Wittmann's grave.

[Mooyman]

Hi All,

I stows in Normandy some times and in all I left one homenage in the Wittmann tomb and its crew.

Best regards,

Ricardo.

[Greg]

hello,
Let show some parts of Michael Wittman's panzer.

http://www.i12.photobucket.com/album...2/PICT2002.jpg
http://www.i12.photobucket.com/album...2/PICT2003.jpg

Best regards.

Florian.

Fantastic! Are these the same pieces shown in Lefevre's "Panzers in Normandy Then and Now?"

I did a little "archaeology" at Cintheaux myself ... these pieces came from the field where Wittmann's tank was knocked out. Are they truly fragments of a Tiger, or are they off of an old French farm tractor? I don't know, but I can tell you that they were about 4" deep in the field on the spot that Jean Paul Pallud is pointing to as the spot where Wittmann's tank was knocked out (page 183 of Lefevre's book), and that little triangular piece of steel is about 1 cm thick... where would that come from on a farm vehicle?

Best,
Greg

[stevezz1]

He's not dead.......gunner Joe Ekins esq.

Hi John,
Can you tell me where and when was this photo taken please.....
Steve.

[redfeaag]

Hi John,
Can you tell me where and when was this photo taken please.....
Steve.

Pall Mall, London, last summer I believe.

[PanzerJohn]

Pall Mall, London, last summer I believe.

Thats right, the Victory Show in Green Park.Joe was a guest of the The Tank Museum who had several of their tanks on display.A top chap, didn;t have any idea at the time who he had knocked out.

[lolle]

I would be interested to understand peoples reasons for visiting his grave. I think if I were to do so it would be more out of curiosity than respect. Perhaps "meeting" the famous man.

I agree on your coment.
From my point of view its just sick when people travel to his grave, juts as he was a pop star. The picture with the RK and picture added on his gravestone show no respect.
You all mention Wittman, none of you mention those 4 others buried there.
Respect seems to be all about rank, and "kills" for you guys.
When they rest in a cemetary they are all equal.
lolle

[James Clark]

Wittmann's grave is only one of hundreds in La Cambe, which is itself only one of perhaps hundreds of cemeteries world-wide that are all cared for by the Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge (German War Graves Commission). This is a private organisation that depends on membership fees and donations for 90 percent of its funding. Their website address is www.volksbund.de. You can donate, research graves of casualties from both world wars for whom you have some basic details, and there is a service through which you can request a photograph of a particular grave or arrange to have a floral tribute placed on it. There is a small exhibition at La Cambe cemetery about the organisation's work and you can leave a donation while you are there.

[gew98]

I agree on your coment.
From my point of view its just sick when people travel to his grave, juts as he was a pop star. The picture with the RK and picture added on his gravestone show no respect.
You all mention Wittman, none of you mention those 4 others buried there.
Respect seems to be all about rank, and "kills" for you guys.
When they rest in a cemetary they are all equal.
lolle

I "third" this notion. This very closet nazi attitude that is becoming more apparent in collecting GERMAN militaria is at the least pathetic. It is one of the major reasons I got away from collecting anything post 1918 in regards to german militaria or anything for that matter.
What is so admirable about a nazi ?. Wittman was a skilled tanker and leader, but he was as well a devoted nazi. This devotion got him killed , damn good I say. Respect him for his military abilities for sue , outside of that frig him !. To go to such a mans grave with notions of being one's hero is not healthy . I would not spit on his grave but I would not find it worthy of such an idolic visit.
I for one would love to see a load of this kind of "glorification" damned well disappear. At the very least it would be beter for the hobby as a whole.
I do find it quite natural to want to collect the tools and medals of a defeated enemy...but 'worship' such bollocks...frig NO !.

[Theodor]

Yes, this position is definitely a "turd" With this position and these words you just abused very badly several good fellow collectors, which are anything, but nazis! Willi is a closet nazi?? Or sick??? Strange to hear such things from people of the collector community!

[Johnnie]

To me it is about professional respect. Wittman was a warrior. Warriors may despise their enemy's country's ideology, but they can still respect other warriors on a professional level. He was damned good at his trade. The same trade I have practiced for 35 years. I can dislike Nazis, but I damned sure respect the professional warrior that Wittman was.
And I'm damned sure not a closet nazi.
Cheers,
Johnnie

[florian_geyer72]

i agree with Johnnie.

You know, each year english veterans leave some flowers on the grave of Michael Wittman. They respect him like a great famous warrior, part of the History.
During the WWI Manfred von Richtoffen, the Red Baron, was burried with all the Honours by the british, just because he was a great airman.
That's all it is.

Best regards.

Florian.

[Aave Johns]

You know, each year english veterans leave some flowers on the grave of Michael Wittman. They respect him like a great famous warrior, part of the History.
During the WWI Manfred von Richtoffen, the Red Baron, was burried with all the Honours by the british, just because he was a great airman.
That's all it is.

Best regards.

Florian.

Baron Manfred von Richtoffen was buried by Australian's of the No. 3 Squadron AFC, who had taken responsibility for the remains because they were the nearest Allied airforce unit. Australian ground troops acted as an Honour Guard.

I wouldn't say I'm a "closet nazi" (I don't even collect TR items anymore), but if I happened to be in Normandy I wouldn't miss an oppurtunity to visit the greatest tank ace that ever was. He didn't get that score sitting in an simulator.
Rudel was a commited Nazi until his death, once again you have to admire the man for his combat record if for nothing else.

Regards;

Johnsy

[PanzerJohn]

Baron Manfred von Richtoffen was buried by Australian's of the No. 3 Squadron AFC, who had taken responsibility for the remains because they were the nearest Allied airforce unit. Australian ground troops acted as an Honour Guard.

I wouldn't say I'm a "closet nazi" (I don't even collect TR items anymore), but if I happened to be in Normandy I wouldn't miss an oppurtunity to visit the greatest tank ace that ever was. He didn't get that score sitting in an simulator.
Rudel was a commited Nazi until his death, once again you have to admire the man for his combat record if for nothing else.

Regards;

Johnsy

I don't know about "greatest", there are at least two others with a greater score than Wittman,maybe three.

[Johnnie]

Interesting. Do you know their nationalities and scores?
Cheers,
Johnnie

I don't know about "greatest", there are at least two others with a greater score than Wittman,maybe three.

[Aave Johns]

I don't know about "greatest", there are at least two others with a greater score than Wittman,maybe three.

Please enlighten us PanzerJohn, I would be interested to know who came close other than Otto Carius and Karl Mobius, both great tankers, but not nearly as famous (or infamous, depending on what side you fought on).


Regards;

Johnsy