[cyberia]

This looks like the place to post!

My father was held a little over ten years in Soviet labor camps in the USSR. He was captured at Stalingrad in the final days if not hours of the battle, and not released until 1952. He returned to what was then West Germany where he was again held for a few days to be interrogated by intelligence members of the current German Government, as well as the Americans and British.

Three years later he emigrated to the United States to link up with his brother in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Once he found employment in the coal mines, my mother and I followed shortly after.

Growing up, my father's role in the war, and those of other family members, were considered a "quiet topic". Something we never were to discuss outside the family and then, only very little. My mother was very much in fear of being judged here in our new country.

My father lived just a few months shy of his 99th birthday, and died in my home in 1995. He spoke very little about his experiences in the war until very late in his life. When he did start to talk about them, they rolled out like a torrent.

I spent many nights listening to things I would not have thought possible had they been told to me by anyone else. I began taking and keeping notes of much of this information.

It was not until my 40s that I had any true understanding what role my father played in history, and what price he paid for it. Since then I have been in contact with other surviving family members, both here and in Germany, to
try and piece together missing pieces of his story.

I have even found others in America who have shared experiences.

My hopes here in this forum is to continue to exchange information about this period in history. To continue to fill in blank spots in my father's history and in exchange share whatever I know.

By way of disclosure and advisement; I have no sympathy nor respect for the nazi regime nor its leadership. I do, however, have a tremendous pride in my father, my family, and all common Deutschen Soldat who fought long and well for their country and will, if need be, defend their memory and honor when justified.

I hope this is acceptable.