In february of this year I bought a photo album of a german man who served with the Kriegsmarine. Inside the book were some documents. One of the documents was from after the war and contained an adress where he lived in 1967. I also had his birth date on another date. I wrote an a-mail to the city to ask if the man was still alive or where he was buried. They told me he died in 1987 and was buried in the city but that in 1988 his grave was moved to anothet village. Yesterday I drove to the city where he lived and found his house. I spoke with a woman in the street who knew him, but she didn't tell me much details. After that I went to the city where he grave was moved. It is a small village where 1800 people live and it has four cemeteries. I went to a bar where helped me with my search by calling a man who works with the local government. He gave me the exact location on the right cemetary. I also asked him if there was any family left of the man. They gave me an adress. I went both to the grave and to the adress. I found his daughter and she was very surprised. We spoke for two and a half hours. She showed me pictures of the man from after the war and tol me everything about him. She told me that the photoalbum had been stolen. Because I didn't bring the album with me I told her that I will send it to her. At first she didn't want to but I said that when she receives it she can decide for herself if she want to keep it or send it back to me. I like to read other stories about the people behind the militaria objects. I bet some of you have similar stories. Volkbert
Volkbert : Quite an honorable deed you have done. I would not just send the album to the familie member but take it to her and let her decide. She may not want any of it, but please do not send by post, you need to make direct contact. My opinion, but I have seen items misplaced through post and then lost for all time. Good luck and maybe I will share some familie stories when I return from my trip. E
Very good deed you are doing Volkbert--im glad there are people such as you are--still left in this world.
Nice bit of research there, Volkbert! Good to read that this book has come full circle again like this! Personally I haven't got any such stories as I do not own any personal items that are WW2 related, but I have heard several stories about stolen goods that have been sold on, unknowingly or not.
I wrote a few weeks ago that I was going to send the photo album back to the family. Today I received it back. They watched the book and the photo's and appreciated it that I send it to them but want me to keep it in my collection.
