A rumor is going around that states German Knights Cross winners are not allowed on any of the German military bases.

This is NOT CORRECT!

There is no law or provision prohibiting any Knights Cross winners from going onto German military bases. Our friend HANS-GEORG HESS (125-LIFE-1985) tells us though, that the current Verteidigungsminister (Defense Minister) gave the order that there will be no contact between the current German military and the ODR (the German Knights Cross Holders Association).

Vielen Dank HANS-GEORG for that information. Let me also add now that German veterans of World War II are not held in very high esteem in their own country, by their own government or their military. The current Federal German Navy states that their history and heritage began in 1956. That means they really want nothing to do with their veterans or their history - officially, that is. Many Germans do indeed have great respect for the veterans. Here is a letter we received from a Member in Germany and because it is not in line with the official line, we will not print his name. Here is what he writes us - and many in Germany share his feelings.

“We young people in Germany must have respect to our veterans. It is very interesting to listen to these people. The twelve year Kriegsmarine is our history too, not a new area begins after 1945. A navy without tradition and honor or respect to their veterans is not a navy; a country who forgets his sons who lost their lives in two world wars and shows no respect to their veterans is a bad country.

We young people must make it better and speak to all people who listen and tell them to give respect to our veterans. We see it in many associations when the old ones are gone and the new people from the Bundsmarine go into the association and they will speak only about the time after 1945. The time before is not their history. We say - Germans, stay to your history. We in our association don’t forget our history and veterans. They live in tradition and when they are gone, they will live in our hearts forever.”

There is plenty to think about here. The German U-boat veterans are viewed with high respect by the submarine forces and navies of just about all nations - except in their own Germany. We have said before that it is a terrible way to treat these honorable old vets.