Photo's of medals!

[UnknownSoldier]

Hi Guys,

This is gonna sound odd (and possibly a little sick?), but....... as some of you may know I'm doing my thesis on medals....... and I am wondering if members here can help me (anything used will be fully credited to the owner and the forum :-) ).....I'm trying to find photo's of medals, either in Auschwitz, Dachau etc. (I have an account that says they were piled up, when they had been taken from people arriving) and any soldiers wearing 'liberated medals', i.e. Russian soldiers wearing Knights crosses etc..... or anything similar. Also I have heard rumour that boxes of medals were used in the last days of Berlin as part of house/building barricades, again any photo's? ;-)

Anything is greatfully received :-)

ATB,
Tom

[visor_cap_collector]

have you looked at any sites that could help with the reasearch? also if you can find someone that maybe was a soldier etc. you could find a gold mine of info. good luck with your thesis, and by the way... i'm only 11

[UnknownSoldier]

Hi Visor Cap Collector,

Thanks I've had a bit of a nose around and found photo's edging in the right direction (the picture of the box of wedding rings seems to be quite a famous one, however I'm basing my hunt on the account of the doctor at Auschwitz who survived the war to be re-united with his family). It was just to illustrate the passing point and juxdeposition (however you spell that word :-( ), that in many photo's and in Germanic culture at the time, the Iron cross etc. was seen as a badge of honour and that it was respected quite highly, however when placed in the context that the recipient was Jewish, the whole respect issue changes, and the medals become nothing but a pile of metal once again.

I have had a look at some of the old soldiers sites, but there are fewer each year, and I don't really feel right about bothering them over something so trivial...... especially if it stirs up memories many would rather forget.....

Thanks for the wishes of good luck, I think I'm gonna need it to get it finished in a month and a bit, just slightly worried :-)

ATB,
Tom (22, going on 10)