WW II german Veteran (1of 5) D-day Normandy 1944 / 2008

[truthspeakerism]

Hard to believe they (the allies) actually had soldiers run right into machine guns and cannon such as this Normandy beach-how crazy was that? just whose idea was that anyways? Same idea in the pacific....

[letsgostate87]

The cause was great! The slaughter senseless. They fought for eachother on both sides. To this day, I'm still curious if "any" of the Werhmacht knew of Hitlers ultimate goal? The SS however, some knew and some didnt. If the SS soldiers fought to enslave and murder 'cause of race.....I have 0 sympathy. Hitler is rotting in Hell!

[Camarale]

It's moving to see this man in Normandy 64 years later. I can't stop thinking about all the ones who died at 18 or 20 in this massacre. What a waste of lives.

[12Oc7ock]

RIP soldat

[nuttyjunior]

All WW2 veterans deserve respect, doesn't matter which side they came from

[WolfhoundMercenary]

Respect to this trooper.

[Vovk3]

The thing which really angers me about commentators on these videos is the bullshit they spew. No one even stops to think that maybe, just maybe, the German soldiers didn't actually hate your "beloved veterans". Germany lacked anti-Ally propaganda, while the Allied nations were ripe with anti-Axis propaganda. Other than winning the war, what makes you any better. I am filled with pride because of Germans. I am German. How do you think I feel every time someone demonizes me for that?

[WolfhoundMercenary]

@Vovk3 You must be kidding me. Germans lacked anti-allied Propaganda?

That has be the most ignorant thing I've ever heard.

You've never heard abour Joseph Goebbels did you? The posters with the British "poisonous spiders" or Russian "communist jews" or the amount of anti-jew propaganda that painted them as greedy baby-killers?

Look it up before making such stupid statements please.

[deniahmad9]

Endlich hat er sein altgenossichen das PAK gefunden! sein echte Kameraden..

[SilentToe]

Seeing this brings tears to my eyes because it reminds me of my grandfather.

I miss him every day. he was a wonderful person and helped me understand why they fought and how this whole mess could happen in the first place.

He teached me tolerance and politeness towards others.

He fought in russia and deserted even once. He once said: "All i got from Hitler was a back full of shrapnel. He was an asshole."

[L33woods]

@TravellerFellow What on God's earth are you talking about? You wish death on me because I'm an Englishman? You really are one fucked up individual!!!

[TQLCVNCH]

My friend usually tells me, when you become a soldier, you automatically have a ticket to Heaven.

[TQLCVNCH]

Respect to soldiers of both sides.

[dazza773]

you no even that we was at war with germany they was only doin wat they ad 2 do

[gopconservative78]

IN the second battle of France.....the French surrendered

[nickdracu]

Sir, my deeply respect for you for interviewing this last great persons of a great generation. Thank you for doing this.

Thank you.

Nick ( Belgium)

[tonidmc]

All my respects for this gentleman and for ALL the young soldiers who fought in WW2

[Mortimerus]

Wie schön, das Du so ein Erlebnis mit Deinem Opa teilen konntest.

Das wäre mein größter Traum.

Leider fiel mein Opa im Februar 1945 nach einem 5 jährigem Dienst bei der Marineartillerie in Brest (Frankreich) in Italien und Herzegowina.

Ich habe aber seine Bilder aus Brest noch einmal neu fotografiert 2009 und bin in seinen Spuren gegangen. Das war sehr bewegend für mich...

Hier ist die Slideshow dazu.

Einfach "St. Mathieu 1940 and today" eingeben.

MfG

Martin

MfG

Martin

[joelSanFrancisco]

Regarding why more Germans did not oppose Hitler once the insanity and madness really started:

I know that the German generals on several occasions tried to dispose of him. Did the rank and file German soldiers ever rebel against this maniac? The war could not have continued if enough of them did so.

[racingislife2011]

@joelSanFrancisco when my grandad went into berlin in 1945, he asked a group of germans why they let the nazis gain and keep power, they replied "if you saw 16 police men beating someone to the point of death, what would you have done?"

[joelSanFrancisco]

@racingislife2011 You have a strong point. That is the extreme difficulty opponents faced. But think of the soldiers ... they faced death & suffered death every day, and fates worse than police beating someone: cut off limbs, severe burns, part of their faces blown away, watching horrors for which they would never be the same. If 10,000 Germans stood up to Hitler - and even died as a result-- that would have saved 100 million deaths in WWII.

[nightwish1000]

@joelSanFrancisco there were far more in the german underground than 10000, most of them got caught! you dont have a clue, how difficult it is in a dictatorship to get together a unit of 10000 without that a nazi sympathisant would have known and blown all up...there are many examples like that in germany during WW2

[kellikel13]

@joelSanFrancisco hitler was an exteremely convincing person...everyone thought he was doin the right thing

[shadowhunting]

Honor & Respect for all Veterans of War!

[MrDeano324]

One of my great uncles was german sniper and fought at Omaha on D-Day. I also had one in the Royal Navy who saved the life of a young officer when his ship was torpedoed by a german U-Boat. One In the Royal Air Force who fought in the Battle of Britain. And one in the British Army who fought in Berma and later became a Japanese prisioner of war. And also a Great Grandfather who was a British seargent at the Battle of the Somme in ww1.

[vetitoe362]

Its sad to be in the eve of these men and womens lives. I only became most intersted in this stuff after everyone I could easily speak to was gone. I am glad that there has been a resurgence in intrest and respect for this generation, and that many were still here to see it.

[STBF1337]

Ein sehr schön gestaltetes Video, ich habe sehr viele Ort von meinen zwei Normandietrips wieder erkannt.

Vielen Dank :-)

[IraqCTR]

Great video! RIP Werner...

[fishingtrashcan]

long way up that hell for saken beach

[Bulldogdaze2]

May our merciful God, bless and keep this old solder of Germany. Not all were Nazis, and many that were and yet survived now know the truth and have repented. We all need peace and forgiveness in our lives. I respect this old trooper. He may have been my fathers enemy, but by virtue of his years and his service this man deserves our respect. Sir, I salute you!

[SamPD2]

@Bulldogdaze2 They were the minority.

I will give the nazis the credit of completely jumpstarting the economy of Germany when it was literally in the worst condition possible. But not for the many millions they have ordered slaughtered.

[mrajaxx12]

@Bulldogdaze2 i agree completely, many peoply forget that the nazis were a minority, this man was probably very young and forced to join into the german army, we hate the nazi leaders, but we shouldent hate the soldiers

[CYCY950]

@spfcever

What all those men experienced during this battle and WW2 in general, particularly Russian front, is far beyond our miserable modern and quiet lives. Death and blood was normal daily life for them. It's not so old.

[Robfoxman]

RIp old man and peace to all veterans.

[christof139]

@1969Terminus, Yes, sorry you misunderstood what I meant. It is a good video. I was stationed in Germany for 30-months or so back in 1970-73, early 1971 actually to start, & met WWII German veterans both in Germany & the USA, as well as civilians, & also a few Russians here & there, etc.

[matemanos12]

I like 4:34, it has all 4 flags :)

[Xeus1985]

Every land/country looses his mens and Soldiers! Thats war :(...We only could learn from this part of our history

[thugshred]

my grandad died because of you germans......

[rammi55]

and my died because yours ami

[abouthistory]

@thugshred -

As you can see, he honored also the allied soldiers (at 2:40). St. Manieu is a cemetaries for the british.

Before you tell more bullshit, you should try to understand what all soldiers went through back then.

[TheAryanNations]

ach so kann mir jemand sagen wie das lied heißt ? danke im vorraus !

[1969Terminus]

"One blood" von Terence Jay

[TheAryanNations]

Auf das niewieder ein Deutscher die Waffen gegen einen Russen erheben muss ! Nie wieder ein Franzose mit England krieg führt . Auf das Europas Völker ohne Krieg noch lange weiterbestehen!

[Nahkampftag]

Das Video ist Super habe auch den Bericht im Freiwilligen gelesen.

Seine Ehre war die Treue!!!

[JMC51974]

In the world we live in today we should always remember our past so we don't repeat in the future. Respect all soilders from both sides of the that horrible war. We Will Never Forget!!!!!

[Danie9989]

i respect all veterans but

its so sad that german veterans are all thought of today as fanitical nazis or even death camp guards!

On d day the average german soldier fought as or if not more hard than did the allies

we should respect all veterans regardless of the side and reconize then for there sacerfices even if it was not for the good of the world

[13Filmrisse]

@Danie9989 People are educated by Hollywood movies these days. These obviously tell the story of the brave and nobel American soldiers where the opposite side is either fanatically evil, coward or some anonymous puppet that has to be killed. This forges images, not more by first hand stories. It is no surprise that germanophobe feelings are stronger in the generation of the grand children than in that of their parents as statistics show.

[kollee]

Respect for all fallen soldiers!They all fall for human insanity!!.

R.I.P.

[pospa65]

Good videos and fotos! R.I.P. from Czech Republic.

[19stretch72]

hi, do you know which area's werner fought? the 12th SS panzer division (hitler jugend) fought at carpiquet, tilly la campagne and hill 112 amongst other places...p.s did he visit normandy regularly, and what reception did he receive from the french people?

[sujin87]

respect all veterans...[2]

[L33woods]

As an Englishman, I'd like to express my admiration for this gentleman. Here was another soldier who probably didn't want to fight. Every veteran has a horror story to tell! One can't even begin to imagine the sights their eyes have seen!

And less of the childish comments please! Your simply highlighting your ignorance or stupidity! Show a bit more respect please!

[funkdaniel]

thank you for your comment

[Juicexlx]

@L33woods

Ok, it's stupid to fight old wars and although I'm interrested in seeing more German soldiers interviews, I must tell you that the 12th SS-panzerdivision- Hitler Jungend were no choir boys! The sentence '' soldier who probably didn't want to fight'' DO NOT apply to those. Search Kurt Meyer (commander of the 12th SS) and see why he passed 9 years in a Canadian prison cell after the war.

[christof139]

vengencemonger, When the large bombings in France started prior to D-Day, the USA and Britain asked the French leadership if they would object because it was known that the bombings of rail lines, bridges, railyards, etc. would hit and kill French people. In reply the French leadership stated that they knew that causualties occur in war & that the French people would endure, go ahead and bomb. It was essential to damage transportation lines before launching the invasion, & the Resistance helped.

[AlexAmerling19]

respect all veterans

[onderbroeke]

was that REALLY HIS pak or not ??

[1969Terminus]

No - it was not his personell PAK, just the same type. They had to leave and blow up their PAK. He explains that in

WW II german Veteran (4) - Tribute.

[history1955]

Great video - it is amazing what they've gone through! Respect!

[GermanAmerican22]

Yes Ruhe in Frieden stolz Deutscher Soldat!

[iocantoetu]

Rest in peace...:(

[gignnl2]

er verstarb am 11 juli 2009 ruhe im friedem werner

[JustFrench80]

the 10/06/1940 Stalag IIA sent in Germany ...He told me many things about the war, He gave me all his papers before he die at 91years old. he told me.... They were our enemys

...but We never have to forget them, and to Respect them like all the other veterans from what ever country!

he told that Germans soldiers were like every Human Beens,and they didn't like the war! God Bless Germans Veterans!

GOTT MIT DIR... SOLDATEN...

[vengencemonger]

The allied bombing of France did alot more harm and took more french civilian's lives than the "evil nazis" did.

[pcarnold9]

yes the Nazis never hurt anyone, it was the brits and americans who slaughtered millions.

[JustFrench80]

I think there is not enough Video about Germans Vets, but if i have three words to say, we "Most Respect Them"

[DanOblacksmith]

I would like to meet this man on a sunny afternoon and have a beer with him in an open air cafe in summer. I had two uncles at normandy on 06 jun 44. One drove a landing craft(navy, Omaha beach) one was infantry and fought from the beach to Austria '45 (DSC Bastogne, field commision Capt.).

I would like to buy him a beer and just talk about life and raising children and not the war.

The dirty greedy bankers are to blame for all of this if you research the truth of it all.

The big picture...

[Kenex05]

what is the song ?

[1969Terminus]

Terence Jay "One blood"

[vangestelwijnen]

Terrific footage. It's like a final tour, visiting the place where his life changed so much. Indeed, the fact that he recognised the PAK is special..

[onderbroeke]

does he still spea german and has his uniforms ??

what happend with him and his friends after the war ??

[1969Terminus]

Unfortunately he passed away at July 11th 2009.

[Ialocin85]

My grandfather knew the pak 7.5cm very well ;)

SS machiert in feides land!

[van1980]

12th SS...

Whoa.

[stewiegriffinrule]

what song is this?

[bartolomeo1981]

translate his comment on pak plz

[1969Terminus]

Actually no comment necessary.

[Laghese]

it's amazing to see that video at 4:50,when he saw the 75mm PAK...it seems like he saw an old friend after years . Fantastic!