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November 14th, 2007, 04:35 AM
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Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Seattle Wa
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Trip to Belarus.
Just wanted to let everyone know that in about 16 hrs I leave for Belarus. My first stop there will be Brest. This was where the first shots of Operation Barbarossa were fired. They have what is left of the Citadel and several monuments there along with a train museum. If they have tanks ect I will get some good pics along with the rest. I will have great access to a T-34/85 in Gomel so if you want any pics of specific portions of the tank let me know. I may stumble across others, but I do not know how much time I will have to wander. I will be spending much quality time with my wife, one must have his priorities in order. I will have internet access so I can read your responses.
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November 14th, 2007, 06:19 AM
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Kommodore  |
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Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: France
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Re: Trip to Belarus.
Lucku you ! Have a great trip and take as much of pictures as possible. I would love to see some of them posted on the forum.
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November 14th, 2007, 06:39 AM
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Ace
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Join Date: May 2003
Location: The world is my backside, hmm, backyard!
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Re: Trip to Belarus.
Bring them on!
If the subjects are too covered in snow you can always go there later again for us 
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Bah!
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November 14th, 2007, 07:28 AM
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Location: Wilts UK
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Re: Trip to Belarus.
If I remember correctly, didn't Guderian capture Brest in 1939 but have to hand it over to the Soviets, meaning the Germans had to recapture it in 1941?
Have a great trip, look forward to your photos.
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November 14th, 2007, 04:51 PM
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WW2F Veteran
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Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Hanging the flag on the Reichstag!
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Re: Trip to Belarus.
ENJOY, ENJOY and ENJOY!!!
Many great WW2 places to see there. Bring back as many pictures as you can and good hunting soldier, Mother Russia is counting on you!
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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
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November 15th, 2007, 12:56 AM
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WW2F Veteran
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Location: Republic of Texas
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Re: Trip to Belarus.
I was thinking November would be kind of cool for a vacation but what the heck it may be really nice weather. Like the others, I look foward to the pictures.
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Work Harder ! Millions on welfare are depending on you.
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November 15th, 2007, 06:45 AM
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Ace
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Join Date: May 2003
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Re: Trip to Belarus.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sloniksp
ENJOY, ENJOY and ENJOY!!!
Many great WW2 places to see there. Bring back as many pictures as you can and good hunting soldier, Mother Russia is counting on you! |
Psst! He's going to a different Russia, Bielo-Russia. The last time I heard it was an independent country.
Is this the old imperialist reflex coming back to surface, hmm? I know elephants have long memories, but this is an outrage
Well, baby elephants should have shorter memories anyway...
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Bah!
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November 18th, 2007, 12:22 PM
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Member
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Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Seattle Wa
Posts: 268
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Re: Trip to Belarus.
Quote:
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Psst! He's going to a different Russia,
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On a serious note this is a very relevant statement. It is a different Russia but its very Slavic in all ways. I'm in Gomel now but I spent 2 days in Brest. It is a very beautiful city, not too big and well kept. Wide streets and there is not a street that is has not been repaved recently or is being paved now. Walking the streets will get you aquainted with General winter in about 3 minutes. There was a steady wind of about 20 knots the whole time and you get cold fast if your not dressed right. I feel for those German soldiers in their summer uniforms a long time ago. I made it to the Citadel, it was a very stirring and beautiful place with all of the trees and the monuments. All parks are beautiful places around here. The train museum was closed.  I'll put up the pics as soon as I can, they are having big problems with power and internet connections here because of an ice storm. I've been bumped twice just writing this. |
November 18th, 2007, 05:51 PM
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WW2F Veteran
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Re: Trip to Belarus.
Hey Chuikov!
looking forward to the pics!!
hope you are having o great time!!
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Members of the Dutch Resistance with 101st AB, Eindhoven. Operation Market Garden.
Scott  
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November 18th, 2007, 08:12 PM
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Location: New England
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Re: Trip to Belarus.
Sounds like a great time, will be looking forward to some good pictures. Just out of curiosity, what has temperature been around?
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-Patrick
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November 19th, 2007, 12:29 AM
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Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: On-line and in History books
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Re: Trip to Belarus.
Thats what I love about this site,I can see the world without leaving the comfort of my house.Can't wait for the pictures.And stay warm.The Omega
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November 20th, 2007, 06:58 AM
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Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Seattle Wa
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Re: Trip to Belarus.
Temp is keeping itself around 0 c with the wind coming and going. A lot of trees are down all over the place because of ice. Tonight we will have a BBQ at my wifes sisters house. Last winter it was so cold the beer froze in the mugs if you did not keep it close to the coals of the BBQ. I think it was about -40c that night. I think tonight will be very cold.
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November 20th, 2007, 12:18 PM
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Cavalry Rupert |
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Location: Sheffield/Herts, England
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Re: Trip to Belarus.
Sounds fantastic Chuikov, I'm envious! Can't wait to see the pics.
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There's no honorable way to kill, no gentle way to destroy. There is nothing good in war. Except its ending.
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November 20th, 2007, 03:21 PM
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WW2F Veteran
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Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Hanging the flag on the Reichstag!
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Re: Trip to Belarus.
Yes envious indeed!!!
Make sure to visit the BANYA at least ones a day!
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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
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November 30th, 2007, 01:59 AM
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Member
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Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Seattle Wa
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Re: Trip to Belarus.
Okay, here is the first batch. The first 3 pics are the entance to the Brest Citadel, the second one is with my wife and guide. This place has a special meaning for her, she lost many family members in the Great War and as with many people in the Ukraine, Belarus and Russia no family was untouched by tragedy. Many family men of her grandfathers generation fought and died either in the Red Army or as partisans. I found out that one of her great uncles got to sign his name on the Reichstag. Her great aunt who is in her 60s now was born in the Pripyet marshes in a Partisan camp in the winter of 1942.
The fourth picture is the detention center just inside of the gate. The fifth is tanks just a short walk through it.
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November 30th, 2007, 02:08 AM
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WW2F Veteran
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Location: Hanging the flag on the Reichstag!
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Re: Trip to Belarus.
He's back and he brought gifts!!!!!
__________________
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
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November 30th, 2007, 02:13 AM
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WW2F Veteran
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Re: Trip to Belarus.
yes he did!
and great gifts at that!!
Welcome back!!
I must ask about the 4th pic, detention center?
thanks!!
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Members of the Dutch Resistance with 101st AB, Eindhoven. Operation Market Garden.
Scott
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November 30th, 2007, 02:16 AM
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Re: Trip to Belarus.
First pic is past the tanks looking across the bridge towards the main monument. The second pic is the sculpture titled "Voda" which means water. It is next to the river at the place where Russian soldiers went to get water which was under German observation. 3rd pic is the monument from across the bridge. It is a very big monument. Look closely at the 4th pic, there is a bride and groom on the other side of the soldiers. It is customary for newly weddinged couples to make a pilgrimage to this place. Notice that 2 of the guards are women.
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November 30th, 2007, 02:23 AM
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Member
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Re: Trip to Belarus.
The "detention center" was supposedly used for interrogations, whether or not this is true I do not know. It seems to be a better place for a guard house to me being so close to the back gate. The walls all had tunnels in them but they were closed off, no doubt if the German tortured people there in the Citadel that was as good a place as any.
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November 30th, 2007, 02:34 AM
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WW2F Veteran
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Re: Trip to Belarus.
gotcha chuikov, thanks!!
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Members of the Dutch Resistance with 101st AB, Eindhoven. Operation Market Garden.
Scott
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November 30th, 2007, 02:37 AM
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Member
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Re: Trip to Belarus.
The main monument up close and the 4th picture is from behind. The 3rd pic is the front gate from inside the citadel and the fifth is from outside. That is the same bridge Hitler crossed on his tour of the citadel. The second pic is a church, when it was built I do not know but its not ancient.
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November 30th, 2007, 02:54 AM
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Member
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Join Date: Oct 2007
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Re: Trip to Belarus.
The tanks again. The bigger one is the experimental T-44, smaller a T-34/85. As far as I know only 2 prototypes were made and this is one of them or part of one. If you look real closely it appears to me the turrets are switched, I am almost positive that the turret on the T-44 chasis is a T-34/85. What do you think? I think somebody screwed up.
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