Nazi gardening?

Kyt · 21-08-2007, 12:49 AM

So what's going on here then?

I'll give people an opportunity to have a few guesses before I post a translation of the caption (not that it helps much), and the source.

Rich Payne · 21-08-2007, 01:05 AM

He's not the Regimental Rat-Catcher is he ?

Something to do with laying some sort of mine or booby trap ?

Kyt · 21-08-2007, 01:21 AM

That's a very good guess Rich. The caption reads:

Quote:

ex nazi toont schoenen waarmee men houten of glazen mijnen mee opspoort August 1945

ex nazi shows shoes with which one traces houten or glazen mines

Not sure that helps as an explanation

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Rich Payne · 21-08-2007, 01:37 AM

Wooden and glass mines ? Presumably in August 1945 he was being made to clear those laid by the Germans themselves ?

I can't quite think what the purpose was of the "stilts". Not high enough above the blast surely ? Are the spikes in some way too small to activate the detonator ?

Where are the Sappers ?

von Poop · 21-08-2007, 01:55 AM

I bought my missus a German Glasmein 42(? have to recheck the name Edit: 43) a year or so ago.
Always intrigued me as I can find little about it outside of the excellent Gander encyclopedia of German equipment.
Saukopf detonator on a metal plate with a cube of explosive below, all under a thin glass disc with a heavier breaker on top.
Just snapped it:

Wonder if he's anything to do with that? [Pure speculation]One 'spike' breaks the plate and the 'hoops' give room to reach in and lock the trapped detonator? [/Pure speculation] No idea really.
It's Dutch isn't it? Loads of German POW teams there cleaning up postwar doing some horribly dangerous mine-related stuff.

KriegsmarineFreak · 21-08-2007, 02:01 AM

Interesting photo!

Kyt · 21-08-2007, 02:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Von Poop

I bought my missus a German Glasmein 42(? have to recheck the name) a year or so ago.

You're such a romantic!

Slipdigit · 21-08-2007, 11:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kyt

You're such a romantic!

Yeah, I can see me bringing one those home to the bride. I'd be in the coyote position for quite a while.

von Poop · 22-08-2007, 12:23 AM

She collects 'odd' glass, I gave it to her buried in a bucket of compost, seemed rather pleased. Just asked her and she's annoyed that I've moved 'her' mine.

One Christmas she got a WW1 hand grenade, an Iron Cross (deserved a medal I thought), and a wind up radio... she rates that as one of my more inspired bits of 'fast show' pressie buying.
She's also very tolerant of museums full of engines of death & visits to rusty concrete & actually seems to enjoy Regimental museums.... Top bird.

So, anyway

... what is that German really doing?

22-08-2007, 01:56 PM

something to do with mine clearance. i assume the stilts are to prevent him placing his foot on a mine and triggering it. however i would have thought the old physics would kick in and his weight concentrated on one of the smaller 'foots' would have had the same effect as actually stepping on it.
An odd one.
An Adam, I'd be happy to receive a glass mine. Then again I am considered odd amongst my family members.

21-08-2007, 12:49 AM	#1 (permalink)
Kyt Very Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 2,968	Nazi gardening? So what's going on here then? I'll give people an opportunity to have a few guesses before I post a translation of the caption (not that it helps much), and the source. __________________ _______________________________________ Squadron Leader Pujji - Audio Interviews (half way down the page)

21-08-2007, 01:55 AM	#5 (permalink)
von Poop I Like Tanks Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Perfidious Albion. Posts: 8,373	I bought my missus a German Glasmein 42(? have to recheck the name Edit: 43) a year or so ago. Always intrigued me as I can find little about it outside of the excellent Gander encyclopedia of German equipment. Saukopf detonator on a metal plate with a cube of explosive below, all under a thin glass disc with a heavier breaker on top. Just snapped it: Wonder if he's anything to do with that? [Pure speculation]One 'spike' breaks the plate and the 'hoops' give room to reach in and lock the trapped detonator? [/Pure speculation] No idea really. It's Dutch isn't it? Loads of German POW teams there cleaning up postwar doing some horribly dangerous mine-related stuff. __________________ It's only the Internet. Last edited by von Poop; 21-08-2007 at 03:41 PM.

21-08-2007, 02:01 AM	#6 (permalink)
KriegsmarineFreak Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Las Vegas, Nevada Posts: 222	Interesting photo! __________________ Anything World War II

22-08-2007, 12:23 AM	#9 (permalink)
von Poop I Like Tanks Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Perfidious Albion. Posts: 8,373	She collects 'odd' glass, I gave it to her buried in a bucket of compost, seemed rather pleased. Just asked her and she's annoyed that I've moved 'her' mine. One Christmas she got a WW1 hand grenade, an Iron Cross (deserved a medal I thought), and a wind up radio... she rates that as one of my more inspired bits of 'fast show' pressie buying. She's also very tolerant of museums full of engines of death & visits to rusty concrete & actually seems to enjoy Regimental museums.... Top bird. So, anyway... what is that German really doing? __________________ It's only the Internet.

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21-08-2007, 01:05 AM	#2 (permalink)
Rich Payne Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 720	He's not the Regimental Rat-Catcher is he ? Something to do with laying some sort of mine or booby trap ?

21-08-2007, 01:37 AM	#4 (permalink)
Rich Payne Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 720	Wooden and glass mines ? Presumably in August 1945 he was being made to clear those laid by the Germans themselves ? I can't quite think what the purpose was of the "stilts". Not high enough above the blast surely ? Are the spikes in some way too small to activate the detonator ? Where are the Sappers ?

22-08-2007, 01:56 PM	#10 (permalink)
Kitty Guest Posts: n/a	something to do with mine clearance. i assume the stilts are to prevent him placing his foot on a mine and triggering it. however i would have thought the old physics would kick in and his weight concentrated on one of the smaller 'foots' would have had the same effect as actually stepping on it. An odd one. An Adam, I'd be happy to receive a glass mine. Then again I am considered odd amongst my family members.

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