Craig Gottlieb & "Nazi War Diggers"

[alexanderautogr]

Please, someone, explain to me what in the name of Christ compells anyone to produce, direct, and worst of all, appear in the upcoming National Geographic series "Nazi War Diggers"?

Here is a link:

http://natgeotv.com/za/nazi-war-digg...n-bone-removal

In my opinion, this is nothing less than amateurish and irresponsible grave digging. There is no in situ record keeping, no explanation of what happens to the human remains once recovered, incredibly careless excavation, and hokey acting. I am ashamed that Nat Geo would attach their name to such a disgusting and appalling creation.

Comments may be addressed to ngcdutylog@fox.com or http://www.nationalgeographic.com/community/email.html

[alexanderautogr]

As Latvia is part of the Council of Europe, this excavation contravenes Article 3 of the European Convention on the Protection of the Archaeological Heritage that can be found online here:

http://conventions.coe.int/Treaty/en...s/Html/143.htm

[reichenberg]

Absolutely awful work and truly appalling programme. Sadly, I'm not at all surprised.

[Tom B]

Terrible and VERY embarrassing to all who study & enjoy the history of WW2. Also to all of us in the military collecting field ! Tom

[Dietrich Maerz]

Just to make clear, there is an archeological purpose and a historical need to investigate and discover recent battlefields of the Great War and the Second World War. But it needs to be done with dignity and not like three grave diggers who pretend to be moved in front of the camera. I guess they are not in the business of finding something out, but just rather finding marketeable items, just like all the other "diggers" on TV. Pure commercial enterprise and very common east of the Vistula...

The thought that a Russian or German soldier has been taken from his solderly grave like this is just beyond comprehension. Even more disgusting is the fact that somebody proposed this "series" and the NG is entertaining it. What happens with the bones? Throw them back in the hole and kick back the dirt when the camera is off? Modern grave robbery in the tradition of Dr. Frankenstein!

Refreshing to see this series: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finding_the_Fallen. Made by professionals in a professional way and without the "drama" and the self-promotion!

Dietrich

PS: If my father or grandfather would have fallen in that area, I would not know what I would do right now!!!

[Willi Z.]

Sadly, I'm not at all surprised.

Nor am I......

Read the comments posted on that link.

[Willi Z.]

PS: If my father or grandfather would have fallen in that area, I would not know what I would do right now!!!

When my father passed away a couple of years ago I found a list he had made in 1951 of all his cousins who died/ disappeared on the Eastern Front.

Stuff like this makes me ill.......

[Seigfried]

I cannot believe what I have just seen, that is absolutely terrible and I also cannot believe that NG have anything to do with this, it really is a new low. CG really is a total bell end, thank God he's been expelled.

[Robert Shoaf]

Just despicable and reprehensible on so many levels. Lowbrow trash programming, that's all too common these days.
Based upon their OLD reputation, I would have expected more from National Geographic. Sadly mistaken; what does it say about the morals and intelligence of whoever decided to put this steaming pile on the air?

Bob Shoaf

[MMM]

Truely appallng!

Are there no depths to which the boy wonder will not descend in order to get his publicity fix. This guy is now totally beyond the bounds of any possible respect for his actions.

I am even more ashamed to see that his retard digging buddies are from the UK.

If I could have a wish Gottlieb and his tard chums would all be sharing that grave space now.

It about time Gottlieb was denied the oxygen of the publicity that he craves and is just totally ignored.

Regards

MMM

[Tora_Tora_Tora!]

I think that someone is reduced to climb over mirrors to mantain public his face......no comment.

[alexanderautogr]

Just had this sent to me. Very good questions:

Urgent ethical and legal questions for National Geographic, ClearStory and their Nazi War Diggers
by Sam Hardy

National Geographic Channels International (NatGeoTV), ClearStory and their Nazi War Diggers must answer a series of urgent ethical and legal questions.

1. Which archaeologists are involved and how?
2. Which ‘licensed preservation organisations‘ are involved and how? What are they licensed to do?
3. Why was the filming of the series kept ‘secret… for nearly a year’ and from whom?
4. Do you have survey permits and excavation licences for all of the sites in all of the countries in which you work?
5. As an educational channel, will you put all of the relevant licences online?
6. As an educational channel, will you educate your audiences about the threat to historic preservation from unlicensed activity and untrained diggers?
7. Do the archaeologists design and supervise any and all surveys and digs?
8. How do you identify sites for exploration?
9. Are all of your sites mapped upon identification?
10. Do you define your digs as human rights exhumations or archaeological excavations?
11. Do you recover the dead soldiers’ bodies respectfully?
12. Do you recover the dead soldiers’ bodies scientifically?
13. What measures do you take to ensure that ‘relics’ are ‘meticulously preserved’?
14. Which military organisations, veterans’ charities and/or museums are involved in this series and how?
15. How do you process the human remains and with whom do you deposit them?
16. How do you process the material artefacts and with whom do you deposit them?
17. How do you process the soil and do you sample it?
18. Do your Nazi War Diggers gain possession of any of their finds and, if so, what do they do with them?
19. Do National Geographic, ClearStory and your Nazi War Diggers consider ‘selling things that are Nazi related… for lots of money‘ to be an ‘ethical’ way to ‘preserve history and the dignity of the people who made it’, when many of the producers of those Nazi materials were forced labourers or people who were exterminated through labour? [Quote by CG on the show's website]
20. Do your partner military organisations, veterans’ charities and/or museums consider ‘selling things that are Nazi related… for lots of money’ to be an ‘ethical’ way to ‘preserve history and the dignity of the people who made it’, when many of the producers of those Nazi materials were forced labourers or people who were exterminated through labour?

[Greg Domian]

There are really no words to describe what these yahoos are doing. Not one bit of scientific or ethical behavior attempted at this dig site. Truely appaling.

Greg

[james m]

Nor am I......

Read the comments posted on that link.

Neither am I. This is not archeology in the classic sense it 's grave robbing pure and simple.
This problem was endemic in the Southwest where I live and ancient Anasazi (Indian) sites were being desecrated at an alarming rate by "pot hunters" until regulations were passed making unauthorized grave digging illegal.
Perhaps they'll attempt to sneak on to the Gettysburg battlefield next.
I am amazed that National Geographic usually considered to be a respectable publication would have any part in this!
Jim

[Dietrich Maerz]

I think - and that is reflected in the title "Nazi Diggers" - that "they" are proposing that they are not dealing with human beings but only with "Nazis". Nowadays, "Nazis" are kind of zombies one can shot, kill, dig-out, and all the other nasty things you do to "Nazis." Plus it sells!

I wonder what would happen if the series would have been called "Commie Diggers", "Jap Diggers" (that migfht fly, too), "Froggie Diggers" (Verdun comes to mind) or "Limie Diggers" (at the Somme). I copuld name some others but I might get in trouble!

Anybody with a little brain (especially "History Hunters") should be mentally and intellectually capable of differentiating between soldiers on a battlefield (no matter what nation) and political entities, like the "Nazis". If not, they should stay in the basement and watch cartoons!

Now, I have another question: was it proven beyond any doubt that the bones belonged to a "Nazi"? Or could it be it was a Russian soldier, or maybe even a slave labour survivor or camp refugee? How did they know it was and is (only) a "Nazi"?

Do they even care?