What Was Life Like for German Soldiers in Germany After WW2?

[expat500]

A lost war is a heavy burden. Some German soldiers spent up to 10 years as POWs in Siberia. Many died in the camps, and some died after returning home when they ate their first big meal for years. Others discovered their wives had remarried and committed suicide. Those who returned to normal life were not acknowledged for what they had done, but they weren't despised either.

After coming back from war, the former soldiers worked extremely hard and disciplined. This might have been a coping strategy to deal with what they experienced during the war. Germany soon prospered. The "omertà," which means the principle of remaining silent about Nazism , was common sense until the late 60s. The early years of the Federal Republic were characterized by strict conservatism. Everyone felt they had done something wrong. Nobody was interested in talking about it, knowing that some brutal guys would get away with it.

When veterans met, they would discuss how they might have won WWII: "If I'd been in charge at the Ostfront, I'd have taken all Panzers together at one point and hit the 'Ivan' in the north where he least expected ..."

Besides, their ideas were strikingly similar: Push harder, focus more, ignore casualties, and produce more "Wunderwaffen." Some regarded Hitler as a visionary man who lost WWII because "too many hounds soon catch the hare." Most of the veterans I talked to were farmers. They made a little extra money cutting wood in the winter. While they sat by the fireplace to warm up, they'd sing Russian songs. Stockholm syndrome came alive.

What Was Life Like for German Soldiers in Germany After WW2? | Preshaas

German soldiers surrender ww2A lost war is a heavy burden. Some German soldie...

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[Zebra]

View attachment 1004696


A lost war is a heavy burden. Some German soldiers spent up to 10 years as POWs in Siberia. Many died in the camps, and some died after returning home when they ate their first big meal for years. Others discovered their wives had remarried and committed suicide. Those who returned to normal life were not acknowledged for what they had done, but they weren't despised either.

After coming back from war, the former soldiers worked extremely hard and disciplined. This might have been a coping strategy to deal with what they experienced during the war. Germany soon prospered. The "omertà," which means the principle of remaining silent about Nazism , was common sense until the late 60s. The early years of the Federal Republic were characterized by strict conservatism. Everyone felt they had done something wrong. Nobody was interested in talking about it, knowing that some brutal guys would get away with it.

When veterans met, they would discuss how they might have won WWII: "If I'd been in charge at the Ostfront, I'd have taken all Panzers together at one point and hit the 'Ivan' in the north where he least expected ..."

Besides, their ideas were strikingly similar: Push harder, focus more, ignore casualties, and produce more "Wunderwaffen." Some regarded Hitler as a visionary man who lost WWII because "too many hounds soon catch the hare." Most of the veterans I talked to were farmers. They made a little extra money cutting wood in the winter. While they sat by the fireplace to warm up, they'd sing Russian songs. Stockholm syndrome came alive.

What Was Life Like for German Soldiers in Germany After WW2? | Preshaas

German soldiers surrender ww2A lost war is a heavy burden. Some German soldie...

tourzy.exblog.jp

well said!

 

[westwall]

View attachment 1004696


A lost war is a heavy burden. Some German soldiers spent up to 10 years as POWs in Siberia. Many died in the camps, and some died after returning home when they ate their first big meal for years. Others discovered their wives had remarried and committed suicide. Those who returned to normal life were not acknowledged for what they had done, but they weren't despised either.

After coming back from war, the former soldiers worked extremely hard and disciplined. This might have been a coping strategy to deal with what they experienced during the war. Germany soon prospered. The "omertà," which means the principle of remaining silent about Nazism , was common sense until the late 60s. The early years of the Federal Republic were characterized by strict conservatism. Everyone felt they had done something wrong. Nobody was interested in talking about it, knowing that some brutal guys would get away with it.

When veterans met, they would discuss how they might have won WWII: "If I'd been in charge at the Ostfront, I'd have taken all Panzers together at one point and hit the 'Ivan' in the north where he least expected ..."

Besides, their ideas were strikingly similar: Push harder, focus more, ignore casualties, and produce more "Wunderwaffen." Some regarded Hitler as a visionary man who lost WWII because "too many hounds soon catch the hare." Most of the veterans I talked to were farmers. They made a little extra money cutting wood in the winter. While they sat by the fireplace to warm up, they'd sing Russian songs. Stockholm syndrome came alive.

What Was Life Like for German Soldiers in Germany After WW2? | Preshaas

German soldiers surrender ww2A lost war is a heavy burden. Some German soldie...

tourzy.exblog.jp

I was a member of several German Kameradschafts (veterans organizations) and attended their treffen, most of what you posted is nonsense.

The one thing that I will agree with is soldiers who came back from the USSR were heavy. The soldiers from the west, and POW's from the western countries were their normal selves size wise.

But those who survived the gulag were more likely to be fat. They had been starved for so long that they ate much more than their counterparts.

 

[1srelluc]

We had two POW camps in my AO and a surprising number of them stayed in the states and became citizens. Most had families killed in the bombings and had no real reason to return.

From what I understand they did have to go back and apply, most with skills (except SS) were gladly accepted and returned....I don't know if that was always the case or not.

I went to school with the sons of one of them. He was a Wehrmacht veterinarian and after his capture he was assigned to the remount depot that was a POW camp a mile or so away from me. He had his own office.

He stayed (or left and returned) on site after the war in the same job (now paid), became a citizen, married a local woman, and raised a family. They lived on site.....I'm assuming he's passed by now.

The site became a .gov cattle research facility and later the Smithsonian/National Zoo acquired it.

National Zoological Park - VA Smithsonian Conservation Biological Institute

node:field_teaser]

www.sifacilities.si.edu

German POWs made up for a lot of local labor done by our men that were off to war.

https://yvonne-french.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/pows-and-the-apples-they-picked-during-world-war-ii-in-loudoun-county-virginia.pdf

 

[okfine]

I was a member of several German Kameradschafts (veterans organizations) and attended their treffen, most of what you posted is nonsense.

The one thing that I will agree with is soldiers who came back from the USSR were heavy. The soldiers from the west, and POW's from the western countries were their normal selves size wise.

But those who survived the gulag were more likely to be fat. They had been starved for so long that they ate much more than their counterparts.

Comrade?

I suspected all along that you are a fn Nazi.