It's a dutch volunteer, who served at first with 'Germania' and till the end with Panzer Regiment 5 of the Wiking division.

Have a look, read it and let me know or sign my guestbook

Regards,

[chambers]

Taylor,

I'm sure you have a great collection. If you ever post any of them, I'd dearly love to read them.

If you search for posts by haen1, Gerhard, Rudi S., you will see some good accounts to add to your collection, pending their permission, of course.

I wish you well with your project. It is a great idea to use real experiences as a teaching tool.

Brooke

[herr]

I met Flemish SS vet Bert Degruyter a few years ago where he told me of his "adventures" during the war.
I can tell stuff I remember but also have his unpublished memoires who are not here in NZ unfortunatly. He also personally signed them for me :)

Here we go

He was on the Eastern Front (Krasjno Selo jumps in mind dunno for sure) where he and his men were advancing on a village. On his right flank were German Heer soldiers who suddenly stopped advancing.
So Bert went to investigate.
The Heer NCO bluntly said that he doesnt want to sacrifice his men and wanted Bert to go on alone.
So Bert got angry and threathened the NCO with courtmartial as Bert outranked him. So he gave the NCO a direct order to go in with them which he did against his will.

Also among his men was a 17 year old "Kareltje" the nicked him.
They were advancing along a road when all of a sudden Bert felt a rush of wind go by his arm. As soon as that was felt he heard a shot and sure enough "Kareltje" who was directly behind him was hit in the heart and died instantly.
After they took out the sniper they left the body of "Kareltje" at roadmarker 18 as he was turning 18 in a matter of days.

Bert was pulled of the front to teach in the SS School of Tolz.
There he taught Weltanschau to young SS recruits.

I think he got captured by the Russians but am not sure, that book sure comes in ahndy now to fill up the many blanks.
My memory is shocking ...

Anyways Bert died 4-5 years ago.

Overall he was a nice old man to talk with and very helpfull and info giving about his wartime.

Hope this is something you ll add to your collection.

Herr

[Milan Lorman]

Hallo, T.S.Allen,

It isn't too late for your late spring college course, so I may be able to add a little something to your material. I have served in the W-SS only 25 months (March '43 to April '45), was captured by the Russians, but they released me after only six months in October '45. If you want to read the whole long story you can find it on the Web under: http://milanlorman.bigpondhosting.com/index.html

I wish you all the best,

Milan Lorman, Brisbane, Australia

[Alex Coles]

Sheesh, they truly are WWII rookies. Have they ever heard of Rommel?

[Milan Lorman]

Hi, T.S.Allen,

Please, go ahead and help yourself to any part of my story. I am confident that there is nothing lurking in my reminiscences that woud in any way tend to twist a young boy into becoming - or even wanting to become - the wrong type of soldier, a Killing Machine. I certainly wasn't one.

I would be happy if you could conway to the youngsters that it may not be possible to choose sides in a conflict, or even not to take part in it, but that it is not only possible but imperative for him to behave in all situations honourably and to remain true to the highest moral principles. The Loyalty Oath locks him out of the large decision making, but there still remain the daily decisions on a personal level, his scale of priorities, the traditional values he learned as a child. On his conduct as a man shall immediately and constantly depend the fate of his closest comerades.

I don't want to get carried away any farther than this. Too many tiresome old men tend to "pontificate". Let the young soldiers just remember that wars don't last forever and that they should do everything in their power to return to civilian life vith their integrity and their self-respect intact.

Milan

[Milan Lorman]

Hi, T.S.Allen,

Please, go ahead and help yourself to any part of my story. I am confident that there is nothing lurking in my reminiscences that woud in any way tend to twist a young boy into becoming - or even wanting to become - the wrong type of soldier, a Killing Machine. I certainly wasn't one.

I would be happy if you could conway to the youngsters that it may not be possible to choose sides in a conflict, or even not to take part in it, but that it is not only possible but imperative for him to behave in all situations honourably and to remain true to the highest moral principles. The Loyalty Oath locks him out of the large decision making, but there still remain the daily decisions on a personal level, his scale of priorities, the traditional values he learned as a child. On his conduct as a man shall immediately and constantly depend the fate of his closest comerades.

I don't want to get carried away any farther than this. Too many tiresome old men tend to "pontificate". Let the young soldiers just remember that wars don't last forever and that they should do everything in their power to return to civilian life vith their integrity and their self-respect intact.

Milan

[chambers]

Very powerful words Mr. Lorman, well said.

Too bad my teachers didn't teach things like this when I was in school. I was quite bored with hitory then.

Brooke

[haen2]

Hi, T.S.Allen,

Please, go ahead and help yourself to any part of my story. I am confident that there is nothing lurking in my reminiscences that woud in any way tend to twist a young boy into becoming - or even wanting to become - the wrong type of soldier, a Killing Machine. I certainly wasn't one.

I would be happy if you could conway to the youngsters that it may not be possible to choose sides in a conflict, or even not to take part in it, but that it is not only possible but imperative for him to behave in all situations honourably and to remain true to the highest moral principles. The Loyalty Oath locks him out of the large decision making, but there still remain the daily decisions on a personal level, his scale of priorities, the traditional values he learned as a child. On his conduct as a man shall immediately and constantly depend the fate of his closest comerades.

I don't want to get carried away any farther than this. Too many tiresome old men tend to "pontificate". Let the young soldiers just remember that wars don't last forever and that they should do everything in their power to return to civilian life vith their integrity and their self-respect intact.

Milan

Hi Milan.
Thanks for shariing that insight. "Meine Ehre heisst Treue" has served me well during my long life. It helped me being loyal to my maker, loyal to my old as well as new friends, loyal to my chosen country, and above all loyal to my wife of nearly 55 years.
Regards form the Pacific Northwest.
HN