Saw a bunch of vet shows this past weekend. One thing really stood out. How could Wernher von Braun NOT know about the prisoner situation when he was at Peenemünde? There is NO way he could not have. The show did say that the had sealed his "records." Wonder why?
How could be NOT know???
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W von Braun was an opportunist who put his ambitions above all. After WW2 he made sure he'd be picked up by the Americans (I guess a future in a Russian lab wasn't tempting) and he is know to have said
Quote:
"My country has lost two world wars. This time I want to be on the side of the winners."
The A4 rocket engine for the V-2 rocket was assembled, due to lack of space, not in Peenemünde but underground in Mittelwerk Kohnstein near Nordhausen in Thuringia. Due to lack of German workers, concentration camp prisoners were forced to work there. It is known that W von Braun himself visited the rocket engine factory and thus must have know who was working there. 20,000 prisoners died in Mittelwerk Kohnstein.
Pressed whether or not he knew about the conditions in concentrations camps, he said
Quote:
"No, I never knew what was going on in concentration camps. Yet I suspected it and my position would have allowed me to find out what was going on. I didn't try to find out and I despise myself because of it.
Yeah right. As I said, he was an opportunist who was driven by nothing but ambition.
Quote:
"My country has lost two world wars. This time I want to be on the side of the winners."
The A4 rocket engine for the V-2 rocket was assembled, due to lack of space, not in Peenemünde but underground in Mittelwerk Kohnstein near Nordhausen in Thuringia. Due to lack of German workers, concentration camp prisoners were forced to work there. It is known that W von Braun himself visited the rocket engine factory and thus must have know who was working there. 20,000 prisoners died in Mittelwerk Kohnstein.
Pressed whether or not he knew about the conditions in concentrations camps, he said
Quote:
"No, I never knew what was going on in concentration camps. Yet I suspected it and my position would have allowed me to find out what was going on. I didn't try to find out and I despise myself because of it.
Yeah right. As I said, he was an opportunist who was driven by nothing but ambition.
Interesting this should come up. I recall watching something on the History channel about this (and I'm sure, other) underground facility. Although not "willing" workers, the people who worked there did what they needed to do to try to survive. They also worked to sabatoge the rockets in their own special way. From what I have seen on the rocket's effectiveness, their efforts didn't appear to be in vain.
Should he [Von Braun] have obtained a machine gun and tried to free them?
How about a public open forum debate with Hitler? [moderated by Eleanor Roosevelt]
He was in a tough position, and had his own worries and concerns in those terrible times.
How about a public open forum debate with Hitler? [moderated by Eleanor Roosevelt]
He was in a tough position, and had his own worries and concerns in those terrible times.
While this is all being bought up, wasn't this pretty much covered by "Dr. Strangelove, or How I Learned to Love the Bomb"
I suggest everyone go back and watch the movie again.
Schindler's List would be a good follow-up.
That should give a good idea of what really happened.
I suggest everyone go back and watch the movie again.
Schindler's List would be a good follow-up.
That should give a good idea of what really happened.
I think you are misinterpreting the media then.
I can give further reading assignments and good films that when you take out the romanticizing for entertainment value provide a good feel for the war and what it was like.
Then there are plenty of serious books as well.
I can give further reading assignments and good films that when you take out the romanticizing for entertainment value provide a good feel for the war and what it was like.
Then there are plenty of serious books as well.
Originally Posted By: mechtech2
Should he [Von Braun] have obtained a machine gun and tried to free them?
How about a public open forum debate with Hitler? [moderated by Eleanor Roosevelt]
He was in a tough position, and had his own worries and concerns in those terrible times.
So that, of course, excuses everyone who does nothing.
Should he [Von Braun] have obtained a machine gun and tried to free them?
How about a public open forum debate with Hitler? [moderated by Eleanor Roosevelt]
He was in a tough position, and had his own worries and concerns in those terrible times.
So that, of course, excuses everyone who does nothing.
Not everyone Mark.
Originally Posted By: MarkC
Originally Posted By: mechtech2
Should he [Von Braun] have obtained a machine gun and tried to free them?
How about a public open forum debate with Hitler? [moderated by Eleanor Roosevelt]
He was in a tough position, and had his own worries and concerns in those terrible times.
So that, of course, excuses everyone who does nothing.
Certainly excuses him in my eyes. You seemed to have a lot of sympathy for the Japanese Collaborators who got their just deserts when the big ones hit on Nagasaki and Hiroshima. :shrug:
Originally Posted By: mechtech2
Should he [Von Braun] have obtained a machine gun and tried to free them?
How about a public open forum debate with Hitler? [moderated by Eleanor Roosevelt]
He was in a tough position, and had his own worries and concerns in those terrible times.
So that, of course, excuses everyone who does nothing.
Certainly excuses him in my eyes. You seemed to have a lot of sympathy for the Japanese Collaborators who got their just deserts when the big ones hit on Nagasaki and Hiroshima. :shrug:
if Batman and Superman had a fight..............
Hindsight is indeed 20/20. IF IF IF....
Originally Posted By: Al
Originally Posted By: MarkC
Originally Posted By: mechtech2
Should he [Von Braun] have obtained a machine gun and tried to free them?
How about a public open forum debate with Hitler? [moderated by Eleanor Roosevelt]
He was in a tough position, and had his own worries and concerns in those terrible times.
So that, of course, excuses everyone who does nothing.
Certainly excuses him in my eyes. You seemed to have a lot of sympathy for the Japanese Collaborators who got their just deserts when the big ones hit on Nagasaki and Hiroshima. :shrug:
What are you talking about?
Originally Posted By: MarkC
Originally Posted By: mechtech2
Should he [Von Braun] have obtained a machine gun and tried to free them?
How about a public open forum debate with Hitler? [moderated by Eleanor Roosevelt]
He was in a tough position, and had his own worries and concerns in those terrible times.
So that, of course, excuses everyone who does nothing.
Certainly excuses him in my eyes. You seemed to have a lot of sympathy for the Japanese Collaborators who got their just deserts when the big ones hit on Nagasaki and Hiroshima. :shrug:
What are you talking about?
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