Gespenster

Severe, Not that it is any of your business ... But, my wife and I both visited Normandy in the Spring of '94 for the 50th anniversary (I was stationed in Germany at the time). We only had a few days then, so to me this trip was much better. Beside the fact that she hadn't seen her parents in 6 years (and they had yet to see our 3 year old son) So her choice not to come and to let me hang out with my friends was ok with me. ~G ------------------ "It is well that War is so terrible, lest we grow to fond of it" Robert E. Lee [This message has been edited by Gespenster (edited 06-04-2000).]

In answer to your question, all the German cemetaries we visited were open to the public, and were very nicely maintained. At the German Military Cemetary near the village of Simonskall (In the heart of the Hürtgen Forest) We were suprised to see grave stones of an entire family ... Father, Mother, and 2 sons, one of which was just 3 years old. And although thier headstones looked the same as the Soldaten ... they looked quite out of place in the Military Cemetary, and we couldn't help but wonder what the story was behind the family as we placed flowers near the gravestones and went on our way ... Just another tragedy I suppose ... ~G ------------------ "It is well that War is so terrible, lest we grow to fond of it" Robert E. Lee [This message has been edited by Gespenster (edited 06-03-2000).]

See post below ... ~G [This message has been edited by Gespenster (edited 06-02-2000).]

Yes, the cemetaries and the land they are on are owned by various Governments. This includes the German Military Cemetary at La Cambe as well, where Michael Wittman (and his crew are buried) it is owned and maintained by the German Government. The best way to take a "tour" of Normandy is on your own, organized tours are too expensive, and you don't get enough time to REALLY look at the sites. This past February, myself, my wife, Son, and 3 friends flew to Mannheim, Germany (got tics for $225 each, what a steal). We dropped my wife and son off in Mannheim with her parents (she is from there). Then myself and my friends rented a car and drove to Normandy ... we visited Omaha, Utah, Gold, Sword, Juno, Bayeux, St. Lo, Caen (The Atlantic Wall Museum north of Caen is VERY impressive), Dieppe, and Dunquirke (sp?), Normandy American Cemetary, German Cemetary at La Cambe, then drove East through Belgium and back into Germany saw the Hürtgen Forest battle area, German and American Cemetaries, and the town of Schmidt,(where we actually dug up some German equipment w/ our metal detector in the woods outside of Schmidt, 8mm rounds, casings, pieces of a gas mask canister, and pieces of a canteen, and actually found a German water purification tablet container dated 1942 lying next to a tree in the area of our dig ... it was incredible) After that, we drove back down into Belgium to Bastonge, Malmedy, and St. Vith ... from there we went into Luxembourg to the American Cemetary (Resting place of Gen. Patton), then back into Germany through Trier, and on to Remagen. We finished up the trip with a stop at the Panzermuseum in Münster ... and then back to Mannheim. It was the trip we had all dreamed about since we were kids, and I got it all on videotape! It was alot of driving, but we split the time between the four of us, and it was well worth every mile ... total trip time was 12 days visiting battlefields, and 2 days visiting in-laws... hehehehe. But an experience I will never forget. ~G ------------------ "It is well that War is so terrible, lest we grow to fond of it" Robert E. Lee [This message has been edited by Gespenster (edited 06-02-2000).] [This message has been edited by Gespenster (edited 06-02-2000).]

Some say he lost the War and won immortality ... What about Robert E. Lee? What kind of man was he who nearly split the history of the United States down the middle and made two separate books of it? They say you had to see him to believe that a man so fine could exist. He was handsome. He was clever. He was brave. He was gentle. He was generous and charming, noble and modst, admired and beloved. He had never failed at anything in his upright soldier's life. He was a born winner, this Robert E. Lee. Except for once. In the greatest contest of his life, in the war beween the South and the North, Robert E. Lee lost. Now (after the Surrender) there were men who came with smouldering eyes to Lee and said: "Let's not accept this result as final. Let's keep our anger alive. Let's be grim and unconvinced, and wear our bitterness like a medal. You can be our leader in this." But Lee shook his head at those men. "Abandon your animosities," he said, "and make your sons Americans." This is one of my favorite quotes of all time, and it signifies just what kind of man Lee was ... I have admired Robert E. Lee since I was a child, to me he represented all that was good and pure in 19th Century America. Growing up in Virginia, my Great Grandfather used to tell me stories about his Grandfathers experiences in the great Civil War, he had his Grandfathers journal (which I still have today). And every week he would read me a passage from it ... it makes many, many mentions of General Lee ... and how his men loved and respected him. I cannot think of another leader in U.S. History so beloved as Gen. Lee was. Germanboy, I think after the surrender he felt more for the souls lost than he did about losing the War ... That would be more in tune to what type of man he actually was. Anyway, sorry to bore all of you with the long post ... But I still would like to see BS do a Civil War game with this engine ... ~G ------------------ "It is well that War is so terrible, lest we grow to fond of it" Robert E. Lee

30, married, 3 year old son ... Gulf War Vet ... WWII/U.S. Civil War reenactor, and old time Grog. ~G ------------------ "It is well that War is so terrible, lest we grow to fond of it" Robert E. Lee

Ashburn, Va ... Loudoun County ~G ------------------ "It is well that War is so terrible, lest we grow to fond of it" Robert E. Lee

"Band of Brothers" by Ambrose is good as well ... ~G ------------------ "It is well that War is so terrible, lest we grow to fond of it" Robert E. Lee

I pre-ordered CM during the time of that offer, and never received anything or heard anything about it ... I'm curious as well, are you guys still planning on sending the Panther print with the final version of CM? ~G P.S. I'm sure the Credit Card I used at that time is no longer valid, is there a place to go to re-enter my info? ------------------ "It is well that War is so terrible, lest we grow to fond of it" Robert E. Lee

Good call juju ... I forgot about the Swords, so I guyess there were actually 4 different classes ... jeez! The only reason I questioned the fact that Hitler awarded all Knight's Crosses is because I am friends with a Knight's cross holder (Hpt. Eberhardt Schmalz, awarded the Knight's Cross in Apr. 1945) in Prague (hospital) and it was not awarded by Hitler or Himmler, but considering those were the last days of the War, I can imagine that they had other things going on. Thanks for the info, I guess you learn something new every day. ~G ------------------ "It is well that War is so terrible, lest we grow to fond of it" Robert E. Lee

Michael, I have never heard that the Knight's cross was awarded only by Hitler, there were many occasions of it being awarded on all fronts, I doubt Hitler could have made it to all those places ... where did you hear that? ... as for the award itself, it had 3 different classes, Knights Cross, Cross w/ Oak leaves, Cross w/ Oak Leaves and Clusters, and the Cross with Oak Leaves clusters and Diamonds being the highest level (comparable to the Medal of Honor for the US). That is what I believe Galland was awarded. ~G ------------------ "It is well that War is so terrible, lest we grow to fond of it" Robert E. Lee [This message has been edited by Gespenster (edited 05-23-2000).] [This message has been edited by Gespenster (edited 05-23-2000).]

Steve, you saying that there are no trees in Italy? hehehehe ... (just kidding ) Now that I think about it, you are probably dead on with your guess of Southern Russia in 41-42. Good call ... ------------------ "It is well that War is so terrible, lest we grow to fond of it" Robert E. Lee

Ummm, yeah! what he said! ~G ------------------ "It is well that War is so terrible, lest we grow to fond of it" Robert E. Lee

The award in question is the Knights Cross of the Iron Cross. The Officer in the middle is wearing his in the correct manner ... the other two were probably just awarded the Medals shortly before the photo was taken. You were allowed to wear your awards in this manner for 24hrs after it was awarded. I'm sure the Officer in the middle is merely giving them a well deserved "Congrats" and/or "Welcome to the club" pat on the back, for winning one of the most highly coveted awards given in the German Army. Oh, and they are probably members of the infamous Herman Göring Division, the Luftwaffe's elite ground division. And the pic was most likely taken in Italy/Sicily. Although I noticed that all three men are wearing the early style Panzer Wrap, which could mean the photo was taken much earlier. Cool pic BTW. ~G ------------------ "It is well that War is so terrible, lest we grow to fond of it" Robert E. Lee [This message has been edited by Gespenster (edited 05-23-2000).]

Sorry, double post ... [This message has been edited by Gespenster (edited 05-18-2000).]