The Germans paid great respect for their dead, even given the hardships of the War. Usually, the graves were marked with birch limbs with the helmet placed on top and an inscription placed on the birch limbs. The graves were either collected in common divisional cemeteries, or if the casualty occurred on the move, alongside the road. The Germans would find wildflowers to decorate the graves when available. As the Germans began their retreat, they would destroy their own cemetery markings to deny the Russians intelligence concerning units and names. What the Germans didn't destroy, the Russians were sure to finish off. After the War, the German War Graves Commission was formed to care for German graves all over the theaters of war. Unfortunately, most German war graves lay in countries behind the Iron Curtain. It was not until the fall of the Soviet Union that the Commission had access to the eastern lands... and the graves. By then, it was too late as everything had been destroyed for decades, and the beastly Russians had even knowingly built atop the war cemeteries. The Commission has done what it could, has relocated many remains, but finds that nearly a million German graves cannot be found. I've always felt that we fought against the wrong enemy in that War, as events after 1945 proved. Though the Germans were our enemy in two wars, and it was far better for us that German lost, we have consistently adopted their tactics, weapons, training, and discipline for our own military. Love them or hate them, the Germans had the finest military in history.

said mnpd007 7 months 28 days ago

Honor guard duty is some of the worst duty in the military, even though it is a very important, and solemn duty. It is bad/hard duty because, as you do the duty, you know why you are there. You honor your fallen comrades, but it is brutal to know that your comrades have fallen.

said Leshod 11 months 8 days ago

They are from Luftwaffe or AA artillery. Notice the uniforms.

said Vickers82 2008.06.08 at 01:48:53 PDT

Three German Soldiers. One through the trees.

said cj8lvr 2006.06.06 at 10:28:45 PDT