Helmets in Stalingrad

[OU812]

Considering the incredible amount of carnage as a result of WWII, it's amazing to me that there is constant criticism over ground-dug artifacts, especially by MILITARIA collectors. After all, these are relics of mortal combat, not cabbage patch dolls. Every single time this subject comes up, there is the same pissing and moaning. Unless a known cemetery is disturbed, and as long as the remains are reported when they ARE found, all this whining seems ridiculous. Hell, my favorite piece is an early shrapnel-damaged helmet found in Russia I have that still has the guy's mummified ear inside.

I just talked to a guy who has a Russian wife and does a bit of trading over there.

He told me that a lot of people are making good money finding graves and ripping soldiers of whatever there's left.

They're taking their fingerrings, uniforms, steel helmets - and whatever there's left. When they're finished the just throw what's left back in the hole.

Thus a business without caring for the soldiers - all they care about is making money !!!

I find this way of making money absolutely discusting.

I would NEVER want to have a helm with a gunhole in it - a helmet worn by a soldier who was shot dead.

Having a helmet with a soldiers mummified ear is even more apawling and without ANY respect for the dead !!!

[Ralph P]

Hello all - I have left this thread open because there were posts that related to helmets in between buttons, badges and other items posted in this thread. But, when it comes to discussions related to anything other than helmets or posting some other items in this thread...it needs to be said in another forum related to that discussion, thanks.

[Luis22]

On and On,,

I believe graves should be respected but if you find a helmet with out bullet holes that does not mean that it was not taken from a dead soldier.Most helmets found in battlefields come from dead soldiers..I really dont ask too many questions when I find a helmet that I like, I just buy it and place it with the rest...

[Hummel]

I just talked to a guy who has a Russian wife and does a bit of trading over there.

He told me that a lot of people are making good money finding graves and ripping soldiers of whatever there's left.

They're taking their fingerrings, uniforms, steel helmets - and whatever there's left. When they're finished the just throw what's left back in the hole.

Thus a business without caring for the soldiers - all they care about is making money !!!

I find this way of making money absolutely discusting.

I would NEVER want to have a helm with a gunhole in it - a helmet worn by a soldier who was shot dead.

Having a helmet with a soldiers mummified ear is even more apawling and without ANY respect for the dead !!!

ich mag kein Leute,wenn sprechen und wissen nicht....Du weiss nix über Stalingrad und Kessel,hier zeichen,Ekm,knopf,liegen überall.
Und ohne Leute,denn war Kessel um Stalingrad.Im Kessel lebte viel Soldat, sie haben viel Sachen gelassen.

[19BARBAROSSA41]

I believe graves should be respected but if you find a helmet with out bullet holes that does not mean that it was not taken from a dead soldier.Most helmets found in battlefields come from dead soldiers..I really dont ask too many questions when I find a helmet that I like, I just buy it and place it with the rest...

Agree with Louis.80% -90% of helmets we all have in our collections have been taken from battlefields all over Europe from dead soldiers. Most of helmets have many "new lifes" with other soldiers who owned them. I agree that taking anything from graves without respect to dead soldiers is discusting but please rember that most of items we all have in our collections have been taken as souvenir from battlefields .

[gnadenlose]

I would NEVER want to have a helm with a gunhole in it - a helmet worn by a soldier who was shot dead.

Well, I have found many gunholed helmets in battlefields over the years here in Estonia, but never the remains of a dead soldier. Believe me, most the damaged helmets are there all alone, probably just lost by the owners in the battle. The paradoxal thing is that I and my friends found a dead german soldier last year who had no helmet (everything else was still there but not the helmet). Even worse- the poor guy had no head at all (probably taken away by animals). This guy and all his belongings were handed over to the officials to be fairly buried at the Narva Soldatenfriedhof (all germans found in battlefields of Estonia will be buried there nowadays). So, the hole does not necessarily mean the death.

[OU812]

This guy and all his belongings were handed over to the officials to be fairly buried at the Narva Soldatenfriedhof (all germans found in battlefields of Estonia will be buried there nowadays). So, the hole does not necessarily mean the death.

My respect - I'd wish this always was the case, Gnadenlose !!!

I'd like to underline that I never the less think it's a morbid fascination having a helmet with a bullethole in it, though !!!

Jesper

[Tora_Tora_Tora!]

ich mag kein Leute,wenn sprechen und wissen nicht....Du weiss nix über Stalingrad und Kessel,hier zeichen,Ekm,knopf,liegen überall.
Und ohne Leute,denn war Kessel um Stalingrad.Im Kessel lebte viel Soldat, sie haben viel Sachen gelassen.

"I do not like people who speak and when not know .... you know nothing about Stalingrad and boiler, sign here, EKM, button, are everywhere.
And without people, because boiler was to Stalingrad.Im boiler lived much soldier, they have a lot of things left"

This is what results from google translator....
This is an international forum please, if it's not a big problem, try to write your posts in english. I think that some suggestion from a person who lives in Volgograd would be of great interest!Thank you!

[mattc]

Wow,

I guess there is always someone whining about our damaged relic artifacts! In fact most relic items I get for my website are discarded damaged caches that are dug up. If someone like OU812 might come in contact with a fatality related item, he should give up militaria items up all together. All militaria items were designed to inflict damage and defeat the opposite fighting force or protect the soldier while he would carrying this duty out. Collecting dolls would be much more appealing in this case!!

Matt

[Hummel]

What is it?

[CIANO]

Hi,

Hummel, this is called the "STALINGRAD PASS" and has been already discussed here.Please go and see the link below, and you can find some discussions about these Tags.


http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...lingrad&page=4


cheers

Luis

[Hummel]

2006

[ROMMEL-rus]

Museum "Panorama" in Stalingrad. It is a little photos from this museum.

[ROMMEL-rus]

[Luis22]

thanks for posting..very interesting!