Met a German Woman She Gave me her HJ Photos and Father SS Officer.

**devincu** · 06-08-2014, 02:03 AM

Hello guys I met an elderly German woman I was doing work for the other day and we started talking about WWII and the history. It turns out that her father was an SS Officer and was sent to Russia during the war. She said that her brothers and her were all in the HJ. She was telling me it was no different then being in the American Boy or Girl Scouts at the time. She could still recite things she had learned including a song that was sung, Hitlers Birthday Etc... It was really fun talking to her and she gave me this little grouping of items. I wished she would have been able to tell me more about her fathers service but all she knew was that he was SS and stationed in Russia. She moved to the US shortly after the war was over. Her husband was into the German Army when he was 16 and captured by the English and held POW until the end of the war. He was also fun to talk with but when I asked him if he still had his uniform he laughed and said he threw it away when he was released because he had worn it for 6 months straight. I am going to return and speak with them again because learning about the war from them is better then any books or movies I have ever read or seen. I forgot to have her translate the writing on the back of the Photos...Please enjoy these photos of her family during WWII.

Devin

**Espenlaub Militaria** · 06-08-2014 02:03 AM

We also buy and trade your items and full collections!

**ObKrieger** · 06-08-2014, 02:07 AM

That last photo of the guy in the winter coat is incredible, thanks for sharing!

**devincu** · 06-08-2014, 02:19 AM

Thank you, Yes that is her father, the same guy in the family photo in the SS uniform. She said he was held for quite some time in Russia after the war was over. He was sent back to Germany on a train filled with other POW's from Russia and almost died. She said they fed them all salty fish to eat but no water for the entire trip. Her father chose not to eat the fish so he was one of the few that survived the trip.

**SteveR** · 06-08-2014, 02:47 AM

That is neat friend.

**DrPMC** · 06-08-2014, 09:09 AM

Very interesting photographs and story - thank you for posting them. Its very special to become the custodian of such things, from the hands of the original family and after more than seventy years.

When you talk to them again perhaps you might ask if her father also served in the First World War - I noticed the ribbons on the father's tunic and wondered if one of them might have been a Hindenburg Cross. He looks old enough to have been a young soldier in the 1914-18 war too.

Regards, Philip

**HPL2008** · 06-08-2014, 09:11 AM

Very nice material; thanks for sharing. Do allow me to remark that the SS man in the photographs is not an officer, though. Rank insignia are for a Scharführer, a junior NCO rank.

by DrPMC

When you talk to them again perhaps you might ask if her father also served in the First World War - I noticed the ribbons on the father's tunic and wondered if one of them might have been a Hindenburg Cross. He looks old enough to have been a young soldier in the 1914-18 too.

Definitely; the caption of the family photograph gives his age as 46 in the December of 1942.

**Woolgar** · 06-08-2014, 10:28 AM

A great story and those items are fascinating ! How nice she gave them to you rather than keep them in her family

Nick

**CARL** · 06-08-2014, 10:38 AM

Indeed, you are very fortunate. When blessed with such opportunities we all must appreciate them for the chance may never come again. Thank you Devin for sharing this story and the related material.

Regards,

Carl