Why does the Third Reich attract so many collectors?

[drmessimer]

Bond: Wow! I know what you mean when you say "expensive." I'm not really a collector, but I do try to acquire artifacts that relate to the books I have written. For example, I have a nice, but small, collection of artifacts relating to the U-Deutschland that made two trips to the US during WWI. Among the items I have are examples of all but one of the medals that were given to the crew members and the civilian project organizers in 1916. The one I don't have costs over $1000, and is out of my reach. I do have the medals that my cousin Fred Götze received for his time on the Eastern front in WWII, but he gave those to me along with the accompanying award documents. I still look for things to add to the other book-related groups. but as you said, they are getting more and more expensive. Dwight

[colt45]

saw a WW II movie, was interested how a paper hanger could get so much power.. saw his iron cross and wanted one,, one thing lead to another

[drmessimer]

Alexander: Very well put. Having lived in Germany as a soldier's son you might enjoy this account. In 1957, I, my crew, and our M48 tank were loaned to a film crew in Grafenwör that was making the US TV series, Citizen Soldier. Out Tank platoon was down there for a 6-week training cycle and we got lucky and spent a week playing Panzersoldaten in our US tank that was repainted grey and had black & white iron crosses painted on the turret sides. The movie company even issued us black Panzeruniformen complete with caps, leather, and associated insignia. Anyway, they filmed during the day and in the evening we drove back to the transient mess hall for dinner. As we drove across the landscape, Germans working in the fields would stop working, do a double take, and start waving madly. The reaction we got in the mess hall, still wearing out German uniforms, was something less than enthusiastic. Thanks for your excellent post. Dwight

[Alexander]

Nice story Dwight. They probably thought you and your crew were German as the new Bundeswehr were issued with American M48s initially. I guess that 1957 was still pretty close to the war and some soldiers would have served in the ETO, so I suppose black Nazi uniforms would have been a sore point! I still hate those stupid 50s / 60s films with American tanks painted to look German. My father was a mechanic, 'our' tanks were the M60 MBTs. Say, did you meet Elvis out there in his M48?

[drmessimer]

Alexander: I was over there when Elvis was, but he was in the Zone and I was in Berlin. We only went to the zone once a year for 6 weeks. I never laid eyes on the guy but we were down there we heard a lot about his rented house and the parties he threw for officers. I don't recall if he was in a tank unit or a truck unit.

Colt45: Sounds like you got into collecting the way that many others did. And for a perfectly good reason. Thanks for the post. Dwight

[harryamb2]

why do I collect tr items,I like history from the ancient to the 20th centurey.1800 to 1945 I can afford to buy most things.

[FJ5 chally]

Its the "Taboo" of it all..."Welcome to the dark side young warrior"

[drmessimer]

harryamb2: Lucky you are, my friend, to be able to afford most of it. And I share your interest in history and historical items. Thanks for the post. Dwight

FJ5 chally: What taboo are you talking about? If you mean that the politcally correct, liberal social element considers anything associated with the Nazis as being unsavory and to be shunned, then you are right on. And I'm sure that when you write, "Welcome to the dark side young warrior" you mean that rhetorically, since I am far from "young." You have a valid point that I infer you are making, which is that the all things "Nazi" are, by the politically correct, liberal standards, evil and taboo, and ergo anyone who dabbles in that sort of thing is involved in the occult and the "dark side." If that is so, pity for them who belive we are beyond the pale. Fortunately, for me, I could not care less about what the politically correct opine about my interests. But more importantly, I infer tht you are saying that people--collectors and historians--are drawn to the "dark side," and you're right. (End of rant #423a)Thanks for posting. Dwight.

[Adrian]

To be perfectly honest Dwight, I couldn't honestly tell you why I collect TR awards and decorations.

It might sound strange but I genuinely have no idea why my collecting interests lie in this direction. I have always been interested in the Second World War, loved reading about it and getting the opportunity to watch films of documentaries when I could. I grew up without a television which in this day and age is remarkable in itself so was either outside or when the weather made that impossible my nose was in a book, normally a wartime one.
My visits to the library with my Mum always saw me leaving with a bundle of non fiction war books and I was always fascinated by the uniforms and of course the iconic Eisernes Kreuz.
As I grew up I started making Tamiya models, always German vehicles or figures, I started buying the Sven Hassel books and reading them and when I left school and home my interest was there still but I didn't pursue it to any great lengths.
There were girls to chase and beer to discover!

I settled down eventually and a trip to buy a paper on a Sunday morning led me into the second hand book area of the shop where I found Gordon Williamson's book 'The Iron Cross'. I bought it and read it and kept reading it. My interest was piqued again and the next time I went into Taunton I visited a small back street shop I knew sold medals. I bought my first EK, an Imperial 2nd class whcih I still have.

Every weekend after payday, I would visit the shop and would normally buy something - anything, as long as it was German and wartime. This was pre internet and surprisingly (in hindsight) I bought only a couple of fakes amongst the many items over several years.

Then the internet took off and the rest is history - no pun intended.

So, I just naturally progressed into collecting TR from my early days reading war books and the 'Commando' story strips. No real conscious decision, no particular reason just because I liked looking at the 'stuff' in books I could now look at the 'stuff' for real and actually own pieces of it!

I have no connection with Germany, alot of my family had experience of the war, my Father was in the RAF, Uncle in the Navy, their cousin in the Army so I genuinely don't know of a specific reason behind it, I wish I could give an intellectual and scholarly answer but I can't and I'm not going to make one up!

That's the story behind my attraction - as to why everyone else collects TR? That's up to them!

[FJ5 chally]

Dwight,

You are right.. I was refering to all the liberal, and politicaly correct people.. Good on you to catch that..
I honestly had the bug ever sence I can remember.. I was like three years old, and there was a magazine that was full
of german reproduction stuff (back in the early 70s) I would look through that book and wear it out.. The day came
when I could not find it any where.. Of course I cried my brains out, and was yelling, all the windows in the house were open
and it was at night (neighbors sleeping, or TRYING to), and we got a phone call saying what ever he wants give it to him
to keep him quiet.. Mom/dad went out to the trash can and fished out my book..LOL
So when I made the statement come to the dark side young warrior.. I was refering to me...
It sounds really wierd, but when I was a child then its like I had a connection to the Third Reich stuff..
And seems like I still do...

I forgot to mention that I have two dogs that are named: Auswitch, and Birkenau
And also a cat called Eva...

Hope thats not too far out there...