My 'new' friend.

[RobertCOUTTS]

Hi,
I attend a collectables fair each month. I noticed 2 Germans there who had a table. Father and son. Well the father is about 90 and an ex vet as it turns out. He agreed to interpret all my German documents a few months ago. Last month I took a bunch of stuff mainly letters postcards. Well pop was away ill the son did his best but said a lot of the writing was in old script which he didnt understand. This month pop was there I showed him some things one a Soldbuch. He went through every item explaining what they were the various stamps he was almost reliving his youth. I told him I had some Russian leaflets urging surrender etc. He was most interested and said please bring them next month I threw mine away at the wars end along with my uniforms papers. Somehow we got to the subject of the death camps well he denied this he insisted yes we held prisoners troublemakers, enemies of the state. Yes we worked some to death but I know they have exagerrated the truth. My family lived near a camp which they said was a death camp it was a work camp. I like this old chap I am confused is he a liar mistaken what? Maybe he is a dyed in the wool nazi? Its hard to equate this feeble old man was once a goose stepping German soldier. He is still an arrogant old bastard I saw him tell one customer to piss off he tried to break him down to $100 on a gold chain. He told him it was $120 three times after that he told him off good and proper. I believe you dont change only grow old and adapt your ways to survive. Id be interested to hear what others think can people change? Should I continue talking to this old gent.
cheers Robert

[Nick VR]

I can't see why not, It's not that you have this chance everyday for talking to a real veteran, who knows what stories he is willing to tell you.

[Jono]

Sure, keep talking to him. Just take what he says with a grain of salt.

[Paul C T]

Hi,
Somehow we got to the subject of the death camps well he denied this he insisted yes we held prisoners troublemakers, enemies of the state. Yes we worked some to death but I know they have exagerrated the truth. My family lived near a camp which they said was a death camp it was a work camp. I like this old chap I am confused is he a liar mistaken what?
cheers Robert

He could be a liar but it's just as likely he's in denial. Many of our memories and opinions are imprinted in our youth; it's hard to lose them. And simply put, we often believe what we want to believe. It happens to everyone, not just German soldiers.

A great book concerning this subject is the biography of Albert Speer by Gitta Sereny. Speer knew what he did was wrong; he manipulated his accounts of what happened to save his own skin at Nuremberg. But after constructing his story, it seems he came to believe it. it made living with his guilt easier.

[Jean-Loup]

Of course you should keep on talking to him.
Maybe there actualy was a work camp near his famillies house. Or maybe he still believes the wartime german propaganda.
Often vets have a very deformed view of some major WW2 events... They only witnessed their little piece of the war, and for all the rest, they dont know any more then you and me. Believe the vet for things he saw occuring with his own eyes. As for when he describes other events he didnt witness, view it as a chance to study psychology, propaganda, and memmoriy.

JL

[Theodor]

Keep in mind, the camps were not... say like a stadium. Some were very large and separated in lots of sub-structures. And if something bad would happen, I bet they would not do it under the windows of the next neighbourhood. For him to have seen it, it must have been indeed a normal labour camp - people forced to live there and work in the factories, but nothing extreme, as it was opened for the eyes of the public.

[jacquesf]

Give the guy a break, he lived through something that you cannot imagine in your wildest dreams. No-one, not even someone that has been in the same war will react and have the same mindset as a result of their experiences in an extremely traumatic situation. To try and rationalise his mindset and interpretation of something that happened sixty years ago to him, while you sit behind your PC in your modern home is ridiculous to say the least. Jacques

[RobertCOUTTS]

New Friend

Hi,
actually I am kind of looking forward to showing him my surrender leaflets and propoganda leaflets. They are Soviet made and I imagine from the photographs drawings on them they are attempting to entice German soldiers to give themselves up. One has a caricature of Hitler goosestepping with a pile of skulls in the background. Having the letters read to me was a moving experience of sorts one letter/postcard was to the soldiers brother asking why his wife had not written to him and how was their elderly mother going. You tend to forget these were just normal people in an extraordinary situation.
cheers Robert

[rkoy]

bring a small voice recorder and record it so u dont forget all the details..

[Abzeichen]

Speer

He could be a liar but it's just as likely he's in denial. Many of our memories and opinions are imprinted in our youth; it's hard to lose them. And simply put, we often believe what we want to believe. It happens to everyone, not just German soldiers.

A great book concerning this subject is the biography of Albert Speer by Gitta Sereny. Speer knew what he did was wrong; he manipulated his accounts of what happened to save his own skin at Nuremberg. But after constructing his story, it seems he came to believe it. it made living with his guilt easier.

Paul

If I may chime in, Speer was a liar about alot of things. Over the years he liked to embellish the story of how he tried to kill Hitler. Speer lied alot to improve his image with the allies. This is why he had always been one of the "popular Nazis"

On the principle subject, I do agree with Jac. We can only speculate why the veteran denies things that are known to be true. It is likely that he believe what he says. I would stay away from any controversal subjects like the Holocaust. You will not convince him he is wrong, that much I guarantee you. As the others say, enjoy his friendship for what it is. But conversely, do not use him as a wikapedia of Nazi Germany. His life did not end in 1945. He may have many stories to tell that are not war related, listen to those with equal interest.

Bruce