“I sit here now as an old man with a lifetime of memories tormenting me. I was a 19 year old boy when I was forced into uniform in the Heer (German Army), and then volunteered for service within the SS. I left as a 22 year old man who no longer felt pride or optimism about anything in post war Germany.

My comrades bled to death on the steppes of Russia and froze to death in their holes for years. I have no hate for the Russian now. I didn’t back then either. I only wanted to survive and to go home.

We saw and did terrible things in the name of Germany. The common consensus we soldiers with a more realistic view felt toward the end of the war was the growing feeling that we had been lied to by our government. Of course there were some, even many, fanatic SS men who believed until the end.

The world may forgive Germany someday for following the wishes of a madman, but I don’t think I will ever begin to forgive myself.”
– Johannes Weber. SS Panzergrenadier, Eastern Front.
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As we always say here at Battles and Beers (TM) Every soldier has a story, and every story deserves to be told.