The Germans We Kept

[Billcat]

Both the book, "Ther Germans We Trusted: Stories Which Had to Be Told" by Pamela Howe Taylor and the televisions special "The Germans We Kept" say some very wonderful things about the people of Oswaldtwistle. The work of Ms. Howe's father, the Rev. Joseph Howe, that brought German prisoners into the homes and lives of the local residents, is worthy of note.

[cashman]

saw a tv programme once about that very subject billcat,was very interesting the germans were put in houses up stanhill and the old germans interviewed spoke very highly of the ossy people.

[Tealeaf]

It would'nt surprise me if the new Pope was once up in the Stanhill POW camp. Was'nt he once in a Waffen SS suicide extermination unit or summat like it?

[wayneyboy1942]

I saw the programme just last week on the Discovery channels Billcat! I think the youngsters of today should watch these channels as they show these types of programme! One German married a local girl and stayed near Accy,he had four children and eleven grandchildren! People wanted the German POW's sent back home after the war but they were kept back to help re-build the country. Burt Trutemann (I hope I've spelt it right) the Ex-Man city goalie was one of them!

[cashman]

Originally Posted by Tealeaf

It would'nt surprise me if the new Pope was once up in the Stanhill POW camp. Was'nt he once in a Waffen SS suicide extermination unit or summat like it?

i could be mistaken but the waffen ss is the female branch of the ss.also the bloke was compulsory a member of the hitler youth who deserted them,do you think you would have the guts to desert them in the same position,not sure i would.by the way is the voice of reason a wind up?

[West Ender]

I remember some of the German POWs who were at Stanhill camp from when I was about 2 years old. My aunt had a baker's shop in West End and the POWs used to buy bread and pies etc. from her. They had tokens rather than money. They may have been "The Enemy" but to me they were just ordinary people, some of them very nice men.

My father had a German friend who had been a POW (not sure if he was at Stanhill but it's very probable). He had been a Luftwaffe pilot. I remember dad being appalled when this chap said in about 1960 that, if Germany and Britain were to go to war again, he would go home and fight for Germany. I could understand that point of view (I was about 17 at the time) but dad, I suppose, could only equate Germany with Nazism. It was a generational concept.

But what about the Italian POWs who were there before the Germans? They were, largely, repatriated before the end of the war but I knew of several who stayed and married local girls. They seem to be forgotten when the POW situation comes up.

Don't castigate the new pope for his membership of Hitlerjungen. If you were 14 in Germany in the 1930s you either joined or you and your family were targeted for abuse, and much, much worse. I believe he later deserted from the German army, into which he was conscripted, and was captured and imprisoned by the Americans so I doubt if he ever saw Oswaldtwistle. It's a nice thought, though, that he could be celebrating his new appointment in the Vatican - and reminiscing about my auntie's meat and potato pies.

[Billcat]

Originally Posted by West Ender

"The Enemy" but to me they were just ordinary people, some of them very nice men.

The saddest thing about war is that most of the folks who go to war are both quite young and very nice. If we older folk could only manage things a bit better (especially our current Cowboy-wannabe President)!

Hey one other nice thing about visiting the UK instead of Florida just occurred to me. One doesn't have to worry too much about whether the folks you meet are carrying a concealed handgun! That's one for the UK tourist board, "Come to Britain! Too many dinners with chips, but you won't get shot."

Personally, I support the right to arm bears!

[West Ender]

, "Come to Britain! Too many dinners with chips,

You're eating in the wrong places, Billcat.

[Billcat]

Of course I was just having a bit of fun. Apart from the fact that many of the more ordinary eateries in the UK do seem to feature chips quite prominently, I think that a couple of the Monty Python routines have done a lot to shape the world's view of British cooking (chips, chips, chips, chips, baked beans and chips).

I confess to a fondness for chips that taste of potato, so I prefer the larger chips usually serve in the UK to those skinny, overly salty shoestrings at our fast food joints. Also, I used to be a part owner of a couple of restaurants, one of which merited a three-star rating from the NY Times (not easy to get, especially as the Times food critics have usually been quite snobbish about eateries in the suburbs). Many Americans seem to be extremely worried about the quality of food they will find in the UK, but I am happy to tell them that, with just a bit of careful work (no greater care, in fact, than one would use when visiting another part of the USA) they will have some delightful meals.

One place I recall with particular fondness when I last visited your area is the Freemason's Arms in the village of Wiswell. The lunch we had (Pendy, David, my wife and myself) in this off-the-beaten-track pub was outstanding. Hope they've managed to maintain that standard of quality!

[cashman]

agree about the stringy chips billcat but new york has plenty of great eateries,specially breakfast,puts ours to shame for quantity etc,mind i'm a greedy pig.

[Billcat]

Originally Posted by cashman

new york has plenty of great eateries,specially breakfast,puts ours to shame for quantity etc,mind i'm a greedy pig.

Well, if anyone happens over this way, we'll have to go to Harold's New York Deli in Edison, NJ (not NYC, but in the suburbs). Here's a link:http://orig.app.com/day/story/0,2379,257554,00.html
One must always bring a huge appetite and/or a few friends, as Harold specializes in "Harold-iculous" sized servings. Wonderful pastrami and corned beef, along with what is allegedly the "World's Biggest Pickle Bar." I took a friend of mine, who always has a huge appetite, to Harold's (to celebrate of this friend's successful completion of half a year "clean and sober"). He ordered one of Harold's large sandwiches, then gasped and broke into a huge belly laugh when that monster was delivered to our table.

As a standard for "puts our to shame for quantity," Harold's sets the gold standard.

[West Ender]

I thought Monty Python's mantra was, "Spam Spam Spam Spam, Spam Spam Spam Spam......."

(I like Spam)