German escape attempts during WW2?

**Captain Hook** · 15-11-2014, 13:45

Originally Posted by A-R

It is (mostly) common knowledge, that the biggest enemy the Germans were facing during WW2, was the "Fuhrer" himself. Had any of the many assasination attempts on him succeeded, the putcome of the war might have been somewhat different.

The brits and yanks actually stop trying to kill him after 1944 because he gash become a strategic asset to the Allies. Odd isn't it.

**Captain Hook** · 15-11-2014, 13:48

Originally Posted by A-R

There are many accounts of escapes, and herioc actions, written in German. This is accessible to German readers only. All the English accounts, are distributed throughout the English speaking world. Makes a huge difference.

Just one example: My grandfather was a POW in Russia. He survived, primarily due to the fact that he was physically too weak to be of any use in the salt mines, and was allowed to return home, where he faced starvation in occupied territory. Any of this recorded in English?

So then it's not just the victors writing the history. I know of large repatriation attempts by the Germans to get back POWS bit as far as I know and have read fewer than 15% of German, Italian and Romanian POWS ever returned home. The rest having died in the Soviet Union.

**krieger** · 15-11-2014, 19:45

Germany started a program 2 years ago to locate and bring the remains of their soldiers home from eastern Europe and Russia. It is a difficult job locating the war graves because the Russians destroyed all German grave markers after the war. They are trying to use hand drawn maps and commander's reports to locate the burial sites but much has changed since 1945.

**Kayback** · 15-11-2014, 20:41

Was there much need for German PowS to escape from western camps?

**A-R** · 16-11-2014, 14:14

Originally Posted by Kayback

Was there much need for German PowS to escape from western camps?

That's debatable. Many germans willingly worked for the allied nations, in various programmes. Just read up on the development of the A10 "Warthog" ground attack aircraft, and the various space missions.

Loyalty to their country, and loyalty to the nutjob in chief, should not be confused... Ask the Americans... or the South Africans.