Have you ever met any WWII Nazi?

Not just Nazis, but I've often wondered if 10 or 20 years after the war if Germans who supported Hitler still did after his atrocities were fully known. I can't imagine anyone but the most die-hard Nazis still supporting Hitler but wonder even now if there are other Germans who today wish the Germans had won the war and Hitler had been able to move forward to full European domination and perhaps world domination.

 

Yes, like everybody living in the US now is a democrat. (sarcasm)

Or at least, every american soldier in Iraq now is part of the democrat army. (sarcasm)

The truth is that only a very small proportion of the population of Germany accepted nazi ideology. Most simply didn't think they had anything to do with politics. The same applies to the armed forces, 99% of the wehrmacht personnel didn't have any ideological motivations.

 

Well, most Nazis deny the holocaust. One of my grandfathers lived in Germany during the war when he was a child, he also doesn't believe that the holocaust happened, as he was brainwashed. He thinks that the holocaust was planted by the allies to incriminate the Germans and to serve as an excuse to destroy Germany insane. He doesn't deny that 70% of the Jewish population of europe died, but he claims that they died because of the war, hunger and allied bombings, he denies the existence of gas chambers.

 

1976.

He'd been at Stalingrad.

Made no apologies for being so.

I liked him, for his honesty.

 

For being at Stalingrad or?

 

I may be over-stepping my bounds but it is my opinion that he meant to say that the guy he met had no apologies for serving in the Army and or also fighting at Stalingrad. A good friend of mines dad, was a Medical Sergeant who served at Stalingrad. He wasnt released till 1955 and it definately effected the rest of his life in more ways than one. One thing being was that he became a successful Doctor BUT, his marriage situation didnt last long.

 

Guys i started reading this thread expecting it to degenerarate into the usual ill informed ramblings that the title usually breeds , but i have been pleasantly surprised to see an intelligent and considered discussion and i salute you all for that !!!

regards

Paul

 

A bit off topic, but close in a way. In the '70s I lived in Boardman Ohio, a short distance from Youngstown OH. Living in the townhouse opposite from us was a gentleman and my father strictly forbade me from going anywhere near his 'caddy. It was a few years later before I found out why. It turns out he was a 'made man' in the mafia.

The thing is that he did not seem dangerous or in any way threatening, just an ordinary person. So I wonder how many people have we come across in our lives who can seperate their lives in such a way that while 'on the job' they could do one thing and while 'off' be like anyone else.

 

Sleep a week in sauerkraut? rofl. What do you guys do over there in Bavaria? Food fetish. We just eat our food here. Too much food , yes, but we do not play with our food. ..Doesn't the best porn come from Bavaria? That's where the Saudi princes can go to satiate their desires.lol. Just joking man.

 

Heh heh, thank you Paul and nice to see you here Mate ;-))

 

Heh heh, funny you should mention that because..... back in 1978 when my Sis got married and still is, to her fave guy. Well, the day before the Ceremony took place--and I kid you NOT, three long black limos showed up at our house. My Dad forbid me to talk with any of those Gents in black and dark blue suits. I was 11 at the time and I knew exactly who they were. One of the older of the men wearing the dark suits came over to me and picked me up while talking to my Dad and he was beaming from ear-to-ear about the Wedding. My Bro-in-Law has several relatives who are actual Mob members--I THINK they were from Chicago??? cant be sure anymore? Anyway, I could see that some of them were packing "heaters" and as a kid, thought that was ultra kuhl ;-))

And from what little I remember about them, I remember that at least 8-10 of those men in dark suits, acted as sort of a "Security Team" and were constantly on watch for things and moving in around everyone. The ones who did not go inside the Church for the Ceremonies, stood "watch" outside till the Ceremony was over as well as the after party. I dont think a lot of folks here can brag about having a sort of "Mob Honor Guard" at their older Sisters wedding.

 

It reminds me of a few memoirs I've read from veterans. While they didn't agree with what had happened during the war they didn't have regrets about serving since they had a chance to see new places, meet new people, learn new things, etc, things that they would have never done in a normal life. I don't think this attitude is restricted simply to German veterans though, I'm sure you'll find quite a few in other armies from various wars who might have similar thoughts.

 

When I was eight, I broke my left leg rather dramatically and ended up in a hospital. On my third night there, my sister brought a large chocolate cake, covered with butterscotch pudding and then coated over with whipped cream. The cranky old German nurse said I was only allowed one piece. That night, while I slept, the greatest cake ever vanished. The nurse denied that there ever was a cake.

Fast forward 35 years.

Guess who I found living in my apartment complex ? Yep, it was her, and I was able to talk to her in a way that I couldn't when I was 8. Turns out that she graduated from nursing school in 1939. She said she spent most of the war in the subway system caring for the wounded.

Yeah, it doesn't make her a Nazi in the sense of being a camp guard or SS Officer, but she was a card carrying Nazi at one time.

 

What about the cake? Did she make you a new one? Those German ladies make some real good cakes I can tell you. I would say that with interest you should be in line for about 20-25 cakes.

KTK

 

No, she still denies knowledge of the cake.