So similar to my Grandfather. Fought in the German Wehrmacht in WW2, Came to America after the war only to fight in Korea. He flew an American flag in his yard until the day he died in 98. RIP Grandpa.

Whenever my grandpa told me this story he cried. He was a small child when Germans occupied Greece and he was hiding with the family in the mountains. One day they sent him to sneak in our house and find food, anything. Two SS soldiers caught him - the blond one yelled something in German, pointed his rifle and loaded a shot. The black haired SS looked at him with softer eyes, extended his arm and lowered the other soldier's rifle. He then gestured my grandfather to run away, which he did. He told me he never forgot their faces, decades later. That moment froze inside him. It's crazy when I think that I exist this day because that SS soldier extended his arm and stopped his colleague.

My Grandfather got spotted while on recon and had a group 4 German soldiers ask him to come out from hiding, alone under his jeep, so they could surrender. The saddest moment he ever shared was of comforting a wounded 'enemy' who did not make it. We owe that generation so much.

I have read a number of memoirs and seen a number of interviews from ww2 veterans from all sides. And they all share a link in common. Every. Single. One. said something to this effect: "I am proud of my service, but NEVER again." This is the real and most valuable lesson these elders teach us. Those who want war are always the ones who are unwilling to fight them.

I met an elderly German man, maybe 92 or 93 years old, living in America about a decade ago. I couldn’t miss the opportunity since there were so few WW2 veterans left to speak to, so as respectfully as I could, I asked him, “Did you fight in the war?” He grinned slightly and raised his eyebrows and said in a thick accent, “Yes… the for *other* side!” I said, “Wow, you must have some interesting stories.” And his smile faded, and he said, “No… No stories.”

This is why you can't automatically condemn any soldier just because they are on the opposite side. Alot of soldiers on both sides aren't there because they want to be.

My great grandfather was an ambulance driver in the Army in Finland (I'm born and raised in Sweden) during WWII and their wars with the Soviet Union. I never had the chance to meet and get to know him, but my grandmother told me that he used to have horrible nightmares, screaming and sweating as he woke up. He had to chainsmoke cigarettes to be able to calm down. I can't even imagine what horrors he must have seen and experienced! He didn't care if he tended to a comrade or a Soviet prisoner of war. If he had some bread to share with them for example, he did❤ R.I.P. Great grandfather Emil

My loved Grandpa Willhelm from Hamburg was fighting at the Westernfront. In my Childhood he tell me horrible war Storys. At this Time in my Age i cant realize . I Know from my Father my Grandpa often screams and cry in and After nightmares. He was a Broken man. I have tears in my eyes to write this down. He was the lovliest an best Person i Ever knew. The Angel of the whole Familiy. In the year 2000 he lost the fight against Cancer. Im miss him and my Grandma so much. She lived in Hamburg at the Time of Operation Gomora. The Storys of her were frightened as Hell. WAR is terrible

His story about the trial for a man who was sentenced to death for just being worried really hit me. 😢

The Eastern front was for the Germans a living hell. My grandpa, as a Hungarian, went there in January '45 with 100 men at that time. He as one of the two that survived. He is still going strong today!

I had the supreme honor of meeting Dr. Forster and designing his book for him. His story is unbelievable, how he escaped certain death a number of times, including during his time in various prison camps after the war. The story of how he reunited with his parents is one of the most touching moments I’ve ever read. Dr Forster is a wonderful, wise, and kind gentleman, and I highly recommend his book. You won’t be able to put it down.

In 1973 i was stationed in Germany where my first child was born. My in-laws came to visit and my FIL was a WWII vet. One evening he went exploring around Gieblestadt. My MIL had me go look for him and I found him in a local Gasthouse sitting at the Stammtisch hoisting brews with some old German soldiers and swapping war stories. What a sight.

Became a doctor, and served in the us army after all that. Much respect

They really need to interview Hugo Broch. He's the last surviving German ww2 flying Ace. He is currently 101 years old. (Edit): Hey wow didn't expect this comment to get so many likes. If anyone knows how to contact him that would be amazing. To the people in the comments below arguing about the war I'd recommend the book "A thousand shall fall" by Susi Hasel Mundy. It's a true story is about a man who served in the Pioneers in the German Wehrmacht in WW2. Like the Desmond Doss story he never carried a gun in combat. Franz hasel, a 40-year-old pacifist, was drafted and assigned to Pioneer Company 699, Hitler's elite troops who built bridges at the front lines. He carried a blackened piece of wood in his holster the entire war and would warn jews before the SS got to them on the eastern front. Not every German in the army believed the propaganda or wanted the war. This book is a great example of that. It also dives into his wife's experiences back at home and the hard choices they had to make as civilians.

Before my father passed away at 90 years old, he started talking about his experiences, as a kid living just outside Amsterdam, and the German occupation of the Netherlands. The things he witnessed are mind boggling. Let's keep the memories alive.

When I was a kid one of my neighbors from across the street was a US Navy "lifer" who served twenty years and he was at Pearl Harbor on that fateful day. One summer afternoon when I was a teenager he invited me inside his kitchen and told me stories of that day and he even had pictures. He was a living, breathing history book who actually lived through it. I'll never forget the hour I spent listening to his stories and sharing the historic photos with me. RIP, (Bill) Mr Weidmaier.

Simply amazing that he survived the war then to become a US citizen and ultimately serve our country and rise through the ranks to become a Colonel....utmost respect sir! Amazing story and thank you for your service and dedication to your community and country... Hand Salute

Interesting memoir...reminds me of my grandfather....he was a German pilot in training in 1945...only 16 years old. The Luftwaffe forced him into a Bf 109, gave him no ammo, and was told to act as a "shield" following behind the experienced pilots so they wouldn't get shot down. Well, he got shot down on his second mission by a Russian fighter. He crash landed in eastern Germany which was under Russian occupation as they moved on Berlin. He said he escaped capture and made his way to the US where he drove a commuter bus in New Jersey for the rest of his life. I asked him why he chose that occupation. He told me because it was "A quiet job"....and in his humorous way that because, "Buses are hard to shoot down".

My grandfather was a WW2 concentration lair prisoner and survived because he was an engeneer and could build radios for the germans. He never spoke about the war, would tie up and become blank when thinking about it. I've only heard some stories of what he went through, death of his friends, starvation, death and disease everywhere.

Made me cry, this story. There are no winners in war. So many lives of our dear people were lost in this brutality. War is always best avoided. Glad this man's life was not lost like so many others.

Its crazy how time goes by, as a kid in the early 90s there plenty of ww2 vets in their 70s and now theyre almost all gone. The Vietnam vets are now the age of the ww2 vets I remembered as a kid. These were all our parents and grandparents and the last of a generation and it's really depressing that this generation is dying out. I'm glad this channel is documenting it to keep their stories alive.

Until you walk a mile in this man's shoes you will never understand. After watching this video, it brought tears to my eyes because this man reminded me of someone, someone who I can't stop thinking about till this day! I was in the US Army in between 1989 to 1993 and in 1990, I was in Kaiserslautern Germany in a pub along with a friend. We were both 18 at the time and we were sitting up at the bar when I noticed an older man a few seats away on my right staring at me and my friend. The man looked to be in his mid 60's or so at the time and then he spoke to us. He said, "Are you American soldiers?" and clearly I could tell this man was German by his accent and I told him that we were American Soldiers. The man then said, "Thank you for what you young boys are doing and thank you for being here!" We thanked him and both me and my friend were still trying to figure out who this man was. He then told us that he was a former German Nazi Soldier during WWII and he told us how sorry he was for the things he has done and he said that there hasn't been a day gone by in his life that he doesn't have regrets. He said he was our age at the time, scared and only did what he was supposed to do and if he refused he would be killed. I told the man that he doesn't have to apologize to me or my friend. I told him we're just kids and we have no idea what you had to go through and we weren't here to judge him. The man continued to talk with us for the rest of the night, buying me and my friend beers and then it was time to go. We shook his hand and then left. When we walked outside I told my friend, "We just graduated high school not too long ago and to think, we just got the best history lesson of our lives tonight!" I am 51 now, I think about this man from time to time. I wonder if he was able to live a somewhat happy and fruitful life but it was clear at the time, the man had many regrets. I am sure some of you will judge him and maybe me for that matter but I am the one that experienced this and this sit down and he was the one who experienced what it was like to be so unfortunate to be an 18 year old male kid during that time. God Bless all who fought during WWII and rest in piece!

Hearing these stories brings tears to my eyes, I can’t fathom the horrors of those wars. God bless them.

My german grandma was a child who had to look after her 2 younger siblings while her mum worked. Her dad never returned from the war. They had to flee their home when the russians attacked. They chose boat rather than fleeing in winter on foot. Most who did died from the cold and the russian bombs. She saw the boat that she had missed hit by something and sink, saw the bodies floating while on her boat. She ended up moving to the UK and getting married to my english grandad. Neither are still here. I loved her very much.

I’m glad you guys are interviewing the German perspective. We don’t get enough of a perspective from their side. I’m not talking about the politics but the average Wehrmacht soldier who fought for their country not for its leaders.

My uncle was conscripted nearing the end of WWII at the age of 16. When they boarded the train. the trainstation was bombed and they fled from the train. He and a few others hid in the woods for several weeks untill the war finally ended. Those who returned and went to the frontline, were never to come home again. My uncle is now close to 94 and still alive to tell of it.

My godfather who raised me was in the Navy in WWII. He had so many intense and fascinating stories. He passed away in 2018 at the age of 98. RIP Bob 💙

Capturing these stories is truly a calling. Thank you for sharing.

My father taught radar, an emerging technology in WW2. He couldn't talk about it for 50 years bc of Official Secrets Act. Radar had a huge impact on the war. There is a neglected radar museum in London Ontario Airport which he helped to create. He passed in 2021 at age 100.

At the History of Germany museum there's an exhibition about war orphans. There are pictures of children found alone wandering the streets. Some people found as toddlers and no one knew who they are and their parents were most likely deceased. They were given a names by the Red Cross and their last name is the village where they were found. There are people around who don't know anything who they were: their name, their age, their real birthday... they have no idea. I can't imagine .

This man proves that you can’t grasp how critical the issues are around you until you have experienced them first hand and it will forever change you

He simply told it like it was, no glory or hype. Much respect for those like him

My Opa fought in WWI for the Germans. After the war he emigrated to America. Hearing this story reminded me of him.

My grandfather is 99 and served in both ww2 and the Korean War as an MP. Although he never saw combat - fortunately, he has an incredible story having grown up in the dust bowl, losing everything as a result of that disaster, and then building a career in the Army. He would love to share his story if you were interested.

Hearing a story like this brought back lots of memories of listening to great grandfather talking about ww2 as a German soldier, i also wish I could’ve heard more stories from my great great grandfather who fought isn ww1… RIP to all the fallen

I'm so thankful for what ya'll are doing. I went to some of the local colleges at two VA hospitals and asked if we could get some of the students to record the WWII Veteran's stories and was always met with a "no." I was able to record some stories and had Veteran's family members give me transcripts that the Veteran had recorded. There are so many amazing stories that will never be known. The stories I have from fellow Veterans and my family members I will always cherish and tell at nauseum, so they are never forgotten.

I’ve been on a WW2 history binge the last few months and weirdly enough, the more I learn about the war, the more anxious I feel with the knowledge that the last survivors of it won’t be here for much longer. You don’t know how relieved I am to see their stories being documented. The most respectful (and responsible) thing we can do for them is to NEVER forget what they sacrificed so that we and our children never have to do the same.

It is so nice to hear stories from all sides of the war not just the winning side. People so easily forget that the Germans were also just kids following orders like the allied soldiers and we are so quick to point fingers and compare them to the monsters that led them. Much respect to all veterans from all wars.

I think I could spend my entire life reading and watching stuff about WW2. Amazing video.

Such a gift. Thank you for recording this.

Definitely would like to see something from the Italian or Japanese perspective.

I was lucky and got so many stories from my grandfather, he was a submariner and was called up In 1941, I'm proud to say I have all his medals paper work and pictures, what a brave generation..thanks to all veterans

underrated channel, thank you for your stories

Thank you for publishing this man's story. I had some vague understanding of that side of the war but it feels like the puzzle is complete.

Love hearing different perspectives of ww2. It’s crazy to me that he went from fighting against the allies for the nazi to serving in the U.S. military. Almost like mini operation paperclip.

After all those years, the way he began to tear up about the letter from his mother.

Thank you for sharing this story . I am very proud of my relationship with a Canadian WW2 veteran . He was on a Canadian ship that sunk a U-boat. He served as a commissioner for a local Navy unit in Vancouver . I lost contact with him but we had very good memories . Thank You Bruce !

My grandmother lived in Rotterdam during the was. The family was starving, and sent my grandmother to get potatoes from the trainstation. When she was trying to get some potatoes, she had to slam the side and hope for a potatoe to fall of. When she did this, she heard a click behind her. It was a German soldier clocked his rifle. When he looked at the small girl, he put his finger in front of his mouth to tell her to be quiet. He then slammed his hand against the train cart and she got as many potatoes as she could carry. Saved her family and thats why i am here!! There are good in the world......

Did my civil service taking care of elderly ppl in Germany. Heard so many war stories. My father was sent out in the Volkssturm at the age of 14.We have a memorial wall at our local cemetery where many WWII soldiers from here are buried saying"I memorial of those who died and a warning to those who live". To bad, ppl forget so easily...

He reminds me of my grandfather who was a German horse soldier during World War I. He brought his family to the USA in 1923. My mother, born in Hannover, was two at the time. What a great man Mr. Forster is, to have accomplished so much in his lifetime. He's a truly great American.

This is important work, well presented and narrated. I have donated through your website. Thank you for 'this' service!

Thank you so much for doing this. I’ve always wanted to talk to people who been there all the wars it doesn’t matter. They all have a story to tell so amazing I love history.

That was the first time I watched a German soldier tell his story. And my heart broke for him as a boy. War is terrible for all involved. And my love, and respect, goes out to all the fallen regardless of what side you fought on. As they say. Death is the great equalizer of us all.

They are all just men in the end, fighting for their country and for what they are told is right... history is written by the victors. Thank you for sharing, Wolfram.

Excellent production and presentation, thank you for honoring this man.

A remarkably crisp personal account from a unique point of view. Excellent.

I am 70 this month and served my country for ten years in the 70's. Now, once again, as it has always been, one man is responsible for so much death and destruction of good people just trying to survive. I am glad you did Sir. We as a species need to change before time runs out. Respect to you.

Good to see a different perspective

God bless you & your family for sharing these stories. Thank you for not allowing a huge piece of history to slip through our fingers.

Thank you for bringing their stories to us. What you do is more important than you know, and the record of each indivworld. Personal history can now be shared with the worls.

I'm so glad this channel exists. To hear all these stories that are so full of life and experience. The terrors and horrors, The great and good. Nothing is more valuable than history because it can't be replaced, only forgotten and with a wonderful channel like this, it gives us hope that it will never be forgotten. Thank you so much.

And this is why I donate. You guys are one hell of a group of people. These stories could absolutely re-write history in some form or fashion. CHEERS!!

Such amazing work, this whole video! Much respect to this man, and thanks to the whole team who shot this.

I really enjoy hearing the other side's experience too.

The lesson of your work is to listen to the words of our elders, the people who've lived a life and learned it's lessons the hard way. No matter the country they come from, each has a story worth listening to. It's up to us to decide what we do with the stories they share. We are the ones who decide what our lives will be like today. Bravo on your work and thank you, Wolfram, for sharing your story.

Incredible story , Incredible Human Being ❤ Hats off !! Love you Sir !!

Well, I don't ever watch videos like this but something popped up in my feed for it and decided to watch. Little did I know I would end up crying my eyes out.

When he describes the moment he surrendered to the three G.I. When he realized he was a survivor and the war was over for him….it brought tears to my eyes. We are all humans 😢

I think it’s literally impossible to watch these kinds of videos regarding veterans on either side tell their stories and not shed tears of sadness. At least that’s what happens to me.

These videos are gems... After few more years, none would be there to tell first hand experience.

Very respectful and well presented thank you. Thank you to all soldiers of the WWll as well as support staff.

my great grandfather served in the Luftwaffe, and he never talked about the war. He has since passed, and my great grandmother just celebrated her 102nd birthday. I understand their scars, and why neither of them had ever talked about what they experienced beyond when they were evacuated from Berlin, and their siblings all being killed on the Russian front. All that remains from that time period are a handful of pictures of young men in uniform, and unmarked graves somewhere east. I cannot begin to imagine what they thought and felt. I'm just fortunate to have had them and loved them.

Omg, drafted November '44, my own Granpa was drafted for Wehrmacht December '44 one month after his 16th Birthday. It is so unreal to me, grown up in Peace, being forced to fight at such a young age. Kudos to Wolfram he is a brave man no matter which side he was on and his story deserves to be conserved!

One of my favorite people I ever met had been a young cadet on a submarine for the German Navy. I remember him telling me how he thought that the most blessed day of his life was when he was captured and taken as a POW, by the English army. He moved to America and raised his family and was one of the kindest, most gentle man I’ve ever met. He was so tall, and I remember when he shook my hand, my hand disappearing into his because his hands were so large. You were a wonderful human being Mr. Stenchley…. I’m glad you survived the war and we’re so blessed.

We have this substitute teacher at our high school, who was subbing for our American History class about a month ago. He told us an incredible story about our World War II unit. His father, an American officer, was stranded alone in the middle of a battlefield on the race to Berlin. He peaked around a tree, where a German SS officer saw him. The American officer thought he was going to die, but then suddenly the German officer signaled him to run away (with his gun) while he still could. No other German men saw him, just that one. I don't know much more than that, but it's so incredible. We would never of heard of that if it wasn't for my substitute teacher, a simple, old man. He wouldn't even be born if it wasn't for the heart of that German military officer.

When i was growing up it was the ww1 vets dying off. Now its the second. These guys went through hell on earth on a global scale and every one of their stories are absoulutely remarkable. Hopefully we can see some more interviews in the coming years. Were running out of this living history

With a teary eye, I say thank you! Wolfram's story needs to be seen by the entire youth of America so as we can avoid repeating this catastrophe at home. Bless you Wolfram Forster and your legacy.

Amazing channel, great audio, high quality video, accurate roll footage, and solid commentary. God bless! ❤

excellent story. my parents were teenagers in Germany and Lithuania during the war. told me many many stories of what it was like. they came to america in the early 50s and cherished every day here.

Excellent. Puts a human face on the ordinary German soldier. He is to saluted for his honesty and for his service in the US military.

It’s so important to document individual experiences like this. When I was age 9-12 I was living in North Germany, Schleswig-Holstein in a village called Brodersby where my parents were renovating a house. Living in a cottage down the road from us was a WW2 Vet named Herbert, who I spoke with a couple times. He was deaf in one ear from a Russian soldier shooting a gun next to his head while he was a POW. I only wish I was older back then so I could have asked him more about his life!

Excellent memoir! Thank you for creating this content.

"Say the wrong word and you're dead." Seems like we're getting closer and closer to that again. The Greatest Generation fought and died and here we are as a society about ready to lose it...

I would’ve loved you to interview my grandad - he served in the RAF as a pilot during WWII. However, sadly he passed away in 1990. I really appreciate all the work that you do with your channel and thank you for sharing Wolfram Forster’s memories here. The story about the dentist just speaking his mind stunned me, I can’t imagine living in a society like that. To have lived and breathed it is really something else.

This needs to be a movie with Paul Dano. What an incredible story!

Thanks for this. I appreciate this project a lot. Shout out from Jamaica 🇯🇲 🙌

This is a great cause. Thank you for shedding light on what it means to be a real patriot. And to those patriots thank you for your service and sacrifices. They have not been forgotten

This is pure gold! Thank you. When they tell their stories, I feel like Im right with them in the trenches or cockpits or wherever they have served. I cant even imagine how painful it must be for Dr. Forster and other vets from WW2 seeing what is happening in the world today.

Thank you for sharing this.

I appreciate what you’re doing. Most WW2 vets are passing and their stories along with Korea and Vietnam should be told or they’ll be gone forever

Such a beautiful story of the German perspective. And the great man unfortunately is totally right about the fact that History is repeating it self as we speak. Thanks you for these great videos

Thanks! AMAZING WORK GOD BLESS THE TROOPS

This is such a great channel ! Thanks for doing what you do.

Amazing, keeping these stories alive is a very honorable thing to do.

I don't think I'll ever forget his story about that dentist on trial. How difficult it must have been for him to be forced to fight for a system he didn't believe in.

First of all, thank you SO much for doing this. I'm a fellow doc filmmaker, and this is always something I wish I could've done so it gives me so much joy to see that you're out there making it happen and capturing these memories for future generations. You just got an instant Patreon supporter! P.S. THANK YOU for exporting in cinemascope and not baking letterboxes into a 16x9 render, I can enjoy this on my widescreen monitor unlike even Marvel and Disney trailers that turn into a double-letterboxed nightmare.

Wow! I haven't seen Joshua in years since he was on Flight Test. What a great project you've started. Love these videos.

Thanks for this German soldier's perspective. Power hungry men still exalt themselves and their agenda.

These small docuseries are beautifully made. Well done finding these absolute gems of people to interview.

Very enlightening. THANK YOU.