|
01-16-2011, 03:08 AM | #1 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Gdańsk, Poland
Age: 59
Posts: 381
|
Another question for the crowd
In researching my medal for Gdansk, I came across information about the state of the city during the fight from the perspective of the Germans. Seems they were describing being unable to stay in the houses because of the intense heat form all the fires raging in the city.
This conflicts with one former Polish soldiers account that the city wasn't so heavily damaged by the end of the fight but was plundered and burned AFTER they captured it and everything of worth was taken back to Russia. Windows, doors, window panes and such. Granted when an Army of 300k-500k attack a city, there is going to be a lot of destruction from both ground and air, but what about the reports of ransacking a city (town) afterwards. I also know that the factories in Selesia were dismantled and taken back to Russia but housing material? Is this true OR is it a myth created to make the Russians look bad?
__________________
"Who will come to us with a sword - will be killed by a sword. Who will come to us with a feather - will be tickled by a feather!" - citation of Alexander Nevski |
Sponsored Links |
01-16-2011, 04:41 AM | #2 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Germany, Cologne
Posts: 626
|
Re: Another question for the crowd
Hello Jeff,
here is a film available from the german gouverment administration "Bundesarchiv Filmarchiv". German language filmarchives online — filmarchives online English language filmarchives online — filmarchives online It seems to be that there are pictures from the city and pictures from rising the polish flag. "Danzig: Angriff der Roten Armee, Einmarsch russischer Soldaten, polnische Fahne wird gehisst, Soldaten singen, zerstörte Kirche, zerstörtes Danzig. Danzig vor Zerstörung: Schwenk vom Kanal auf Häuser, Kirchturm, Danzig aus der Ferne" good luck Andreas Last edited by Alfred; 01-16-2011 at 05:01 AM. |
01-16-2011, 06:57 AM | #3 | |
Forum Moderator
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Eurasia
Posts: 2,339
|
Re: Another question for the crowd
Quote:
|
|
01-16-2011, 07:33 AM | #4 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Gdańsk, Poland
Age: 59
Posts: 381
|
But to say that a city that was 80% destroyed was the work done after the end of fighting, is that true as well?
There are a number of building in the city of Gdansk that were spared. Even the house that I purchased 10 years ago had the original windows attested to by the panes in the windows and the photos of the house before the war. So my question is more of "to what extreme" were these "exploitation" units removing things? Windows, doors, door casings, window panes? Yes, I have seen this film. It was filmed two days after the fighting ended. However, it is not of the actual event.
__________________
"Who will come to us with a sword - will be killed by a sword. Who will come to us with a feather - will be tickled by a feather!" - citation of Alexander Nevski |
01-16-2011, 10:13 AM | #5 | |
Forum Moderator
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Eurasia
Posts: 2,339
|
Re: Another question for the crowd
Quote:
In a similar vein modern antique stores in places as far as Uzbekistan are stocked with looted turn of the 19-20 century and up to the 1930s furniture with German-language and period identification tags. I can't remember the source, but it mentioned Soviet soldiers taking light bulbs and telephones home to their native villages not understanding that there needed to be an existing infrastructure for these devices to work. |
|
02-27-2016, 01:32 AM | #6 |
Forum Administrator
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Deep In The Archives.
Age: 17
Posts: 12,074
|
Re: Another question for the crowd
My cousin was in the British Army attached to a Canadian unit from France all the way to a liberated Berlin. He stayed to occupy Berlin for an additional 18 months before returning back to Britain. He told me that when he got to the Fuhrerbunker (where he was posted) the Soviets had looted absolutely everything that was portable, furniture, metals, linen, food, everything - except items that had absolutely no use (and the ownership of such may have caused some suspicion from the NKGB) - unused Nazi insignia and worthless paper money. Those became his trophies. In my collection today is just one of the unused cloth Reichsadler insignia that was for Hitler's own attire.
It would be interesting to know if there are any official numbers of railway cars or tonnage of loot that made its way eastwards between Bagration and the foundation of the DDR. It may make the Berlin Airlift look like a folly in comparison.
__________________
"Signed with his own rubber stamp" |
03-04-2016, 05:32 AM | #7 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Wrocław, Poland
Posts: 1,828
|
Re: Another question for the crowd
Let me post here a piece of I.I. Svetlakov's (Interior troops automobile service officer) memoires from 1946:
"At that time, the Aviation factories has received the trains containing equipment taken from Germany. The factories of the Ministry of Aviation Industry had no equipment to unload and transport the machines. The automobile directorate of the GUVS in military unit nr. 100 had a Voroshilovets tractor, 10-tonne automobile crane and 3 10-tonne off-road vehicles. According to the contract, for each unloaded railway transport, the GUVS would receive 10 machines from that transport picked immediately during the unloading. With such equipment, we were able to unload 25-30 railway cars in 25-40 minutes. The factories (in the towns of Khimiki and Stupino) wouldn't have to pay a fine and we would obtanin machines we couldn't have even dreamed of. We obtained a total of over 500 machines." Gives some hint on the scale, doesn't it? |
03-05-2016, 02:29 AM | #8 |
Forum Administrator
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Deep In The Archives.
Age: 17
Posts: 12,074
|
Re: Another question for the crowd
I think the correct term for that would be "spillage".
__________________
"Signed with his own rubber stamp" |
Bookmarks |
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests) | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Fur Cap Question | Dietrich | Army Uniforms And Insignia | 15 | 03-21-2003 06:38 PM |
WW II GOLD STAR MEDAL HERO OF SOVIET UNION # 1203 Award to SHELEPOV PETR
$8500.00
Cufflinks Workshop Gold Anchor Cufflinks/Cufflinks Men's
$70.41
GREEK GOLD BULL SHIELD -- sca/larp/armor/spartan/trojan/troy/ancient greece
$189.99
GOLD TONE CONCEALED WEAPON PERMIT BADGE 2ND AMENDMENT
$20.00
US Military 1950s Melmac Mess Mugs Golden Brown Melamine Coffee Cups 1956 1955
$15.00
US Army Gold Challenge Coin - Excellent Gift - Shipped Free fm the US to US
$5.95
KINGFORM CAP Mens US Navy Academy Parade Hat Gold Band Anchors Military 7 1/4
$55.00
VTG Military Navy Button Eagle 13 Star Uniform Brass Gold Anchor Relief USA🇺🇸
$14.88
RARE 1915 1917 Bronze Odd Shaped plaquettes from WWI Paris (XF/AU)
$725.00
WWII Heart Shield Bible Gold Plate Cover Presented To Pvt. James C. York 1943
$300.00