When Hitler marched into Paris to celebrate the victory of taking France, Parisian patriots got there first and made sure to disable the elevators...
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Anyone know whether this is true? I know Hitler was afraid of heights so he might not have gotten to the top anyway.

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Don't know if this is true but I am sure if Hitler wanted to go up, the elevators would have been repaired to ensure his visit. I am surprised Hitler never thought of disassembling it and using the scrap for his tanks.

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American by birth, TEXAN by the grace of GOD!

Actually Hitler wanted to turn Paris to rubble and gave orders to his general to do so after the Allies had entered. Thank god the General disobeyed!

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The war against Russia will be such that it cannot be conducted in a knightly fashion. This struggle is one of ideologies and racial differences and will have to be conducted with unprecedented, unmerciful and unrelenting harshness. -Adolf Hitler

A honourable man, Dietrich von Choltitz.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_von_Choltitz
http://www.historynet.com/magazines/...2/3031316.html

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Everly Brothers - What I Have To Do Is Dream
"Never wrestle with pigs, you both end up getting dirty and the pig likes it."

It is unfortunate that after his surrender, the French were spitting at him when he saved their cherished Paris.

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American by birth, TEXAN by the grace of GOD!

The French were pretty mad ( to say the least ) at them being occupied by an invader for so long. Many French died as a result, so I can understand why they did what they did.

I somehow doubt that the French were aware of the order which
Dietrich von Choltitz disobeyed, had they known this they might have shown more sympathy.

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The war against Russia will be such that it cannot be conducted in a knightly fashion. This struggle is one of ideologies and racial differences and will have to be conducted with unprecedented, unmerciful and unrelenting harshness. -Adolf Hitler

I bet Choltitz was also aware what would happen to him if he had destroyed the Eiffel tower etc. And all the other German soldiers. Do I smell a burning "sauerkraut" here??

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The war against Russia will be such that it cannot be conducted in a knightly fashion. This struggle is one of ideologies and racial differences and will have to be conducted with unprecedented, unmerciful and unrelenting harshness. -Adolf Hitler

I saw a film once about the liberation of Paris-The German General is asked to destroy Paris
-Oh yes, and send in for Karl
-what's his second name?
(shows him a picture of a massive mortar)

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This is fiction that came up in Von Choltitz memoirs. Von Choltitz did not save Paris. He could have burnt it earlier, but By the time he got the order to blow up the Eiffel tower, buildings , bridges etc.. large strategical buildings were no longer under German control and the General needed every man to defend/ evacuate the city , not blow up buildings. This besides was very unpopular among his men who often loved the city.
As to why he was spit on, why don't you ask the thousands who were deported from Fresnes (or the Allied airmen who were tortured there) , Drancy and other Parisian prisons. Our President has just celebrated a commemoration for a 17 year old man that was shot in Paris in August 1944 for fighting von Choltitz. I agree that he wasmore a follower than a fanatic, but please don't tell me he is the hero who saved Paris.

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The majority of buildings that fell to the allies did so because Choltitz did not fight for them. I have found multiple articles that report him meeting with the French Resistence negotiating with them to prevent an uprising forcing him to carry out Hitler's orders to level Paris. The Germans as a whole did not deserve respect for what was done in France but as an individual, von Choltitz could have done worse but he chose not to. At least he did the right thing in Paris whether the French want to admit that or not.

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/ar...8372-1,00.html

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American by birth, TEXAN by the grace of GOD!

Of course he could have done worse. Suppose he could physically have blown up Paris, that would have meant a death sentence for him at Nurenberg. Claiming he was the saviour of Paris was his best defence after the war. He basically saved himself and some of his men in an honorable way, so I don't blame him for that, I just don't believe him when he tells he did it out of ideology.

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I could agree with you on that since he was the destroyer of cities in the East. Now whether that is due to solid military tactics to accomplish the mission regardless of cost, who knows. I could not find any war crimes commited by or in his name. I am sure about this time many a German General become morally awakened.

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American by birth, TEXAN by the grace of GOD!

I don't think he was a war criminal either, he has just exagerated his role, but who wouldn't have? Many French considered he paid a fair price as a pow and did not consider him an enemy after his release. He returned to the Hotel Meurice in the 1960s as a civilian .He was embarasssed and shy, but a waiter recognized him, called him General and offered him to visit the place and to have some Champagne on the house. Von Choltitz just asked to see his former office and only stayed a few seconds.

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Now that must have been some experience!!

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The war against Russia will be such that it cannot be conducted in a knightly fashion. This struggle is one of ideologies and racial differences and will have to be conducted with unprecedented, unmerciful and unrelenting harshness. -Adolf Hitler