Treatment of German POW's by the Soviets

[Helmut Von Moltke]

Can you buy it with English subtitles?

Yup!

K

[Klaus]

Sorry for the confusion. I knew what you were referring to. Just wanted to add my two cents of knowledge. I've seen the movie in the theatre. And I saw some copies in the states last time I visited. So it should be available. Just look somewhere next to "Das Boot", "Stalingrad" and "Der Untergang"

[Lancer44]

Originally Posted by Klaus

Sorry for the confusion. I knew what you were referring to. Just wanted to add my two cents of knowledge. I've seen the movie in the theatre. And I saw some copies in the states last time I visited. So it should be available. Just look somewhere next to "Das Boot", "Stalingrad" and "Der Untergang"

Hi Klaus,

What you see in States is irrelevant in backward water in Australia.
Der Untergang was shown in one little cinema - 3 days. There was no official release on DVD. I get one copy from Poland.
I will check tonight in Blockbusters, again.
Das Boot - yes I had seen - Stalingrad - no way!

Can you explain this? No! Me not too...

Cheers,

Lancer44

[Klaus]

Is it that hard to get foreign movies in Australia? What regional-Code have you got on your DVD's in Australia?

[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.

[Jim O]

Originally Posted by Kumpel

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.

If anyone has any problem with that they can take it up with me.

The point of this site is sharing of information and discussion. It's been over 60 years since the war ended. The few remaining soldiers from all sides are now old men (and a few women), most of whom defended and fought for their country with honor.

[cyberia]

Originally Posted by Jim O

If anyone has any problem with that they can take it up with me.

The point of this site is sharing of information and discussion. It's been over 60 years since the war ended. The few remaining soldiers from all sides are now old men (and a few women), most of whom defended and fought for their country with honor.

Thank you Jim O, I could not agree more. I have had problems on another site where the distinction between nazi and solider escaped a few.

As I am unsure as to where to start, perhaps the best way to open the discussion here is to answer any questions on my father's capture and imprisonment.

As for when and where, it began on either the 2nd or 3rd of February 1943 in a small pocket with a mixed group somewhere in the northern sector of the city.

Any additional information on this time and place would be greatly appreciated.

[razorboy]

Originally Posted by Jim O

If anyone has any problem with that they can take it up with me.

The point of this site is sharing of information and discussion. It's been over 60 years since the war ended. The few remaining soldiers from all sides are now old men (and a few women), most of whom defended and fought for their country with honor.

Bravo Sir, Bravo

[Tom Houlihan]

Kumpel, as you organize your notes from what your father told you, your REALLY need to get your hands on some of Jason Mark's books!!! Google Leaping Horseman Books. I've read two of them, and nothing I've ever seen before makes you feel as if you're in Stalingrad like what Jason wrote.
At the risk of offending Jim, there's a guy selling some books on Feldgrau.net, and you can get some of Jason's books at a substantial discount if you hurry.
How much material do you have from your father?

[cyberia]

Originally Posted by Tom Houlihan

Kumpel, as you organize your notes from what your father told you, your REALLY need to get your hands on some of Jason Mark's books!!! Google Leaping Horseman Books. I've read two of them, and nothing I've ever seen before makes you feel as if you're in Stalingrad like what Jason wrote.
At the risk of offending Jim, there's a guy selling some books on Feldgrau.net, and you can get some of Jason's books at a substantial discount if you hurry.
How much material do you have from your father?

Thanks for the tip Tom. I try to read whatever I can get my hands on about the subject with a preference for first-hand accounts.

I actually have quite a bit of notes. They tend to jump around from time line to time line, are speckled with German military slang most of which I have deciphered, but regretably there are gaps I did not catch at the time.

For example I have wonderful details when he first joined the 4th Infantry Div., which later became the 14th Panzer Div., his time in Poland, France and Russia, but no mention of Greece or Yugoslavia, where I now know his division operated.

Most of his recollections are, as one would expect, confined to what he saw and experienced. There are no details about broad strategies in any campaign either because he was not aware what was happening in the grand scheme of the front, or chose rather to relay what was important to him.

His details of Stalingrad itself are clear, graphic and downright haunting.