Jump to content
British Coin Forum - Predecimal.com

50 Years of RotographicCoinpublications.com A Rotographic Imprint. Price guide reference book publishers since 1959. Lots of books on coins, banknotes and medals. Please visit and like Coin Publications on Facebook for offers and updates.

Coin Publications on Facebook

   Rotographic    

The current range of books. Click the image above to see them on Amazon (printed and Kindle format). More info on coinpublications.com

predecimal.comPredecimal.com. One of the most popular websites on British pre-decimal coins, with hundreds of coins for sale, advice for beginners and interesting information.

Sign in to follow this  
Coinery

Bells for VE Day!

Recommended Posts

Now this should send a shiver up the spine this morning! The same old bells that sent their glorious sound out across the land for the actual event! Notwithstanding the fact that many of our tower bells are the same old bells that rang out in Stuart, and even Tudor times! Wonderful!

Stick your head out the door at 11 chaps and chapesses! :)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-32670639

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

ChKy, I'd be interested in your take on it! Are there any celebrations in Germany that mark the joy of soldiers returning home, and families being reunited after such suffering on all sides? :)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Well... politicians remember these days in parliament and various other occasions. But here in Germany are no such widely distributed festivities. Rememberence is quite different here.

First you have to keep in mind that the second world war (at least in my view) was the continuance of the first world war (The Great War). The European powers started the first war all together. At the end they failed to install a new, viable world order. The so called victorious powers stuck onto the old fashioned imperialism and took over the colonies of the fallen European empires. The result was, that twenty years later a party of thieves and murderers, cruel and brutal criminals, seduced and took control over disappointed and embittered German people. The resulting war had vast consequences

Millions over Millions of dead people (civilians and soldiers)

destruction of human civilization, cultural achievements

waste of financial as well as natural resources including human lives

Millions of people were homeless, bombed out and expelled

poverty and hunger

The Western allies took the assistance of a restrictive regime (Stalin) to beat another restrictive regime (Hitler). The outcome was a cold war threatening the whole planet with atomic destruction.

There is nothing to celebrate, to cheer or to triumph. It is time to remember and to mourn. People killed (and still kill) each other for abstract terms like glory, honour or religion. As I mentioned before our duty is to prevent a repeat...

Sorry for that harsh statement Coinery, it is not meant as an affront dear friend.

Edited by ChKy

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

No offence at all! :) I was interested in the symbolism of peace returning, and the end of bloodshed, upon the battlefield, at least! :)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Remembering VE day for what it meant to my parents.

For my father it meant an end to the fighting but he continued to serve for another 2 years.

For my mother it meant an end to living in an occupied country as the enemy surrendered Norway rather than fight on fanatically.

It also reminds me that my grandfather on this day 100 years ago was heavily engaged in the 2nd Battle of Ypres. He fought with the 4th Battalion of the King's Royal Rifle Corps and when they were finally rested after fighting from the 7th to the 10th May 1915 out of a complement of about 600 they mustered 2 officers and 100 rank and file.

I often wonder what he would think of today's world.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

After my German grandmother died several years ago, we found my grandfathers photo journal. It contained pictures taken during his military service in Northern Africa. Besides b/w views at Beduines, oasis, destroyed planes and tanks there were portraits of soldiers as well. Many were ripped out of the album. Only names like Karl, Friedrich, Georg or Gustav remained located beneath empty spaces. My mother told me, that grandpa has never spoken about the war...

The war was not over after Germany capitulated. Japan was bombed with atomic weapons and the Baltic people had to struggle with Sowjet occupation again.

Edited by ChKy
  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Millions of human beings were murdered, raiped, expelled after 1945. People (Polish, Hungarians, Austrians, Germans) lost their homes, because borders were modified. The last German POW returned in the mid 50ties. Stalin's regime opressed and killed an endless number of human beings after the war.

Edited by ChKy

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites


Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

That choked me up ChKy! thanks for finding that for us all! I'm going to look that book up! :)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Far better to use such stories for rememberance, instead of attending parades ;)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Book was an amazing read, and a stark reminder that people do not make war, governments, fools and armaments companies do.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Did you watch that BBC Documentary about the plight of the German, and German-speaking, people after the war? I posted the link in ChKy's thread...what a breath taker!

On i-player for a few more days...truly worth a watch!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I am not a UK resident, so the link does not work for outlanders... ;)

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I am not a UK resident, so the link does not work for outlanders... ;)

A shame, as it was the most powerful post war documentary I've watched!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites


Edited by ChKy

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
Sign in to follow this  

×