The German Dead of Bastogne | American Artifact Episode 111
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- Опубликовано: 16 июн 2024
- During the Battle of the Bulge, the Bastogne perimeter saw some of the most fierce fighting as the German tried to wrestle control of the road hub from the American defenders. When the German tide receded, it left thousands of dead behind on both sides. In this episode of American Artifact, we're visiting some of the grave sites of both the Americans and the Germans and bringing a German artifact from the collection of the Gettysburg Museum of History back to the area where the soldier who owned it fought during the Battle of the Bulge.
Correction: In the video, I inadvertently refer to the German cemetery as the "Foy-Recogne German war cemetery" when in fact it is the "Recogne-Bastogne German war cemetery". Just across the road is the "Foy American Temporary Cemetery" and it all just mashed together in my head in the moment. My apologies for the error.
Learn more on the work of Reg Jans, visit regjans.com.
This episode was produced in partnership with The Gettysburg Museum of History. See how you can support history education & artifact preservation by visiting their website & store at www.gettysburgmuseumofhistory...
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I think it is great that you spent time in a German cemetery and recognized some of the soldiers who died in the war. So often that part is never talked about but the average German grunt fighting for his country need some recognition. For good or bad they really had no choice! Thanks again.
Agreed, everyone needs recognition, most if these guys who died in a complete shithole , frozen to death , didn't have a choice
I hate war !😢
I come from a country that was occupied by that lot for 5 long years. They murdered, imprisoned,tortured and stole.
And they did a hundred times worse "im Osten."
All they get out of me is a middle finger.
@@ralfybaby Especially the 19 years-old guy. He must have been vicious at age 14....
@@ralfybabycrepa
my best friend and i spent the holidays in Europe one year. we spent Christmas in Bastogne, attended the midnight mass in their ancient Cathedral, and spent an entire day hiking around the Bastogne area; the Bois Jacques, Foy, etc. one of our most solemn moments was here, at the cemetary in Recogne.
my friend passed away a few years ago, but we had planned on returning to Bastogne someday. I'm planning my return to the Ardennes, where i'll carry his memory with me.
Thank you for documenting your travels to this incredible part of our world's history.
I doubt you see this among the many positive comments, but I just want to add one more compliment. You do such an amazing job and you remind me of how the average GI might have told his story. Unassuming and humbly paying tribute to the men who fought there. My Uncle Chester M Dotson died in Italy and is buried there. He received all service medals, 2 Purple Hearts, bronze star, silver star, and the DSC (the last for the action where he lost his life). Thanks again for paying homage to such heroes.
Thank you. That means a lot.
Enjoy your shows.
Regards from 🦘
Your descendants name is very close to my last name. And I'm almost certain at some point in the last 100-200 years our names were the same. Half the records say my family name was Dotson. And the other half say Dodson. Either a misspelled name or trying to differentiate from the other caused the name change. Pretty cool.
Your uncle and everyone over there are the most amazing and fascinating people who draw so much curiosity from me. There wasn't nothing those men and usually overlooked women couldn't do. This guy does great respectful coverage for both fronts of the war. None of those people deserved to die. Thx for sharing
@@TheHistoryUndergroundI have a couple questions that I would like to ask. 1. Does the German government have a program similar to the US government to try to identify their unknown deceased soldiers for the family? 2. That artifact. When the museum comes into possession of property that belonged to a soldier and identifies that person do you make an effort to contact his family and return the artifact to them?
As a Belgian, I truly appreciate your content and the way you give context to these historic events. Keep it up!!!
I appreciate that!
The unbiased reporting of facts from all sides is nice to see. Many of these Germans were pressed into service and likely died for a cause they didn’t agree with. Thank you!
They agreed to take up arms. They were misled that is the right word to use
@@ThePonderimany, Pols for example, were conscripted and forced, by threat of lethal force, into service. That’s not misled.
Certainly people shouldn't kid themselves, if you were young, healthy, male, and living in Nazi Germany you were going to war, and God have mercy on you if you didn't because the Nazis wouldn't.
There's always "shades of grey" in history, it's very rarely "black and white."
There Was Definitely No Remorse For Anyone In The S.S I Dont Think Any S.S Believed In Surrender
@@Bullrider33Outdoors That's an "it depends" from what I've read. Some SS units were thoroughly professional and didn't commit any war crimes, some were absolute psychos. That was the problem, up against the SS you just never knew.
I am of German decent, born in the U.S. just a few months after the war was over. I have the utmost respect for those of both sides that lost their lives on the field of battle.
I love the symbolism of planting "Nut" Trees. Thanks JD!
I'm not sure i understand this one. Could speculate but... :D
@@shoopdawhoop8730 General Anthony McAuliffe replied "Nuts" when American forces defending Bastogne were offered terms of Surrender.
I’d caught the “nut” trees, mainly because the past few weeks I’ve been binge watching Band of Brothers episodes and documentaries.
That memorial is art....true art.
The quote at the bottom is worth squinting (if you're my age) and deciphering...OK I'll transcribe it since it really is a pain to read...
We have only died in vain if you believe so;
You have to decide the wisdom of our choice,
By the world which you shall build upon our headstones,
And the everlasting truth, which have your voice.
Though dead, we are not heroes yet, nor can be,
'Til the living by their lives which are the tools,
Carve us the epitaph of wise men,
And give us not the epitaph of fools.
David J Phillips, 506th PIR
Seems kinda relevant to what is going on now...
No words can ever explain how heartbreaking it is to see unknown soldier from every war. Especially those who are forever buried and no indication where they’re laid to rest.
Didn't everyone have an issued dogtag?
Didn't everyone have an issued dogtag?
Heinrich Becker died at 17 years old. That is just way too young. No matter what side you fought on, at this age you couldn't really understand what you were doing. This is just horrific. The brother of my grandfather died at 18 years old in Stalingrad. He was with the SS and I despite it with every cell but even he didn't deserve to die that young. War is just horrible. No matter which side you are on.
Yes, he did. He was with the SS, you know, the evil bastards that planned and killed millions of Jews.
His age is irrelevant.
And even at that, you cannot fault a 17 year old at the time for getting swept up in the nationalism and war machine that was Germany in the Reich. He was doing what he was expected to do, and would probably been unthinkable for him to try and sit it out. Despise the leadership, I pity and try to understand the axis soldiers.
what about their victims?
@@KK-rg1wz Did you even read my comment until the end?
@@Mark-pd8mu of course.... "he didn't deserve to die" .... of course he did. If you murder innocents ... and it as the only way to stop him....
JD great video on the resting place of the German and American Causalities. Of the battle of the Bulge. And the Artifact was amazing. Thanks for sharing.
💯👍
I took a German friend of mine to that cemetery, he is ex German army. He was absolutely blown away with it and the little chapel is beautiful.
The German cemetery's I've visited are always beautifully neat, tidy and respectful places... Also so, so quiet.
When we went, there were pictures of some of the soldiers who are there, placed on the headstone. Some had a few words, some had their details and life story.
It's a moving experience to go there. I can highly recommend a little time spent recognising and paying respects to the German war dead.
My father and I went to that cemetery 40 years ago because his father (CCB 10th Armrd Div) had been there 40 years before and was with Team Desobry who fought in that area. I also was taken with how quiet and well kept it was.
Combat Command B of the 10th Armored Division was the unit that was "holding down the fort" until the 101st Airborne Division arrived at Bastogne. Together, they proceeded to conduct the defense that held until General Patton's 4th Armored Division broke through the German encirclement. CCB deserves more recognition! @@ddMcDd-yl4td
This channel deserve million of subscriber and hope this channel will go there....
Thanks!
Respect to all who lost their lives FROM THE UK
Although I think that was implied, it is funny how keen our American brothers to forget that without the desert rats and the Welsh they were up shit creek without a canoe 😂
No respect for krauts
Last winter I made a picture of that graveyard when there was one family member laying down some flowers on a grave. It was a very touching picture. I wishI could share it with you because I really love your channel
ERAN MUY JOVENES PARA MORIR
@@joseperezblas6419 RIP🙏
Done so well. Thank you for your hard work to keep us informed and educated!
Our pleasure!
I was walking through the Lorraine American Cemetery one day with my sons after my unit had a Memorial Day formation there. We were looking for soldiers with our last name or from my home state, just enjoying the beautiful weather in a sacred place. My son asked me, innocently as can be- "Dad, are these all the guys who died in the war?"
If only pal, if only...
Kudos to you for visiting the SoldatenFriedhof. The German way of honoring their war dead is quite a bit different than ours.
Thank you for sharing items from the other side as well. They too were young men with friends and families. We collect artifacts from all sides. Not promoting the evil. Just preserving the fact that it does exist. Hopefully may we never repeat it. May we never forget.
Thanks for visiting the German Deads. Much appreciated!!
👍🏻
I recall visiting a number of war grave cemeteries across Northern France and Belgium many years back, beside the staggering numbers of graves the thing that always jumped out were the ages of those who died. So many who were barely adults, incredibly sobering places.
Gravestones bring it home.
Yrs ago, a friend and I, decided to scare ourselves hunting for an early 20th century cemetery on Halloween, 10pm in the boonies on a pitch dark night.
Well, we did find it.
What sobered us was a section we came upon with our flashlights, filled with tiny gravestones of children all under 2 y.o. and dying within a 3 week period. An influenza epidemic.
Thank you for remembering all these fallen soldiers
We visited this cemetery last summer on our trip to Belgium. Very impactful to see the effects of war from both sides.
Always worth watching!!! Thank you JD!
always a great day when you upload.
Thank you very much for sharing your visit to the German cemetery. A very solemn and respectful presentation. Your content is much appreciated.
My Jewish uncle fought in the battle of the bulge. He was a machine gunner, private first class. He was decorated with a bronze star! He survived the war without a scratch! He passed away in 2018!
Those "nice german soldiers" who fought "so honourably" and had "no choice" wouldn't have been very nice to your uncle had they captured him ....
@@ralfybaby Depends on the individual, I guess. But I agree it isn't a comfortable idea.
So much history, I learn so much from The History Underground channel, thanks you for keeping history alive.
Bless you sir. Your efforts will guarantee that their sacrifices and devotion, to you and I, will never be forgotten or trivialized.
JD thanks Awesome video & beautiful cemetery and keep up the amazing work JD
Always enjoy the videos, interesting and well presented. I also stop in to the Museum every time visit Gettysburg, Eric has some great stuff in there.
Always an outstanding video and presentation.
Thanks for all.your hard work.
“All wars are started by angry old men, but they are fought by young men and women who die for reasons that are beyond them. In the end, the same old men sit around tables and the war ends. Nothing is achieved. Nothing is gained." RIP all brave young men and women...!!!
I disagree. Only war would have stopped H. And we was not an old man. Most Dictators come to power in their younger years. Marx was a particularly older one.
@@jamesdellaneve9005 Marx never was a dictator. He is a political philosopher.
@@doomhippie6673 With a philosophy that lead to the deaths of millions...
Doubt it
You don't go to war to die, you go to war with hope to survive. You don't shoot to kill, you shoot not to be killed, in hope you'll survive. Some guys do, and many do not. Respect for war dead from all sides, they died because someone else messed up, like back then, same is today, mankind will never learn.
The Germans enthusiastically went to war to conquer a continent and implement their racial policies.
The allied soldiers reluctantly went to war to save western civilization.
Amazing video again! It's very refreshing to see and respect all that lost there lives in WWII. This battle is famous how brutal it was..but sometimes we forget it waa brutal for both sides. Thank you for sharing again.
Thank you.
JD thank you so much. Love your Channel. Keep up the great work
Much appreciated
Was there in October 2023. Walked the same area. Very solemn.
As usual, your content is excellent and thoughtful; especially showing the fallen Germans.
Always the best, thank you
Great video! When I was stationed at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa in 1983, on the "SAC" (Strategic Air Command) side of the base was an open lawn that contained a marker for the temporary cemetery to the 77th Infantry Division. I searched Kadena the best I could (it is a huge installation), to see if there was any markers denoting the temporary cemeteries for the other divisions that fought at the Battle of Okinawa, but without success. There was an American Cemetery on Okinawa, but it contained the remains of people who died after 1945. I remember seeing many graves of babies, most likely children of service people based on Okinawa.
Great video as always
Thank you for your channel. I enjoy your content....a lot
I would love to visit these historical places , thanx for the video's , keep them coming, Cheers from Canada.
Great video thank you for covering them too
Nice video JD, regardless of which Country a soldier, sailor, airmen fought for, they deserve a final resting place, BZ to you for sharing this place. Cheers
How many of the allied soldiers have said something to the effect of “the guy on the other side, he was possibly just another soldier, doing what he believed his duty to be, and maybe didn’t want to be here like me”. I’ve heard it in many interviews of soldiers in the European theater as well as from family members. I guess that’s one of the advantages of having grown up with that generation all around, I got to hear many stories from those that were there, in person.
What’s interesting is that this is heard less from the Pacific theater, especially from those in my family that fought in both theaters.
I watched a History Channel documentary years back where a WW2 German Army veteran passed on what his father, a WW1 veteran told him as he was going off to war:
"Son, just remember, that guy on the other side is just another working man like you."
Meus Respeitos a tds os que tombaram independente do lado 🙏🙏🙏🙏👊👊👊👊👊
I pray for the souls of those innocents and for the ordinary soldiers on all sides. The Nazis and their SS along with some Japanese generals and extremist leaders however I will let God decide what to do with them. I simply cannot forgive evil.
Por isso o meu comentário meu Tio-avô e um primo dele lutaram em Monte Castelo Itália o primo dele morreu em combate e ele voltou ferido por uma granada de morteiro na segunda tentativa e ele falava pouco mas ele dizia que soldado são iguais no mundo td mas o pior são os governantes que preparam as guerras e quem morre são peões do jogo meus Respeitos a tds e concordo com o teu pensamento boa semana meu brat Paz no Coração 👊👊👊👊👊@@ecleveland1
My father was there. I just found out that he told a Vietnam Veteran about pushing out a trench with bulldozers approximately the size of my (his) home, which was filled with German, and "some of our" soldiers, after BOTB. He was to never mention it under threat of Court Marshall !
Alway's fascinating. Thank you!
Excelente video amigo Muchos recuerdos maravillozos
Really enjoyed the video mate it was really interesting mate can't wait for the next one
Thanks 👍
I’ve been struck J.D. with how few memorials there are in Germany itself for the Sons who gave their lives in service to what they may have believed was a just cause. I’m not sure if it was part,of the German Government’s way,of,putting that part of their story behind them or what? Thank you so much for what you bring to so many over the years regarding this chapter in our human history. God bless you and your work.
Thank you. Keep up the great work.
A lot of German units were low on manpower so they enrolled mixed nationalities from eastern Europe, Ukrainian, Belorussian, and the Baltic states. So they may represent a majority of these unknowns buried in the German military cemeteries.
Your videos are always so amazing
👊🏻
Another great video, showing it from the other side, those men didn’t want to be there and certainly not die there. They deserve a place to Rest in peace!
JD thanks for introducing me to the Rife 1 and 2. I'm reading 1 now. I strongly recommend these books inspiring stories.
Awesome!
Thank you!
Thanks for the video. And Greetings from Belgium. 🇧🇪👍🏻
I just visited this past weekend... I'm so glad I went to show my respect...
Thanks you , it a pleasure learning unknown History
Not sure where you get your background music from but dang, the opening scene with the dead GI being prayed over by the chaplain paired perfectly with the sound. Moving stuff.
Thank you. 🙂
Outstanding !
Excellent.
While stationed at Tempelhof in Berlin 76-79; I was able to travel to Bastogne and visit the area; and i remember the stillness and the Sherman Tank parked in the square; i can only imagine what it must of been like back then. Thank you for this video; very interesting.;;;;
USAF/ret. 68-89
I visited here in the spring of 2022, it was my first visit to a German cemetary, very moving, the chapel in the corner was very respectful.
Thank you. Much respect
My dad was a gunners mate on the USS Kankakee, an oiler that participated in many major actions in the Pacific Theatre of Operations. Will you be doing any videos on that part of the war?
I noticed near the beginning of the video, 1:11 American troops and British Churchill Tanks and wonder if this is film from when Montgomery was given command of some of the American troops in the north which were close to the British farther north, or of Churchill specialty tanks being loaned to Americans?
Also, is that a Bill Mauldin drawing on the monument for the temporary cemetery?
These kinds of videos remind me of some lyrics I heard awhile back:
"So many lives faded, withered away
And many were born
Much that was great and significant sank into irrelevance
Today became history, history became legend
And fell into oblivion
Yet nothing vanishes without a trace
Everything that is sprang from what was"
Very cool video.
In 70-72 when I was a young Lt in Germany I lectured all new troops on the monuments we would see in each village to their war dead and than despite the swastikas on some monuments I told them that most soldiers in the German army were not members of the Nazi Party but rather men called up to defend their homeland. We hardly study our own history let alone the history of foreign countries like Germany.
This is a great production.
Did you also teach them that? While They weren't necessarily nazis. They were fighting for an evil regime and Killing and brutalizing lots of innocent people in the process. No you probably left that part out. Are you of german heritage by chance
The temporary grave site of those allied soldiers is still and always will be a grave yard..their bones were removed to a sacred place but their essence of blood and body still lies within that field..God rest all those unfortunate men..on both sides of the path ♥️
Glad that they have it marked.
I was waiting for the DEEZ NUTS joke! 😂
Awesome video
I have visited many of the cemetery’s in Normandy, almost all of them in fact, and despite being respectful, i always have less of an emotion when in the German ones, the British, Canadian and American ones all create a feeling of calm and peace, respect, Rose gardens and clean fresh stones
The German ones all feel very gothic and almost dark in comparison, and let’s face it, some of those buried there took part in some of the most vile acts that stepped way over the mark of the horrors of war, that regime had evil at it root, and so did a lot of its combatants no doubt about it
The German war cemeteries are designed to be very gothic and dark. War is horrible and sad and dark, these cemeteries reflect that.
Last year i was for the first time there. Especially for me as a German this was special. I got tears in my eyes. Most of them are around my age 20-25, and lost their live in a pointless war. If I was born 80years earlier this could’ve been me
I have a soldbuch in my collection that I need to do some research on one of these days. It would be nice to know something more about where the soldier fought during the war.
As you were walking through the German cemetery,you stopped at a grave ,one of the names on the stone had our exact spelling of our last name we live in USA. We have German heritage in our family,but we also know there are people with the same last name not related to our family . I must admit though could that soldier be related in someway? I was really surprised to see that name of that soldier. Your videos are always a teaching and historical part of our history.
Morning JD.
So very interesting.
All that waste of lives yet still we wage wars. Mankind will never learn. Amazing videos!
We know what people are behind these wars, and nobody does anything about it.
Cymru Am Byth
Cymru Am Byth
❤❤ stay warm sir❤❤
I hope that you would get back to things other than WW2 someday. America has much untouched and little known history. I do love your vids on the Rev. war, the history of French and Indians war in Pennsy. and Ohio and Mich. and NY.
WWI rules right now. Look at all the thousands of videos on RUclips. Mindboggling how much WWII is rehashed and repackaged and posted. I am not a total Civil War buff but more Revolutionary War with several of my ancestors who fought in NY and NJ.
After I finish with the content in the Ardennes, I'll be shifting back to content in the U.S. for awhile.
We did a Normandy tour a few years ago and we stopped off at a german cemetery, near the middle was a massive mound surrounded by graves.
Le Cambe. Heck of a place.
Fantastic and so very very sad....😢
It always looks like its been raining when you visit these places!
Ed from Lynchburg
Ugh. It was awful. Whole lot that I didn’t get done because of the rain.
Cool video.
Trying to learn all I can about WW2. Any idea what of RUclips channels or books to read.
At these World War Two cemeteries the American graves are marked with white marble crosses or stars of David, while the German graves are marked with black granite crosses. Near Foy is the American military Cemetery at Hamm, Luxembourg, where General Patton is buried. His cross is identical to all the others there.
I visited that cemetery in July of 2001. I remember it being just down the street from the American cemetery. The American cemetery is very bright as opposed to the shaded German cemetery.
Loved the German Cemetery part.
My wife and I visited that cemetery in 2013 but don’t recall seeing that first American-Belgium memorial. Is that new?
A hauntingly moving video JD. I like the nut tree segment, especially that there are two of the trees, signifying to me McCauliffe's response "NUT(S)."
My Grandfather was there and participated in that battle. He was an American M4 Sherman Tank crewman
Thank you again for taking me to places I always wanted to go but am now unable too. I often wonder when I see a Germans grave in a war cemetery, if the man was ever in the gunsight of my fathers rifle. It was "A Time For Trumpets".
My dad was in Pattons Army and saw a lot of action from Normandy to Bastogne and beyond with 4 Battle Stars on his service ribbon.
Glad to share the experiences. Thanks for watching.
Imagine for one moment the war in Fritz Breithaupt's life. Very likely his ship was sunk or heavily damaged and then he's on a aircraft that's shot down. War is Hell....
Bonsoir à vous tous malgré que sa soit en anglais que je comprends pas car je suis français continuer comme ça c est l histoire Un très grand bravo 👏👍
The German soldier on the left in the thumbnail survived the war as far as I know. His name is known also but I can't recall it, ends in 'ski. Does anyone know the names of the two Germans in the famous newsreel footage, were they smoking cigars in the Schwimmwagen?
and fighting still goes on so sad we still have not learned from history
Can u do a segment on the Wereth 11. They were a black infantry that got lost somewhere during The Battle Of The Bulge. They were tortured and murdered by the SS. it's somewhere in Belgium or Finland. There is a Memorial dedicated to them. It's a great story to share. I read the book.
I intended to do it on this trip but the weather was absolutely awful while I was there. I intend to go back and do some stuff on the Wereth 11.
@@TheHistoryUnderground thank you.