Digging in KURLAND

[noelh]

Fascinating thread. What I also find very interesting are the WW1 finds. The spikes from helmets particularly interesting. Also it's poignant to realise how fought over the area was. Two wars.

As for the suggestion of grave robbing. I too had that uncharitable thought. However you can see from the pictures that most were close to the surface and as is rightly pointed out this is the point where an army capitulated in May 1945. Contemporary photos show German POWs curiously unadorned. Naturally they would have made sure there was nothing to single them out as special. So badges and awards would have been dumped. Also war is wasteful any contemporary picture of time shows equipment and uniforms dumped everywhere. This is true of any battlefield, in Vietnam particularly in the early days the VietCong virtually sustained themselves on food, equipment and even ordnance left behind by American troops.

What I find interesting about most of these badges etc is the fact of how personal they must have been. Each told a story, a wound badge, a combat badge, an Iron cross. There's a story to each item, now lost of course.
That's the real interest I have in these items.

[Inf Div 121]

I have 3 rare dug out ID tags for sale.

WW2 ORIGINAL German soldiers ID tag VERY RARE - eBay (item 260634536576 end time Jul-19-10 13:35:54 PDT)

WW2 ORIGINAL German soldiers ID tag VERY RARE - eBay (item 260634688622 end time Jul-19-10 19:59:03 PDT)

WW2 ORIGINAL German soldiers ID tag VERY RARE LUFTWAFFE - eBay (item 260634691878 end time Jul-19-10 20:08:42 PDT)

[Inf Div 121]

My Swedish friend who came for digging to Kurland, thease 2 big are his finds, but after making photos we throw them in nearest river.

[hassiman]

Nice MG-34... Is it Verboten where you live to have even relic non functioning firearms in your possesion?

A gun store near here has a MINT functioning MG-34 on display. I would love to have it.

[ironcross1]

Mate i cant believe you threw these in the river , cant you sell them , cheers Raymond

[Vonforhud]

With some oil, a new barrel a new stock, that could fire again. I have seen om TV a clip of someone picking up a MP40 from a dug up bunker, examining it, then firing it. after cleaning the barrel.

The weapon was later sold to the mafia (tvshow said).

[Inf Div 121]

Here are more photos related to post #18 in this thread on 2nd page.

All guns thrown in nearest river it is tradition

[GasMasksUK]

These are incredible finds, thanks for showing them strange and rather wasteful tradition though

Thanks

Danny

[Adam S]

First post here and WOW what amazing digs. I have my very own item in the mail on the way to me now.

Also confused as to why you threw out those cool relic weapons but each to their own!

[Wehrmacht39]

Why would you throw those wonderful pieces of history in a river