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Friedrich · #23 (**permalink**) April 19th, 2003, 07:33 PM

Well, I managed to get my grandfather answering this questionary. So here it is:

1. Name.
Gottfried von Hammerstein und Hartmann
2. Current Age
87
3. What was your life like before your service?
I was a poor teenager who had lost my father and all our possessions in 1933-1934. Then the situation improved a little when I could join the German Army.
4. Dates of service?
January 1935-May 1945.
5. Where did you serve?
As a military liaison, observer and translator in Spain, late 1937.
As personal secretary and adjutant to field marshal Fedor von Bock, 1938.
As infantry-platoon commander, Poland 1939 and France 1940.
As translator, adjutant and liaison to field marshal Friedrich Paulus in his journey to North Africa and vist to field marshal Erwin Rommel in 1941.
As infantry-battallion commander, Russia 1941-1944.
As infantry-armoured liaison in Italy, late 1944.
As regimental commander, Berlin 1945.
6. Were you drafted or did you enlist?
I enlisted in 1935.
7. If you enlisted, why did you choose to enlist? What was your rank/branch of service?
Because it was the best option for a career and I liked the idea. I graduated as an infantry-sub lieutenant, specialised as a sniper.
8. Do you recall your first days in service? What were they like?
Very nice. I liked the order and life-style.
9. What was the country like that you were in? What were the people like?
The people were quiet but very happy. They had exact what they wanted: pride, order and a very good life-quality.
10. What was your assignment?
I mentioned that before.
11. What was one of your most memorable experiences?
Meeting high-ranking officers who were later very famous.
12. How did you spend any free time you had?
Reading, writing to my wife, playing cards or hanging out with my military friends.
13. Were you awarded any medals or citations? If yes, how did you get them?
For constant actions in the Eastern front and very successful and heroic leadership actions: both Iron Crosses and the Knight’s Cross.
14. Did you keep in touch with friends or family?
Yes, I did.
15. What did everyone do for fun?
Whatever came to their minds. It was really simple to get fun in the middle of so much death and destruction. Anything that made you forget about that.
16. Did you keep a personal diary?
Yes, I did.
17. Do you recall any combat? How did you feel about that?
I remember many. I feel pride that I served my country and was worth of my men and colleagues.
18. What sort of weapons did you use?
Sniper rifle, pistols, machine guns, sub-machine guns, normal bolt-action rifles and hand grenades.
19. When your service ended, what did you do?
When I was severely wounded during the battle of Berlin and was taken prisoner by the Red Army.
20. Do you feel that your friends/family treated you differently after your service ended and you returned home?
No.
21. Did you make any friends during your service that you still keep in touch with today?
Yes, I did.
22. Have you joined a veteran’s organization?
No, I have not.
23. Is there anything else that you would like to add?
Just to say that I was never member of the nazi party and that even if I sympathised with many of the achievements of the regime and carried out some questionable things myself in the heath of battle, I have a clear-conscience.