Picture of the day

[Sporting Lad]

Torturing German prisoners

"Right then. You stand right here, and when the music starts, you just follow my lead. I believe this next one's a waltz, so
remember, it's 'EIN-zwei-drei...EIN-zwei-drei...'

 

[MarkCNP]

 

[Ganderite]

"Easy there, big fellah. Anything in your pockets? Maybe an anti-tank gun or a small French village?"

What pistol is that?

 

[NAA]

"Easy there, big fellah. Anything in your pockets? Maybe an anti-tank gun or a small French village?"

It's a wonder such a big target lived to be captured.

-------------
NAA.

 

[RMXC51]

Canadian troops captured the tallest (guy in picture) and shortest (some officer) soldiers in the German army. I think we nabbed both on D Day, IIRC, which is odd because it wasn't prime prisoner - taking time.

 

[Sporting Lad]

It's a win-win!

What, we ran a contest to see who could capture the tallest and the shortest?
I always knew there were certain advantages to being short!
Or tall.

 

[MC One Shot]

"Easy there, big fellah. Anything in your pockets? Maybe an anti-tank gun or a small French village?"

Wearing two side arms? One under his jacket?

 

[shredder]

Wearing two side arms? One under his jacket?

I noticed that too - seems strange

UNLESS the short guy had just taken the belt and holster from another prisoner and strapped it around his waist. It sure as hell wasn't from the waist of that big guy!!!!!

Too bad he wasn't born about 50 years later, the NBA would've been all over him!!!!!

 

[Sporting Lad]

Finders keepers!

One in the holster and one in his jacket pocket. Probably the concealed is the big fella's Luger.

 

[AP]

"Here...hurry and strap this on and let me get a photo of you frisking this big guy" "look serious!!"

 

[Sharps '63]

Wearing two side arms? One under his jacket?

That "jacket" is a leather jerkin, best piece of kit I was ever issued. Warm, comfy. Once the course was over, they took it back! Damn .....

 

[grelmar]

Wearing two side arms? One under his jacket?

The one on the outside looks like maybe it's a flare pistol, just by the outline? I dunno. Guessing here. The one under the jacket has a lanyard, so is more likely to be the "serious business" pistol you can't afford to lose.

 

[MC One Shot]

That "jacket" is a leather jerkin, best piece of kit I was ever issued. Warm, comfy. Once the course was over, they took it back! Damn .....

Thanks, my brain couldn't remember what it was called.

 

[Robert Graham]

Nice picture.

 

[tjsudbury]

And I belive that most were hung!

Good. But they should have been burned at the stake instead

 

[AP]

The one on the outside looks like maybe it's a flare pistol, just by the outline? I dunno. Guessing here. The one under the jacket has a lanyard, so is more likely to be the "serious business" pistol you can't afford to lose.

I'm thinking that was the one he signed for.

 

[Donny Fenn1]

That "jacket" is a leather jerkin, best piece of kit I was ever issued. Warm, comfy. Once the course was over, they took it back! Damn .....

Sharps, there is/was one for sale in the EE yesterday or day before.

 

[Dark Alley Dan]

A couple more "out of the ordinary" POWs in Normandy:

Bit of a writeup, c/o http://www.stolly.org.uk/ETO/usmilitarypolicemanposeswithgermanpowsnonantlepinpowcamp.html:

Many of the "German" troops in Normandy were in fact not German but from areas of the Soviet Union which included people from the far east of that country. Often they were originally conscripted into the Soviet Army only to be captured by the Germans in the huge encirclement battles of Operation Barbarossa in 1941. Those who volunteered for service with the Germans were termed Hiwis (short for Hilfswilliger) and were typically used for non combat positions such as working in kitchens and stables. Although they often volunteered rather face probable death in a POW camp, the Germans did not treat POW's captured in the east as well as they did western POW's.

Those who were conscripted or volunteered for combat duties were termed "Osttruppen" (Eastern Troops) although they often formed "Cossack" units used on anti-resistance operations. Either way, they were almost certain not to see their homes and families again. They were sent back to the Soviet Union where the authorities either sent them to the Gulag, or just executed them. Examples of Ost units in Normandy were

Ost-Bataillon 561 (Russians) 920 Grenadier-Regiment 343.ID
Ost-Bataillons 795 and 797(Georgians) 709.ID
Ost-Bataillon 635 (Russians) 709.ID
Ost Bataillon 439 (Ukranians) 726 Grenadier-Regiment 716.ID
Ost Bataillon 642 (Russians) 736 Grenadier-Regiment 716.ID
Ost-Bataillon 781 (Turkmens) 731 Grenadier-Regiment 711.ID

Plus many other units and individuals. A estimated 33,000 Hiwis and Osttruppen were in Normandy in June 1944.

 

[big bear]

Thereis a movie on my "want" list " called "My Way" by Jang Dong-Gun about 2 Koreans captured and forced to fight for Germans. Anybody seen it?

 

[Dark Alley Dan]

Yeah, saw it. One of those "Based on a true story" deals where the bare bones of the real story form the basis of a largely fictional work. I'd give it a 5 out of 10.