Jg Stephan's Blog

I have borrowed the title of my post from Dreadcow's Blog name. I was away in the Dueneberg forest and have stumbled over a heap of rusty objects. I have looked at that obstacle more closely and these were over thirty hand grenades.
The locking pins were almost completely corrode and I was very lucky for it they didnt explode!

This was sufficient fun in my opinion and now Im showing pictures from the forest in Kruemmel, in the other quarter from our city.

This is the old water tower in Kruemmel, the tower was built in 1917 because he was planned in the Hindenburg-program. Like by a miracle, he was only slightly damaged in the World War II. The tower is very unstable and should be blown up some years ago. This plan was rejected and he shall be restored soon.

I have taken this photo in the water tower, unfortunately, I couldn't get to the upper storys. The stairs are damaged very strongly and it would have been too risky.

This is a bunker for a single person and you can see him also in my first picture. If to penetrate bombers were reported, a man had to keep fire watch there. This man had to report the exact places of the bombs strike in, so that the fire department could react. There was very many of these bunkers, distributed on the whole area.

This is the entrance to a big bunker and I have only looked with a flashlight, I wouldn't like to be buried under a cairn.

This building is more than six meters high and has many branched walks.

The entrance in the close-up view.

Stairs to a upper story.

Another wrecked building.

A room of this building with windows.

This building is directly behind the water tower.

I had great problems with Blogger and needed almost four hours for this post. The whole week wasn't particularly good and I had many problems.
However, there was couple of positive news. I had sent Mauser*girl valuable objects for sale or exchange and she has brought me a great delight with that. She and SGT Trueman had become beautiful things for me and I am very grateful to both.

Taking photos is great fun! Some good shots there Stephan, once again it's interesting to see all the old scenery.

The one person bunker also seems very scary! I'd compare it to the old "Iron Maiden" you'd have to stand there in darkness while bombs and explosions went off around!

Where I live, there isn't that much in notable historic scenery (certainly nowhere as much as Germany) but me and some friends still take some photos, I put one of my city on my blog if you want to take a look!

I love the new photos..and the stories. Finding all those old hand grenades would have been scary. I hope this doesnt sound insensitive or strange. But seeing all these places that werent so very long ago in the middle of a war seems strange to me...We have had war in this country too..but as you know it was early in our countries history. It feels strange when I think of how not so long ago those places you show werent so green and peaceful looking as they are now. Does this make sense? : )

Taking photos is very great fun G and I am pleased you are interested for it!

The text from the Iron Maiden song is really very suitable.

The landscape is indescribably beautiful in Australia. I like very much to see animal films from your land on television. I have read a book from Hans Bertram, "Flug in die Hölle"(Flight to the hell). This man started a world's record with a seaplane in 1932. In Australia the German made a forced landing with the airplane and he would have almost starved in the Outback.
After he was saved by Australian natives, he started a flight by the Australian continent.
He was welcomed rejoicing in every town of Australians.

America has an excellent history and beautiful nature.

I will check the photo!

Thank you Porter!
You have nice and interesting photos in your Blog. I have regularly dropped in for some weeks.

Thanks Jen!
I love the quiet at these places, you meets very seldom people here.
The find of the hand grenades was scary! But these forest attract me magically...

You know this I am very much interested in the history of America but these places are unfortunately too far away for me.

These are really wonderful photos, Stephan. I didn't know that there are so much war remains left in Germany. We have some at the historcal places, in Verdun and elsewhere, but otherway, they are mostly destroyed.

Yes, I was pretty overwhelmed with work these days. But I WILL anser to your last comment /post, it was very interesting, I have remorses for not having had the time to answer sooner!

Hey buddy!

Glad the hand grenades didnt explode, I just cant imagine you typing without arms. Although Im sure you could make a plan with your nose to type anyway! : )

GREAT photos as always, I could spend hours looking at them. World War II fascinates me, my friends father is German and he has many artefacts illegally obntained frm lakes in Germany. I love looking at them when he gets drunk and boastful!

He has a nazi meat cleaver that he uses to cut wood with- it is almost fully rusted, but still sharp as ever. I almost cut my finger off with it by accident when I was 17.

I would have LOVED to explain THAT one to my parents...

PLEASE POST MORE PHOTOS!!

Thank you Diana!

There are actually only few remains from the war in Germany. However, there are very many ruins in our town.
There are also interesting places in Hamburg and, if the weather is good, I will take a photograph of them tomorrow.

There were barracks in Hamburg from the World War I till recently, however, the buildings were torn off. This it's pity because beautiful sculptures were on the walls from the German East Africa. Askaris, Lettow-Vorbeck and many more...

You have remorses? Not, please!

Thank you buddy!

It was too many hand grenades, nothing would have been left from me with a high probability. If I had lost my arms, I could try to write with the nose or the feet. ;)

Many relics were disposed of in the lakes. Almost every lake in our area is closed all couple of years if mines, shells and bazookas are found.

My grandma had a kitchen garden and as a little boy, I have often helped her at work. Actually she had much more work by my presence since she had to take always the dangerous objects away from me. ;)
I have found a rusty bayonet from the K98 and I was allowed to keep this.

I have almost cut off the thumb with a pocket-knife at the age of six years. The knife had to shut and the cut went up to the bone. I was afraid this my father is furious, I hid my hand and asked for a plaster. My father wanted to see my hand and got a great fright. He said this the plaster is of no use and has driven to the hospital with me. I had lost a lot of blood and the doctors sewed the thumb for me.

I show perhaps pictures from Hamburg tomorrow.

Magical is a perfect way to describe it. I am a little bit of a dreamer anyway..So I love to see the magic in a place and your right places like those in the forest have that. There is a place we go to sometimes right along the river..It is a small natural spring. It has the ruins of an old house close to it...and if you walk into the woods not to far...you find head stones scattered through the woods..Most of them are very old.. most early 1900's. It may seem strange but I love looking at all the names and dates and wondering who they were?

You understand me Jen. :)

I wanted to take pictures in Hamburg today but I have made only few there on one location. I show these in my Blog tonight.

When I was a quite little boy, I have often been with my grandpa on an old cemetery from our town. For over twenty years I was no more at this place. For some days I wanted already to go there. I was there this morning, after I have come from Hamburg and I am reading your comment now.

I wondered who they were? And many other things. The inscriptions on the stones made me very thoughtful, like "My dearest son and brother, we don't forget you".
Almost all the graves date from the World War I and the World War II.
I also show some pictures from this.