Our World War II tour is officially over! We drove (or I should say Charlie drove) 4,256 km or 2,644 miles through France, Belgium, The Netherlands, Luxembourg, Germany, Austria and into the Czech Republic. Our travels pretty much followed the 803rd except when they went north in Germany to eliminate the Ruhr pocket in April of 1945.
We, of course, did much more than visit World War II sites. For Charlie and I it was just good to be in the same area and see the beautiful countryside, farms and villages we knew he had been in. And even though he was fighting an intense war, we're sure he looked around at those farms with black rich soil and friendly welcoming locals in France, Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg and felt some sense of pride and satisfaction being in the American liberating army. We so wish we had been more intent on questioning Dad about his war experiences. He was a quiet man and hardly ever talked about the war, but we think now that he would have answered questions with great detail had we just asked.
For the most part we stayed off the main roads, although we did travel on the autobahn through parts of Germany but did not stay in the left lane very much--our little Ford C Max couldn't compete with the luxury cars!
The 803rd was involved in occupation duty in southern Bavaria from the end of the war until Dad departed for home on 6 November 1945 arriving on 16 November and being discharged from Fort Gordon, GA on 20 November.
Monday, October 15, 2012
Saturday, October 13
We're in Prague since Thursday afternoon when we returned our rental car (yea!) at the airport and were picked up by a driver and brought to our apartment located in the Ungelt near Old Town Square, an area that in medieval times served as a place of commerce and customs house where merchants payed their tariff, called "ungelt". An old building and very large apartment that's just a short walk to Old Town Square.
Yesterday Charlie and I took a 6 hour tour with an English speaking guide which was excellent and we learned lot of history and interesting tidbits about the city as well as the Czech people. Our guide had grown up in the city. Remember this city and country has not been out from under communism for too many years...and she said there was still a strong communist party. Economically they are not doing well and could be vulnerable to party change....
Saturday afternoon we took a World War II tour of Prague focusing on the German invasion in 1938, the Prague citizen uprising in May of 45 and the "liberation" by the Red Army also in May, 1945.
Tomorrow we're flying home!
We're in Prague since Thursday afternoon when we returned our rental car (yea!) at the airport and were picked up by a driver and brought to our apartment located in the Ungelt near Old Town Square, an area that in medieval times served as a place of commerce and customs house where merchants payed their tariff, called "ungelt". An old building and very large apartment that's just a short walk to Old Town Square.
Yesterday Charlie and I took a 6 hour tour with an English speaking guide which was excellent and we learned lot of history and interesting tidbits about the city as well as the Czech people. Our guide had grown up in the city. Remember this city and country has not been out from under communism for too many years...and she said there was still a strong communist party. Economically they are not doing well and could be vulnerable to party change....
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| Charles Bridge over the River Vltava |
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| Cathedral on Castle Grounds above city |
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| View of Prague from Castle on Rainy Afternoon |
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| Old New Synagogue in Jewish Quarter |
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| Saint Wenceslas Statue with National Museum in Background In 1968 Russian tanks shot up this building during the invasion. |
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| Old Town Square |
Tomorrow we're flying home!
Friday, October 12, 2012
Thursday, October 11
Leaving Cesky Krumlov early this morning we headed to Prague via a couple of our last World War II stops. The first stop was in the town of Volary where the last soldier in World War II was killed. Outside town, a road side memorial for Charles Havlet, 803rd Tank Destroyer Bn. had been placed on the exact location of his death by the Military Club of Plzen. Charles Havlet from Nebraska was the son of Czech immigrants and his brother was also serving in the 803rd.
Inside the town limits of Volary is a very sad and tragic place--a cemetery where over one hundred Jewish young women were buried in 1945. They were found in a warehouse building by the 5th Division on May 5 after having been marched from Poland on a 90+ day "death march." Many died and were murdered along the way. The survivors had been abandoned in the warehouse by their SS guards near the end of the war. Those buried in the cemetery included those found in a mass grave by American troops and those that died after being liberated.
I had previously read a very moving account of this march by a survivor, Gerda Weissmann Klein who married the American Lieutenant that first found her. The Nazis began this forced march with 4000 women to avoid the advance of the Allies and fewer than 120 survived.
A link to the Memorial 5th Division Website for this Cemetery: http://www.gjt.cz/includes/military/DMUS/dmus.htm
We traveled on 28 km to Vimperk (called Winterberg under German rule) where Dad was at the end of the war. We have a dollar bill that he had carried folded up in his wallet on which he had written "Winterberry, 6 May 1945". The 803rd Bn. Headquarters was in Vimperk at the war's end.
We had an interesting dining experience in Vimperk--stopped for lunch and couldn't read a thing on the menu and no one spoke any English! The Czech language is radically different from German, French and English. We just pointed and took pot luck, it was good!
Leaving Cesky Krumlov early this morning we headed to Prague via a couple of our last World War II stops. The first stop was in the town of Volary where the last soldier in World War II was killed. Outside town, a road side memorial for Charles Havlet, 803rd Tank Destroyer Bn. had been placed on the exact location of his death by the Military Club of Plzen. Charles Havlet from Nebraska was the son of Czech immigrants and his brother was also serving in the 803rd.
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| Charles Havlet Memorial |
Inside the town limits of Volary is a very sad and tragic place--a cemetery where over one hundred Jewish young women were buried in 1945. They were found in a warehouse building by the 5th Division on May 5 after having been marched from Poland on a 90+ day "death march." Many died and were murdered along the way. The survivors had been abandoned in the warehouse by their SS guards near the end of the war. Those buried in the cemetery included those found in a mass grave by American troops and those that died after being liberated.
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| Jewish Cemetery |
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| Sculpture at Jewish Girls Cemetery |
I had previously read a very moving account of this march by a survivor, Gerda Weissmann Klein who married the American Lieutenant that first found her. The Nazis began this forced march with 4000 women to avoid the advance of the Allies and fewer than 120 survived.
A link to the Memorial 5th Division Website for this Cemetery: http://www.gjt.cz/includes/military/DMUS/dmus.htm
We traveled on 28 km to Vimperk (called Winterberg under German rule) where Dad was at the end of the war. We have a dollar bill that he had carried folded up in his wallet on which he had written "Winterberry, 6 May 1945". The 803rd Bn. Headquarters was in Vimperk at the war's end.
We had an interesting dining experience in Vimperk--stopped for lunch and couldn't read a thing on the menu and no one spoke any English! The Czech language is radically different from German, French and English. We just pointed and took pot luck, it was good!
Tuesday October, 9 and Wednesday, October 10
On Tuesday we left the Berchtesgaden area for Neuburg am Inn. We have a photograph of a castle on a hill and Dad had written on the back "This is the castle we stayed in up there July 4, 1945". We're assuming that he and Paul stayed there while on leave and on their way to the Eagle's Nest. The castle is now the Hotelschloss Neuburg in which we stayed--pretty standard hotel room but a neat environment.
Earlier in the day we took a coffee break stop in Lamprechthausen, Austria -- the village that Patrick's Grandfather Lamprecht's ancestors immigrated from in the 1800s.
Wednesday, we took a fairly long drive into the Czech Republic to the town of Cesky Krumlov located in the South Bohemia region. Construction of the town and castle began in the 13th century in a horseshoe bend of the River Vltava. It's another UNESCO World Heritage site but definitely off the beaten path and was not overrun with tourists. Between 1938-45 it was annexed to Nazi Germany as part of the Sudetenland and after being liberated by 5th Infantry Division troops in 1945 was restored to Czechoslovakia. Of course, during the communist regime the town fell into disrepair. It was beautiful, a little rough around the edges but very quaint and real. We enjoyed it more than Rothenburg, Germany.
And on the way there, we visited the town in Germany where Patrick's Grandmother's family immigrated from also in the 1800s--Wegscheid, Germany.
On Tuesday we left the Berchtesgaden area for Neuburg am Inn. We have a photograph of a castle on a hill and Dad had written on the back "This is the castle we stayed in up there July 4, 1945". We're assuming that he and Paul stayed there while on leave and on their way to the Eagle's Nest. The castle is now the Hotelschloss Neuburg in which we stayed--pretty standard hotel room but a neat environment.
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| Dad's photos of "the castle we stayed in up there" |
Earlier in the day we took a coffee break stop in Lamprechthausen, Austria -- the village that Patrick's Grandfather Lamprecht's ancestors immigrated from in the 1800s.
Wednesday, we took a fairly long drive into the Czech Republic to the town of Cesky Krumlov located in the South Bohemia region. Construction of the town and castle began in the 13th century in a horseshoe bend of the River Vltava. It's another UNESCO World Heritage site but definitely off the beaten path and was not overrun with tourists. Between 1938-45 it was annexed to Nazi Germany as part of the Sudetenland and after being liberated by 5th Infantry Division troops in 1945 was restored to Czechoslovakia. Of course, during the communist regime the town fell into disrepair. It was beautiful, a little rough around the edges but very quaint and real. We enjoyed it more than Rothenburg, Germany.
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| Castle overlooking town and River Vltava |
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| View of Cesky Krumlov rooftops from Castle Bridge |
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| Fountain in Castle courtyard |
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| Town cobbled street |
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| Overlook of town and Castle across river |
And on the way there, we visited the town in Germany where Patrick's Grandmother's family immigrated from also in the 1800s--Wegscheid, Germany.
Monday, October 8, 2012
Sunday & Monday, October 7 & 8
On a very rainy Sunday we drove over to Salzburg, walked around the old city and had lunch. Did go to to a short afternoon concert. It's another beautiful old city with cobbled narrow winding streets and hidden courtyards. Charlie and I spend time in a cemetery nestled up against the hillside, graves dating back centuries. Most graves had been decorated with potted flowers and other remembrances.
Monday dawned foggy; however, it later lifted to a beautiful sunny day. We drove into Berchtesgaden and split up for the day. Heather and Patrick explored the mountains both by hiking and taking chair lifts. Charlie and I drove to Obersalzberg and from there took a bus (the only way up) to the Eagle's Nest. Known as the Eagle's Nest to Americans it's called the Kehlsteinhaus here in Germany. It was presented to Hitler by the National Socialist Party on his 50th birthday; however, it was not often used by Hitler. After a hair raising ride up the mountain you entered a tunnel into the mountain then took a brass lined elevator up another 406 feet to the top. The Eagle's Nest, now a restaurant, is controlled by a foundation and profits are used for charitable purposes. Views were incredible.
Below in Obersalzberg is the Dokumentation Obersalzberg, a museum on the site of Hitler's mountain residence, the Berghof. It documents the Nazi period thoroughly; however, it was in German! They did provide small English brochures for each area so we were able to understand most of the exhibit. Hitler rented a small vacation house beginning in 1923 and later as he came into power developed it into a large complex that was his second seat of power after Berlin. In doing so they drove out the local people,taking their farms and homes. On April 25, 1945 British and American bombers bombed the site and destroyed most buildings and then in 1952 the remaining buildings were blown up. For some reason the Eagle's Nest was not destroyed. Under the Berghof there is an extensive bunker complex which is partly open.
On July 4, 1945 Dad and his brother Paul visited this area. We have several photographs, one that was purchased of Berghof before the bombing and several that he made. On the Berghof photo he wrote: "4th July, 1945 This is some of the Hitler SS buildings before they were bombed". Another of destroyed buildings, "This was taken at Hitlers Hide Out, July 4, 1945.
On one of the descriptive panels at the Eagle's Nest, which were all in German, was an English quote by an American General, "Every man and his brother will want to come to the Eagle's Nest." And they did!
At the end of the war the 803rd was still attached to the 5th Infantry and his company was in Vimperk, Czechoslovak now the Czech Republic. On the 16th of June the 83rd Infantry took over the occupation duties in Bavaria from the 5th. He did not depart from Europe until November 6.
We thought that that trip to "Hitlers's Hideout" with Paul must have been so good for them--they had survived the war, were together and probably having a great time!
On a very rainy Sunday we drove over to Salzburg, walked around the old city and had lunch. Did go to to a short afternoon concert. It's another beautiful old city with cobbled narrow winding streets and hidden courtyards. Charlie and I spend time in a cemetery nestled up against the hillside, graves dating back centuries. Most graves had been decorated with potted flowers and other remembrances.
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| Old Cemetery |
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| Salzburg, Austria |
Monday dawned foggy; however, it later lifted to a beautiful sunny day. We drove into Berchtesgaden and split up for the day. Heather and Patrick explored the mountains both by hiking and taking chair lifts. Charlie and I drove to Obersalzberg and from there took a bus (the only way up) to the Eagle's Nest. Known as the Eagle's Nest to Americans it's called the Kehlsteinhaus here in Germany. It was presented to Hitler by the National Socialist Party on his 50th birthday; however, it was not often used by Hitler. After a hair raising ride up the mountain you entered a tunnel into the mountain then took a brass lined elevator up another 406 feet to the top. The Eagle's Nest, now a restaurant, is controlled by a foundation and profits are used for charitable purposes. Views were incredible.
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| The bus in front of ours! |
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| Beautiful Mountains--everywhere! |
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| Eagle's Nest |
Below in Obersalzberg is the Dokumentation Obersalzberg, a museum on the site of Hitler's mountain residence, the Berghof. It documents the Nazi period thoroughly; however, it was in German! They did provide small English brochures for each area so we were able to understand most of the exhibit. Hitler rented a small vacation house beginning in 1923 and later as he came into power developed it into a large complex that was his second seat of power after Berlin. In doing so they drove out the local people,taking their farms and homes. On April 25, 1945 British and American bombers bombed the site and destroyed most buildings and then in 1952 the remaining buildings were blown up. For some reason the Eagle's Nest was not destroyed. Under the Berghof there is an extensive bunker complex which is partly open.
On July 4, 1945 Dad and his brother Paul visited this area. We have several photographs, one that was purchased of Berghof before the bombing and several that he made. On the Berghof photo he wrote: "4th July, 1945 This is some of the Hitler SS buildings before they were bombed". Another of destroyed buildings, "This was taken at Hitlers Hide Out, July 4, 1945.
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| Dad's Photos: Top-photo of Berghof that he must have purchased, note mountains compared to recent photo below. Bottom: ruins after bombing |
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| Documentation Center on sit of old Berghof |
On one of the descriptive panels at the Eagle's Nest, which were all in German, was an English quote by an American General, "Every man and his brother will want to come to the Eagle's Nest." And they did!
At the end of the war the 803rd was still attached to the 5th Infantry and his company was in Vimperk, Czechoslovak now the Czech Republic. On the 16th of June the 83rd Infantry took over the occupation duties in Bavaria from the 5th. He did not depart from Europe until November 6.
We thought that that trip to "Hitlers's Hideout" with Paul must have been so good for them--they had survived the war, were together and probably having a great time!
Saturday, October 6, 2012
Sunday, October 7
Arrived late yesterday in Anger, Germany and checked into a two bedroom apartment with a balcony and the most incredible view of the Bavarian Alps. We're above a small village with farmland views and yesterday afternoon the neighbor farmer was bailing his small patch of hay--small green bales that were then wrapped in white plastic by another piece of equipment.
H and P took a short hike and we went to the grocery store to buy supplies---only understanding about three words of German, we do a lot of smiling and pointing. People are very understanding and nice! Chili for supper.
Woke up to rain today so we're going into Salzburg rather than Berchtesgaden. Supposed to clear tonight and we want a clear day to go up to the Eagle's Nest.
Arrived late yesterday in Anger, Germany and checked into a two bedroom apartment with a balcony and the most incredible view of the Bavarian Alps. We're above a small village with farmland views and yesterday afternoon the neighbor farmer was bailing his small patch of hay--small green bales that were then wrapped in white plastic by another piece of equipment.
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| From our balcony..... |
H and P took a short hike and we went to the grocery store to buy supplies---only understanding about three words of German, we do a lot of smiling and pointing. People are very understanding and nice! Chili for supper.
Woke up to rain today so we're going into Salzburg rather than Berchtesgaden. Supposed to clear tonight and we want a clear day to go up to the Eagle's Nest.
Saturday, October 6
Dachau
Dachau Memorial was established on the grounds of the former concentration camp in 1965 on the initiative of the plans of the surviving prisoners who had joined together to form the Comite International de Dachau. The Bavarian state government provided financial support. This camp was set up in March of 1933 for political prisoners. It served as a model for all later concentration camps and as a "school of violence" for the SS men under whose command it stood. In the 12 years of its existence over 200,000 persons from all over Europe were imprisoned here and in the numerous subsidiary camps. More then 41,500 of them died. On April 29, 1945, American troops liberated the survivors.
It was a very moving and sad morning. The exhibit was extensive and excellent. It should never be forgotten. We saw groups of high schoolers and it's my understanding that a visit to a concentration camp is required of students. No photos......
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