Christoph! Are you kidding me! This is another Oh Wow! You have got to be kidding me! You went to the Cemetery - you actually know where it is and walked around the grounds! How many people (and let's first think about Americans) do you think have ever done that! How many people are buried there - not just from the Siegburg Abbey/WW2 period? Do the families realize their loved ones that died at the Abbey are buried there? Do they come visit? What battles did these men fight in that caused them to be wounded? Were most of them wounded during the Battle of the Bulge period or were they from the Hurtgen Forest Battles or when?
I want to go look up the weather on weather underground, but afraid I will lose this message, and try to visualize the kind of day it was when you went back to this Cemetery. Maybe it was a bright day or maybe a wintery gloomy day.
On a future visit, and with time, I might be inclined to find a place to perch and everyday come and see who visits the Cemetery. Maybe there is an office for the Cemetery that has records and people pay a perpetual maintenance fee like here in the States. I wonder if the monument stones are all the same and if you were able to easily see the engravings on them.
Do you think the men were buried here after their death or removed from a temporary spot to here? And how far is this Cemetery from the Abbey - knowing the weather conditions that winter? Would you pass that Cemetery or be aware of it as you went in and out of the Abbey?
And did my Dad know where that Cemetery you have visited was located? He never mentioned it. But then foolishly I never asked him that question or many others that I should have. On our journey to Siegburg with Dad, one of the important things Dad wanted to do was to see the Cemetery where he had buried the men. That is how we ended our visit to Siegburg. And as I have mentioned before, let me just say to put it mildly, it was not a happy ending. The history of the Abbey and the Prison Camp and the Cemetery had all been wiped away.
I apologize for putting in question marks, because I realize most of these things will probably never be answerable.
So Theo, now where did he go or would he have gone. Maybe to his home town or oh my gosh, suppose he was not found or identifiable. Oh Gross!
I am reading a book Medic! by R. Smith and in there he mentions the kinds of wounds you deal with in war and it is not like wounds/medical issues that are normally encountered. Dad mentioned in his Vmails/letters, (I must go back and review the exact wording) but he says how sick it made him in the beginning. R. Smith said the same thing.
So back to Theo, do you suppose, when I can get back to Germany - Maybe in Dec, we could visit his son? Maybe his son has more information to share on the whole era of Siegburg Abbey in WW2 - not because he remembers it but because he researched it.
Oh man, so much to think about and want to do.
And just quickly, I am glad you saw the Movie the Bridge at Remagen. What a Great True Story!
I am glad that TV producer found you! He got really lucky! And guess what? I did too!!! You are amazing!!!
You are so funny! I think I will be trying to get the information on my Dad's story for years to come because I want it to be accurate.
Bye for the moment,
Jean J