The German Perspective of WW2 | Memoirs Of WWII #49

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Memoirs of WWII

Memoirs of WWII

10 місяців тому

Growing up in Germany, Wolfram Forster watched as Adolf Hitler rose to power and launched his country into the Second World War. Before long Wolfram would be called upon to serve, eventually engaging in combat against the American and British Armed Forces.
Purchase Dr. Forster's book "Farewell, Berlin" here:
www.amazon.com/Farewell-Berli...
Memoirs of WWII Website: bit.ly/2w60kGM
Patreon: bit.ly/2HIebIN
Instagram: bit.ly/2FBGBhv
Facebook: bit.ly/2w5Lhgf
Twitter: bit.ly/2jlcp1A
Written and Directed by Hudson Louie and Joshua Scott
Filmed by Heather Scott
Edited by Hudson Louie and Joshua Scott
Post Audio by Lane Tarr
Photo Enhancement and Colorization by Hudson Louie
Archive Footage Sources:
www.archives.gov/
Norris Aeroworks
Archive Photo Sources:Voice Of America
creativecommons.org/licenses/...
creativecommons.org/licenses/...
Ministry of Defense of Ukraine
Primary Musical Score Source:
artlist.io/
Artlist Songs and Composers:
“Skies Above” by Caleb Etheridge
“Coming Back” by Yehezkel Raz
“Dark Tension” by Kyle Preston
“This Place” by Ben Winwood
“Nacht Oder Nie” performed by Walther Ludwig Heute, acquired from www.archive.org

КОМЕНТАРІ: 5 300
@Jeff-fc3tw
@Jeff-fc3tw 10 місяців тому
So similar to my Grandfather. Fought in the German Wehrmacht in WW2, Came to America after the war only to fight in Korea. He flew an American flag in his yard until the day he died in 98. RIP Grandpa.
@seanohare5488
@seanohare5488 10 місяців тому
Looks as though your grandad appreciated America good to read
@abhisekhkumar4948
@abhisekhkumar4948 10 місяців тому
Omg!
@seductivesnake1
@seductivesnake1 10 місяців тому
He was a hero
@JonathanH1253
@JonathanH1253 10 місяців тому
​@@EddieJackson-xl2jp not everyone who fought in the German army during WWII was a nazi... the Wehrmacht was not the SS...
@cydzview
@cydzview 10 місяців тому
glad to know he found redemption i'm korean fyi
@johncapewell7520
@johncapewell7520 9 місяців тому
This is why you can't automatically condemn any soldier just because they are on the opposite side. Alot of soldiers on both sides aren't there because they want to be.
@Destroyer120296
@Destroyer120296 8 місяців тому
I always try to imagine myself in their place and realise i would probably be to afraid to refuse,brainwashed or just focused on surviving and not thinking about the bigger pictures Easy to say "i would have" but not so easy to actually do
@johncapewell7520
@johncapewell7520 8 місяців тому
@@Destroyer120296 Thats exactly what I do, you have to try and forget anything to do with your own life and situation and put yourself in their shoes. If I was forced to go and fight a war that I was against but my family and myself could be at risk of imprisonment or worse if I didn't go then I think I would go and fight the war.
@Nood424
@Nood424 8 місяців тому
@@johncapewell7520 My grandfather was too young to be drafted into WW2. He was born in 1930 on august 25. He died on February 15 2023 at ripe age of 92. What he witnessed contrary to after war belief is that Partisans slaughtered a man in open field for not providing enough food for the communist party. Funny part is my grandfather believed in communist ideology, just some 10 year before he died he realized how much of a scam the whole shit has been. The top brass has been fucking actresses, ballerinas, models and so on. Drinking cognac, whiskey and expensive vine. While regular communists had a stable low paying job leading to nowhere financed by loans. And it broke apart long before 1991 when civil war broke out.
@ChrisM-bn5vr
@ChrisM-bn5vr 8 місяців тому
People who say stuff like "All Nazi soldiers were evil bad people" or "I would have refused to fight if I was them" are fools who lack critical thinking skills. To think some kid that got conscripted to fight a war is evil is just plain ignorant, nearly everyone in that position would do the same thing.
@TheNietrzezwy
@TheNietrzezwy 8 місяців тому
No one is forcing them to kill other people. If many are following orders of a few and youre one of them, youre just another fool at the front line.
@dangernuzzles4568
@dangernuzzles4568 2 місяці тому
I have read a number of memoirs and seen a number of interviews from ww2 veterans from all sides. And they all share a link in common. Every. Single. One. said something to this effect: "I am proud of my service, but NEVER again." This is the real and most valuable lesson these elders teach us. Those who want war are always the ones who are unwilling to fight them.
@Anybodywannapeanut3
@Anybodywannapeanut3 Місяць тому
This man fought as a Nazi then an American what an incredible story!!
@dicksargent3582
@dicksargent3582 Місяць тому
Wars are for old men who don't have to fight and young men who don't yet know the horror.
@NathanielGarr0_96
@NathanielGarr0_96 28 днів тому
@@Anybodywannapeanut3Not sure if he fought as a „Nazi“. Of course many Germans at the time were Maui’s but I don’t think most of them were dedicated ones, more like the normal person doing what is opportune to do in society to be a part of it.
@rebeccasjodal9769
@rebeccasjodal9769 2 місяці тому
My great grandfather was an ambulance driver in the Army in Finland (I'm born and raised in Sweden) during WWII and their wars with the Soviet Union. I never had the chance to meet and get to know him, but my grandmother told me that he used to have horrible nightmares, screaming and sweating as he woke up. He had to chainsmoke cigarettes to be able to calm down. I can't even imagine what horrors he must have seen and experienced! He didn't care if he tended to a comrade or a Soviet prisoner of war. If he had some bread to share with them for example, he did❤ R.I.P. Great grandfather Emil
@grafficacma
@grafficacma 9 місяців тому
Whenever my grandpa told me this story he cried. He was a small child when Germans occupied Greece and he was hiding with the family in the mountains. One day they sent him to sneak in our house and find food, anything. Two SS soldiers caught him - the blond one yelled something in German, pointed his rifle and loaded a shot. The black haired SS looked at him with softer eyes, extended his arm and lowered the other soldier's rifle. He then gestured my grandfather to run away, which he did. He told me he never forgot their faces, decades later. That moment froze inside him. It's crazy when I think that I exist this day because that SS soldier extended his arm and stopped his colleague.
@prometheus_78
@prometheus_78 4 місяці тому
Beautifully and well said. It is sad to read.
@edg.brandon
@edg.brandon 4 місяці тому
Damn nazi
@charlesg7926
@charlesg7926 4 місяці тому
Ah yes, the blonde was bad guy and black haired was good guy, huh? And it’s important to mention that part right? #JewishPropaganda
@AAA-hz7fh
@AAA-hz7fh 3 місяці тому
The Japanese did the same to my grandma when the Japanese invaded China
@drewdelaney4166
@drewdelaney4166 3 місяці тому
Was this in Crete your grandfather? I lived in Crete for a year when I was in the US Navy and I remember visiting the allied cemetery there
@rxw5520
@rxw5520 10 місяців тому
I met an elderly German man, maybe 92 or 93 years old, living in America about a decade ago. I couldn’t miss the opportunity since there were so few WW2 veterans left to speak to, so as respectfully as I could, I asked him, “Did you fight in the war?” He grinned slightly and raised his eyebrows and said in a thick accent, “Yes… the for *other* side!” I said, “Wow, you must have some interesting stories.” And his smile faded, and he said, “No… No stories.”
@revenanthate9030
@revenanthate9030 10 місяців тому
It's such a shame...some were just men doing what a tyrant told them
@magosmechanicus4407
@magosmechanicus4407 10 місяців тому
Im come from a country who fight it last "international" war between 1879-1884. Long time ago. Two brothers of my grandather's grandfather fought in that war. One of them was embarked on a warship who was in some brutal naval battles, including one when the enemy main flagship was captured. He had medals and ribbons for that, but is told that when someone ask him about the stories of the war, he always said the same, with sad eyes. "No stories".
@billysmith9126
@billysmith9126 10 місяців тому
​@@revenanthate9030every leader can be considered a tyrant. Don't forget, not a single country did a single thing when Germany was liquidated the Jews
@vertox78
@vertox78 10 місяців тому
​@@revenanthate9030 a tyrant that was voted by a majority of germans* be clear.
@utpharmboy2006
@utpharmboy2006 10 місяців тому
tough memories some are just incapable of speaking of. no shame with that
@BillStoppard
@BillStoppard 8 місяців тому
My Grandfather got spotted while on recon and had a group 4 German soldiers ask him to come out from hiding, alone under his jeep, so they could surrender. The saddest moment he ever shared was of comforting a wounded 'enemy' who did not make it. We owe that generation so much.
@Rockhound6165
@Rockhound6165 7 місяців тому
There were stories from the Desert Storm that were similar.
@moisesperez4605
@moisesperez4605 7 місяців тому
That is the greatest generation, my grandfather served. Also in WWII, he’s passed away already, but I think he would be rolling in his grave, just a think what we as Americans are going through with a man like Donald J Trump, spitting image of Hitler. It’s so sad.
@timoconnell5804
@timoconnell5804 7 місяців тому
@@moisesperez4605 that's A) off topic, and B) not even true lol. I'm guessing you're far left by saying this but come on dude. Also you typed this 3 days ago, I don't know if internet explorer has updated yet, but Biden's in the white house right now, not Trump. Just leave shit alone, Jesus. you gonna ignore Biden's clueless dumbassery like that then?
@nukeputin420
@nukeputin420 7 місяців тому
​@@Rockhound6165 Bitter irony. GIs, including my grandfather risked their lives to destroy fascism, and 1/3rd of our country blindly worships a McDonald's-swallowing fascist...
@Rockhound6165
@Rockhound6165 7 місяців тому
@@nukeputin420 Joe Biden eats McDonald's?
@Eimsbush1986
@Eimsbush1986 2 місяці тому
My loved Grandpa Willhelm from Hamburg was fighting at the Westernfront. In my Childhood he tell me horrible war Storys. At this Time in my Age i cant realize . I Know from my Father my Grandpa often screams and cry in and After nightmares. He was a Broken man. I have tears in my eyes to write this down. He was the lovliest an best Person i Ever knew. The Angel of the whole Familiy. In the year 2000 he lost the fight against Cancer. Im miss him and my Grandma so much. She lived in Hamburg at the Time of Operation Gomora. The Storys of her were frightened as Hell. WAR is terrible
@TheMasonK
@TheMasonK 10 місяців тому
His story about the trial for a man who was sentenced to death for just being worried really hit me. 😢
@jgstargazer
@jgstargazer 10 місяців тому
Mason: That's why there needs to be checks and balances at the very start. Once one side has total power these things can and will happen. MAGA or a supporter could be a future target.
@shiriese
@shiriese 10 місяців тому
Like how the one guy being imprisoned for posting memes about Hillary Clinton. Biden administration is following in the steps of totalitarianism it seems like he’s arresting all political opponents.
@josephdontworryaboutit4495
@josephdontworryaboutit4495 10 місяців тому
@@jgstargazer Lmao you really just said maga could be targets like it isn’t the side that is plagued with and rubs shoulders with overt neo-nazi groups
@terryglovier5803
@terryglovier5803 10 місяців тому
The USA is headed in that direction if we don't wake up
@donjuan8124
@donjuan8124 10 місяців тому
@@jgstargazer looks like white people in general will be the target in America soon. You can see it building up to that. Not like it happens over night. Slowly working their way towards it
@jimmersion3808
@jimmersion3808 10 місяців тому
They really need to interview Hugo Broch. He's the last surviving German ww2 flying Ace. He is currently 101 years old. (Edit): Hey wow didn't expect this comment to get so many likes. If anyone knows how to contact him that would be amazing. To the people in the comments below arguing about the war I'd recommend the book "A thousand shall fall" by Susi Hasel Mundy. It's a true story is about a man who served in the Pioneers in the German Wehrmacht in WW2. Like the Desmond Doss story he never carried a gun in combat. Franz hasel, a 40-year-old pacifist, was drafted and assigned to Pioneer Company 699, Hitler's elite troops who built bridges at the front lines. He carried a blackened piece of wood in his holster the entire war and would warn jews before the SS got to them on the eastern front. Not every German in the army believed the propaganda or wanted the war. This book is a great example of that. It also dives into his wife's experiences back at home and the hard choices they had to make as civilians.
@msau9747
@msau9747 10 місяців тому
Thats got to be so hard to get access to someone like that. Hard to believe he's still alive.
@hudsonumi
@hudsonumi 10 місяців тому
@@msau9747 Surprised he isn’t behind bars
@hblock8361
@hblock8361 10 місяців тому
@@hudsonumiwhy should he be behind bars?
@Wycher
@Wycher 10 місяців тому
@@hudsonumi for what
@huytran6696
@huytran6696 10 місяців тому
@@hudsonumi not all Germans in ww2 commit war crimes
@darleneschneck
@darleneschneck 6 місяців тому
I had the supreme honor of meeting Dr. Forster and designing his book for him. His story is unbelievable, how he escaped certain death a number of times, including during his time in various prison camps after the war. The story of how he reunited with his parents is one of the most touching moments I’ve ever read. Dr Forster is a wonderful, wise, and kind gentleman, and I highly recommend his book. You won’t be able to put it down.
@pippa212
@pippa212 5 місяців тому
Name of book?
@loery
@loery 2 місяці тому
@@pippa212 "Farewell, Berlin"
@Punki80
@Punki80 Місяць тому
@@loery That is so funny in the sense that I can still detect his Berlin accent (I´m German, but very far from Berlin, but love the accent). I have been looking for a comment that reveals his home town to see if Berlin was correct. Thank you for providing the title.
@michaelnoneya7342
@michaelnoneya7342 7 місяців тому
In 1973 i was stationed in Germany where my first child was born. My in-laws came to visit and my FIL was a WWII vet. One evening he went exploring around Gieblestadt. My MIL had me go look for him and I found him in a local Gasthouse sitting at the Stammtisch hoisting brews with some old German soldiers and swapping war stories. What a sight.
@denisek292
@denisek292 2 місяці тому
What a heartwarming story, which made me tear-up. Both your father-in-law and German WWII vets were boys fighting a war, not of their making. The WWII generation exhibits wonderful humanity by the way they live/lived, for their bravery, patriotism and willingness to forgive. They are “The Greatest Generation.”
@sec9788
@sec9788 2 місяці тому
🤨. Sounds like he was fraternizing with the enemy. Not cool.
@moniquedelaney7958
@moniquedelaney7958 Місяць тому
@@sec9788what rubbish are you talking about ?
@HappyPoppyFlowers-nr4jh
@HappyPoppyFlowers-nr4jh Місяць тому
​@@denisek292Sad ! That the Imperialist , Fascist , Japanese soldier didn't receive much of any sympathy , empathy for their brutal , fanatical / tenacious fighting on , not just the hellish , bloody island hopping , and Asian Mainland fighting too !!
@Thatdragon2011
@Thatdragon2011 Місяць тому
@@sec9788Can you shut up to just enjoy a good story.
@jessemat7553
@jessemat7553 9 місяців тому
The Eastern front was for the Germans a living hell. My grandpa, as a Hungarian, went there in January '45 with 100 men at that time. He as one of the two that survived. He is still going strong today!
@unclekenny1127
@unclekenny1127 9 місяців тому
Dude, how old is he? You should write his stories and share it with the world.
@jessemat7553
@jessemat7553 9 місяців тому
@@unclekenny1127 He is from 1930. He went there as a 15 year old. Believe it or not but he's still in competitions for table tennis 😜. There is a book on progress of his life, but a program like 'Memoirs of WWII' would be much more educative
@unclekenny1127
@unclekenny1127 9 місяців тому
@@jessemat7553 Wow, he's into table tennis competitions! Now I want to learn to play that. Haha. Interesting stuff.
@Rumpleforeskin77
@Rumpleforeskin77 9 місяців тому
Thank him for his valiant effort fighting on the right side .
@frawi790
@frawi790 9 місяців тому
@@Rumpleforeskin77 you mean the nazi were the right side?
@Zipgun66
@Zipgun66 10 місяців тому
Simply amazing that he survived the war then to become a US citizen and ultimately serve our country and rise through the ranks to become a Colonel....utmost respect sir! Amazing story and thank you for your service and dedication to your community and country... Hand Salute
@opoxious1592
@opoxious1592 10 місяців тому
I salute with you
@SoCal780
@SoCal780 10 місяців тому
As do I.
@Nick_B_Bad
@Nick_B_Bad 10 місяців тому
🖐🏻
@broflo3875
@broflo3875 10 місяців тому
"Hand salute"........what kind? 🤔
@opoxious1592
@opoxious1592 10 місяців тому
@@broflo3875 Offcourse the Global salute
@Ctrl_Alt_Delete_Yourself
@Ctrl_Alt_Delete_Yourself 7 місяців тому
Hearing these stories brings tears to my eyes, I can’t fathom the horrors of those wars. God bless them.
@johnkirk1772
@johnkirk1772 7 місяців тому
this story..it's so strange.. I have heard it before, nearly 1 to 1 from my great-uncle - conscripted the same year at the same age, father served in WW1, sent to the western front, from the same region in Germany, very similar surrender story 'when the Americans arrived, just hands up, that was it', returned the same year in '46, also went to the countryside after for a bit, even the glasses in the background of the video stand in a similarly outfitted cupboard in his house... the lucky ones of that generation all went through the same thing
@davidhess6593
@davidhess6593 13 днів тому
God bless Nazis??? What God is that? It's for sure not the God of the Jewish people!
@RedDesertRoz
@RedDesertRoz 6 місяців тому
Made me cry, this story. There are no winners in war. So many lives of our dear people were lost in this brutality. War is always best avoided. Glad this man's life was not lost like so many others.
@Brandon-nr8fn
@Brandon-nr8fn 6 місяців тому
No no, USA and Russia won. Gloriously
@ES-lh1tj
@ES-lh1tj 10 місяців тому
Interesting memoir...reminds me of my grandfather....he was a German pilot in training in 1945...only 16 years old. The Luftwaffe forced him into a Bf 109, gave him no ammo, and was told to act as a "shield" following behind the experienced pilots so they wouldn't get shot down. Well, he got shot down on his second mission by a Russian fighter. He crash landed in eastern Germany which was under Russian occupation as they moved on Berlin. He said he escaped capture and made his way to the US where he drove a commuter bus in New Jersey for the rest of his life. I asked him why he chose that occupation. He told me because it was "A quiet job"....and in his humorous way that because, "Buses are hard to shoot down".
@serpentines6356
@serpentines6356 8 місяців тому
That is quite a story. Hats off to your grandpa. Hope he is having a good quiet time. 🙂
@Brian-ux3jx
@Brian-ux3jx 8 місяців тому
Its one thing to get shot at. Its another to get at it the sky and without the ability to fight back. Brave man
@tiffanygrever8092
@tiffanygrever8092 8 місяців тому
That terrible and cowardly that they would use a sixteen year old boy as a human shield.
@jlo7770
@jlo7770 8 місяців тому
@@tiffanygrever8092 you do realize you're talking about nazi Germany right? That's the least cowardly thing they did
@tiffanygrever8092
@tiffanygrever8092 8 місяців тому
@@jlo7770 oh believe me I know there rap sheet but these stories still shock me the depth of how low they would go.
@Mixwell1983
@Mixwell1983 10 місяців тому
Its crazy how time goes by, as a kid in the early 90s there plenty of ww2 vets in their 70s and now theyre almost all gone. The Vietnam vets are now the age of the ww2 vets I remembered as a kid. These were all our parents and grandparents and the last of a generation and it's really depressing that this generation is dying out. I'm glad this channel is documenting it to keep their stories alive.
@katyusha2262
@katyusha2262 9 місяців тому
very well said
@brettb4452
@brettb4452 9 місяців тому
The young kids today won't even know this happened or just think it's like some kind of movie. Sad but they don't teach much in schools anymore. The further away we get from it, the more likely we are to repeat it.
@travguy3626
@travguy3626 9 місяців тому
@@brettb4452 THey still teach plenty about WW2 in school, although here in the US, it mainly focuses on the American part of the story.
@johnboy14
@johnboy14 9 місяців тому
Losing this generation is very evident in our politics today. The hunger for conflict is still there despite the horrors these people endured.
@josephvega3763
@josephvega3763 9 місяців тому
Perfectly stated
@John-hs2xx
@John-hs2xx 7 місяців тому
Before my father passed away at 90 years old, he started talking about his experiences, as a kid living just outside Amsterdam, and the German occupation of the Netherlands. The things he witnessed are mind boggling. Let's keep the memories alive.
@Supernova1.980
@Supernova1.980 7 місяців тому
but the Germans treated Dutch people well, didn´t they? as they regarded Dutch and other ethinicities similar to them.
@John-hs2xx
@John-hs2xx 7 місяців тому
@@Supernova1.980 Short answer: NO.
@Supernova1.980
@Supernova1.980 7 місяців тому
Ok@@John-hs2xx
@Lazendra
@Lazendra 4 місяці тому
Short answer. Many collaborated more than willingly and also delivered Jews wherever they could. Dutch love to present themselves as angels which they were by no means.
@sec9788
@sec9788 2 місяці тому
@@LazendraWe’re (USA) funding a war in a CERTAIN part of the world with a CERTAIN group of people…I think reparations have been made.
@ShimitBlast
@ShimitBlast Місяць тому
Capturing these stories is truly a calling. Thank you for sharing.
@bobafett1313
@bobafett1313 10 місяців тому
I’m glad you guys are interviewing the German perspective. We don’t get enough of a perspective from their side. I’m not talking about the politics but the average Wehrmacht soldier who fought for their country not for its leaders.
@brantdanger
@brantdanger 10 місяців тому
The German leaders also fought for their country.
@thegrizzbear7593
@thegrizzbear7593 10 місяців тому
​​@@brantdanger am sure you understand what he meant, dont try twisting his words to fit your view.
@revolution1423
@revolution1423 9 місяців тому
They did fight for their government and rightfully so. It's been 80 years. Time to start telling the truth about that conflict.
@bobafett1313
@bobafett1313 9 місяців тому
@@revolution1423 Many fought because they had to, late into the war Hitler forced a draft upon the German people forcing boys younger than 18 to fight. They HAD to fight or they would be traitors. All Germans were not evil as the history books would tell you. Just like all allied troops were not saints.
@rinoking88
@rinoking88 9 місяців тому
@@revolution1423 The “truth” or what you want to hear? WWII is one of the most documented conflicts in history with easily accessible accounts from all sides. The truth is widely known.
@shieldranger1368
@shieldranger1368 10 місяців тому
Became a doctor, and served in the us army after all that. Much respect
@steveb6718
@steveb6718 9 місяців тому
the US army, starting fake wars for 100 years..... Vietnam was a hoax, Iraq was a hoax, Afghanistan was a hoax. let me quote General Patton before he was murdered, "we fought for the wrong side"
@questionableclips
@questionableclips 9 місяців тому
@@repentandbelieveinJesusChrist2true
@Toujeo
@Toujeo 9 місяців тому
traitor
@ricardofernando5617
@ricardofernando5617 9 місяців тому
​@@Toujeostfu
@wunderwaffe7998
@wunderwaffe7998 9 місяців тому
@@Toujeoagreed
@hondaphan4172
@hondaphan4172 4 місяці тому
When I was a kid one of my neighbors from across the street was a US Navy "lifer" who served twenty years and he was at Pearl Harbor on that fateful day. One summer afternoon when I was a teenager he invited me inside his kitchen and told me stories of that day and he even had pictures. He was a living, breathing history book who actually lived through it. I'll never forget the hour I spent listening to his stories and sharing the historic photos with me. RIP, (Bill) Mr Weidmaier.
@KappaClaus
@KappaClaus 7 місяців тому
My grandfather was a WW2 concentration lair prisoner and survived because he was an engeneer and could build radios for the germans. He never spoke about the war, would tie up and become blank when thinking about it. I've only heard some stories of what he went through, death of his friends, starvation, death and disease everywhere.
@myview2543
@myview2543 3 місяці тому
My grandfather escaped Poland but his brother was killed in auschwitz and first wife killed by the Russians. He went through hell and so did his kids.
@denisek292
@denisek292 2 місяці тому
I’m so sorry for what your grandfather saw and endured…it’s unimaginable. He lived, and it’s a blessing you are his living legacy.
@denisek292
@denisek292 2 місяці тому
@@myview2543 I’m so sorry for your family’s tragic losses. My great-grandfather lived on the German/Polish border. He immigrated to America in the late 19th century. Unfortunately, his brother stayed-behind. Family members were split-up, and sent to various concentration camps, where most perished. The Holocaust tortured and killed innocents, but its evil denied us the joy and love lost from their deaths.
@ArizonaGunsDave
@ArizonaGunsDave 10 місяців тому
Until you walk a mile in this man's shoes you will never understand. After watching this video, it brought tears to my eyes because this man reminded me of someone, someone who I can't stop thinking about till this day! I was in the US Army in between 1989 to 1993 and in 1990, I was in Kaiserslautern Germany in a pub along with a friend. We were both 18 at the time and we were sitting up at the bar when I noticed an older man a few seats away on my right staring at me and my friend. The man looked to be in his mid 60's or so at the time and then he spoke to us. He said, "Are you American soldiers?" and clearly I could tell this man was German by his accent and I told him that we were American Soldiers. The man then said, "Thank you for what you young boys are doing and thank you for being here!" We thanked him and both me and my friend were still trying to figure out who this man was. He then told us that he was a former German Nazi Soldier during WWII and he told us how sorry he was for the things he has done and he said that there hasn't been a day gone by in his life that he doesn't have regrets. He said he was our age at the time, scared and only did what he was supposed to do and if he refused he would be killed. I told the man that he doesn't have to apologize to me or my friend. I told him we're just kids and we have no idea what you had to go through and we weren't here to judge him. The man continued to talk with us for the rest of the night, buying me and my friend beers and then it was time to go. We shook his hand and then left. When we walked outside I told my friend, "We just graduated high school not too long ago and to think, we just got the best history lesson of our lives tonight!" I am 51 now, I think about this man from time to time. I wonder if he was able to live a somewhat happy and fruitful life but it was clear at the time, the man had many regrets. I am sure some of you will judge him and maybe me for that matter but I am the one that experienced this and this sit down and he was the one who experienced what it was like to be so unfortunate to be an 18 year old male kid during that time. God Bless all who fought during WWII and rest in piece!
@PK__44
@PK__44 10 місяців тому
Thank you for sharing this, may that man Rest In Peace. Did you get his name?
@ArizonaGunsDave
@ArizonaGunsDave 10 місяців тому
@@PK__44 Honestly I don’t remember if I did and I forgot or if he did at all it was a long time ago but he was a very nice man.
@ernestpaniagua1210
@ernestpaniagua1210 10 місяців тому
I also got to meet German WW ll veterans when I was in the Berlin Brigade 88-92 to include my ex- girlfriend dad who survived the entire war drafted in 38 survived the Eastern front only to be captured in Berlin by the Soviet army he spent several years in a Soviet prison. Joining the new German army and retired in 72 one hell of a man. I don't know how in the hell he survived.
@josephhudson8829
@josephhudson8829 10 місяців тому
We were road marching to Graf and an old man gave us the peace sign. Cool that was 83 or 84 Lt Col Tommy R Franks Commanding
@m42037
@m42037 10 місяців тому
@@ernestpaniagua1210 The mind can be very tough, the will to survive where many say F it and give up and just die
@Alex-kd5xc
@Alex-kd5xc 10 місяців тому
I’ve been on a WW2 history binge the last few months and weirdly enough, the more I learn about the war, the more anxious I feel with the knowledge that the last survivors of it won’t be here for much longer. You don’t know how relieved I am to see their stories being documented. The most respectful (and responsible) thing we can do for them is to NEVER forget what they sacrificed so that we and our children never have to do the same.
@MrRedeyedJedi
@MrRedeyedJedi 10 місяців тому
Sadly, too many have forgotten what our forefathers fought and died for and now, Russia threatens to reignite an ember that could turn once again to rolling flame for years.
@spookyt8692
@spookyt8692 10 місяців тому
Pop a name on a marble wall and have a minute silence is how we remember our dead in the U.K. a load of bollocks if you ask me considering people can’t even name 20 Of the fallen in the war on terror let alone those who died between now and the retreat from Kabul for example. People die to be nameless biomass in our mind.
@normalizedinsanity4873
@normalizedinsanity4873 10 місяців тому
@@MrRedeyedJedi Its a US proxy war
@normalizedinsanity4873
@normalizedinsanity4873 10 місяців тому
The US has been slaughtering innocent pewople for 20 years
@philmitchellboxing8661
@philmitchellboxing8661 10 місяців тому
​@@MrRedeyedJediits America at fault.
@franksimek6949
@franksimek6949 5 місяців тому
God bless you & your family for sharing these stories. Thank you for not allowing a huge piece of history to slip through our fingers.
@Celeste_92
@Celeste_92 7 місяців тому
My godfather who raised me was in the Navy in WWII. He had so many intense and fascinating stories. He passed away in 2018 at the age of 98. RIP Bob 💙
@joshuaperrin3910
@joshuaperrin3910 10 місяців тому
Definitely would like to see something from the Italian or Japanese perspective.
@patrickfreeman8257
@patrickfreeman8257 10 місяців тому
I was just thinking the same thing
@endo4137
@endo4137 10 місяців тому
There are actually plenty of documentaries out there of Italian soldiers on UKposts
@RabidDog7
@RabidDog7 10 місяців тому
There is one specific book on Audible books by an Italian soldier. It will surprise you how poorly they were treated by the Germans. Mildly interesting
@Poetry4Peace
@Poetry4Peace 10 місяців тому
​@@RabidDog7 mildly aha first time herd that xD
@alejo7625
@alejo7625 10 місяців тому
​@@RabidDog7they deserved it
@tinalisapattern
@tinalisapattern 10 місяців тому
My uncle was conscripted nearing the end of WWII at the age of 16. When they boarded the train. the trainstation was bombed and they fled from the train. He and a few others hid in the woods for several weeks untill the war finally ended. Those who returned and went to the frontline, were never to come home again. My uncle is now close to 94 and still alive to tell of it.
@josephback-upaccount6116
@josephback-upaccount6116 10 місяців тому
And today Ukraine grabbing 16 year old boys off the street to go die rather than negotiate for peace. Disgraceful waste.
@Dulex123
@Dulex123 10 місяців тому
Try and get him interviewed!
@donny303
@donny303 10 місяців тому
Coward.
@Rumpleforeskin77
@Rumpleforeskin77 9 місяців тому
He was fighting for the good guys bless him
@strfltcmnd.9925
@strfltcmnd.9925 9 місяців тому
He was smart and did the right thing. Hitler and his thugs were not worth dying for.
@Thorinsfriend
@Thorinsfriend 7 місяців тому
My german grandma was a child who had to look after her 2 younger siblings while her mum worked. Her dad never returned from the war. They had to flee their home when the russians attacked. They chose boat rather than fleeing in winter on foot. Most who did died from the cold and the russian bombs. She saw the boat that she had missed hit by something and sink, saw the bodies floating while on her boat. She ended up moving to the UK and getting married to my english grandad. Neither are still here. I loved her very much.
@adambrocklehurst4211
@adambrocklehurst4211 6 місяців тому
Because Russian soldiers were not protected by the Geneva Convention, as British and American soldiers were, the Russian POW's were treated appallingly, many met the same fate as the jews. So when the Russians invaded, they were told they could do what they liked in Germany.
@laurenking5342
@laurenking5342 3 місяці тому
@@adambrocklehurst4211 Stalin's regime was responsible for 50 million deaths across Russia and Europe and they were brutal everywhere they went.
@aizac91
@aizac91 2 місяці тому
@@adambrocklehurst4211the Russian weren’t saint. And to be frank by that time when the Russian invaded, the Russian government was already the Bolshevik running it. Massive numbers of Europeans were killed by the Russians (from east to west)
@robertoflores9080
@robertoflores9080 4 місяці тому
I think I could spend my entire life reading and watching stuff about WW2. Amazing video.
@njcanuck
@njcanuck 9 місяців тому
My father taught radar, an emerging technology in WW2. He couldn't talk about it for 50 years bc of Official Secrets Act. Radar had a huge impact on the war. There is a neglected radar museum in London Ontario Airport which he helped to create. He passed in 2021 at age 100.
@ayn30
@ayn30 7 місяців тому
How old are you if your father is 102 in 2023?
@jackdoyle7453
@jackdoyle7453 7 місяців тому
Your father did a great thing. He helped hold back the tide of darkness that was Germany. If it wasn't for him and the millions of others who came from afar to save Europe, the world would be a darker place.
@richardw3470
@richardw3470 6 місяців тому
My ex-neighbor's FIL also did something similar in the US. He traveled around the country taking his wife and child with him installing and teaching the military about it. At war's end they were in CA where he stayed til '48 or '49. The military wanted him to 'join up' with a COL's commission but he refused since he was in his 40s - an engineer, too set in his ways (you know engineers), etc. He may have been working for Bendix - I've forgotten.
@marcos14223
@marcos14223 5 місяців тому
thats a myth, the only huge impact are the millions of soviets that gave their life... he says it on the video... going east was death, its like ppl cant understand the magnitude of eastern front...
@jscho8674
@jscho8674 5 місяців тому
I hope my sons and I can see that museum one day. Your dad must have been a brilliant man. ❤
@christopherdavis2793
@christopherdavis2793 10 місяців тому
My grandfather is 99 and served in both ww2 and the Korean War as an MP. Although he never saw combat - fortunately, he has an incredible story having grown up in the dust bowl, losing everything as a result of that disaster, and then building a career in the Army. He would love to share his story if you were interested.
@kelvinsurname7051
@kelvinsurname7051 10 місяців тому
Please thanks him for his service, I wish I could meet one of these heroes, they truely are tje Greatest Generation. Forever will I be grateful for his service and sacrifices. A Generation we stay in depth in greater than numbers. To those whogave their live, perished, and those who are still living among usGod Bless you, . God bless the Greatest Generation!
@m42037
@m42037 10 місяців тому
Thank the great generation not many are still with us, if it wasn't for them we wouldn't be talking right now
@watersbey25
@watersbey25 10 місяців тому
No flighting during WW2? Perhaps as a non WW2 story about the dust bowl
@STaeschner
@STaeschner 10 місяців тому
Never saw combat? He was married, wasn't he?
@darrinrentruc6614
@darrinrentruc6614 10 місяців тому
@@m42037 If fools keep voting for democrats it will soon be the same in the states.
@boryagin
@boryagin 11 днів тому
Thank you for publishing this man's story. I had some vague understanding of that side of the war but it feels like the puzzle is complete.
@SANXH0
@SANXH0 6 місяців тому
Hearing a story like this brought back lots of memories of listening to great grandfather talking about ww2 as a German soldier, i also wish I could’ve heard more stories from my great great grandfather who fought isn ww1… RIP to all the fallen
@626pingj
@626pingj 10 місяців тому
My Opa fought in WWI for the Germans. After the war he emigrated to America. Hearing this story reminded me of him.
@mmmmmmmmfood
@mmmmmmmmfood 9 місяців тому
have he told you some stories from ww1?
@xCORRNHOLIOx
@xCORRNHOLIOx 8 місяців тому
Too bad he survived so you could be born and look up to nazis
@JD1010101110
@JD1010101110 8 місяців тому
Its entirely different; WW1 was a pointless waste of life mostly caused by elites either wanting a war or being too indifferent to stop it. Soldiers fighting for Germany in WW1 weren't fighting on behalf of evil.
@kalajari1749
@kalajari1749 8 місяців тому
​@@JD1010101110Neither were they in ww2
@JD1010101110
@JD1010101110 8 місяців тому
@@kalajari1749 No, in WW2 they were fighting to wipe out the Jewish people and enslave the world.
@stevegribble8461
@stevegribble8461 8 місяців тому
I was lucky and got so many stories from my grandfather, he was a submariner and was called up In 1941, I'm proud to say I have all his medals paper work and pictures, what a brave generation..thanks to all veterans
@JD1010101110
@JD1010101110 8 місяців тому
Who are you thanking here? German veterans? for what defending nazi regime and the holocaust? for invading all of europe?
@denisek292
@denisek292 2 місяці тому
You have good reason to be proud of your grandfather, as he was a hero. It’s wonderful he shared his WWII experiences w/ you, and how cool to have his medals and war memorabilia. He was part of “The Greatest Generation.” Military personnel and veterans are true heroes: Without them, our freedoms would perish.
@binoculord
@binoculord 28 днів тому
What was the name and side of the sub?My grandad did 7 patrols on Dace SS247
@jonathonmullinix4624
@jonathonmullinix4624 6 хвилин тому
The end broke my heart… to have lived through such a horrid time and to see history possibly so quickly repeating itself…
@Bene_Factum
@Bene_Factum Місяць тому
I'm so thankful for what ya'll are doing. I went to some of the local colleges at two VA hospitals and asked if we could get some of the students to record the WWII Veteran's stories and was always met with a "no." I was able to record some stories and had Veteran's family members give me transcripts that the Veteran had recorded. There are so many amazing stories that will never be known. The stories I have from fellow Veterans and my family members I will always cherish and tell at nauseum, so they are never forgotten.
@AdZS848
@AdZS848 9 місяців тому
At the History of Germany museum there's an exhibition about war orphans. There are pictures of children found alone wandering the streets. Some people found as toddlers and no one knew who they are and their parents were most likely deceased. They were given a names by the Red Cross and their last name is the village where they were found. There are people around who don't know anything who they were: their name, their age, their real birthday... they have no idea. I can't imagine .
@JD1010101110
@JD1010101110 8 місяців тому
Strikes me they are better off, than to grow raised by nazis.
@wendyshaddick9314
@wendyshaddick9314 7 місяців тому
😢
@flannerymonaghan-morris4825
@flannerymonaghan-morris4825 7 місяців тому
This is what breaks my heart. No kid should ever have to go through what those kids went through. And their situation was not unique. This literally happened all over Europe and in Asia as well-countless kids lost their families due to acts of violence.
@tomaszpin.355
@tomaszpin.355 7 місяців тому
Here are some other facts about German soldiers ukposts.info/have/v-deo/cXKbfY-CqGp0t58.html
@rebeccasjodal9769
@rebeccasjodal9769 2 місяці тому
Children like that are also very exposed to exploitation in everything from child labour to sexual workers unfortunately💔😭
@dbslanders5547
@dbslanders5547 10 місяців тому
And this is why I donate. You guys are one hell of a group of people. These stories could absolutely re-write history in some form or fashion. CHEERS!!
@chomi6312
@chomi6312 Місяць тому
underrated channel, thank you for your stories
@bwemmie007
@bwemmie007 2 місяці тому
My grandmother lived in Rotterdam during the was. The family was starving, and sent my grandmother to get potatoes from the trainstation. When she was trying to get some potatoes, she had to slam the side and hope for a potatoe to fall of. When she did this, she heard a click behind her. It was a German soldier clocked his rifle. When he looked at the small girl, he put his finger in front of his mouth to tell her to be quiet. He then slammed his hand against the train cart and she got as many potatoes as she could carry. Saved her family and thats why i am here!! There are good in the world......
@hermannjoseph
@hermannjoseph 2 місяці тому
Love this story, thanks for sharing
@robertwbingo
@robertwbingo 10 місяців тому
He reminds me of my grandfather who was a German horse soldier during World War I. He brought his family to the USA in 1923. My mother, born in Hannover, was two at the time. What a great man Mr. Forster is, to have accomplished so much in his lifetime. He's a truly great American.
@carelmalouf7375
@carelmalouf7375 9 місяців тому
It is so nice to hear stories from all sides of the war not just the winning side. People so easily forget that the Germans were also just kids following orders like the allied soldiers and we are so quick to point fingers and compare them to the monsters that led them. Much respect to all veterans from all wars.
@60trickpa
@60trickpa 9 місяців тому
I agree they where all soldiers doing what they thought was right and following orders
@Cyclerdam-qt8rx
@Cyclerdam-qt8rx 9 місяців тому
But we also need to remember that Hitler didn't get his power by force. He was elected.
@linasvaskys3383
@linasvaskys3383 9 місяців тому
I don't have any respect to Russian soldiers for what they did to my relatives and country during 50 years ocuppation.
@ThePmcderm91
@ThePmcderm91 9 місяців тому
Most people don’t understand that the Wehrmacht ≠ the SS
@dajo1373
@dajo1373 9 місяців тому
​@@ThePmcderm91 Even the SS isn't always the same. In the Beginn most SS-Men standing behind the Nazi ideals, but in the end many kids were forced into the SS.
@user-ie5rr7mj9u
@user-ie5rr7mj9u 2 місяці тому
He simply told it like it was, no glory or hype. Much respect for those like him
@openspace9637
@openspace9637 8 місяців тому
This man proves that you can’t grasp how critical the issues are around you until you have experienced them first hand and it will forever change you
@moisesperez4605
@moisesperez4605 7 місяців тому
That’s why, when he said that, seeing the events of today, reminds him of the time when he was young back in Germany, in my thought right away, went to Donald J Trump, and his followers, the insurrection, putting people against each other, so sad that this man is remembering what he went through back in Germany.
@dionlindsay2
@dionlindsay2 2 місяці тому
Wait a minute. So we can't learn critically from other people's experiences? But that's the purpose of these videos, so we CAN. Even I'm not that pessimistic 🙂
@stevemcneal7069
@stevemcneal7069 10 місяців тому
Love hearing different perspectives of ww2. It’s crazy to me that he went from fighting against the allies for the nazi to serving in the U.S. military. Almost like mini operation paperclip.
@jean6872
@jean6872 10 місяців тому
*_Lots of Nazis made it to the USA and became American citizens._*
@dougerrohmer
@dougerrohmer 10 місяців тому
You shouldn't use the word "nazi" interchangeably with "German". It's like saying any American is a trumpanzee, it doesn't work that way.
@WolfBlade706
@WolfBlade706 10 місяців тому
@@dougerrohmer Comparing nazis to MAGA supporters is a big reach my dude very shocking you did that
@dougerrohmer
@dougerrohmer 10 місяців тому
@@WolfBlade706 That's not my point, but there are people who would compare the Munich Putsch and Capitol Hill insurrection to one another. My point was that you can't call everybody in a country by the same label as the bossman up in Berlin or Mar-i-Lago.
@WolfBlade706
@WolfBlade706 10 місяців тому
@@dougerrohmer Capital hill was an inside job 🙄
@abestm8
@abestm8 10 місяців тому
I am 70 this month and served my country for ten years in the 70's. Now, once again, as it has always been, one man is responsible for so much death and destruction of good people just trying to survive. I am glad you did Sir. We as a species need to change before time runs out. Respect to you.
@weisthor0815
@weisthor0815 10 місяців тому
it wasn´t just one man back then and it is not just one man now. to really believe this is very naive.
@Rumorr
@Rumorr 10 місяців тому
thank you for your service
@elonfux2492
@elonfux2492 10 місяців тому
It’s called the military industrial complex. The people who actually run things are nameless and faceless in the west, but hellbent on destruction
@brantdanger
@brantdanger 10 місяців тому
There's never just "one man" responsible for so much death and destruction. That sounds like something a woman would say. Churchill and Roosevelt lied their people into another war with Germany. Stalin amassed a giant military (bolstered by the US) poised for invasion, but beaten to the punch with Operation Barbarossa. Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin - three complete bastards that caused unfathomable suffering.
@padmalosan23
@padmalosan23 7 місяців тому
Incredible story , Incredible Human Being ❤ Hats off !! Love you Sir !!
@mrdddeeezzzweldor5039
@mrdddeeezzzweldor5039 6 місяців тому
This is important work, well presented and narrated. I have donated through your website. Thank you for 'this' service!
@imbok
@imbok 10 місяців тому
The lesson of your work is to listen to the words of our elders, the people who've lived a life and learned it's lessons the hard way. No matter the country they come from, each has a story worth listening to. It's up to us to decide what we do with the stories they share. We are the ones who decide what our lives will be like today. Bravo on your work and thank you, Wolfram, for sharing your story.
@Xfonic
@Xfonic 9 місяців тому
That was the first time I watched a German soldier tell his story. And my heart broke for him as a boy. War is terrible for all involved. And my love, and respect, goes out to all the fallen regardless of what side you fought on. As they say. Death is the great equalizer of us all.
@JD1010101110
@JD1010101110 8 місяців тому
So your heart goes out to people who wanted to annhilate jewish people from this earth? hunt gay people, cleanse all the less than, and them kill anyone who stood in their way? NAZIS ARE BAD, PEOPLE WHO FIGHT FOR NAZIS ARE BAD. this shouldn't be a difficult thing to understand.
@alanroberts6663
@alanroberts6663 7 місяців тому
And only the dead have seen the end of war.
@jackdoyle7453
@jackdoyle7453 7 місяців тому
@@alanroberts6663 Not according to Christianity
@jackdoyle7453
@jackdoyle7453 7 місяців тому
@@alanroberts6663 or norse mythology
@jackdoyle7453
@jackdoyle7453 7 місяців тому
@@alanroberts6663 or Hinduism
@Tonyscasa
@Tonyscasa 7 місяців тому
Thank you for sharing this story . I am very proud of my relationship with a Canadian WW2 veteran . He was on a Canadian ship that sunk a U-boat. He served as a commissioner for a local Navy unit in Vancouver . I lost contact with him but we had very good memories . Thank You Bruce !
@RuiBossTheOnly
@RuiBossTheOnly 13 днів тому
Excellent production and presentation, thank you for honoring this man.
@HerrKaleu777
@HerrKaleu777 10 місяців тому
Did my civil service taking care of elderly ppl in Germany. Heard so many war stories. My father was sent out in the Volkssturm at the age of 14.We have a memorial wall at our local cemetery where many WWII soldiers from here are buried saying"I memorial of those who died and a warning to those who live". To bad, ppl forget so easily...
@Sharkaiju
@Sharkaiju 10 місяців тому
I'm so glad this channel exists. To hear all these stories that are so full of life and experience. The terrors and horrors, The great and good. Nothing is more valuable than history because it can't be replaced, only forgotten and with a wonderful channel like this, it gives us hope that it will never be forgotten. Thank you so much.
@Sharkaiju
@Sharkaiju 10 місяців тому
So many perspectives on a single topic. It seems endless.
@bergmann.
@bergmann. 10 місяців тому
war crimes by the american army must never be forgotten
@davidtwliew616
@davidtwliew616 10 місяців тому
​@@bergmann. so are war crimes of all armies. Don't just paint one cat black and ignore the rest. You must be dreaming.
@taitslong3417
@taitslong3417 8 місяців тому
These videos are gems... After few more years, none would be there to tell first hand experience.
@subnoizesoldier2
@subnoizesoldier2 2 місяці тому
Thank you so much for doing this. I’ve always wanted to talk to people who been there all the wars it doesn’t matter. They all have a story to tell so amazing I love history.
@davidbray2500
@davidbray2500 10 місяців тому
After all those years, the way he began to tear up about the letter from his mother.
@strfltcmnd.9925
@strfltcmnd.9925 9 місяців тому
Did he shed a tear for the civilians they killed for getting in the way?
@davidbray2500
@davidbray2500 9 місяців тому
@@strfltcmnd.9925 true that. I guess that’s war. So many civilians killed. Of interest, my Nan (in England during ww2) was walking down the St, she heard a plane screaming down and it was German, he fired at the crowd and the woman beside her was killed. For nothing. So senseless. I appreciate your opinion 👍
@kylemenos
@kylemenos 8 місяців тому
@@strfltcmnd.9925 You heard what the man said. His mission was to enter the town and get the civillians out of there and also if you say the wrong thing you are dead. Not ever single soldier was hitler or a SS member. These are the civilians of Germany they had no choice to fight. Thats what a draft is.
@marti6607
@marti6607 8 місяців тому
Do you think she or he shed a tear for all the mothers and their children he went to kill for their Fuhrer??
@marti6607
@marti6607 8 місяців тому
@@kylemenos To enter the town and get the civilians out of there?? Lol, bro, I'm from Poland and that's not what my granny who witnessed the German invasion told me, I can assure you there was no "evacuation" of civilians! In fact, go online and see what your beloved German soldiers did to Warsaw, the capital of Poland!
@GarrettsGear
@GarrettsGear 10 місяців тому
They are all just men in the end, fighting for their country and for what they are told is right... history is written by the victors. Thank you for sharing, Wolfram.
@KnockingONwood1111
@KnockingONwood1111 10 місяців тому
👌
@midmichiganrr24gp9
@midmichiganrr24gp9 10 місяців тому
Exactly this. My great grandfather and great uncles fought in the Wehrmacht. All told a very different story than what's in the history books. In fact my grandfather often wouldn't talk about it "if I tell the truth I'll be arrested" he would say
@Marco-yv1fo
@Marco-yv1fo 10 місяців тому
Tall this to the victim of holocaust… people like him cud been just soldier fighting for their home, but the story of wwII is something different
@orion5813
@orion5813 10 місяців тому
@@Marco-yv1fo there is no difference between the holocaust and what the new americans did to the native americans , america are hypocrites !
@yehor_ivanov
@yehor_ivanov 10 місяців тому
@@Marco-yv1fo to be fair, it's both this and that and we all know it, I think
@peterrollinson-lorimer
@peterrollinson-lorimer 4 місяці тому
A remarkably crisp personal account from a unique point of view. Excellent.
@charliecapo3442
@charliecapo3442 4 місяці тому
Thank you for bringing their stories to us. What you do is more important than you know, and the record of each indivworld. Personal history can now be shared with the worls.
@marknonnenmacher1918
@marknonnenmacher1918 10 місяців тому
This is pure gold! Thank you. When they tell their stories, I feel like Im right with them in the trenches or cockpits or wherever they have served. I cant even imagine how painful it must be for Dr. Forster and other vets from WW2 seeing what is happening in the world today.
@EAADetailing
@EAADetailing 8 місяців тому
These small docuseries are beautifully made. Well done finding these absolute gems of people to interview.
@moniquebrown18
@moniquebrown18 7 місяців тому
Such a gift. Thank you for recording this.
@deecawford
@deecawford 4 місяці тому
Very respectful and well presented thank you. Thank you to all soldiers of the WWll as well as support staff.
@phildanaultspizza4623
@phildanaultspizza4623 9 місяців тому
my great grandfather served in the Luftwaffe, and he never talked about the war. He has since passed, and my great grandmother just celebrated her 102nd birthday. I understand their scars, and why neither of them had ever talked about what they experienced beyond when they were evacuated from Berlin, and their siblings all being killed on the Russian front. All that remains from that time period are a handful of pictures of young men in uniform, and unmarked graves somewhere east. I cannot begin to imagine what they thought and felt. I'm just fortunate to have had them and loved them.
@JD1010101110
@JD1010101110 8 місяців тому
Well at least he's joined his siblings in hell, your grandmother sounds like she'll be down there too soon enough.
@aizac91
@aizac91 2 місяці тому
@@JD1010101110you must be Jewish. How’s the battle with Hamas going? On the news it is showing more IDF coffins coming back than Hamas getting killed. In 10 years the world view will not held Germany today as accountable for WW2 atrocities as one they’re not like that anymore and two the Germans today aren’t the past. However, in 10 years people will still see the Zionist state an a genocidal state that wipes out a native land and is the cause of the illegals of immigrants pouring into Europe.
@nathanreed4274
@nathanreed4274 Місяць тому
@@JD1010101110wtf man
@bobbyjuju7442
@bobbyjuju7442 29 днів тому
Lol.
@wojtekdomadej3808
@wojtekdomadej3808 29 днів тому
Young murderers in uniform*
@onlineguy1984
@onlineguy1984 10 місяців тому
When i was growing up it was the ww1 vets dying off. Now its the second. These guys went through hell on earth on a global scale and every one of their stories are absoulutely remarkable. Hopefully we can see some more interviews in the coming years. Were running out of this living history
@Supernova1.980
@Supernova1.980 8 місяців тому
were u born in the 80´s?
@onlineguy1984
@onlineguy1984 8 місяців тому
@@Supernova1.980 yes
@Axel.Woodward
@Axel.Woodward Місяць тому
Such amazing work, this whole video! Much respect to this man, and thanks to the whole team who shot this.
@Doesnotplaywellwithothers
@Doesnotplaywellwithothers 5 місяців тому
One of my favorite people I ever met had been a young cadet on a submarine for the German Navy. I remember him telling me how he thought that the most blessed day of his life was when he was captured and taken as a POW, by the English army. He moved to America and raised his family and was one of the kindest, most gentle man I’ve ever met. He was so tall, and I remember when he shook my hand, my hand disappearing into his because his hands were so large. You were a wonderful human being Mr. Stenchley…. I’m glad you survived the war and we’re so blessed.
@GT-mq1dx
@GT-mq1dx 10 місяців тому
I think it’s literally impossible to watch these kinds of videos regarding veterans on either side tell their stories and not shed tears of sadness. At least that’s what happens to me.
@JD1010101110
@JD1010101110 8 місяців тому
Remember he was a monster fighting to irradicate the jewish people. If you want to cry for some cry for all the poor people, starved, gassed, and experimented on by the axis.
@craigdavenport2905
@craigdavenport2905 9 місяців тому
I appreciate what you’re doing. Most WW2 vets are passing and their stories along with Korea and Vietnam should be told or they’ll be gone forever
@JTYF2
@JTYF2 7 місяців тому
This needs to be a movie with Paul Dano. What an incredible story!
@Blessed_Souls
@Blessed_Souls 20 днів тому
Well, I don't ever watch videos like this but something popped up in my feed for it and decided to watch. Little did I know I would end up crying my eyes out.
@jannis240891
@jannis240891 10 місяців тому
Omg, drafted November '44, my own Granpa was drafted for Wehrmacht December '44 one month after his 16th Birthday. It is so unreal to me, grown up in Peace, being forced to fight at such a young age. Kudos to Wolfram he is a brave man no matter which side he was on and his story deserves to be conserved!
@JD1010101110
@JD1010101110 8 місяців тому
No he is a coward and bully. No one is forced to do anything there is always a choice, to do right or do wrong. He fought for evil and if he had sucked at his job there would be no jewish people, no gay people, no utermensch...
@marti6607
@marti6607 8 місяців тому
He could have refused. And yes, it matters which side he was on. It matters very much. He was on the side of of the invaders, occupants, war criminals, monsters who committed some of the worst attrocities in human history. PURE EVIL. Neither your grandpa nor Wolfram are heros or victims. Trying to present then as such is like spitting in the office of the innocent victims of the Nazi German ideology, which the wider German population was supportive of. Deal with that.
@dioclex7308
@dioclex7308 10 місяців тому
It’s so important to document individual experiences like this. When I was age 9-12 I was living in North Germany, Schleswig-Holstein in a village called Brodersby where my parents were renovating a house. Living in a cottage down the road from us was a WW2 Vet named Herbert, who I spoke with a couple times. He was deaf in one ear from a Russian soldier shooting a gun next to his head while he was a POW. I only wish I was older back then so I could have asked him more about his life!
@williambeard5526
@williambeard5526 10 місяців тому
The first time I visited Germany was to Schleswig with college around 1998 visiting farms. I still remember the farmers wife making the best soup I have ever had.
@tafloyd2
@tafloyd2 4 місяці тому
God bless you and your family for saving this history. I would pay anything to hear my Great Grandads and Great Uncles tell their stories.
@tomatkinson3813
@tomatkinson3813 10 місяців тому
Excellent. Puts a human face on the ordinary German soldier. He is to saluted for his honesty and for his service in the US military.
@JD1010101110
@JD1010101110 8 місяців тому
So you are saluted a man who participated in prolonging how long death camps stayed open? who murdered allied service men trying to stop the Nazis. So you are saluting the murder of jewish men, women and children. So you are either a moron or a bigot.
@dreamawake2670
@dreamawake2670 8 місяців тому
Serving USA is serving evil and destruction.
@tiffanyi5645
@tiffanyi5645 10 місяців тому
When he describes the moment he surrendered to the three G.I. When he realized he was a survivor and the war was over for him….it brought tears to my eyes. We are all humans 😢
@JD1010101110
@JD1010101110 8 місяців тому
Except some people choose to be monsters and fight for evil. he should spent the rest of life in a cell.
@politicallyincorrect2564
@politicallyincorrect2564 8 місяців тому
Not them though, they killed people for fun.
@user-gl3yk9nm3r
@user-gl3yk9nm3r 6 місяців тому
@@JD1010101110 Are you American?
@tharoke8494
@tharoke8494 2 місяці тому
​@@user-gl3yk9nm3rhes weird
@l3uIletpoints
@l3uIletpoints 8 місяців тому
Been watching for about 3 minutes. I should've subbed based on the pledge for support of the efforts described... but this is fascinating! Thank you so much for bringing these eye witnesses forward. May the history the lived through stay firmly in the past - especially during these frightening times in America!!!
@societyreborn33
@societyreborn33 Місяць тому
For anyone interested, Blood Red Snow is an amazing memoir of a German soldier on the eastern front. One of the best war related books I've ever read
@mattspencer2223
@mattspencer2223 9 місяців тому
This is a great cause. Thank you for shedding light on what it means to be a real patriot. And to those patriots thank you for your service and sacrifices. They have not been forgotten
@sidremus
@sidremus 8 місяців тому
This is probably the most American thing one could say. The whole irony is that patriotism was what started the war in the first place. Most Germans, me included, will frown on anyone who calls himself a patriot. Being proud of where you're from is not an achievement, putting your nation above others and their peoples is the root cause of so much suffering even to this very day.
@JD1010101110
@JD1010101110 8 місяців тому
Sorry, your thanking a nazi for his service?
@crissipatterson4980
@crissipatterson4980 10 місяців тому
I really enjoy hearing the other side's experience too.
@DavidParrella
@DavidParrella 8 місяців тому
First of all, thank you SO much for doing this. I'm a fellow doc filmmaker, and this is always something I wish I could've done so it gives me so much joy to see that you're out there making it happen and capturing these memories for future generations. You just got an instant Patreon supporter! P.S. THANK YOU for exporting in cinemascope and not baking letterboxes into a 16x9 render, I can enjoy this on my widescreen monitor unlike even Marvel and Disney trailers that turn into a double-letterboxed nightmare.
@nj821
@nj821 7 місяців тому
Your enjoying a film about someone who should have been shot. Woke
@BoldLion
@BoldLion 10 місяців тому
Its amazing you finally got your German side story you have been wanting for so long! Congrats!
@mikeywid4954
@mikeywid4954 10 місяців тому
Thank you Memoirs of WWII for keeping this important part of our history alive. We owe our very existence to all the brave men and women that served not for any glory but out of a sense of duty that is sadly lacking today. Kudos to your entire team.
@LavekGaming
@LavekGaming 6 місяців тому
Amazing channel, great audio, high quality video, accurate roll footage, and solid commentary. God bless! ❤
@bc1618
@bc1618 27 днів тому
Very enjoyable, nice to see a really good guy who just served his country have peace in his life after that experience.
@AllanGildea
@AllanGildea 9 місяців тому
Outstanding. Your production is second to none. God bless you, Wolfram.
@JDDupuy
@JDDupuy 10 місяців тому
Wonderful job showing us the other side if not but from one solider. A+ job Josh and your crew!
@HomeSlize
@HomeSlize 7 місяців тому
Excellent memoir! Thank you for creating this content.
@jamesryder1427
@jamesryder1427 6 місяців тому
I appreciate everything you guys are doing ❤️ keep up the good work
@jeremyjansen1932
@jeremyjansen1932 10 місяців тому
Good to see a different perspective
@jeffjohnson6499
@jeffjohnson6499 10 місяців тому
Josh, you’re doing gods work and history’s work. These will never go away and will never be forgotten. Thank you from a young (ish) army vet. I always say WWII men will never be matched. I served in Iraq and Afghanistan, and I know one day you will tell our story’s or maybe your kids will. So once again. Thank you sir, I salute you.
@willsmithhitme7728
@willsmithhitme7728 Місяць тому
This is such a great channel ! Thanks for doing what you do.
@GhostRider247
@GhostRider247 10 місяців тому
you do a fantastic job and its great see and here stories from another time so far away now , and to think one day they will all be gone , i won't forget !!! Thank You for all these stories and thank you for bringing them to us before its to late .... Shaun.
@mrmeliodaskid
@mrmeliodaskid 10 місяців тому
When he says the part of the letter from his mother, that got me emotional af.
@davidfoote3431
@davidfoote3431 6 місяців тому
Thanks for this. I appreciate this project a lot. Shout out from Jamaica 🇯🇲 🙌
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