Description
Object description
German private served as anti-aircraft gunner in Germany, 1943-1945
Content description
REEL 1 Recollections of background in Berlin and Heidleberg, Germany, 1927-1939: family background and social circumstances; education; sporting activities; membership of Hitler Youth including uniform, meeting place in Western District market place, organisation, map reading, lectures, anti-Semitism and camping trips; question of anti-Semitic incidents; question of approach of war; question of father's reactions to Nazi Party; outbreak of war, 9/1939; reactions to air raid alarm; rationing.
REEL 2 Continues: cinema; holidays; refugees; following progress of war; question of air raids; call up of school class to serve with Anti-Aircraft Bty. Recollections of periods as gunner with Anti-Aircraft Btys at Mannheim, Kaiserslautern and Frankfurt, 1943-1944: role on 2cm AA gun and captured 88mm Soviet AA guns; centrally provided firing orders; story of close escape from daytime bombing attack; view of RAF night air raids; story of post-war meeting with RAF Bomber Command veteran; uniform; hut accommodation; food rations; morning school lessons; daily routine and training; advanced air raid warnings and manning guns.
REEL 3 Continues: reactions to discipline influenced by prior parental control; story of being photographed; move to Kaiserslautern, 1944; introduction of Nazi style salute following attempt on Hitler's life; attachment to 88mm Bty at Frankfurt. Period training with Arbeitsdienst, Klagenfurt Barracks, Austria, 1944. Period with infantry unit in barracks near Mainz, 1944: story of night exercise; weapons training including cleaning rifle and firing panzerfaust; awareness of war situation; role as runner; question of civilian population eating horse meat.
REEL 4 Continues: blowing of bridge over Rhine; break down of discipline; story of being left behind in Mainz as unit retreated across Rhine; story of officer shooting SS guard at supply dump; story of capture by US soldiers. Recollections of initial period as POW, ca 3/1945-5/1945: treatment; train journey to Cherbourg, France; period in Cherbourg POW camp; voyage to US; attack by German U Boats; VE Day, 8/5/1945; train journey to Colorado Springs. Period as prisoner in Camp Carson POW Camp, Colorado Springs, 5/1945-1/1946: nature of camp; story of creating false alarm of escape; work on sugar beet farm; reactions to film of concentration camps and ignorance of conditions in camps; reactions to loss of war; story illustrating disillusionment with war; work as storeman in military hospital, Denver; relationship with US civilians and guards; question of contacts with family in Germany. Journey to GB, 1/1946-2/1946: story illustrating US air power during move to Los Angeles.
REEL 5 Continues: conditions during voyage; reactions to news of destination; initial period in POW Camp, Oldham. Recollections of period at Milnthorpe POW Camp, 1946-1948: nature of camp; working as farm labourer; shovelling snow drifts on moor roads; cutting bracken; working with salvage team based at Kendal; story of meeting future wife and question of fraternisation; marriage, 1947; various farm jobs; reactions to democracy lessons from German POW; story illustrating poor English; background to decision to stay in GB and release from German Army, ca 1948. Post-war career: various jobs; question of anti-German prejudice; question of contacts with former German and British POWs; visits to Germany.
