Veteran Interview

Oh my. Thank you everyone for responding to my post. You are all incredibly helpful!! I'm EXTREMELY sorry about not sending my questions, but I honestly do have a valid excuse for it. My father has become seriously ill, and I've had to help him for the past month. Once again, I'm incredibly sorry and I didn't mean to seem like I being so rude!!!

But, below are my interview questions and if anyone would like to answer even a few of them, I would really appreciate it. I will post a final copy of my report on the board for everyone to read once I am finished. Thank you all again!

QUESTIONS (if you don't want to answer some, feel free to leave them blank):

1. Name.

2. Current Age

3. What was your life like before your service?

4. Dates of service?

5. Where did you serve?

6. Were you drafted or did you enlist?

7. If you enlisted, why did you choose to enlist? What was your rank/branch of service?

8. Do you recall your first days in service? What were they like?

9. What was the country like that you were in? What were the people like?

10. What was your assignment?

11. What was one of your most memorable experiences?

12. How did you spend any free time you had?

13. Were you awarded any medals or citations? If yes, how did you get them?

14. Did you keep in touch with friends or family?

15. What did everyone do for fun?

16. Did you keep a personal diary?

17. Do you recall any combat? How did you feel about that?

18. What sort of weapons did you use?

19. When your service ended, what did you do?

20. Do you feel that your friends/family treated you differently after your service ended and you returned home?

21. Did you make any friends during your service that you still keep in touch with today?

22. Have you joined a veteran’s organization?

23. Is there anything else that you would like to add?


Once again, thank you!!

 

IMHO, these questions are overwhelmingly ‘American’ and are more fitting for Vietnam.

As I said , IMHO.

No.9

 

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.

 

Well I have the same feeling about the most of those questions, but I'll try to ask my grandfather those questions anyway.

 

Id say quite generalised information needed.

'Bloody Hell: the Price Soldiers Pay,' by Daniel Hallock

Contains personal vet stories, from ww1 to Gulf war 1, lots of USA stuff, but a lot of the questions asked can be answered in that little work.

For anyone else, although not strictly a ww2 work, it makes for good reading.

 

Thank you for getting your grandfather to answer the questions. I really, really appreciate it.

As for the questions, I do agree with all of you. The questions were actually given to us by our prof. for the assignment with strict enforcement that we weren't to alter them. I honestly think that they are too general and not detailed enough for a thorough paper. But, that's just how I feel about them.

Also, a few classmates and I are interested in putting together a small booklet full of these interviews (the interview questions with some changes, of course) and several veteran's stories. We would like to interview veterans from all wars. If you are interested in participating, or know somebody who is, please let me know. Anyone who participates receives a free booklet And, if you have any suggestions for the booklets, I'd absolutely love to hear them.

Once again, thank you everyone for your time.

 

Well I think that my grandfather would be prepared to do this. But then again you will have to come to Belgium or you send me the questions by mail.

 

You're welcome, cavusdiasy.

I hope the interviw helps. It will be very rare that you come up with an interview with a German WWII veteran who fought most of the time in the Eastern Front. That is not pretty common in some US classroom.

 

Erwin - I would love an interview with your grandfather! Of course, I unfortunately can't travel Belgium. I can, however, send you the questions by mail Would you like me to post them here or send them to you thru email? Please tell your grandfather that I send my deepest thanks.

Thank you so much!

 

Why's that?

 

My grandfather passed away but will give you what I know of him.

1. Name in SS scrolls = Maxximillian Pertz

2. Current Age = Deceased

4. Dates of service? Dec 39 - May 45

5. Where did you serve? France 40, Russia 41-43, France 43-44, Austria 45

6. Were you drafted or did you enlist? Enlisted

7. If you enlisted, why did you choose to enlist? What was your rank/branch of service? Facism was the new order and Germany was the center for Facism and wanted to be a participant of the new order. Being a foreign volunteer, signed up for schooling at Bad Tolz with the Waffen SS. Ended the war as an SS-Obersturmbannfuhrer with the 38th Waffen SS PanzerGrenadier Division.

9. What was the country like that you were in? What were the people like? He liked Germany and it was more modern Than Spain. Germans he found too stiff.

10. What was your assignment? SS JunkerSchule Bad Tolz, 2nd Waffen SS Division Das Reich 39-43, 12th SS Division Hitler Jugend 43-44, 38th SS Division Nibelungen 45.

11. What was one of your most memorable experiences? He always spoke about the comraderie during the cruelty of war.

16. Did you keep a personal diary? Yes he did.

17. Do you recall any combat? How did you feel about that? He told me plenty of stories about combat and different situations he was in. I know he said he always believed in the cause right up until the end of the war. He was then disillusioned.

18. What sort of weapons did you use? PAK 38, StuGIII, Machine pistol, Cossack Saber.

19. When your service ended, what did you do? Surrendered to the Americans and was imprisoned until 1950. Cleared of any war crimes and was released. Allies attempted to repatriate to Spain but was denied due to Franco's exile order for those who did not return during his recall of all volunteers. Emigrated to Bolivia and then the US.

20. Do you feel that your friends/family treated you differently after your service ended and you returned home? He was exiled from country and family.

22. Have you joined a veteran’s organization? I know he did but don't know details. He attended some reunions during the 60's.

23. Is there anything else that you would like to add? It seems odd and I wish he was still alive but he was proud of his service because his wish was to be buried in full uniform. He fought as others did and committed atrocities as soldiers do in the heat of battle. He actually thought his life got better by leaving Spain since it was still in shambles due to the civil war. I would love to have asked him more questions or get a hold of his journals.

Hope this helps.

 

PZR, Thats a heck of a statement to make, ie..commited atrocities as soldiers do in the heat of battle.... Thats not true, some soldiers may, but the way you stated it there is just not right.

I hope Im not opening the old bag of words again weve seen in other threads on atrocities etc, I just think the way you pass that sentence off in your description of your grandfathers service, is too much of a generalisation of sevicemen of the time.

Your Grandfathers service..well...seems to have had a lust for adventure If I may say.

I didnt know that about the Spanish volunteers not being allowed back for that reason...

Did not Franco encourage the volunteering in the first place...? Seems a bit much if after giving blessing refused entry back into the country?

Was Francos call for the volunteers to return made at a point of the war when it was obvious the Germans were going to be on the losing side?

 

You are correct. I did not mean that all soldiers committed atrocities. I stand corrected for the infraction.

In 43, Franco recalled all of the Spanish volunteers including the Spanish Blue Division and the air squadron flying for the Luftwaffe. It had to do with pressure from the allies.

He allowed recruiters to enlist from Spain but not to fight as Spaniards which is why they wore German uniforms. After the recall he did not want to be reminded of his participation with Hitler's failure so he punished those who did not heed the recall or those that went back.

First it was pressure from the allies but then it was the turn of events and Hitler's failure to take Russia which was the only country Spain was interested in helping Hitler fight against.

 

To go off of Doc Raiders question of "why", how would you alter these questions for an "un" American view-say a German vet, or British vet, or a Brazilan vet for that matter?

These questions seemed more "general" in nature rather then having an American leaning. That's at least how I viewed them.

 

Unfortunately, sine my last post in this topic my Great Uncle has passed away. Which explains my lack of posting for the last bit here. But I will try to answer your questions to the best of my ability.

GREAT UNCLE
1 Name: Roberto Bacchiega
2 Age: deceased
3 Life Before Service: He was a painter, and usually sold them to gain some extra cash
4 Dates of Service: 1943-44
5 Where: Italy, Mainly Milan and Rome
6 Draft or Enlist: Sort of Enlisted, but it was the Italian Civil War, so he just really joined up
7 Rank: NA
8 First Days of Service:
9 Country: Italy
10 Assignment: Basically, to stop the Fascists
11 Most Memorable Moment: Witnessing Mussolini's death
12 Free Time: He would Paint
13 Medals:
14 Friends: Alot of the friends he made during his service stayed friends with him afterwards.
15 Fun: He'd paint
16 Diary: No
17 Combat:
18 Weapons: Surprisingly enough, the majority of the time it was rocks and things like that, but he did have a handgun
19 After Service: He went back to painting and tending he garden
20 Was he treated different: No, if anything they all had more respect for him
21 Did they keep in touch: yes, for the most part
22 Vetrans group: No
23 Anything else: No

GRANDFATHER

1. Walter Bacchiega
2. 80
3. He was a hunter and made horseshoes
4. 1943-45
5. Northern Italy
6. Enlisted
7. The equivalent of Private
8. Very hectic, officers running around not knowing who they were in command of, soldiers running around not knowing who they were to follow
9. Italy
10. He was used to make horseshoes for the Italian Calvary
11. Being Captured by the Germans and held as a POW for 23 months. Finally escaping and fleeing back to Milan
12. He read alot, and would sketch pictures...many of which I have
13. I'm not sure exactly what he has, but I'll find out if you really want to know
14. He was kind of a loner within the group, but he did have 'friends' who would help him out
15. He drew for fun, and read
16. No, only pictures
17. He only really fought for about a week before his division was taken prisoner by the Germans.
18. He originally wasn't given anything except for a knife, but he ended up taking the rifle off one of the people who were killed near him
19. After the service he went to Milan and came over to Canada as soon as he could, where he met and married my Nonna. After that, he worked in the Hospital as a Janitor until he retired.
20. Same as my great uncle, he was treated with the utmost respect when he returned. For a while he was even pampered because of the fact that he escaped.
21. He kept in touch with a few of the members of his unit, but alot of them were killed either in battle or by the Germans.
22. No, he did not join a Vetran's group


Hope that's good enough for you, if not, e-mail me or post.

DUCE

[ 22. April 2003, 11:49 AM: Message edited by: DUCE ]

 

Off course you can send me those questions. Please do this before friday, because I'm going to ask about his total life from 1939 till 1945.

And off course I also will ask all the other questions.

 

1. Name. Eddie Blecharczyk (Uncle)

2. Current Age 85

3. What was your life like before your service?

He came from a poor immigrant family, and had just completed work at an art school.

4. Dates of service? 42 - 45

5. Where did you serve? North Africa, Sicily, Normandy to Germany.

6. Were you drafted or did you enlist? Drafted

7. If you enlisted, why did you choose to enlist? What was your rank/branch of service?

9th Infantry Div., 47th Regt.

8. Do you recall your first days in service? What were they like?

He never mentioned his pre war time.

9. What was the country like that you were in? What were the people like?

He didn't trust the Arabs, loved the Sicilians and said they were very generous.

10. What was your assignment? Infantry, Squad leader after Normandy.


11. What was one of your most memorable experiences? Dachau, being pinned down by an 88 in a foxhole for three days with his dead buddy, finding and wrecking a german motorcycle.


12. How did you spend any free time you had? Lots of letter writing and reading.


13. Were you awarded any medals or citations? If yes, how did you get them? Combat Infantry Badge, 3 purple hearts, 2 bronze stars, 8 campaign stars, and all the other basics like good conduct.

14. Did you keep in touch with friends or family?
Kept in touch with his large family through letters. Also got a dear john letter from his fiance.

15. What did everyone do for fun? He talks alot about dancing, drinking, and meeting girls in england. He also talks about drinking with the russians when they met up.

16. Did you keep a personal diary?
He did through north africa and sicily, then was told by an officer that he was not allowed, so he left it with his girlfriend in England who sent it back for him.

17. Do you recall any combat? How did you feel about that? Lots of it - he was so stressed he went to a hospital for his "Nerves" just after the war. He said the worst was the Huertgen Forest, where he was wounded by a butterfly bomb.

18. What sort of weapons did you use?
Started out with an M-1 rifle, ended up with a thompson sub-machine gun.

19. When your service ended, what did you do?
Went to work for ohio bell, and retired from there years later. Also started his first and only family.

20. Do you feel that your friends/family treated you differently after your service ended and you returned home? He often mentioned that everyone he knew had to go over there, as well as both of his brothers. It was commonplace in his family and among his friends.

21. Did you make any friends during your service that you still keep in touch with today?

He still visits his captain once a year.

22. Have you joined a veteran’s organization?
9th Div Assoc. and VFW.

23. Is there anything else that you would like to add?

 

1. Name. Mitchell Blecharczyk (Grandfather)

2. Current Age 87

3. What was your life like before your service?
Worked as a Grocery clerk, was engaged before the war, and was married immediately when drafted

4. Dates of service? 42-46

5. Where did you serve?
Saipan, Guam, Tinian, Phillipines, State-side.

6. Were you drafted or did you enlist? Drafted

7. If you enlisted, why did you choose to enlist? What was your rank/branch of service?
Tech. Sgt. - Medical Corps. 204th Field Hospital, then medic attached to the Marines.

8. Do you recall your first days in service? What were they like? Missed his wife very much and snuck back as often as possible. Actually liked medic training. Liked the food!!

9. What was the country like that you were in? What were the people like? When not in action, loved the Pacific. Said the native were nice. Said the people on Guam had to be the ugliest people in the world.

10. What was your assignment? Surgical tech., then field medic.

11. What was one of your most memorable experiences? Finding lots of Japanese and loot in caves, throwing cigarettes at prisoners and watching them fight for them, and lying to the MPs and saying he was going to Muncie while at Union Station in Indianapolis when he was actually going to Cleveland, which was out of bounds. Especially remembers meeting his daughter when he came back.

12. How did you spend any free time you had?

When still at the hospital, basketball, beer, and the beaches.

13. Were you awarded any medals or citations? If yes, how did you get them? His hospital got the Meritorious Unit Citation, but no large individual awards.

14. Did you keep in touch with friends or family?
Kept in touch with family, especially wife.
15. What did everyone do for fun?

16. Did you keep a personal diary? No.

17. Do you recall any combat? How did you feel about that? Had to clean up with the Marines on Guam. Said there were constant japanese snipers. Also always mentions Marines getting Japanese nurses to surrender and come out of a cave, and then shooting them with no remorse.

18. What sort of weapons did you use? Even as a Medic, carried an M-1 rifle.

19. When your service ended, what did you do?
When back to his family and got a job working at a dairy.

20. Do you feel that your friends/family treated you differently after your service ended and you returned home? His daughter didn't believe that he was "daddy". All of his other friends had served as well.

21. Did you make any friends during your service that you still keep in touch with today? No.

22. Have you joined a veteran’s organization? VFW and American Legion.

23. Is there anything else that you would like to add?

 

Have to disagree urqh. Some carbon based life forms would, and did, but a real soldier….never.

Doc, William, I do acknowledge the questions are extremely broad and naive. They could come under a heading of “What’s it like to be a soldier?”. When I’ve spoken with, and continue to speak with, soldiers of WWII – admittedly they’re almost all Combined Operations or Partisans - when they tell me who they were with I usually have specific questions for them. i.e. where you at the ‘closed door’ debriefing after Ornito? do you know who instigated the Princess’s tea-party in Athens? what was your rhyme for timing a Thompson burst?

Why I think the questions are suited to Vietnam;

What was the country like that you were in? What were the people like? I would have to search very very hard to try and find anyone who saw service in only one country? I can’t think of one except Partisans, but that was a very different war.

Do you recall any combat? How did you feel about that? Has to be the A1 dumb question of the whole lot.

Do you feel that your friends/family treated you differently after your service ended and you returned home? Well if this is not a ‘return from Vietnam’ question I don’t know what is?

Ducetta, from what you posted earlier on, I had the impression one of your family was with the fascists and one against the fascists? From what I understand in this thread they were both anti-fascist, one perhaps in the Resistance? I am confused?

Also, was your uncle actually there in the countryside when Mussolini was shot, or when they hung his corpse up in Milan?

No.9

 

No. 9 - As I said before, the questions were not written by me, they were assigned to me. I really want to talk to my prof about these questions, as he gave them to us requesting that we "interview a WWII veteran" and "not alter the questions". I think that's rather odd, because I very much agree that these are written for vietnam veterans.

Erwin - I have a seperate set of questions that I'd love to ask your grandfather. Is it okay if I send them to you by email?

PzJgr, Duce, & Doc - Thank you all SO much for answering the interview questions! Your answers are incredibly helpful, and I just wanted to say that I think it's great that you have such good memories of your relatives. Would it be okay with you all if I used those interviews in the veteran booklet some other students and I are working on? Thank you.