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**AlanG** · 20 April 2011, 21:37

Al Murray did a peice on this on his Normandy tour program. Very sobering indeed

**homechild** · 20 April 2011, 21:53

Hey Ron.

I don't know a great deal about WWII, really only the stuff you learn in school, not the real history of what went on.

I dread to think what happened here but I will probably look into it as this kind of thing interests me.

I don't want to hijack the thread here but would like to share a similart experience. At the risk of this turning into a morose thread (which I don't want to happen), when I was 16 I was in Austria on a school trip and we visited Dachau Concentration Camp. What I saw and learned there will stay with me forever. One of the most surprising things that happened during that visit was that the kids that were mouthing off at the start of the visit (the were at every school, I'm sure you knew them - probably had different names though) were very quiet and solemn at the end of it.

We can read all we can about things like this and we will never understand how it felt to be there at the time but I truly believe that visiting places like this changes you.

Again, if the mods feel this should be removed by all means.

If it's okay it would be good to be given the nod too.

**stona** · 21 April 2011, 07:56

Thanks for the pictures Ron.It is vital that these memorials are maintained. These events will pass from living memory in the near future and there are important lessons to be learned.

I'm well aware of the exploits of "Das Reich" on their march through France. They were not the only ones. Many people may not be and learning about it would be exactly the type of lesson I mean.

Drew,as a young man on tour behind what was then the iron curtain we performed at three or four Polish cities. I,and my colleagues, had a day off in Katowice. We were taken,laughing and joking on a trip to Auschwitz. We weren't laughing and joking when we left. That's the point.

I can't imagine why anyone would be upset by a thread like this. As long as it maintains a historical rather than political theme.

Cheers

Steve

**John** · 21 April 2011, 07:59

I've just been looking at oradour.info and some of the pictures really make you think, you can almost hear the silence if that makes sense, a lot of WWII has been rebuilt and by a lot of people forgot, this should serve as a reminder that we should never forget

**spanner570** · 21 April 2011, 09:03

Thank you John for letting this thread run it's course.

I deliberated for quite some time as to whether to post it or not for obvious reasons........

Referring to the silence you mention, the entrance and museum are on one side of a road and the 'monument' is on the other, accessed by a walkway under the road.

On emerging from this, you walk up one of the side streets and are met by a sign with one word written on it....Silence.

One thing I noticed straight away. The few people who were there were just whispering, but the birds were in full song. Making it perhaps as moving as the silence associated with the camps.

Thanks again,

Ron

**Guest** · 21 April 2011, 19:08

i've just been reading up on this Ron and it is just another reason why people who commit such atrocities should be found and brought to justice, when i visited Dachau and Auschwitz and i remember these days very clearly on entering both camps no birds sang within the entire perimeter of both camps.... it was eerie as if they knew what went on there. It is vital that such memorial should be maintained. I also think that these things should be taught as part of WWII history in schools as a reminder to future generations that war is futile and the danger of not learning from the mistakes of the past.

scott

**Guest** · 21 April 2011, 20:08

My eldest daughter is 8 years old and my youngest three. It is vital that these stories be told. If we do not educate our children, Scott quite rightly points out that these efforts and atrocities will be soon forgotten. I want my children to know what their great grandparents fought for and why. Eleanor is already able to speak quite confidently about her "great granddad" and the war. It's up to us to make sure that these stories are not forgotten.

I have never visited any of the camps but will do at some point. Who know's, maybe my kids will visit them with me.

Steve

**stona** · 22 April 2011, 08:30

I couldn't agree more but this stuff isn't taught. Ask the average fifteen year old the dates (even approximate) of WWII and they won't know. Many can't make the association between nazi Germany and the concentration camps that they will have heard of. The only people who really learn this stuff in school are,to their credit, the Germans.

Cheers

Steve

**AlanG** · 22 April 2011, 12:09

Originally posted by \

The only people who really learn this stuff in school are,to their credit, the Germans.

Very true Steve. When i have visited labour and concentration camps (20 so far in total) it has always struck me just how many german school parties there are there. So yes i agree that full credit must be giiven to the present german school authorities for making sure the present pupils never forget the past.

Scale Model Shop

A sobering experience....

A sobering experience....

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