Cross Photo Medal

Posted March 3, 2011 By admin

Why does my dad visit the grave of a german ss soldier during our visits to europe, bringing flowers?

My dad is a WW2 veteran who served with 101st and been through very fierce battles. He won't tell me why he visits this guy's grave everytime.
Once when I asked, he asked back "Son, do you know how to keep a secret?" When I replied that I do, he said "So do I".

As far as I knew, his dead friend was an ss nazi, a worst kind of nazi who probably died rather than surrendering. He also has set up a shrine with the nazi's family photo a medal bearing a nazi cross and some candles in his ranch back home in wisconsin. I can't understand?
If you knew my dad you probably wouldn't want to insult him.
Well our only link to germany is that my great grandfather immigrated from there. They can't possibly fake american ancestry!
If you have friends who might know the answer, could you star this question? It is one of the biggest mysteries in my life.
Family? The nazi's last name is Weissenbrunner while my family name is Walter.

My biggest question would have been, WHEN did your family name become "Walter"??

I'm not calling your family reputation into question, but are you SURE that your family came over with your Great Grandfather and not much later? Have you done a geneology and have seen the immigration paperwork to prove dates?

ALSO,

When people emigrated, many changed their names upon arriving in the "New World" so they could start a "new" life. Weissenbrunner is a name that immediately identifies the nationality of the family... I could see it being changed so the family could meld in to American society easier.

AND,

When people hit Ellis Island, depending upon who their case agent was - and how busy they were - names were "Americanized" rather commonly. With Dad being a WWII vet, that would make his birth in 1920 or so - so his dad's in 1900, and the immigrant crew from 1880. In the 1880's to 1900's there were MILLIONS of European immigrants - and many, MANY of them had their names changed.

My bet would be that one of three scenarios play out:

1. Your family emigrated in the 1880's or so, changed their name and the Weissenbrunner was a distant cousin that died in the War.

2. Your father somehow befriended a Nazi soldier (one or the other was a prisoner or something), and the Nazi was killed by another soldier or perhaps it could have been that your dad killed him. A twist on this one - in WWII, very few people actually took aim and killed individual soldiers - so your dad may have only killed one man in the entire war - Weissenbrunner.

3. The family lied about emigrating when they did - and your dad is a 1st generation German - and his BROTHER, father or uncle were killed in the war - and he is paying respects to his kin.

Ask your father to put the truth in a sealed envelope to be given to you as part of his Last Will and Testament after he dies.