Last Living Knight's Cross Holders 2023
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- Опубліковано 12 січ 2025
- Thousands of German servicemen were awarded the Knight's Cross during WWII, the highest award for gallantry and meritorious service. Today, only two are still alive. Find out their stories here...
Dr. Mark Felton FRHistS, FRSA, is a well-known British historian, the author of 22 non-fiction books, including bestsellers 'Zero Night' and 'Castle of the Eagles', both currently being developed into movies in Hollywood. In addition to writing, Mark also appears regularly in television documentaries around the world, including on The History Channel, Netflix, National Geographic, Quest, American Heroes Channel and RMC Decouverte. His books have formed the background to several TV and radio documentaries. More information about Mark can be found at: en.wikipedia.o...
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Disclaimer: All opinions and comments expressed in the 'Comments' section do not reflect the opinions of Mark Felton Productions. All opinions and comments should contribute to the dialogue. Mark Felton Productions does not condone written attacks, insults, racism, sexism, extremism, violence or otherwise questionable comments or material in the 'Comments' section, and reserves the right to delete any comment violating this rule or to block any poster from the channel.
Credits: The National Archives; Library of Congress; Bruce Marvin; New York Times; Ironcross; Giel's Militaria; MoserB; LoveIron; Main-Post (Nico Adler).
The fact that Germany has a similar number of surviving veterans compared to the USA despite having half the total population at the time just shows what a large portion of their male population was mobilized, especially considering their proportionately greater losses.
Check your sources before you write something silly like that. The Americans, British, and the Soviets lost many more aircrafts and pilots killed than the Germans, which happened when the German Luftwaffe was fighting the whole world on 3 fronts. Also, it's no secret the entire German male population was forced to mobilize, fighting 3 empires and more than small 10 countries with useless allies Germany was forced to abuse slave labors and recruit even children, women and elderly into their ranks.
Well Germany was , herself, invaded and the pool of potential fighters was expounded to young boys as young as 12 and old men over 59+ . Germany had more soldiers than any other nation, aside from the Soviet Union!
By the end pretty much every male was mobilized.
Plus many were children.
Errr, no. Go to the very first opening comments.
Post-war mortality in US veterans has been higher. Whether statistically significantly so would need input from a bona-fide statistician.
or it has to do with life expectancy which is lower in the USA
My still living Grandfather has fought in Stalingrad came to a Soviet POW camp and was one of the 9.000 who came back from one those camps. He is now 99 and in February 2024 is he's 100 Birthday.
That’s truly amazing.
Please can you do a video of him telling story about battles and post it
Is he still doing well?
@@Ducks511 Yeah and on February 11th 2024 is his 100th Birthday.
@@SergeyTaboritsky1 sweet tell him I said Hallo
Incredible that they are still around.
Brings realization of just how short a time ago it was. Most younger people today have no idea just how close it was to us and that we have basically been living in the immediate aftermath results of WW2 ever since. I just read the other day that Britain just made their last WW2 repayment loan to the USA this past year!!! Unbelievable!
@@RoseSharon7777 : It was a few years ago that the last repayment was made. Fighting two World Wars in such quick succession took a great tole on the UK.
Losses in the first war were enormous, many of our finest lost in tactics that seem foolish now.
Rationing in the second war continued into the 1950's. The costs of rebuilding houses and infrastructure all took time and money. The NHS was born out of that hardship and many who had fought and suffered wanted something different for themselves and their families. A better life, with more opportunities.
The privation of the war, had changed the mindset of many.
And You can get 30 year olds with three years in Iraq and two years fighting in Afghan no one realise quite easily today.
All their stress occurred when they were young. None after 25. Secret to long life
I met Luftwaffe ace and General, Adolf Galland, in 1991. This was at the "Reach for the Skies" event, in San Jose, CA, sponsored by "Virginia Bader Fine Arts". Of course, General Galland autographed my copy of his book, "The First and the Last". Also present at the event was the RAF ace J.E. Johnson, who autographed my copy of his book, "Wing Leader". Virginia Bader, herself, was a cousin of the RAF ace Douglas Bader.
At another event, in 1998, I met Kriegsmarine ace Erich Topp. Of course, Admiral Topp autographed my copy of his book "The Odyssey of a U-Boat Commander".
HEROES, ALL! 👍🗡👊
My father served on the Don with the Hungarian 2nd as a Lieutenant. The army, as well as the Romanian and Italian contingents, was annihilated by a massive Soviet counteroffensive. What was left was slowly pulled back and eventually returned to Hungary. He was among the 28,000 Hungarian and German troops who, at the end of the Siege of Budapest, attempted to break out of the pocket. He was one of 700 to make it to Austria. The remaining 27k+ were killed or sent east. I believe Felton did a piece on that? As an aside, you sir make incredible videos. Thank-you.
We have a number oF German immigrants in BC Canada with just those stories: uncles that walked back from the Russian front and were fortunate to get back to Austria or Switzerland and safety. The rest? Russian work camps and rebuild slaves that never came home.
Shshsh, don't tell people that the Hungarians fought on Hitler's side. The official narrative is that Hungary was invaded by Germany. Poor Hungarians, weep, weep.
@@doppel5627 No. My father never hid his service.
@@doppel5627No it isn't? Hungarians are generally quite proud of the stubborn resistance they put up to the Soviets.
@@scipio7837 YOU CAN FELL SHAME BY YOUR FATHER THEN!SAD
Mind boggling that ANY person who fought is still alive. Thanx Dr. Felton, top notch as usual!
It was only 80 years ago
Those bloody Germans seem to never dieeeeeee😮😮😮😮
only....@@duncanmcgee13
we shall never surrender ! :D@@djzrobzombie2813
How is it mind boggling? It ended in 1945. Young guys would only be in their 90's now. Is no-one allowed to live that long in your strange world?
The brother of a friend of mine, whose name was Walter Brauer, won the Knight's Cross in the latter half of 1944. He commanded a two gun anti-tank crew in Poland that destroyed 12 Soviet tanks and a number of trucks in a single running battle that lasted all afternoon and into the evening. He told Gunter, his younger brother and my friend, "Don't volunteer for _anything!"_ that fall of 1944 when he was still 17 and not old enough to be in the army. Gunter kept a photo of Walter in full dress uniform on his night table beside his bed until the day he died in June 2019.
Was Gunter mobilized later in the war? A lot of children were mobilized in the last few months/weeks of the war.
Great story.
@@terminallumbago6465 Yes, Gunter had to join the army in October 1944. He enlisted with the Herman Goring division and was finally captured in Poland in January 1945. He did not relish his experiences during the war.
@@ToddSauve Captured in Poland by the Russians? He was lucky to have survived however many years the Russians held him! His brother was right!
@@folgore1 That happened to my great uncle, Theodore Gabler. I don't have a ton of information, but after WW2 he was held by the soviets for 8 years. My aunt said when he returned to Germany he was never the same.
Doctor Felton, your research is impeccable. Thank you!
When I was a kid in New Zealand in the 50's, incidentally in the town where Keith Park was born, I went to a dawn parade and the WWI guys would've been 50-60 years old and the WWII guys were quite young looking. The CFI at the local Aero club was a Spitfire pilot and the rest were made up of Pilots and Crew of all sorts of aircraft and Service. The old couches were throw-outs, Jaded, former glorious furniture pressed into final service with the internal stuffing peeping out all over. There was an amazing atmosphere no longer present in modern times. Lest We Forget.
Danke für ihre fantastische Arbeit! Gruß aus Deutschland
I was in Sydney Australia a few weeks ago and I saw a peculiar thing. A man dressed in what I believed to be a modern day Germany Army Uniform. I then saw him about 30 minutes later. I went up and asked him if that was a German Army uniform and if his rank was that of a Colonel? To my surprise he replied 'yes' and that no one had ever got his rank correct in Australia until me. I have to thank Mark Felton for this, as I watched a video of his sometime back about German Military Ranks... The Colonel was there for the (International Dentistry Convention).
😅❤
Great biographies. Thank you, Dr. Felton.
yes, thank you
Indeed. Thank you, Dr. Felton.
Thank you for such a subtle reminder that the past is not yet dead and buried, but that history is still very much alive. No one renders this service as well as yourself, Dr. Felton
I mailed Hugo Broch and got his signature, probably one of my most important ones in my (still small) collection!
Mind if I ask how you did that? I’d love to write him.
Please @derimperator3476, could you give me the information, I really want to send him a letter!
How do you do that? I’m interested
@@TheJollyReiver So for all asking, it's years ago actually, but try Zedernweg 4, 51381 Leverkusen, Bergisch Neukirchen Germany
I would be very happy if you could tell me if it worked! So no guarantee for that, but chances are pretty good that's still his.
Oh, another Nazi soldier in the collection!
Three years ago, I had the pleasure to hear the story of an old veteran of WW2, his service as a 17 year old soldier of the Wehrmacht at the eastern front and his story. He was lucky to go west and ended up in an english or american POW camp. Because he was so young, he could go with a pastor, who served in the Wehrmacht too. Most young POWs could go home, if they had technical skills. The pastor said to him: "If you want to leave the camp and to come with me in my village, I'll tell them, that you are a young craftsman, that we need in our village."
So he did, because he didn't know anything about his family in the east and lived about 75 years in this villagge. He passed by two years ago.
My Opa actually walked home, at the very end of the war, with a few friends and they were actually free for some amount of time before they were compelled to go to a POW camp.... but he lucked out in that he was able to save/hide his uniform and all his insignia and medals, he was not looted by his captors like so many were...
Хэ
Yes, the young people murdered too!
In the early 80's, in a small-town pub in Thiensville, WI, there used to be a Luftwaffe pilot who had settled here after the war. He would always share that they could rarely get into the air without the Mustangs shooting at them as they were trying to take off. He was quite a guy to listen to.
I live near Thiensville as well. Lots of Germans settled here after the war. I helped out a nice old woman who told me stories about it and how her husband watch his mom die during a bombing raid in Berlin.
@@JohnSmith-vg4jd not after WW2. Germans settled WI, MI, IL way long before WW2, starting from 1800's.
@@zibilange Im aware of that, hence why everything in Wi is German and I went to 2 different Oktoberfests. Im speaking specifically to post war immigration.
Did he ever commit his story to a video log?
@@allenvandyke732 No unfortunately, he did not.
Hans Rudel a stuka pilot was the recipient of the gold version of the cross with oakleaves and diamonds. He flew a tank buster stuka and he continued to fly even after having a leg amputated. Love the history here, thank you sir.
Yes, and I think he's the only one who was awarded it
@scotttracy9333 yes Hitler admired him and created it specifically for him. They modified his plane so he could fly it as an amputee
@@scotttracy9333as I am informed. He is the only one to receive it gold. Hartmann didn’t get it because he was anti authoritarian.
Dougie Bader beat him by a leg
Brilliant!
Absolutely Amazing! Thank You Dr. Felton! I own an Iron Cross, one that I bought in a pawn shop more than 40 years ago. If only it could talk!
Haha amazing, I bet that cross has some crazy stories!
Dang thats amazing having that
Met both of these men in the 90’s while I was stationed in Germany when I was a young SAC Security Officer assigned to the protection detail for the Commander of USAFE, nothing but respect for both.
Thank you for this comment.
What did they say about the modern world?
@@PassionateSpirit88 ..lol.. they're not time travellers
I was a part of ReForGer 75, where I drove a medical officer. I had the opportunity to venture into many off beaten path villages. Ona few occasions, a few of the med staff and myself would venture down to the local pubs. There we ate and drank with former WW2 soldiers, and they treated us like long lost friends. This was only 30 yrs after it ended so they weren't "old" by any means, but do NOT talk about Hitler...ever. They lost a lot in that war and they didn't want to be reminded of why.
Thank you
excellent video...My Opa earned the Iron Cross 1 and 2 on the Eastern Front...he was a grenadier...he was SENT to the Eastern Front for punishment for voting against a bill Hitler wanted passed..the local SS and Gestapo reviewed all the ballots...those who voted against the bill were paid a "visit"...Opa survived the war and became a equipment painter for the U S Army in our hometown..He lived to be 91 ,,,Awesome man...In those days, if you showed any "disloyalty" to Hitler, it could cost your life...He was very anti-Nazi...but he had to hide it to live...
My great uncle died from a war wound in 1975. In his Veterans Hostel where he lived in Christchurch, New Zealand there was a Veteran from the Boer War (1899-1902). We are now as far from WWII in 2023 as the Boer War was in 1975. That Boer War veteran seemed like a relic from an ancient world - I guess WWII are now
Thank you for your continued work Dr. Felton.
Might be worth doing a video on John Hemingway, the last living fighter pilot from the Battle of Britain. 104 years old!
Absolutely 💯
Yes, my only criticim of this video is that it makes these Nazis out as heroes.. They supported Hitler and his ideologies.
BEFORE its too late!
@@jamj2912The video isn't glorifying anything of the sort. Stories are told on this channel from all participant nations of the war. History is storytelling facts from the past, and I personally think it's a cool story.
@@jamj2912Adolf was no more evil than any other regime leader. Gotta remember that the Allies made tons of war propaganda that still survives to this day. History is always written by the victor
In 1974 I had a teacher who was a career air force veteran. As a young man there was a WW2 German Wehrmacht veteran in the USAF. Who had an Iron Cross! Which he wore at formal inspections.
the bundeswehr allowed soldiers to wear medals they had been awarded in WWII, as long as they were "sanitized"... in WWII, the Germans allowed foreign volunteers to wear medals that they had been awarded fighting the Germans!
@@xisotopex …. As related to me. The classroom full of students. This man was in the USAF. Not the Bundeswehr.
Not the first I've heard of something like this. When I was in the Marine 2d Aircraft Wing back in the 1970s I heard of a warrant officer in one of the air control squadrons, this one in MCAS Beaufort SC. He was a WW2 Luftwaffe veteran and on dress blue and dress white occasions wore his Luftwaffe decorations including an Iron Cross 1st Class, however with the swastikas removed. As far as USMC regs were concerned it was perfectly OK to do so.
Everyone in the unit called him "Herman the German." I never met him but was told he was a super nice guy.
(Also the hit of the party with that Iron Cross!)
He'd immigrated to the US post-WW2, joined the Marines, made a career out of it as an electronics technician and served in Korea and Vietnam.
@@xisotopex Conversely the East German military made no such allowance for WW2 veterans in their service.
@@wayneantoniazzi2706 … Regardless of regulations his commander was okay with it. Bundeswehr personnel wore their Iron Cross. Minus the swastika. Being as the Bundeswehr were now allies…. I’d call it reciprocity. But I was 17 in 1974. Hearing that story was a surprise
I am fortunate enough to say that I met Broch when he flew in Spitfire MJ627 at the Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar as described in the video. We asked him now he’d flown the Spitfire, how it compares with German fighters he’d flown? He said he felt the DB engine was better than the Merlin and he didn’t like the spade grip and preferred the German pistol grip! An ex ordinary fighter pilot who was very humble and a very nice man!
I also flew that Spitfire from Biggin Hill but I had to pay.
Thank you for preserving German history...
This is actually Nazi history.
Back to the original intro. music! Yesssssssss! 😊
I was also very relieved!!
Looks incredibly well for a 100 Yr old!!!
Old soldiers never die they just fade away.
I would have loved to sit in a room with those two gentlemen and hear their stories.
So many stories from so many people are now being lost as they die. Thanks Dr. Felton for keeping their stories alive.
Just imagine the story's that will never be told
What is particularly relevant are the extremely large number of massacres they committed!
@@GreatPolishWingedHussars The Soviets? Yes, they truly did....
@@AlvesHeim Ridiculous. Of course I mean the Germans. Yes, the Soviets also committed crimes. But the Germans did was unique in human history. UNIQUE! They committed various genocides in a very short time, which were partially committed using industrial means. In fact, they attacked all neighboring states, as well as various other European states.The difference is clearly visible in the example of Poland. The Soviets murdered 150,000 Polish citizens and the Nazi nation murdered 6 million Polish citizens.
@@GreatPolishWingedHussars Actually what you just did, you said and quoted everything ...almost right..., just instead of the word "Germans" you had to put the word "Soviets", then it would be historically accurate or at least pretty close to that. Becaust the "version" that you just told was nothing more than the repetition of the old Soviet lies. If you're Polish than you should know that your country was under Soviet occupation for 45 years. Guess what, the USSR didn't spend that time in vain, they rewrote your history and history of Europe. You and people like you were just told only lies, more lies, and more lies, generation after a generation. It's not your fault, you are just a victim of the Soviet propaganda, so as I was back in the day. The difference is, I STOPPED TRUSTING SOVIETS in what they say, I began studying history on my own, removing Soviet lies layer after a layer, and that's how I reached truth, and if I could do it so you can do it too. I sincerelly hope you will follow my advice because you cannot be free if you are still enslaved in your mind by old foreign lies. I will give you a hint: "271,301 Red Cross International". Become free. Powodzenia przyjacielu!
Great content and footage, Dr Felton. I enjoy my heritage. All warriors of every nationality and creed hold my highest regards.
Wow....this is insane! What an amazing video. To be living today and to see all the history that has unfolded through their eyes is staggering. Especially for the infantry officer....hard battle combat....and to live to tell about it!
You know it's a good day when dr felton uploads
Putting the final touches on my upcoming book " My conversations & interviews with Hitlers Black Knights" where I was closely involved in Germans Veterans affairs and the OdR ( Ordensgemeinschaft der Ritterkreuzträger) I was close to dozens of KC holders, some of the most famous German veterans of WW2.
How can i find your profiles or contacts for waiting of your book? It's very interesting! Thanks
Interesting. What did they have to say about the modern world. I'm sure they didn't like it.
i see
Where can we find it when done??
Who does though, it is made for NPC Consoomers without an inner monologue. @@PassionateSpirit88
Thanks Mark!
I never tire of any informative video from Mark!!❤
Simply amazing, thank you
My great-great-grandfather got an "Eisernes Kreuz" in the First World War on the Western Front against France. I proudly own it.
@@zhangwei2969Yes, “Storm of Steel” was a good read.
Why are you proud of a war monger?
@@juusohamalainen7507buddy he said FIRST.
@fox2920 No defenders are not. You have a poor logic module.
@@zhangwei2969 Being strong and aggressive is not something to be respected. Do you Freikorps were also nazis and murderers.
Beautiful decoration it's simple like the Victoria cross
The Iron Cross is a classic, very striking in it's simplicity and one of the world's most famous medals.
Watching these kinds of videos motivates me to find and talk to any WWII veteran before it becomes too late
And a side note: Ernst Jünger was the last living recipient of the military version of the Pour le Mérite, or Blue Max. He originally served in the French Foreign legion prior to the outbreak of WWI before becoming an infantry officer in Germany. His exploits are laid out in his wonderfully stark, brutal, and fascinating autobiography, Storm of Steel. Any fan of this channel would certainly enjoy that book. While he served as an officer in the Wehrmacht during WWII, he was diametrically opposed to NSDAP doctrine and ideology.He died in 1998.
Don't miss Storm of Steel. It's an incredible read. In WW2 Junger occupied the top floor of a Paris Hotel and allegedly had quite a scene with German officers and the finest fruits of French culture.
The last Diamond recipient who passed away was Adolf Galland in 1996 Erich Rudorffer, the last holder of the oak leaves with swords, died in 2016. Maybe Heinz Rökker who passed away in 2018 was the last recipient of oak leaves to be alive. (Just for the record)
@@xwind1970 Otto Carius was not the last living receipt of Oak Leaves. U-boat commander Reinhard Hardegen passed away in 2018 at the age of 105.
All germans were opposed to NSDAP ideology lmao
Jünger is one of my role models in life. An outstanding soldier who was on active duty in both wars and also lead an interesting life post war discovering and researching many species of bugs.
I really enjoyed your video on Hans Ulrich Rudel - the only winner of the Knights Cross with Golden Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds.
My dad joined at 17 in 44 the US Marines and fought on Okinawa, the occupation duty in China, and Korea 1950. He passed in 2020.
Your Dad is a Hero.
Hero in my book.
@@TheJJJJsYes he is. So were the Japanese & Germans protecting their homelands. I respect them a lot and I can do that without someone squealing war crimes in my left ear. Former usaf pilot
@@rajivmurkejee7498 Possibly
If you possibly can- try and get copies of "The Scourge of the Swastika" and "The Knights of Bushido" by Lord John Russell-read them at least twice and then see how you feel about people "squealing" about warcrimes.@@user-pn3im5sm7k
Another triumph. Thank you for all your fascinating and meticulous research, Dr Felton!
As always, another excellent presentation. Thank you, Dr. Felton.
@Mark Felton, your videos never disappoint. I look forward to every one! Please keep up the great work!
Dr Mark Felton has done it again! Excellent research and an informative video. There is no other channel out there that does the history of the war on all sides so superbly. I hope you could possibly interview these men before it’s too late to gain their experiences and share to us all.
This is truly very interesting and a tribute to longevity and healthy living!
May God bless these great men.
Thank you again Dr. Mark Felton that is for your efforts to preserve our history for us learn.
Another excellent video always have a special interest in the Knights cross,Victorian cross and medal of honor those men were amazing as all soldiers
The most awesome looking medal in military history. Simple, striking, menacing, and mysterious. Symbolic of the darkness of warfare, yet glorious with the sheen of victory. It speaks of sacrifice, sorrow, survival, and triumph. Almost like a mystical talisman across aeons of human combat. Whoever designed it was a genius.
calm down... it's a nice medal, but _mystical?_
naah. it wasn't mystical, but it was nice.
@nisiochaingansaoirse9363 it's the most collected and recognised medal in history, and was also worn out in combat; so I'd say it's a hell of a lot more than just "nice"...
The Iron Cross was designed by prussian king Friedrich Wilhelm III. , during the war against Napoleon, in 1813.
The king himself had the idea and wanted it made of black iron, to symbolice the values of a knight. Be reserved and do your duty without shiny rewards. It should also remind people to the mystical version of "the iron age" and he said ""this "new iron age" should begin with war...."""
@@thomasnieswandt8805I wonder if he wanted it to be black becouse of the teutonic knights.
Well said. It is also extremely German in its minimalistic design and materials, just iron and silver, black and "white", and simple shape. It my opinion it is really the most iconic military medal there is.
You make a good point of how old these last veterans are and I wanted to highlight one whom I've come to know personally. One of our volunteers at the Museum of Flight in Seattle Washington, USA was a B-17 pilot and flew 35 missions over Germany from June 44' to April 45'. Capt Dick Nelms just celebrated his 100th birthday at the Museum in February and makes an effort to come out every saturday morning talking to visitors while sharing his stories in front of the Museum's B-17F (42-29782) formerly known as the "Boeing Bee" in the aviation pavilion. A kind and modest man, one who really personifies the greatest generation, always saying he was just doing his part. Since his birthday he's been telling everyone he's gunning for 101.
Leewaffe: Best wishes to him. Why don't you try and tape record some of these memories for posterity?
AWESOME Mark. Thanks so much.
I have met and has friendships with many American World War II veterans. I learned a lot from them first hand account. One of my old friends was with 3rd Marine division and he was in the pacific theater, he was a machine gun operator in Iwo Jima. Another friend told me about his memories of war in Europe. He got in tears when talking about "Battle of Bastogne" and what happened with 106th infantry division.... Another friend was captured by Germs and he was starved in a pow camp until Americans got there to rescue them. Ed was a B17 pilot and he bombed Berlin. He also one of the first airmen who encounter German jets. Incredible people ..Rest in peace heroes.
Thank you so much Dr. Felton for giving that statistic on surviving German veterans. I've been trying to find that for years. For a country where almost every male served, this is important information.
Mein Respekt und meine Hochachtung an die beiden Ritterkreuzträger !!! Ich wünsche Ihnen Glück, Gesundheit und alles Gute !!!
My grandfather was German. He was 17 when the war ended and he had been in the army for a year on the eastern front.
Great video Dr Felton! Thank you.
And ANOTHER impressive video, sir! Cheers, Mark!
I understand the Swastika can be offensive to some people but I appreciate that you don't blur any Swastika images. Other "History" channels on YT are blurring the Swastika to avoid de-monetization. History is rated R and folks cannot be blurring and censoring history.
Nobody finds the swastika offensive on its own, its just that advertising companies get spooked easily if they're seen to be funding channels that produce potentially controversial content.
I remember back in 1981 when the us army was doing the reforger exercises in the west german countryside an older german gentleman saw all the tanks going past his little village so he put on his Wehrmacht uniform and came out to greet us. He was so proud of all his decorations and wanted to show us. He had quite a few too. One guy said his uniform looked like a christmas tree. We were just a bunch of 20 something guys but everyone really enjoyed his visit. I bet quite a few of them still remember that day
Today is my grandfather birthday, if he would be alive he would be 100 years old today (he passed away Nov 2017) he was a fighter pilot. Flow the mustang, he was a very good man and I miss him dearly. It’s sad that most of these men from that generation are gone and in the next 20 years there will be done left. I feel that if you don’t learn from history your doomed to repeat it
Thanks Mark for an Excellent program (again)!!!
This is really fascinating, and quite interesting. These men should rightly be proud of their prestigious awards. Certainly a badge of honor.
If you know a WW2 veteran, talk to them! Get their stories!
In 2010 my wife and I were in a restaurant in a small town in Texas and my wife saw that the old man in the next table was wearing a military style belt. She asked him if he served in the military. The old man’s wife started glaring at us.
The man said yes, he had been in World War II in some sort of reconnaissance unit in the Italian campaign. Then he began telling us of the time his unit was attached/supporting an infantry battalion. They stopped for the night at a wooded cross roads and his unit started to dig in. They noticed that the infantry unit wasn’t digging in. He went over to them and asked why not? The Germans were sure to hit them with artillery and they needed to be dug in. The soldiers told him their battalion commander didn’t allow them to dig in because he wanted them to be rested or some such foolish answer.
The old man telling the story started getting a bit agitated telling his tale, and described how the artillery attack did come, the results were horrific, and he began to tell the details of what he saw. He got pretty worked up.
Now we understood why the wife glared at us. I’m guessing neither of them had a pleasant night.
I don’t suppose that old man is still around. I hope he found peace.
If a WWII vet wants to tell his stories, he will. Sometimes we should be careful what we wake up inside.
I’ll bet that old man wouldn’t be so cheery about meeting a German Iron Cross holder.
My mother works as nurse in Vienna's Kaiser Franz Josef Spital and back in the early 2000's there used to be still many Austrian and German war veterans. One of them remembered spending some convalescence time in a military hospital situated in a healt resort Luhačovice (now Czechia) back then Protectorate Böhmen and Mähren. Lost his left leg as a MG-42 machine gunner in February 1944 in Ukraine.
I am a US Cold War Vet. My 155 Self propeled Howitzer unit was the First line of defense on the Fulda Gap, defending Frankfort, during the 70s. Thanks for letting us know about these two soldiers surviving to this day. I am 70 now. I was in the 3rd Armored Division and in 2/6th FA Regt. Would lobe to see Coleman Kaserne today.
The Coleman Kaserne in Gelnhausen:
Have a look at google maps: 50°12'33"N 9°10'19"E
The buildings still exist, but are in civil use today.
*This is genuine journalism.*
@mark felton thanks for these streams there BRILLIANT. I just wish the you would make them a big longer streams... 😊😊❤❤
Incredible, these stories are wonderful, fascinating and riveting , you keep me coming back for more, marvellous stuff.
It's quite amazing that many ww2 veterans are still alive to this very day. Their stories must be told and preserved for future generations. I salute 🫡 them for their services no matter which country they fought for. Another great video by Mark Felton.
Meanwhile, in Manchuria:
@@michaelbread5906 Explain!
A Luftwaffe fighter ace who would later have the opportunity to fly a Spitfire just for the enjoyment. Now that’s just too cool. 😊👍
There are two sides to 'the greatest generation'. Another great episode Mark !
Blessem, Liblar.. this is next door to me. Thank you for your time and efforts.
Thank you for sharing! ❤
My grandfather, becoming 103 in February 2024, told me that the craving for medals was a real thing for at least some in the Wehrmacht. Some wanted it so bad, they got themselves killed in trying to get an iron cross or similar awards. He himself was like them at first, but after seeing what happened, he and most of the others in his unit "stepped back". He was awarded some medals, too, but all without taking more risk than the usual soldier had to endure anyhow during that time, mostly just fighting to survive. He was at the eastern front (wounded two times), on sicily during the invasion (wounded again), got captured by paratroopers and "released" by a counterattack of the Hermann Göring Division, until finally (after healing his wounds again in germany) he was sent to france when the allies pushed to the german border, where he was captured in November 1944. Until then he had received the iron cross 2nd class, the wounded badge in silver (Verwundetenabzeichen in german), and the "Demjanskschild" for participating in the Demjansk-pocket 1943 and getting wounded there.
I can't imagine what he and all the other guys had seen back then and really hope we never have to.
Thank you Mark for another awesome video! So important to let this part of the history be never forgotten!!
Regardless of side, a brave and honorable Warrior is always to be respected. Semper Fi to all professional Warriors.
You hit the nail on the head.
That’s something that the American left will never understand. They want to tear down statues and change place names to feel better about their sorry selves.
Ah yes lets just forget the Wehrmacht and Schutzstaffel's warcrimes.. I guess the Nazis weren't so ba-
@@ugheieiemmmfmfmff Of course the Wehrmacht commited warcrimes, which should not be forgotten, but now name an army that did not commit warcrimes in WW2. Atleast the germans acknowledged their past, unlike most other countries that fought in WW2 that to this day claim they have commited no crimes whatsoever.
@@N0b0dy2000yes the Allied armies did, but the difference being is that Germans were ordered to commit those crimes as part of ethnic cleansing and a German High Command policy. There was no such thing in the Allies. Moral equivalence is wrong.
Fascinating. Even though I'm an American Army Veteran serving in 80-90s and these guys would be the enemy back in time, their history is a story needing to be told. Youre a great historian. 8:08
Absolutely fascinating, Dr. Felton. Thank you.
Great content as usual from Mark Felton Productions. Would love to see more U- boat stories as they are my favorite. Thank you for the hard work you put in to these videos. It is greatly appreciated.
Despite being 23 and living in the United States, I managed to run into a Knight’s Cross recipient a few years ago at a restaurant In Michigan. His name was Wolfgang Kloth, and he was a tanker in the German Army on the Eastern Front during the war. He received the Knight’s Cross and the Panzer Badge. Despite being in his 90s he still was pretty sharp and told me about the fighting at Kursk and how he had been in a Russian labor camp after the war, and his immigration to the United States in the 50s. It was a pretty sobering experience for me, considering my own grandpa (34th Division) and great-uncle (83rd Division) had fought in Europe during the war, and growing up before they passed I would spend many hours at family gatherings asking them about their war stories. It was incredibly fascinating meeting the one-time enemy of my grandparents. While I certainly hate the Nazi Regime and everything it stood for, and heard first-hand accounts of liberating concentration camps from my great uncle - it was meeting Mr. Kloth just that once helped me realize that the horrors of the war effected that everybody of that entire generation, no matter the nation, and how even those who fought on the other side were still people at the end of the day.
germans were people?? 😯😯😯😯 wow i thought they were aliens
This is the thing. As shown by the football match during world war 1. We have more in common with the ordinary people of other nations than the leaders who send us to die. And should remember who the real enemy is
Happen to run into him around Frankenmuth?
He was no Knights cross recipient, "only" Iron cross First class
American soldiers did horrific things to the germans during and after the war, they along with the british specifically targeted women and children targets and after the war 3 million german POWs were killed by Eisenhower. Not to mention american solders would participate in torture of civilians as well as rape of german women
I grew up in the 70's. In the days when we read weekly war comics like Battle or Warlord. Where plucky British tommies would run rings around German soldiers who would say things like 'Achtung Sweinhund!' and 'Verdammit Englander!'. I had quite a few Action Men. For whom you could get German uniforms. World War Two was just still so prevalent in the national psyche back then. But so much time has passed since. I happened to mention Martin Boorman to two colleagues on separate occasions in the last few years. Reasons. Both of them said 'who's Martin Boorman?'. The way it dominated in the 70's is long gone.
Heroism is heroism regardless of what side you were on. America just lost its last WW2 Medal of Honor holder so now we just have legends. Mark if there are any left I hope you do a story on surviving Victoria Cross recipients. Thanks for your always interesting programs.
Heroism loses its meaning if applied unilaterally. How can both be Heroes to each side if both compete?
You confuse successful killers and poor working men pushed to their limit with "heroes".
Heroes only exist in stories. Both sides had men licensed to kill for ideas they would never experience.
Sgt Major Thomas Payne. Check out his heroism.
@Gr13fKvlt I was just referring to our WW2 heritage. I know there are recipients from Korea, Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan still, gratefully, with us. I Sergeant Major Payne's bio and citation for the MOH and agree his example will inspire soldiers for generations.
Marvellous, it’s great to hear these stories, thank you. These men were brave and fought for their country, regardless of the fact some of their leaders were at best misguided and at worst, well awful human beings.
You never fail to Impress, Mark!
Last person of the 191 persons that won the Finnish Mannerheim cross, one of the rarest medals in the World, died in 2020.
My father turned 18 in ‘43 and participated in the invasion of Normandy - wounded at Metz in Oct. ‘44. Bronze Star recipient. He passed in ‘95. May he rest in eternal peace.🇺🇸
My dad turned 18 in July 1944. He was drafted and reported in October. He was still in training when the Battle of the Bulge started. He was in Germany by January or February. He also earned the Bronze Star. He received it in the early 1980s! We found out decades later that it was authorized/awarded in the early 1960s by JFK. My dad didn’t know why, but he did say, “Well, there was that one time we got a spy out.” He passed away in 2009, at 82. He would be 97 now.
RIP Brave solder
Hi Kevin, I live not far from Metz. The Lorraine Campaign was the hardest campaign for the US Army, right in the German Border.
There are many services of remembrance for the US Troops here.
Nearly every town has a street named for General Patton.
I work beside the building in Carling where Gen. Patton had his HQ.
I’m a retired British Soldier and have studied the local wartime history quite extensively.
Your father and his comrades in arms really had it up against them as the Germans were defending their country.
The real shame is that the largest US Military Cemetery is in Saint Avold near Metz and it has never been visited by a US President.
The local population still remembers The Iron Men of Metz.
The greatest of respect to them all.
He must have kicked himself, seeing how USA turned out!
""My dads father served on the Legendary HMS HOOD, but he was on shore leave, when it took the direct hit from Bismarck.
My father was career US Army. In the early 70s he was based in Frankfurt one of the German men who worked in his office as a janitor was a holder of the Knight's Cross. He was respected and held in high regard by my father and his fellows.
Always fantastic videos.
I absolutely love watching your videos, sir. I love history and your presentation of history is both informative well researched.
Veterans are revered in the USA and England. In the USA, the last recipient of the Medal of Honor from World War II was buried with a state funeral. And if the last of the two Knight's Cross recipients named here dies in Germany, there will probably not even be a marginal note in the newspaper here in Germany. It's so pathetic... but many thanks to M Felton to share such valuable informations!!
John Cruickshank the last recipient of the Victoria Cross is still alive at 103 years of age
A friend of mine attended several Knights Cross reunions and was friends with one of the last KC U boat commanders. She gained access thanks to her friendship with a Panzer IV driver and veteran of Afrika and the Invasion of France.
Always interesting to read about the losing party from a war, for some reason in my mind I always seem to default to them all just "disappearing" at war's end, when for many their adult lives had just started.
Many of them wish they could. So many people wanted their previous roles to be forgotten
i met 3 Germans between 1983 and 1998 and two told me that Hitler was right. scary.
A college friend spent a year as an exchange student in Germany. The grandfather in the family she stayed with use to put on his SS uniform and get drunk and violent. She said it was frightening and she changed her accommodations.
@@nandi123 Imagine how disgustingly dirty and worn out that uniform must've been after 70+ years of regularly being worn in a drunken & violent state.
@@nandi123 : It sounds as though he was suffering from some form of PTSD.
I met two German lads on holiday years ago, in Crete. They spent their holidays driving around in an old German Kubelwaggen, whilst wearing German uniforms.
One of them carried 8x10 inch black and white photos of his Grandfather, in full SS dress uniform, taken at the Nuremberg Rallies.
They were a little eccentric but otherwise seemed normal.
At the time, I couldn't understand why anyone would carry around photographs that size, of their Grandfather.
On reflection, I later thought it was as some form of introduction to other SS veterans they might meet, to elicit their stories about the war.
Not the wisest of hobbies perhaps, especially in Crete, were so many villagers had been murdered in reprisals for German soldiers being shot.
I remember they insisted on calling the Greek resistance members Partisans.
I visited the site with them, where German Lt. General Kriepe had been abducted and smuggled to Alexandria, and later the German cemetery at Maleme, where many of the German Paratroopers are buried.
Your stuff is real underrated Mr Felton
Thank you for showing us such great videos
I always enjoy your excellent work…. Thank you for sharing your research!
I lived in Germany in the late 80s when WW2 vets were, of course, much more numerous than they are today. I'm glad I had the chance to get the German perspective. I went to a gathering in Worms and sat down next to a charming older fellow who, to my surprise, spoke perfect English. Curious as to his mastery, I asked where he had learned our lingo. He explained that his U-Boot had been operating off the East Coast of the United when it was so severely depth-charged, it was forced to surface. He spent the rest of the war picking cotton in Mississippi. Those cotton-pickin' Germans. My next-door neighbor was in the Luftwaffe and operated those large searchlights aimed at spotting Dr. Felton's people as they bombed Germany. I recently attended the funeral of a family friend who witnessed the Japanese surrender from the USS Taylor while it was berthed next to the Missouri. I'm sure he was the last WW2 vet I knew.
"Dr. Feltons People" 🤣 You made my day Sir!👍
Yes, and my dad was Vlad the Impaler's valet!
My grandfather was commander of the base on worms Germany in the 50s! His name was Colonel Terrance Anthony Vangen 66th military intelligence brigade
Outstanding video, Mark! You should do a yearly survivor role of VC, Medal of Honor, Knights Cross and Hero of the Soviet Union recipients.
Soldiers on both sides are dwindling down, all soldiers were doing what was required of them by their governments. Good or bad, the common soldier is what legends are made of!
Great episode! Thank you!
Die ehemaliigen Feinde ehren unsere Soldaten mehr als die hiesige Obrigkeit . Vielen Dank für diesen Respekt.
Ja die sind ja auch wirklich frei im Gegensatz zu uns .
Kein Respekt für diese tiere
Welche Tiere. Kommen Sie aus dem Zoo ? ?@@wayg2195
@@zwergvisionSo ein Schwachsinn. Nazidreck raus
denkst auch jeder der gekämpft hat war ein Nazi xD@@wayg2195
May God bless 🙏 them both. Thank you Mark for another piece of History.
Why the idolatry they were out and out Nazis not worthy of your praise. Had the Germans won those ‘hero’s’ would have been strutting their stuff revelling in total domination.