8 that were overrun

[LeonardoL]

I think you mean't well but the standards of excavation is very poor.

Perhaps you could attempt in future to engage a professional archaeologist to work with you or you could get yourself some training.

I agree, but this is how its done. I can see the wounds and the items found with the bodies, its good enough. If they have the EM they will be identified if no, there is no way (unless they have a wedding ring, signed item etc.)

We have to do an location per week, we wouldnt go anywhere with professional excavations every time.
The goal is to find soldiers fast as possible, excavations of german soldiers in Croatia have started 7 years ago and there isnt many witnesses and old people left.

[BlackCat1982]

It's also worth adding that the VDK have neither the resources nor the time to painstakingly document every single lost Wehrmacht member and recover them in an archaeological fashion. When remains are found and it can quickly be ascertained beyond any doubt that the remains are those of a fallen soldier and not a crime victim then the Police will pass on the task to the VDK, CWGC or Defence Accounting Agency for recovery.

Keep up the good work Leon.

[Eric2575]

Sobering undertaking. It's always the little guy that ends up dead in a trench, never the bastards that start the wars and profit from them. But never worry, right, as we are all created equal? Sorry, had to vent!

[CBH]

Keep up the Good Work, body recovery and archaeology are two different things.
This isn't an Egyptian tomb, but a church courtyard, they aren't going to unveil any historical secrets.

[Tank Destroyer]

I do understand where Jerry is coming from, myself being in on many digs part of you wants to take your time and evaluate every layer of dirt, that’s what you are taught..... “DO NOT GET IN A HURRY, YOU MAY MISS SOMETHING!!!!” And “WATCH WHERE YOU ARE STEPPING”quote from a professor.

Love the story and care taken for the dead.

Marty

[TWS]

Thanks for posting LeonardoL. It is a fascinating account of a small unit action, but even more important is your work to find the remains and get them hopefully identified and buried in the military cemetery with their comrades.
The fact that they were found with one half of the EKM's leads me to believe that some (or at least one) Germans survived the fight at the church and quickly snapped off the other half to take with them as they fled after their defense was broken. That's probably all they had time to do, but had the discipline to stick around an extra minute or two and adhere to their casualty protocol. Or, those German soldiers could have been killed one by one as the battle raged and their unit leader collected the EKM's over the course of the battle after each man fell.

[JPhilip]

Hello,
Thank you for what you're doing Leonardo, it must be sad and exciting at the same time.
Thanks

[MG42UK]

Can someone explain to me generally why there is the need to disturb these war graves (not just these ones, but particularly German ones across what mainly seems to be Russia/Eastern Europe)? My general observation is that as war graves most should be left undisturbed, yet there seems to be a group who for voyeuristic/pseudo-historical study reasons get a kick out of digging these up, plundering souvenirs and filming everything.

I know there is a legitimate group doing much of this work, but I sense a certain 'excitement' with some of this stuff that just doesn't sit right given then sacrifice and often horrendous way in which many of these soldiers on all sides died.

No offence meant in this post, and I was not referring in particular to the dig that is the focus on this thread.

[inka]

Can someone explain to me generally why there is the need to disturb these war graves (not just these ones, but particularly German ones across what mainly seems to be Russia/Eastern Europe)? My general observation is that as war graves most should be left undisturbed, yet there seems to be a group who for voyeuristic/pseudo-historical study reasons get a kick out of digging these up, plundering souvenirs and filming everything.

I know there is a legitimate group doing much of this work, but I sense a certain 'excitement' with some of this stuff that just doesn't sit right given then sacrifice and often horrendous way in which many of these soldiers on all sides died.

No offence meant in this post, and I was not referring in particular to the dig that is the focus on this thread.

It isnt disturbing graves,it is recovering soldiers from fieldgraves(temporary graves made right after battle,often lost to history because of destroyed or lost archives)or where the soldier fell during combat, to give them a grave on official war cemeteries, give their name back under a marked grave,family can have closure etc. No official recovery group do any kind of plundering of these soldiers.

[Jan]

Soldier recovery isnt archaeology Jerry

In May 2019 here in Finland it is! Exhuming six forgotten soldiers graves is very much part of a scientific WW2 conflict archaeology project. There are many ethical issues to consider when practising forensic "soldier recovery".

As a scientist I would for instance certainly not share videos or pictures of the fallen over social media.

Best, Jan