# ‘While Jews serve in my army I will not allow their deportation’



## Timppa (Oct 29, 2013)

Despite sixty years’ intensive research and thousands of publications, certain aspects of the Second World War are still little known or remain to be discovered. It is only now, since the collapse of the Soviet Union, for example, that we can reconstruct the full story of Finland’s participation in the war. 

Consider the paradoxes. Finland fought on the German side (although it always refused to call itself an ally and insisted that it was only a co-belligerent). Yet it refused to deport, persecute or even discriminate against its Jewish population. And the country even behaved humanely towards Jewish prisoners of war.

Even stranger, Jewish soldiers fought in the Finnish ranks as equals – thereby, inevitably, helping the Germans achieve some of their war aims. Yet in doing so, I will argue, they also served Jewish interests. This article explains the background to these startling anomalies

During the war, the lives of the Finnish Jews continued as before: synagogues and communal institutions functioned and the Jewish newspaper was published. Three hundred Jewish officers and soldiers served in the Finnish army during the Continuation War (eight were killed in battle). 

Yet they faced an agonizing dilemma. Those who took part in the Winter War knew that they were fighting against an aggressor. Now Jewish soldiers understood that, by serving in an army fighting the USSR, they were also helping Hitler. Throughout the Continuation War, they had to collaborate with the Germans. Some who were fluent in German served in the Intelligence Service and so, throughout constant liaison with German Intelligence, acquired information about the extermination of European Jewry. On the other hand, Jewish soldiers remembered the words of Marshal Mannerheim when Himmler tried to persuade Finnish leaders to deport the Jews to concentration camps: ‘While Jews serve in my army I will not allow their deportation.’ By serving in the Finnish army Jewish soldiers hoped to prevent the community from being persecuted.

The maintenance of Jewish religious tradition was of paramount importance to soldiers fighting on the Finnish—Soviet front. A field synagogue was established a mere 2 kilometres from the German troops. This was the only field synagogue on the German side of the 2,000-mile front line which in 1942 stretched all the way from the North Cape in Norway to El Alamein in Egypt. The Finnish High Command granted leave to Jewish soldiers on Saturdays and Jewish holidays. Worshippers came to pray from near and far, some on skis, some on horseback, most on foot. The Germans were astonished and frustrated to see Jewish soldiers holding religious services in an army tent. It is also interesting to note that the most popular Finnish singer, the ‘soldier’s sweetheart’ (or Finnish Vera Lynn), was Jewish. Yet she entertained only Finnish soldiers and refused to do the same for the Germans. 

Three Jews serving in the Finnish army were awarded Iron Crosses by the German command for their bravery (Hannu Rautkallio, ‘Cast into the Lion’s Den’, Journal of Contemporary History 29, 1994). Major Leo Skurnik was a descendant of one of the oldest cantonist Jewish families. He served as a doctor, organized the evacuation of a German field hospital and thereby saved the lives of more than 600 German officers and soldiers. He refused to accept the decoration on the grounds of being a Jew. Captain Solomon Klass saved a German company that had been surrounded by Soviet forces. Two days later, German officers came to offer him the Iron Cross. He refused to stand up and told them contemptuously that he was Jewish and did not want their medal. The officers repeated their ‘Heil Hitler’ salute and left. A third Jew, a nurse, also refused the Iron Cross. 

Mannerheim’s war aims were quite different from those of the Germans he fought alongside. He merely wanted to recover Finnish territory lost in the Winter War and to preserve the country’s independence. He had no desire to destroy the USSR because, as he once put it, ‘Russia will always be our neighbour.’ And he never pursued Hitler’s racial policies. Indeed he helped ensure that Finnish Jews had equal rights with the Christian majority.
...

In August 1944 Mannerheim was elected President of Finland and initiated peace negotiations with the USSR. The armistice agreement was signed in September 1944. According to this agreement Finland started military actions against German troops deployed in Lapland – an action in which some Finnish Jewish soldiers also took part. 

On 6 December (Independence Day) 1944 President Mannerheim visited the Helsinki synagogue, took part in a commemorative service for the Jewish soldiers who had died in the Winter and Continuation Wars and presented the Jewish community with a medal. 

It was because of Mannerheim that Finland remained an independent state, unlike the many East European countries which became satellites of the Soviet Union. Finnish Jews continued to have every opportunity to live as a vibrant community or to emigrate to Israel. Twenty-seven Jews with battle experience went there in 1948 to take part in the War of Independence.

In 2005 an exhibition dedicated to Marshal Mannerheim was held at the Hermitage museum in St Petersburg, and Finnish historians had an opportunity to show for the first time Mannerheim’s role in saving Leningrad. It is here, perhaps, that the Finnish Jewish soldiers who took part in the Second World War on the German side can take consolation. By fighting alongside the Germans, paradoxically, they helped to save not only the Finnish Jewish community but the Jewish community of Leningrad as well.

I would like to express my gratitude to Boris Ben-Ari (London) and Gideon Bolotowsky (Helsinki) for valuable information about the participation of Finnish Jewish soldiers in the Second World War. 

Rachel Bayvel has a Masters degree from the University of Design and Technology in Leningrad. She has lived in London since 1978 and researches Eastern European history.

The Jewish Quarterly

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## vikingBerserker (Oct 29, 2013)

That was pretty interesting.


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## Capt. Vick (Oct 29, 2013)

Well what do you know...interesting.


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## imalko (Oct 29, 2013)

You learn something new every day... Interesting article. Thanks for posting.


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## buffnut453 (Oct 29, 2013)

Fascinating stuff. War is never "black and white" and here's a classic example. I always perceived Finland more as fighting against Soviet aggression than fighting for the Axis side. It's a subtle distinction but it merits being made. For all Hitler's efforts to "encourage" Finland towards closer integration and interoperability with Axis aims and objectives, Mannerheim and other Finnish leaders steadfastly refused and maintained a far narrower, nationalistic agenda (much to their credit, I might add!).


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## vinnye (Oct 29, 2013)

Thanks for posting this. Very informative.


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## Marcel (Oct 29, 2013)

Great post Timpa. And very interesting.


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## silence (Oct 29, 2013)

I had a friend at university who was from Finland and the son of missionaries. He was one of the most impressive people I have ever met, in every conceivable way. Now he's a Professor of Computer Engineering (Ph.D) at University of Wisconsin-Madison. If he's representative of the Finnish people, then what a wonderful society. Plus they play great hockey!


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## pattle (Oct 29, 2013)

You have to remember that Russia was also very cruel towards it's Jewish population. I understand that during World War One German soldiers were welcomed by the Jewish population in areas previously under Russian control.


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## GrauGeist (Oct 29, 2013)

Sad fact is that the German Jews in WWI fought with distiction, over 30,000 receiving decorations including Wilhelm Frankl, who recieved the Pour le Merite (he had 20 aerial victories). That's out of an estimated 100,000 Jews who served under the Kaiser.

There's no doubt, that had Hitler and his lackeys not persecuted the Jews, the German army would have had the same tenacious fighters in it's ranks during WWII.

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## redcoat (Oct 29, 2013)

Mannerheim was once asked by Hitler what was he going to do about the 'Jewish problem', he merely replied "we don't have a Jewish problem".

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## syscom3 (Oct 29, 2013)

Good to see someone reposting this from time to time. I did it last in 2007.


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## mikec1 (Oct 30, 2013)

.
.
.
Greeting Guys, and Gals;

I have a problem with your word Jew...... To be politically correct, should not that word be
Hebrew.............. 8)


Mike
.
.
.

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## Marcel (Oct 30, 2013)

If I may ask, what's problem is there with the word 'Jew'? Not attacking you, merely curious, I'm not a native English speaker.


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## GrauGeist (Oct 30, 2013)

What if the word "politically correct" was offensive to some?

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## michaelmaltby (Oct 30, 2013)

".....I have a problem with your word Jew...... "

I have a problem with the way _you _format all your posts , mikec1, silly punctuation and affected ... but you don't see _me_ complaining, do you? 


.
.
.
Greeting Guys, and Gals;

I have a problem with your word Jew...... To be politically correct, should not that word be
Hebrew.............


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## pattle (Oct 30, 2013)

One of my mates is Jewish and he says he's a Jew, I have never heard anyone say they are Hebrew. People in the UK generally don't go about telling each other what religion they belong to, we don't have professional Jews in the UK like in some countries.


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## fastmongrel (Oct 30, 2013)

Hebrew is a language and an archaic term for one of the tribes of Isreal


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## Marcel (Oct 30, 2013)

Guys, I think if one of us has a problem with certain words and he has good reasons for that, we should respect that. For me and I guess for Timpa as well, English is only a secondary language, so we don't know all the subtilities in it and can insult people without meaning to do so. It is good if someone points it out in a friendly manner and explain.


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## GrauGeist (Oct 30, 2013)

In all honesty, some things can be mis-interpreted.

Some people seem to find the word "Oriental" offensive, yet it merely defines the far-eastern portion of Asia and is a very old description.

The name "Jew" is as descriptive to a person of the Hebrew faith is, as "Christian" is to those folks of that religion. Shouldn't be anything wrong with it.

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## Njaco (Oct 30, 2013)

My Pre-wife, who is Jewish, says "Jew" is appropriate as long as its not used in a derogatory way. There are far worse terms for someone who is Jewish.

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## buffnut453 (Oct 30, 2013)

Jew is a shortening of Judah, one of the twelve tribes of Israel. Ten of the tribes were scattered when the Babylonians sacked Jerusalem. The other 2 tribes, Judah and Benjamin, effectively merged into one. Jewish friends of mine refer to themselves as "Jews" and "Jewish" so I don't see it being derogatory in any way, at least not in the manner it's been used in this thread.

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## Marcel (Oct 30, 2013)

Yes Buffnutt, that's what I thought and that's why I'm curious what Mike has to say. I think he didn't just say that. In wiki:


> It is widely recognized that the attributive use of the noun Jew, in phrases such as Jew lawyer or Jew ethics, is both vulgar and highly offensive. In such contexts Jewish is the only acceptable possibility. Some people, however, have become so wary of this construction that they have extended the stigma to any use of Jew as a noun, a practice that carries risks of its own. In a sentence such as There are now several Jews on the council, which is unobjectionable, the substitution of a circumlocution like Jewish people or persons of Jewish background may in itself cause offense for seeming to imply that Jew has a negative connotation when used as a noun.


But I must say that while I think my English is pretty good, I don't really follow what it says. I believe it says that some people find the word jew offensive in any way.

But we're hijacking this good thread which was about jews/hebrew/jiddish people in Finland.


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## GrauGeist (Oct 30, 2013)

Marcel, it's basically saying that using the word Jew in certain instances could be considered offensive, but in situations like this thread, it's perfectly fine...so while Mike did have a valid point to a certain degree, it's perfectly fine in this case.

And yes, this is an informative thread, looking forward to hearing more about the Jews in Finnish service


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## Njaco (Oct 30, 2013)

My question is, who cares about being PC!!??


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## pattle (Oct 30, 2013)

There was also a Jewish Brigade within the British Army late in the war. I think this brigade was mostly made up of Palestinian Jews and not Brits though, before this brigades creation there were a number of Palestinian units in British service but this was before only Arabs were referred to as Palestinians and so these troops were actually what we would call today Israeli. There is a some controversy around this brigade as it was involved with the execution of German prisoners without trial and also in the creation of the State of Israel.


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## syscom3 (Oct 30, 2013)

pattle said:


> There is a some controversy around this brigade as it was involved with the execution of German prisoners without trial



There was no controversy. As the evidence of the genocide was coming to the forefront, they began executed members of the SS as they were found. And they were universally applauded for it. Especially by the people who had been under the thumb of occupation.


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## pattle (Oct 30, 2013)

syscom3 said:


> There was no controversy. As the evidence of the genocide was coming to the forefront, they began executed members of the SS as they were found. And they were universally applauded for it. Especially by the people who had been under the thumb of occupation.




There is controversy amongst those who believe that prisoners should not be shot without trial.


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## michaelmaltby (Oct 30, 2013)

"..There is controversy amongst those who believe that prisoners should not be shot without trial."

A number of German Special Forces were deployed in the first hours of the Battle of the Bulge (Dec. '44) _dressed as G.I._s. When captured,they were executed.

There was no controversy here .... only a little compassion by the US authorities ... the captured were allowed to live one night longer to hear German nurses singing Christmas carols.

This thread has been high jacked by one who seeks attention. No one has _ever_ misused the word Jew on this forum, in my 4 years experience. Misuse being disrespectful or hurtful use, not correct usage as a noun or adjective.


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## tyrodtom (Oct 30, 2013)

michaelmaltby said:


> "..There is controversy amongst those who believe that prisoners should not be shot without trial."
> 
> A number of German Special Forces were deployed in the first hours of the Battle of the Bulge (Dec. '44) _dressed as G.I._s. When captured,they were executed.
> 
> ...



The German soldiers captured wearing American uniforms were given trials


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## pattle (Oct 31, 2013)

A captured German spy was the last person to be executed at the Tower of London in 1941, a number of others were also hanged at two other locations following trial, from memory however I think the majority of captured agents were turned and used as double agents. I know this is way of topic, but I am uneasy about executing foreign nationals from enemy countries for spying during wartime as to me spying is an acceptable part of warfare, should the spy be a traitor operating against his own country then he deserves all he gets in my mind though. The Germans in American uniforms were armed for the purpose of killing American troops so maybe they didn't have this defence, but looking at it from the point of view of the captured Germans this was also a trick used by British commandoes and I assume on occasion also Americans, my point is we are not happy about our own lads being shot under these circumstances.


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## michaelmaltby (Oct 31, 2013)

"....The Germans in American uniforms were armed for the purpose of killing American troops so maybe they didn't have this defense, but looking at it from the point of view of the captured Germans this was also a trick used by British commandoes ..."

During his trial after the war, Otto Skorzeny, the Austrian special forces leader who was responsible for the German "deception" received a boost (and was cleared) in part by the testimony of Yeo Thomas, a British agent who had been operating in France, captured and tortured by the Gestapo. Thomas testified that British commandos had used similar deceptions .... and he was a man who had lost finger nails and more to the Germans.

But lets get back to Finland. The Jews serving in the Finish forces were professionals and patriots. They had seen what the Soviets had done to Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania ..... occupation and mass deportations. And everyone knew what the over-reaching threat was.


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## yulzari (Oct 31, 2013)

Not to flagellate an equine cadaver but as an exercise in the subtleties of english semantics for non-native English speakers (and perhaps I should include Americans in this?).

A jew is one who practices or espouses the jewish faith. This would include those who successfully convert to the jewish faith. To be jewish is to be from that group but not necessarily a jew. Thus I am jewish, but not a jew. As is the priest who baptised my children and the bishop who ordained that priest.

I suspect the original concern is due to the misuse of the term 'jew' as a derogatory one by anti-semites whereas it is as honourable as christian, muslim, hindu, buddhist, taoist etc. or indeed atheist or agnostic.

As the late Dave Allen used to say at the close of his programmes, 'Goodnight, and may your God go with you'.

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## GrauGeist (Oct 31, 2013)

From what I've read, the Poles had a substantial Jewish presence in their military, numbering about 100,000 at the time the Germans invaded. In the Free Polish army, about 20,000 served in it's ranks.


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## VBF-13 (Oct 31, 2013)

GrauGeist said:


> From what I've read, the Poles had a substantial Jewish presence in their military, numbering about 100,000 at the time the Germans invaded. In the Free Polish army, about 20,000 served in it's ranks.


I believe that's correct.


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## silence (Oct 31, 2013)

Interesting discourse on the subtleties of semantics.

Let's look at it from a different angle: many of you served in uniform and follow some branch of the Christian faith. Does that you are Christian soldiers. Or are you soldiers who are also/happen to be Christian?

Was the Jewish Brigade a brigade of the Jewish faith, or was a brigade for followers of the Jewish faith?

Are these men defined first as soldier, or first by their faith?

Can a Jewish Brigade include Christians? Can Christians be in a brigade of Jews?

Re-reading Timppa's first post, it sounds like the ones in the Finnish Army were Jews first and Finns second, so in this case we have Jewish Soldiers.

The same can be asked of soldiers. Why is it always "Nazi soldiers"? Were they all Nazis? Were von Treskow and Von Stauffenberg Nazis? On the other hand, were all Americans "Democrat Soldiers"? All UK soldiers "Conservative Soldiers"?

Do politics and/or religion really have a place in how a combatant is defined. Why Does it have to be Nazi/Democrat/Conservative German/American/Brit? What's wrong with just German or American or British? Why this need for a second word? Is it because of the special circumstances of the war against the Third Reich? Is it simply a means to denigrate an enemy soldier in a more polite way than calling them Kraut or Gook or Frog?

Man, I have been force-fed way too much philosophy in school this semester....


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## silence (Oct 31, 2013)

GrauGeist said:


> From what I've read, the Poles had a substantial Jewish presence in their military, numbering about 100,000 at the time the Germans invaded. In the Free Polish army, about 20,000 served in it's ranks.



I believe that in 1939 there were approx. 3M Jews living in Poland. Seems they'd almost have to have a substantial presence.


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## GrauGeist (Oct 31, 2013)

silence said:


> Interesting discourse on the subtleties of semantics.
> 
> Let's look at it from a different angle: many of you served in uniform and follow some branch of the Christian faith. Does that you are Christian soldiers. Or are you soldiers who are also/happen to be Christian?
> 
> ...


In the ranks of the regular German military, you had Germans of all walks of life. Sure there were Nazis, but not all. Same goes for American troops, you had Jews, Christians, Athiests...people from all walks of life. 

Same can be said for the Finns, Poles, English, Russians and so on. Everyday people who had thier own religious and political ideas, worried about thier family and buddies and wanted an end to the war so they could go home.

So basically, the Jews that served in the Finnish army were Finns that happened to follow Judiasm. Just like the Jews that served under the Kaiser in WWI were Imperial German Soldiers that happened to follow Judiasm.


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## michaelmaltby (Oct 31, 2013)

"...Man, I have been force-fed way too much philosophy in school this semester...."

With care you can _reverse_ that medical condition ....


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## GrauGeist (Oct 31, 2013)

michaelmaltby said:


> "...Man, I have been force-fed way too much philosophy in school this semester...."
> 
> With care you can _reverse_ that medical condition ....


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## pattle (Oct 31, 2013)

silence said:


> Interesting discourse on the subtleties of semantics.
> 
> Let's look at it from a different angle: many of you served in uniform and follow some branch of the Christian faith. Does that you are Christian soldiers. Or are you soldiers who are also/happen to be Christian?
> 
> ...



Some of the officers in the Jewish Brigade were British and I think the Brigadier was Canadian, most of the other ranks were Palestine Jews. I think the Jewish Brigade was organised like a colonial force.
British troops voted heavily in favour of the Labour Party at the end of World War Two and while I am happy to be mistaken for being Jewish I wouldn't be happy to be mistaken for a Tory.


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## meatloaf109 (Oct 31, 2013)

Interesting.
I served as an Atheist.
So does that make me a "Heathen godless American sailor"?


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## silence (Oct 31, 2013)

GrauGeist said:


> In the ranks of the regular German military, you had Germans of all walks of life. Sure there were Nazis, but not all. Same goes for American troops, you had Jews, Christians, Athiests...people from all walks of life.
> 
> Same can be said for the Finns, Poles, English, Russians and so on. Everyday people who had thier own religious and political ideas, worried about thier family and buddies and wanted an end to the war so they could go home.
> 
> So basically, the Jews that served in the Finnish army were Finns that happened to follow Judiasm. Just like the Jews that served under the Kaiser in WWI were Imperial German Soldiers that happened to follow Judiasm.



Exactly my point.


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## silence (Oct 31, 2013)

meatloaf109 said:


> Interesting.
> I served as an Atheist.
> So does that make me a "Heathen godless American sailor"?



Yep. And a commie. You forgot the obligatory political association, comrade.

However, "Heathen godless" could possibly be considered redundant, in some circles.


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## buffnut453 (Oct 31, 2013)

Oh...I thought he said Heathen GODDESS...well, you never know with the Navy!

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## GrauGeist (Oct 31, 2013)

I believe the correct phrase would be "Godless Heathen"

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## meatloaf109 (Oct 31, 2013)

Perhaps,..
(Not a "Commie", though)


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## meatloaf109 (Oct 31, 2013)

GrauGeist said:


> I believe the correct phrase would be "Godless Heathen"



No, us Atheists go with godless.


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## meatloaf109 (Oct 31, 2013)

buffnut453 said:


> Oh...I thought he said Heathen GODDESS...well, you never know with the Navy!



You have never seen me in a dress.
I make anything look good!


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## Marcel (Nov 1, 2013)

meatloaf109 said:


> You have never seen me in a dress.
> I make anything look good!




Wait for it meat, I have to get my sunglasses first 8)


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## buffnut453 (Nov 1, 2013)

meatloaf109 said:


> You have never seen me in a dress.
> I make anything look good!



MY EYES!!! MY EYES!!! AAARGGGHHHHH!!!!

Oh, and thanks for the mental image now burnished into my brain.

Then again, I did kindda start it!


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## silence (Nov 1, 2013)

Marcel said:


> Wait for it meat, I have to get my sunglasses first 8)



You may just want to go for welders glasses


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## VBF-13 (Nov 1, 2013)

This thread is getting confusing. I think when we Finnish we ought to take a Pole.


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## silence (Nov 1, 2013)

Oh, man, you just out-Meatloafed Meatloaf

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## Njaco (Nov 1, 2013)

If I remember correctly, I do believe that to be a member of the Luftwaffe, you were not allowed to be a party member - or at least it wasn't a requirement.


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## GrauGeist (Nov 1, 2013)

There were Nazi party members in the Luftwaffe.

The notable ones that come to mind at the moment are Nowotny, Rudel and Milch.

Milch and Nowotny were NSDAP members, but Rudel wasn't. Rudel was a member of the Allgemeine SS.


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## pattle (Nov 2, 2013)

I think Herman Goering joined the Nazi party at some point.


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## evangilder (Nov 3, 2013)

mikec1 said:


> .
> .
> .
> Greeting Guys, and Gals;
> ...



Lighten up, Francis. I'm a Jew, and have never referred to myself as a "Hebrew". Following that logic, since I speak English, does that make me English?

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## Marcel (Nov 3, 2013)

evangilder said:


> Lighten up, Francis. I'm a Jew, and have never referred to myself as a "Hebrew". Following that logic, since I speak English, does that make me English?



 do I have to call you "old chap" now?

But judging your name, you should be Dutch.


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## silence (Nov 3, 2013)

Njaco said:


> If I remember correctly, I do believe that to be a member of the Luftwaffe, you were not allowed to be a party member - or at least it wasn't a requirement.



Members of the Wehrmacht were not allowed to be affiliated with a political party in any way in the early years. Naturally, as the war progressed things changed.


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## GrauGeist (Nov 3, 2013)

silence said:


> Members of the Wehrmacht were not allowed to be affiliated with a political party in any way in the early years. Naturally, as the war progressed things changed.


After the bomb plot, Wehrmacht personnel were allowed to have NSDAP membership. Before that, any political party memberships were suspended upon entering the Army.


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## silence (Nov 4, 2013)

GrauGeist said:


> After the bomb plot, Wehrmacht personnel were allowed to have NSDAP membership. Before that, any political party memberships were suspended upon entering the Army.



That makes perfect sense. Thanks.


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