My life in Germany - Part 1

[rolfen]

You don't want to be a coarse, unmannered person, but that microphone fall at the end was grand! Really got me (and my cat) jumping, as I had raised the volume to the maximum because the level of your voice was low and I was trying to understand. By the way I would have never thought that you're German, you have an excellent accent! Thanks for all anyway doing a good job.

[rolfen]

You took your time to tell the story it's great it's a rare skill and made it captivating.

[Lintflas]

After 66 years of gagging the Germans it is about time to hear their side of the story.

[cxkozel]

wow u speak very good english and u hardly have an accent

[phoenixmaster13]

you have my full respect, thanks for this

Gruss aus der Schweiz, Nachbar. ^^

[thomaswolfgang81]

Great that someone made a video to show how german soldiers really were in WW2. my grandfather was in it but don't know what part. wish he would have lived longer. i was born by stuttgart and mom was in 1943. my family lived in freudenstadt were they had a brewery that was bombed in 1945 sad at least i have a picture. great job bernie. hope your doing good. always wanted to make a book on ww2 from the german side

[xxOblonglyricxx]

I was wondering if you could make a video in German; that would really please me!

[Bullen934]

Thanks for making this videos! I live in sweden and My grandfathers dad was guarding the german soldiers who was going with train accros sweden to Finland. I love ur story! I have aways been intrested in ww2 so thanks!

[watchitnz]

Wow your a legend. I have been interested in WW2 Germany for many years. I never thought I would have the opportunity to hear the story from a real ex German officer of that time. I have never heard the story from an ex German solider of WW2.

[Bernie1927]

@watchitnz Sorry, my friend, I was not an officer - yet -

I was only an officer's candidate. I was captured during my compulsory 6 month front line exposure, which I needed to get the lieutenant promotion. You could compare my rank to that of an ensign.

[watchitnz]

@Bernie1927 Your still a legend thou.

[Beholdendamage]

hello bernie1927 im in the united states air force and im really glad u made these vids and u seem like a very interesting individual i find it kinda weird that if i were in the military 65 yrs ago ill actually be trying to kill u

[Bernie1927]

@Beholdendamage Well Jon: I guess my answer has to be: "Ditto"

You're from Springfield and I live in the Albany area, so I guess, we are sort of neighbors, right? You know, soldiering is one thing, but war is a bitch.

Keep marching and - maybe - flying?

[NlCK93]

wow. thank you for making these videos

[Kanadischer1488]

Bernie, it's really great to see a German soldier tell his story. Germany was not as bad as people love to make it seem. The media and victors have twisted history greatly, and I really enjoy watching your videos!! My great grandfather fought in the 12SS! I'm proud of you, and I thank you for your service! I hope you live long! Deutschland für immer, Deutschland für Deutscher! (o:

[cuantumk]

So cool!

[BobCrane787]

Bernard did you serve in the 11th panzer division?

[jerico158]

your a war hero

[pinwin152]

Thank you for your story. It has helped me out in writing a paper for school.

[CPCBuild]

sir, your fantastic.

[ErichU91]

WoW this is sooo great to hear about. I must say it was very intressting to hear you stories about your time in the Army ! Keep making Videos !

God Bless !

[BudCatcreations]

You are a great and interesting man!

[ScorpiusRising]

very interesting. i believe this is the first time i'm hearing a german soldier tell his side of the story in his own voice.

[teooli]

There is a great book I can recommend about the time in Germany before WW2, 'Germany: Jekyll & Hyde'. It was written by Sebastian Haffner in 1939, a German who emigrated to England when the Nazis came to power in the 1930's. In this book he was investigating the question what happened to the Germans, did they all become Nazis or did the Nazis take hostage of the Germans. Churchill told all members of his government to read this book to understand situation in Germany at the time.

[Kreatorix]

Nice to hear so goods about germans, us.But first you shpuld understand the stereotypes that made Hitler great.Because it would use us all together,because it often are also european stereotypes or had been spread by HENRY FORD,-all shit concluded in antisemit/antiest worldconspiracy believe and propaganda. THIS also WOULD HELP US COMMON, TO SEE CLEAR IN WAR ON TERROR, because Islamists take part in Holocaus and war against the west, based on common islam-german ideology,stereotypes & interests.

[Ksim3000]

Hi there Bernie. Just watched your video and it was very interesting to listen to your experiances in the Second World War. You know, my family have always had respect for the Germans that we fought against. Not the SS or anything but the average German soldiers, the young men that served like yourself. You are by no means offensive and it is nice to listen to your story. It's nice to paint a normal view of life in the German army, away from the Hitler stereotype. Thankyou for reading.

[xxOblonglyricxx]

Why don't you have a german accent?

[BlitzoftheReich]

Hes lived in the US for years.......... I see he has a bit of it but hes lost it... around 60 yrs in the US right?

[xxOblonglyricxx]

You are my hero. I always hear so much from American soldier's perspectives, but not Germmans! Thanks!

[tompinoyger]

thanks for sharing your thoughts and experiences, sir. viele gruesse aus der heimat :-)

[1954shadow]

Bernie, as promised, I am viewing and reviewing your postings here on YT. I recently read, Tigers in the mud : the combat career of German Panzer commander Otto Carius. Like you, he came into the conflict late in the war. He reminds me of you in a lot of ways. Enjoy your vlogs. Take care my friend.

[BlauerBooo]

sadly those people who are able to tell somthing about this part of our history will be dad in some years or decades.

after all i wanted to say that i liked your video and that you know how to use youtube =). my best wishes for you so that you will be fit and healthy in future and that we all won't relive a third world war. sorry if i made mistakes in my english.

Also noch viele Grüße an alle hier, besonders an Bernie! Viele Grüße (greetings) aus Deutschland (from Germany)!

[BlauerBooo]

after war the americans sold him to the french and he spent 2 years (i think) in french war captivity until he could escape with a trick. in the 1950s he fled from east germany (cottbus) to westgermany close to düsseldorf where he and his wife still live, but this is another story... ^^

i am sorry that i told such a long story. this wasn't my intention, but i hope it wasn't too boring. i am only interested in history and i think older people have much too say.

[BlauerBooo]

for the first time he was injured by the canon which was pulled by a tractor. the tractor drove over a road hole and he fell down. the canon (it is very heavy. over a ton) rolled over his balley and he was lucky it didn't roll over his chest or beneath the balley... ^^ but he was lucky at all that he survived that bad accident. since then he has backaches. the second time he was hurt by a imploding wall.

[BlauerBooo]

he could join the kind of troop he would belong to and didn't want to walk either =) so he came to the people (i don't know the word) who should hunt the enemy's tanks with a canon (german "Panzerabwehrkanone"). he joined war i think in 1942 or 41 ( i am not sure) after the victory over france and he told me he was confident that there would be a "good ending" in war. he fought in russia and was injured twice so he was in a german hospital when the americans came. maybe this saved his life...

[BlauerBooo]

hey, your video was very interesting. i like older people telling stories of their past. i also like it when my gradfather does so, but unfortunately he don't do it often. i am also german, but i will try to write in english =). my grandfather is a bit older than you (born 1923), but he isn't as fit as you and wouldn't know how to use a computer.

he also went to the army voluntarily and named the same reason as you did:

[PrivatePowler]

That's truely the best video I've ever found on youtube. Please keep on doing such videos.

Mit freundlichen Grüßen aus Deutschland

[niceguy5555]

Sehr cool. Your the best thanx for sharing your knowlegde. Im learning german and soon will go to germany to meet some people and well you know just be friendly and visit and stuff. Das ist eine sehr cool video. (= Oh and my names Brandon Utzinger and im 14 jahre alt.

[Fenderkicksass]

its amazing on how many Germans volunteered for service and how it was such a strong tradation. Infact its a old Prussian value.

[warabe53]

I would be interested to know where you picked up on the phrase " scare the dickens out of me/us " I have heard it used alot in the UK by older folk, but I have never before heard it from my American friends ??

Btw, loved the video again !!!

[n0wher3]

this is seriously one of the best videos I've ever found on youtube. Being a young American female (17 years old, haha) this is showing me a very different perspective of the war with Germany, and it's so interesting. Your English is quite good - no accent, jah? You should try speaking some german in a video.

[paratrooper543]

is it true that the the SS didn't get alone with

the normal German Army??

[Bernie1927]

I don't know where you heard this, but it was true that the MPs tried to keep the two services from fighting, but a bit of it was jealosy, because we got panther tanks while the SS was strutting around in King Tigers.

[paratrooper543]

well i saw it on the History channel that when the

Soviet was entering to Berlin that the SS started going around the city killing the normal soldiers

[paratrooper543]

what i ment to say is that when the

Soviet Army was entering to Berlin that the SS started going around the city killing the normal soldiers

[Bernie1927]

Now really! That is typical propaganda bullshit, and I am sure you know that. What did happen is that anyone, and that included SS soldiers, who was found without a weapon in the rear area, was hanged as a deserter. I saw several poor bastards, even an officer stripped of his insignia, hanging from a tree. Those were really terrible times.

[itwouldhavefit]

Hey Bernie!

I just signed up as an officer with the Canadian Forces as an Artillery Officer! I have lots of questions for you, and i'm anxious to hear your stories! I'll make you a vlog when I get a chance!

--Cody!

[Fenderkicksass]

LOL!!

[dorothyolive]

Hi Bernie, You mention your Grandfather and Father and Uncles being in WWI. Did anyone tell you of their experiences and if so would you be kind enough to share them with us? I didn't learn much about it in school and my Grandfather fought in that war. It would make me feel closer to him to know anything about it. Thanks for sharing. I sense it is very difficult for you to recall that horror. love to you

[SxcBst]

At first i was thinking geriatric copy, but this is really interesting stuff, im half german so its quite cool hearing about this.

[fuertherbube]

Noch ein Opa der Geschichten aus dem zweiten Weltkrieg erzählt, diesmal aus der anderen Sicht. Wunderbar, ich mag das! Weiter so!

[mothersuperior03]

It's nice to hear the other side for a change. Since speaking fo the German side in WW 1 and 2 is abit taboo as some people hink, it's nice to hear the German side for a change.

At least this guy has now forgottern our diffrences and is with Peace with England and the other countries.

At first i thought this was an American account due to the fact your English is very good.

On to Part 2

James

[Bernie1927]

Hi James: What a handle: "mothersuperior" I wonder what's behind that? I love it.

[mothersuperior03]

Well i took it from a song called happiness is a warm gun. It's been a nickname of mine for a few years and started in 2003, mothersuperior "03" Also i consider 2003 one of the best years of my life.

It nice to hear stories from the war, as i lost my grandparents early. I have some austrian in me and i am also unlucky enough to be born on the 20th April i am sure you know whos birthday that was.

But yeah Mothersuperior, Power or love? Well it's what ever way you take it.

James

[shiresville]

Thanks for sharing your memories, very interesting and eye opening.

[jjtheman]

Great video, sir! Thanks for telling your stories!

God bless! -jjtheman

[rbkersey]

As an American I've always favored my own country and the UK to some extent. My grandfather served in WWII, he was stationed in the Pacific and later in France (after the war). I don't think he had much ill will for the Germans, I think he saved it for the Japanese. Thank you for sharing your life story, it's truly amazing and fascinating to see a perspective from the "other" side.

[SwingateC]

You got it bernie ;)

[Stinger911]

Bernie, thank you so much for sharing your memories in these videos. You are doing much to dispel the myth that the average German soldier was pro-Nazi and supported Hitler. Your stories are very interesting. I'm from the United States and I'm only 21, but I find the history of WW2 fascinating and love to hear the other side of the story. Please do feel free to share more.

[Bernie1927]

I am surprised that your generation seems to want to hear a bit of the other side too. You know, we Germans weren't the only ones who had a propaganda machine. You guys did pretty well too, and didn't always tell the truth; and don't forget, it's quite easy to get swept up in the overall excitement. Just look at the 'Moonies' or other cults!

[Vote4DuncanHunter08]

Thanks for your sevice to this country sir. Great video.

[SwingateC]

Shut up Vote4DuncanHunter08.

Bernie1927 i want to say thank you for this video. Im really keen to here any thing from WW2 vets.

Thx again

[Vote4DuncanHunter08]

Hey SwingateC, you are an idiot. The guy speaks good English, so I had already sent my comment before I figured out that he was German. I was not insulting him. Mind you own business next time. The guy was in ww2, I think he can defend himself.

[SwingateC]

What?

I never said he didnt speak good english?

Any way sorry for telling you to shut up.

If you wana continue a fight send me PMs. Lets not spam this good video. :)

[Bernie1927]

Sorry guys if I caused a minor skirmish here. You're both okay and I appreciate your defending me. Now shake hands and I know, you'll be friends for life. You know, it amazes me how nice all you guys have been to me. Thanks

[WERTY317]

Terrific as always. Again I encourage you to tell any and all stories you would like to share. I was born in '49 so was not alive during the war. My father was not asked to go. Military plant employee I believe. Great tie story.

[Jwayne40]

Interesting video, Bernie. I am somewhat knowledgeble about Prussian military families and would like to ask you more in an e-mail later.

[Billy7766]

Bernie, I love your videos where u talk. I have to say, with my grandfather having been in the war on the otherside, soemwhoe I find the songs difficult to listen to. Not sure why really.