Military group wants Nazi gravestones changed

[Robert999]

it is the US Air Force (Ok, I'll avoid the Air Force Jokes ... ) ....
This is HISTORY ... it's an ugly part of history and one that SHOULD NOT be repeated, but if we erase ALL HATE symbols that are of a historical context, then one can fall prey to "not knowing" ..and that can lead to ignorance, and then that can lead to bad things repeating itself. Those stones probably go un-noticed 90% of the time, but they ARE noticed and cause folks to ask questions about that past ... that can be a good thing.
Just an opinion..

Hate symbols?!? Is the hammer and sickle a hate symbol? The Christian cross? The Star of David? The Union Jack?

Exactly who gets to determine what is or is not a "hate symbol?" Perhaps this sort of thing is best left to the professionals like Mikey here?

[Robert999]

They look more like this in my hometown i.d.Oberpfalz.

Are the uses of the Lebens and Tot runes to denote birth and death days not used on military graves from that period anymore?

[fusilier1944]

I’m sure this Mikey would be beside himself to learn that these deceased PWs most likely received military funerals with full honors. Presided by over by fellow prisoners in their proper military uniforms and a giant swastika flag on the coffin. All provided by the US government as convention of the time required. Other countries may not have followed the rules when it came to PWs, but the US did it by the book, too the letter.

[N.C. Wyeth]

These are not the only one's out there . . .

Other countries may not have followed the rules when it came to PWs, but the US did it by the book, too the letter.

In my experience, this true - and if truth be told, there are far more similar examples out there that would prove the issue. You just have to know where to look.

[scotty1418]

Just to clarify, these are original headstones created during the war and I would expect by wartime Americans?

I think that's a very interesting point here when you consider that someone respectfully created a remembrance for these POWs while the US was VERY MUCH at war with Germany...

I think that says a lot more than any complaints in the current era...

[Byzanti]

They look more like this in my hometown i.d.Oberpfalz.

Hi Lloyd and thanks for posting pics in response to my question, so I know I have seen wartime photos of graves bearing plenty of runic and political symbolism, it looked like many were wooden, maybe on the fronts they were temporary or made from what they could... but your 2 photos show something very different than the ones here in the USA (besides the obvious fact that they are in German..) there are no swastikas or runes. I am seeing an iron cross without a swastika and a helmet without swastika or runes, and the inscriptions are pretty standard “death card” fare that exist as largely apolitical statements of life, service, and death. When do you think these may have been made and/or placed?

[rebeldevil89]

Just to clarify, these are original headstones created during the war and I would expect by wartime Americans?

I think that's a very interesting point here when you consider that someone respectfully created a remembrance for these POWs while the US was VERY MUCH at war with Germany...

I think that says a lot more than any complaints in the current era...

Excellent observation, and I agree 100%

[chrischa]

I think that they should remove the swastikas and inscriptions. Just leave the iron cross and name etc. They were the enemy, and mention of Fuhrer and showing the swastika is odd imo.

Agreed. Common sense approach without the drama.

[chrischa]

Just to clarify, these are original headstones created during the war and I would expect by wartime Americans?

I think that's a very interesting point here when you consider that someone respectfully created a remembrance for these POWs while the US was VERY MUCH at war with Germany...

I think that says a lot more than any complaints in the current era...

If they don’t have swastikas anywhere else in the World then not sure why they would have here.

We don’t know the dead were Nazis so the swastika might not be appropriate . It may just have been a very low level decision to put the swastika on the grave by the mason!

[Paul.B.]

All of our countries still have war dead buried in the places they gave their lives and a great many reside in cemetery's finding peace alongside their former enemies so I find it a bit dramatic this guy is repulsed they are in the same cemetery as his family

[Willi Z.]

I am glad the VA has declined to take any action, but I am sure this will not end. In this (and others as well) upside down society the voice of "one" is more powerful than the voice of a million.

The gravestones were placed by the US Army during wartime in manner respecting the service of those POWs. Looks like only 2 of the 132 German graves in that cemetery have this. I wonder why. Apparently those who served in WWII were not offended. What is present on those graves is not glaring and bold, and represents an award they may have received. Has nothing to do with their political affilation.

I have seen some of these types of gravestones on US military installations where POWs were once held. It is part of the history of those installations.

[darrenbate]

Agreed. Common sense approach without the drama.

Yeah, but don't forget "The Fuhrer wasn't a mousy little mama's boy! The Fuhrer was BUTCH!"

[crowback]

Agree.

All of our countries still have war dead buried in the places they gave their lives and a great many reside in cemetery's finding peace alongside their former enemies so I find it a bit dramatic this guy is repulsed they are in the same cemetery as his family

[Frank Pacheco]

During WWII my grandfather worked at the VA hospital in Fort Bayard, New mexico. They had prisoners from the DAK, one who wrote a letter after the war thanking my grandfather for the kind treatment. He stated the rationing going on in Germany, and remembers how well fed they were when POW's. He asked by chance if my grandfather could help him by sending any food, coffee, soap, etc. he could spare.

The POW's were treated, housed and fed just the same as our GI's. All military regulations were followed for burials and also for POW's receiving decorations for past actions.

POW(If anyone can find his service record I be much obliged)
John Kisskalt
145 Regenbogenstrasse
(13a) Nuernberg )
Germany/Americ.occup.zone
Bavaria
November 9, 1946

[Jeff V]

I am glad the VA has declined to take any action, but I am sure this will not end. In this (and others as well) upside down society the voice of "one" is more powerful than the voice of a million.

The gravestones were placed by the US Army during wartime in manner respecting the service of those POWs. Looks like only 2 of the 132 German graves in that cemetery have this. I wonder why. Apparently those who served in WWII were not offended. What is present on those graves is not glaring and bold, and represents an award they may have received. Has nothing to do with their political affilation.

I have seen some of these types of gravestones on US military installations where POWs were once held. It is part of the history of those installations.

So true.