A small memorial for a German fighter pilot - in Bulgaria

[behblc]

The campaign to remove Major Walter Nowotny's remains from the city's Central Cemetery and move them to a pauper's plot has been led by the grandson of a British RAF pilot who was shot down over Belgium in 1940 and died of his injuries.

David Ellensohn, a Vienna city councillor whose maternal grandfather was RAF acting pilot officer James Gillespie, successfully argued that Major Nowotny - the first fighter pilot in history to bring down 250 enemy aircraft - had been serving the Third Reich and did not deserve his heroic status.

Going to say this exactly as I feel it so I will apologise in davance for my use of the "f" word.

This is a ****ing disgrace , nothing more and nothing less.

I am pleased to see the pilot remembered , well done, a very good read- my thanks for sgharing the news and photographs.

[Theodor]

Forgot to update that thread - myself put the stone plaque back early in the summer, did my best to attach it as strong as possible. And 6 months later it is still there, that's still something



Today is 10 January - 63 years after his death. Rest in peace, Gerhard Wengel - lost, but not forgotten!



By the way, I think there is more to do about him. Like finding his grave. The Central cemetery of Sofia has a German unit and his name is there - but there are no remains /there are only a few WW1 graves/, just stone plaques with the names of all the German officers and soldiers passed in Bulgaria.

The Volksbund site points that his remains were not evacuated and according to their information, he is still burried in Bankya. That's a small resort village, nowadays it is a district of the city /though still quite separated from it/. I will go there soon and try to find out where he was burried and what happened to the remains - removed or still there, with a gravestone or without.

And back to the modest stone plaque - I was happy to see, that in the morning at least two people had already remembered Hptm. Wengel on the date of his heroe's death!

[Robert T.]

Thanks for the update, NICELY DONE
___________
Robert

[Fred S]

[Theodor]

Today is 14 January. He was KIA only 4 days before his birthday! Born on 14 January 1915 - K******246;nigsberg.

[Mike Davis]

Hi Theodor, I hope you had a good holiday! Where exactly in Sofia is the memorial located? Thanks very much for your work!

[Theodor]

Hi Mike! It is in a central park of the city, not far away from the Hilton. Not far away even for walking. Here is the location from Google Earth: 1 is the Hilton; 2 is the huge National Palace of Culture; 3 is the big ruined ugly monument; 4 in the circle - the stone with the stoneplate.

[EES]

When talking of German memorials, here is an original one from 1942!
Guess this is one of very few remaining in Europe outside churchyards?
This is located in a rather remote area, and I guess thats why no one bothered to tear it down, but were satisfied with removing the swastika below the eagle........

"Hier Starb am 7.4.1942 Der
Leutnant Ulrich Schumann
25.2.1921
Den Fliegertod"


Schumann`s Me 109 crashed just after takeoff from Lister airport during a British attack.

[Theodor]

10 January, 65 years later! Last evening I went to the park, removed the snow from the stone and put a flower. Maybe not many people remember the hero, but he is not forgotten!

[MJC]

Well, because of your efforts, a few more people are remembering him.

Thanks for the update.

[rkoy]

include me i now will remember 10 jan whatever happened with nowotny

[PZIV]

Nice work Theodor! Rest in peace.