[OT] Wehrmacht atrocities was: Experience and Training

[quoted original message omitted]

On Tue, 1 Jan 2002 17:32:32 +0100 KH.Ranitzsch@t-online.de
> (K.H.Ranitzsch) writes:
<snip>
> A lt of people, especially here in Germany want to believe that. But

I would think being involved in anti-partisan activities would have
precipitated the morale decline in the regulars involved.

Gracias,

On Tue, 1 Jan 2002 17:32:32 +0100 KH.Ranitzsch@t-online.de
> (K.H.Ranitzsch) writes:
<snip>
> Not sure what you mean by Hitlerjugend. There was a "Hitlerjugend" SS

An older coworker of mine (now a US citizen since he works with me) found his
membership in the Hitler Youth movement was brought up during his first
security clearance process. He noted he was a child (IIRC, he was
several years pre-teen in 1939) and his parents thought it politically
wise to have him in the program because it made them appear to be 'good
germans' and they thought it might help him find a non-military role if
the war went on too long (well it was a thought.) Besides it did have a lot of
activities that kids that age enjoy. He said he found the 'propaganda' boring
but if you wanted to stay in and enjoy the good parts you had to put a smile
on and nod mindlessly at the rhetoric.

He said he was given a uniform but his 'weapon' for the short period he was in
it was a shovel. He hated 'digging useless defenses' when it was clear to him
the war was going to be over it was just a matter of who took their part of
Germany. But stating that would have been unwise, as everyone knew.

Fortunately it was the western allies who 'captured' his group, even though
they all had 'got lost' earlier.

Gracias,