As many will have noticed there is an incredible negative fallout from the National Geographic endorsed programme - Nazi War Diggers.
Unfortunately this fall out has come to this forum and has apparently affected many members.
I wish to make it perfectly clear that this forum in no way supported or condoned this programme, the filming of, the methodology nor the persons involved. In fact the first we knew about it was at the same time everyone else knew. As many know, a member of the forum staff was involved and had been sworn to secrecy over the details of the programme which is why it has been just as much a surprise to us as anyone else.
For a long time now, this forum has adopted a policy of not discussing another member of the show - Craig Gottlieb. This is because we do not wish to be associated with him or his well publicised underhand dealings and scams. It is also well known that threads relating to Gottleib are closed down because we consider it to be a complete waste of bandwidth to entertain constant internet lynch mobs for this character.
The guy is almost universally hated and speaking for myself, the reason I no longer participate on WAF due to their previous support and defence of him.
He is now banned from there and for the record, he has been banned from here too, on more than one occasion.
As Gottlieb is a member of the digging team in the programme it has left us with a situation whereby due to the policy of not discussing him, if we do so, it will go against the forum principles of not giving his name space here.
Despite the obviously poorly managed and released show, the character everyone has homed in on is Craig Gottlieb and I wonder if, had he not been involved, would this show receive as much criticism or generate so much discussion?
In spite of the fact one of the members here and a member of the Moderating team is involved, the forum is not engaged in a cover up to this story.
So far, no thread has been started here whereby the member opening it has been able to offer anything different to the countless other places on the internet and social media. In fact threads have been deleted because it is plainly obvious that people just want to jump on the band wagon of hatred and bile directed at the show. Nothing more, nothing less, nothing new. If you want to spout off against Gottlieb, the other members and the dodgy archaeological processes, please do so in those other places.
This forum has been about many things but definitely not to indulge in the gutter lynch mob mentality over a subject I'll wager 95% of the members here know anything about and are just reacting to the hyped up way the show has been released. That is why so far the threads on the subject have been closed or deleted.
If anyone can start an educated and sensible discussion on the subject then feel free, but don't for one second think the forum will be hosting a Facebook style location to make uniformed character assassinations on people you know nothing about or to post images from the dig that portray our hobby in a poor light.
It is also worth bearing in mind that as many of our collectables come from people who are dead, any direct link to this forum will bring unwanted attention from those circling vultures - including those who apparently already reside here and we, as collectors all have the potential to become unsolicited victims in the sorry saga that has enveloped militaria collecting. Internet warriors for justice and good won't see this forum as a place to discuss historical artifacts, we potentially could all be tarred with the same brush because of what we collect. Think about the bigger picture for a change and think before you type.
To finish off, I should also inform you that the member here who was involved with the show has received death threats, threats to his home and family which have been perpetuated by those people whose mentality makes them rush to the scene of an accident for a good look.
In this situation, would any of you be rushing to the keyboard to defend yourself if it was you, your home and family knowing that anything you say will immediately be taken out of context by those vultures?
At the end of the day and forgetting any of the retrieval methods we should also bear in mind that a significant number of lost family members have been returned to their homelands and been given proper burials.
One last thing and to save me typing out the same message to everyone, to all those who have sent accusatory messages to me, and probably other Moderators here, thank you for your name calling, your lack of understanding and for touting my name on other forums as someone involved with a cover up. I guess it shows you up in your true colours and if you wish to be involved with a bottom feeding frenzy of hysteria on this issue, please go to these other places on the internet and indulge yourselves on the rotting carcasses you seemingly thrive on.
Get a life and grow up.
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