Russian war prisoners 1941-1945

[Marinus]

My uncle, who served 40 years in the Dutch navy and died recently, told me once:

"The last years of the second world war I was a prisoner in a German camp. My fellow prisoners were Dutch, British, American, French, Russian, etc. Life was not as bad as in a concentration camp, because we all were protected by the Geneva convention for war prisoners. But the food was terrible. Fortunately sometimes we got parcels from the
international Red Cross, with excellent food: real butter, good sausage and even chocolate bars!
Most prisoners kept these gifts for themselves. Sometimes we gave this quality food partly to fellow countrymen, who were sick or very weak. Only the Russian war prisoners ALWAYS shared their gifts with EVERYONE, regardless of nationality. It is my experience that Russians are the best people in the world!"

After the second world war, the cold war began and the Sovjet Union became a "potential enemy" to the Netherlands. But my uncle did not accept this indoctrination by the government and he kept telling about the "good Russians".

[glock_girl]

Excellent story...it is sad that we are seeing the dying generation that went through such traumatic times pass on for good. "Lest we forget" is the Canadian national motto for our days of Remembrance for those who fought in all wars.

Your uncle was right. MY great-grandfather and a good friend of my grandfather (Opa) were both prisoners in RUSSIAN POW camps when they fought for Germany. Why I don't call them Nazis is because they were DRAFTED and not actual Nazi party supporters. If I didn't know two men who wanted to see Hitler dead more than anything...
My greatgrandfather ended up in Sibera, and the friend was elsewhere towards the western area of Russia.
The friend told me countless stories of the secretive kindness of the prison guards...and my greatgrandfather actually escaped from his prison in Siberia taking the chance of getting shot. Well, he KNEW that they were watching him running off through the snow.

There are just minor stories, and it may not count for all Russian POW camps. But do you notice they never show this kindness in books or films?

And off-handedly...even the Germans did their small part.
My grandfather was a panzerkommander and took Jewish children across the border to other countries out of Germany for safety.
Also, has anyone heard of Franz Stigler? There was a book or two written about him.
During an air raid in the north of Germany, and american plane was gunned down and Franz (in his Messerschmit) noticed them, and went in for the kill. Coming up closer to the plane, he noticed that only one engine was working and the tailgunner had been shot. He looked over to the cockpit and saw the fearing eyes of the other american soldiers flying the plane.
Franz signalled them to make a turn...then another...then another. The americans, upon recollection, were scared and thought this was it. One of the soldiers even said he had ordered his crew to start dumping gasoline all over the cockpit so when they landed and were imprisoned by the Germans, they could burn the plane.
The next thing they saw was the ocean coming up in front of them and they looked over at Franz who smiled and waved then flew off. In moments, they would be safe and landed in the UK.
Franz had guided them safely around a German air-defence shield that had been stationed there.
Well, many many years later, these americans found Franz (who now lives near me in a nearby town) and they get together on an ongoing basis. Franz has been made an honorary member of the United States Air Corps.

Marinus, stories like yours and this one make me happy and it's good to know that there are still human beings out there.

Sorry to digress...