German Cemetery in Normandy Im sorry if there has been a thread on here before about this topic, but I found that the German Cemetary is hardly ever mentioned (the one in normandy) I understand the sentiments towards the German army, especially from the French and English Point of view, but this cemetary is so large, that it should be more widely publicized. It, not only the American Cemetary should both share an equivalent amount of publicity, because they both show the devastation that World War II caused...
Remember there is more than one German cemetery in Normandy, but I suspect you are referring to the one at La Cambe? This cemetery has a huge number of visitors every year, indicated by the size of its parking area, and huge visitors centre by the main gate. Remember also that there are many British & Commonwealth war cemeteries in Normandy; it wasn't just an American effort. See: http://battlefieldsww2.50megs.com/normandy_cemeteries.htm
thats the one. I was there june of last year, but it was desolate aside from Some German and French Soldiers, who visited for about 15 minutes. I saw only one couple, two Germans, who were looking at the visitor center. I Understand that other efforts were taken, and i visited many cemetaries throughout the week that i stayed there, Canadian, British, the whole 9 yards. However, they were not as massive as either of the two.
That is very true - the reason for that is the US Government decided in WW1 to concentrate US war dead into large war cemeteries, and repatriate fallen soldiers for the families of those who wanted it. In WW1 and WW2 it was about 60% of the total dead that were taken back to the US. All battlefield cemeteries in Normandy (of which there were probably 20+) were closed and moved into the one at St Laurent you visited; in some cases the old sites are recorded by a marker stone. The Germans also had many battlefield cemeteries, and again these were all closed and the dead moved into sites like La Cambe.
Reading this and finally got around to a stroll through your cemetary pages Paul, what an excellent document, I found the single grave at Cahagnes and the sets of brothers at Beny-sur-mer particularly strong stuff. Cheers for that, Adam.
Thanks Adam - more of the same coming up when I properly launch my WW2 Cemeteries site early next year.
I hang my head in shame that I didn't get to La Cambe last year. As it was my first and only trip there so far there was so much else to see that we never got to there. I suppose alot of people go to La Cambe to visit Michael Wittmann's grave.
Interestingly,the US only retained one battlefield cemetery in Normandy and that was at St Laurent,now consolidated as Colleville sur Mer.There was another battlefield cemetery east of St Laurent on the shoreline, north of Colleville. La Cambe was an original US battlefield cemetery or as the US termed them,temporary, which became a consolidated cemetery for German casualties after it was decided that the now St Laurent cemetery would be the Normandy consolidated cemetery and US casualties were transferred there. Three US battlefield cemeteries were established around Ste Mere Eglise,one USA No 1 (eastern outskirts of the town) and USA No 2 and USA No 3,just south of the town on the west side of the RN 13 (Voie de la Liberte).When the casualties were removed the land was not further used for burials. The German casualties in the Ste Mere Eglise sector were buried at Orglandes which became a main German consolidated cemetery.Post war,US casualties were transferred to Colleville sur Mere. The German cemetery at Marigny west of St Lo was originally another US battlefield cemetery which became a German consolidated cemetery after US cemetery consolidation had taken place at Colleville sur Mer. The German ossuary at Mont-de-Huisnes in Mont St Michel Bay is the result of the consolidation of German dead from a large number of Departments in Western France as far south as the Vienne.In addition the whole of the Channel Islands German casualties with the exception of the dead in the Fort George in Guernsey have been transferred here.Why the German remains were not transferred into a cemetery is not clear. There was also a US battlefield cemetery situated at le Chefresne,just off the RN 175.and there is evidence that the site, on the D280, faced a German cemetery,which was situated on the south side of the D 280.There is now nothing recorded of a military cemetery.It is possible that the German cemetery was in use before the invasion of Normandy. There are also 10 CWGC cemeteries with German plots.These are all in the Calvados Department at: Bayeux 466 Fontenay-le Pesne 59 Hottot-les- Bagues 132 Douvres-la Deliverande 182 Ranville 323 Ryes-Bazenville 328 Cheux-St-Manvieu 356 Tilly-sur Seulles 18 Tourgeville 33 There is further information on German War Cemeteries throughout the world from the Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgraberfursorge,3500 Kassel,Germany
Hi all Is there a German War Graves Commission like our Common Wealth War Graves Commission? I have a picture taken in North Africa 1941 from what I can work out the gentlemans names is 'Otto Daritfchke' Also there is an inscription on the cross of 'Gefr' 'Gefe' or 'Geft' Any ideas? Cheers Kieron
Volksbund Deutscher Kriegsgraberfursorge. English Introduction page: Kurzprofil To be honest it did my non German speaking head in the two times I tried to use it, but I know there are a couple of chaps here that are likely to be fully au fait with it. Cheers, Adam
Hi, Think this is your man below. please note the 'S' written in the old style looks like an 'F'. Also his name starts with P, had to enlarge photo to see that. The abbreviation is probably Gefreiter = corporal, which tallies with the record. Have translated for you. According to the records he is buried in Tobruk Cemetery. Otto Paritschke ruht auf der Kriegsgräberstätte in Tobruk (Libyen) . Zum Gedenken/ In memory Nachname /Surname: Paritschke Vorname /First name: Otto Dienstgrad / Rank: Gefreiter Geburtsdatum / DOB: 12.02.1920 Geburtsort/ Place of birth: Berlin-Charlottenburg Todes-/Vermisstendatum / Date of death/ reported missing: 16.08.1941 Todes-/Vermisstenort Place of death / reported missing: Kriegsgräberstätte Tobruk
Cheers guys thats excellant I bet his grave isn't like that anymore...shame I couldn't contact his family and give them a copy of the picture.
Hi, Below is the address for the organisation which looks after the German War Graves. As part of the initial 'registration' to use the site, the user is required to give an email address and it also asks if the person is researching family members, or just doing general research for example. I don't think it would be too difficult to contact the site, even in English, and send the photo with the details from the record. They may be able to contact relatives on your behalf, IF the relatives have previously searched for information. I intend to try the same with some photos that I have found. dbf Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge e.V. Bundesgeschäftsstelle Werner-Hilpert-Straße 2 D 34112 Kassel Telefon: 0180 / 570 09-99 (0,12 € / min) Spendenhotline: 0180 / 570 09-01 (0,12 € / min) Telefax: 05 61 / 70 09-221 E-Mail: info@volksbund.de
Hi I've done a bit of searching on the VDK site so if anyone needs a hand let me know. It only contains the names of soldiers who have (or had) known graves. I say 'had' because they seem to have lists of soldiers who were recorded as being buried in field hospital cemeteries which were later abandoned and probably destroyed (this is often the case in Russia). Some of these cemeteries are now being excavated and the remains reburied in new military cemeteries. If soldiers were 'missing' they are not recorded on the database (the exception being the U-Boot memorial). Another site which I found interesting is this one - Weltkriegsopfer.de | Die Informationsseite über Kriegsgräberstätten und Kriegsopfer. It is in German, but it is pretty easy to find your way around. It has information on the places where WW1 and WW2 burials are found, by country.
I dicover this instructions in other Forum about Axis History Factbook: How to use the German War Graves database I will attempt to find the crew of U-617..... Jan.
i recently went to a german cemetery in cannock chase (u.k) and took some pictures hope some find it as interesting as i did
I dicover this instructions in other Forum about Axis History Factbook: How to use the German War Graves database I will attempt to find the crew of U-617..... Jan. Nice find Jan7! Very informative and fairly clear too. Like VP, the one time I tried to use it I found my brain was melted. Which is why I'm starting to learn German in the Autumn. :p
i recently went to a german cemetery in cannock chase (u.k) and took some pictures hope some find it as interesting as i did Seems more interesting your find, dear Rommel_UK! Post it quickly, please! And.....:358: to WW2Talk! Nice find Jan7! Very informative and fairly clear too. Like VP, the one time I tried to use it I found my brain was melted. Which is why I'm starting to learn German in the Autumn. :p The Axis History Forum is an authentic source of very valuable information. I'm suscribed it too.... Jan.
