The Stories/The Enemy I Knew/John Brunswick: Difference between revisions
Re-import story: interleaved images, captions, compact galleries |
Add Story soldier hub card linking to profile |
||
| (9 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown) | |||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
__NOEDITSECTION__ | |||
{{DISPLAYTITLE:The Stories/The Enemy I Knew/John Brunswick}} | {{DISPLAYTITLE:The Stories/The Enemy I Knew/John Brunswick}} | ||
= | {{Story soldier | ||
|soldier=Brunswick, John H. (0552530) | |||
= | |name=John H. Brunswick | ||
|photo=Enemy I Knew John Brunswick 1.png | |||
}} | |||
<div class="story-figure"> | <div class="story-figure"> | ||
[[File:Enemy I Knew John Brunswick 1.png|frameless| | [[File:Enemy I Knew John Brunswick 1.png|frameless|center|320px|alt=Enemy I Knew John Brunswick 1.png]] | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
John Brunswick was born Hans Braunschweig in Bocholt, Germany. Having arrived in the United States in 1957, he was inducted into the army in 1943 and was trained as an interrogator of prisoners of war (IPW) at Camp Ritchie. He served much of the war in an IPW team attached to the Free French 2nd Armored Division. In the photograph above, Brunswick (center), serving as translator, sits between Lt. Gen. Von Foertsch (left), Commanding General, German First Army, and Gen. Jacob L. Devers, Commanding General, American Sixth Army Group, as Von Foertsch signs the unconditional surrender of German Army Group “G.” | [[Brunswick, John H. (0552530)|John Brunswick]] was born Hans Braunschweig in Bocholt, Germany. Having arrived in the United States in 1957, he was inducted into the army in 1943 and was trained as an interrogator of prisoners of war (IPW) at Camp Ritchie. He served much of the war in an IPW team attached to the Free French 2nd Armored Division. In the photograph above, Brunswick (center), serving as translator, sits between Lt. Gen. Von Foertsch (left), Commanding General, German First Army, and Gen. Jacob L. Devers, Commanding General, American Sixth Army Group, as Von Foertsch signs the unconditional surrender of German Army Group “G.” | ||
When I received my draft notice, I had very mixed feelings. On one hand, I felt that I should have volunteered to fight Hitler and his Stormtroopers who had caused such unbelievable suffering to so many people and had ruined their lives. If not stopped soon, they would probably be unstoppable and cause more trouble throughout the world. On the other hand, I hated to leave my wife. At the age of thirty-two, having already been in the United States for six years, I was making a little more money and I was able to support my parents. | When I received my draft notice, I had very mixed feelings. On one hand, I felt that I should have volunteered to fight Hitler and his Stormtroopers who had caused such unbelievable suffering to so many people and had ruined their lives. If not stopped soon, they would probably be unstoppable and cause more trouble throughout the world. On the other hand, I hated to leave my wife. At the age of thirty-two, having already been in the United States for six years, I was making a little more money and I was able to support my parents. | ||
| Line 26: | Line 26: | ||
At the end of our training, May 1943, I tried the same. There was an opening for five vacancies, and there were about fifty applicants from our class. I was among the last eight or ten, after the others had been weeded out, showing off my skills drilling and commanding about forty people under the watchful eyes of superior officers. My infantry training from Camp Croft would have come in very handy, and I believe that I would have been selected. I was doing very well when suddenly, to my great disappointment, I was called off. The next day I found out why. | At the end of our training, May 1943, I tried the same. There was an opening for five vacancies, and there were about fifty applicants from our class. I was among the last eight or ten, after the others had been weeded out, showing off my skills drilling and commanding about forty people under the watchful eyes of superior officers. My infantry training from Camp Croft would have come in very handy, and I believe that I would have been selected. I was doing very well when suddenly, to my great disappointment, I was called off. The next day I found out why. | ||
Out of our whole class of about four hundred, the top fifty graduates had been selected for an immediate promotion to second lieutenant, I among them. It seemed like a miracle. When I called home and said, “This is Lieutenant Brunswick speaking,” it sounded like a big joke, however, this is what happened. It not only made a tremendous difference in my status, but it also gave me a big boost to my morale, and it especially made a tremendous difference to my family’s economic situation. All of the sudden, instead of having the basic salary of $50 a month, it became $300 a month, and I was now able to really provide for my family and my parents. | Out of our whole class of about four hundred, the top fifty graduates had been selected for an immediate promotion to second lieutenant, I among them. It seemed like a miracle. When I called home and said, “This is [[Brunswick, John H. (0552530)|Lieutenant Brunswick]] speaking,” it sounded like a big joke, however, this is what happened. It not only made a tremendous difference in my status, but it also gave me a big boost to my morale, and it especially made a tremendous difference to my family’s economic situation. All of the sudden, instead of having the basic salary of $50 a month, it became $300 a month, and I was now able to really provide for my family and my parents. | ||
IN JNNE 1944, I had my final leave, said goodbye to all my loved ones, and held my little boy for the last time. Then I and many others found ourselves on a troop transport leaving from Boston Harbor. The crossing, in a converted large freighter, was an experience in itself. We slept deep down in the hold in hammocks, with three or four on top of each other like canned sardines. There were thousands of troops onboard, and there were probably ten or fifteen troop ships that crossed the Atlantic in convoys shadowed by war ships, zigzagging and trying to elude the ever-present German submarines, which had sent so many ships to the bottom. | IN JNNE 1944, I had my final leave, said goodbye to all my loved ones, and held my little boy for the last time. Then I and many others found ourselves on a troop transport leaving from Boston Harbor. The crossing, in a converted large freighter, was an experience in itself. We slept deep down in the hold in hammocks, with three or four on top of each other like canned sardines. There were thousands of troops onboard, and there were probably ten or fifteen troop ships that crossed the Atlantic in convoys shadowed by war ships, zigzagging and trying to elude the ever-present German submarines, which had sent so many ships to the bottom. | ||
| Line 114: | Line 114: | ||
It was amazing to see how ordinary a balding, middle-aged man looked when seeing him without his glamorous uniform and how his arrogant bearing changes when seeing him in a jail cell. He had posed as a bombed out artist hiding in the mountains and painting pictures. I was amazed to hear that he was actually a friend of the Jews and, like the Zionists, just wanted them to go to Palestine. I questioned, listened to his answers in amazement, and took notes. He sounded so ridiculous and pathetic that I could not even hate him. He was sentenced to death as a war criminal during the Nuremberg Trials and eventually hanged. | It was amazing to see how ordinary a balding, middle-aged man looked when seeing him without his glamorous uniform and how his arrogant bearing changes when seeing him in a jail cell. He had posed as a bombed out artist hiding in the mountains and painting pictures. I was amazed to hear that he was actually a friend of the Jews and, like the Zionists, just wanted them to go to Palestine. I questioned, listened to his answers in amazement, and took notes. He sounded so ridiculous and pathetic that I could not even hate him. He was sentenced to death as a war criminal during the Nuremberg Trials and eventually hanged. | ||
I RECEIVED ORDERS TO REPORT EARLY On May 5 to headquarters of the XV Corps, right outside Munich. Subsequently, I found out that I had been selected to be the official interpreter at the surrender of all the southern German armies. The German Gen. Von Foertsch was the chief of staff of Gen. Albert Kesselring, who was the commander of all German armies that had been in Italy, Austria, and southern Germany. There were six American generals, including Gen. Jake Devers, who was the commander of the two American armies in the southern part of France and Germany. Then there was also one lowly First Lieutenant Brunswick. | I RECEIVED ORDERS TO REPORT EARLY On May 5 to headquarters of the XV Corps, right outside Munich. Subsequently, I found out that I had been selected to be the official interpreter at the surrender of all the southern German armies. The German Gen. Von Foertsch was the chief of staff of Gen. Albert Kesselring, who was the commander of all German armies that had been in Italy, Austria, and southern Germany. There were six American generals, including Gen. Jake Devers, who was the commander of the two American armies in the southern part of France and Germany. Then there was also one lowly [[Brunswick, John H. (0552530)|First Lieutenant Brunswick]]. | ||
The picture in the New York Times, as well as those in the other metropolitan newspapers throughout the United States, had the caption, “Surrender at Munich,” and listed all the generals by name plus “an unidentified American officer.” People at home who knew me recognized me in the picture—for once Hilde knew where her husband was. In any case, it was a moment in my life that I will relish as long as I live. There were long negotiations with the Germans—the officers wanted to stay in charge of the troops, they wanted to keep their side arms, and so on—all to no avail. Finally, this Jewish refugee who, eight years earlier had to leave his homeland, asked this high-ranking German general: “Do you understand that this means, ‘unconditional surrender?’” To this, with utmost reluctance, the general eventually spat out, “Yes, I understand.” | The picture in the New York Times, as well as those in the other metropolitan newspapers throughout the United States, had the caption, “Surrender at Munich,” and listed all the generals by name plus “an unidentified American officer.” People at home who knew me recognized me in the picture—for once Hilde knew where her husband was. In any case, it was a moment in my life that I will relish as long as I live. There were long negotiations with the Germans—the officers wanted to stay in charge of the troops, they wanted to keep their side arms, and so on—all to no avail. Finally, this Jewish refugee who, eight years earlier had to leave his homeland, asked this high-ranking German general: “Do you understand that this means, ‘unconditional surrender?’” To this, with utmost reluctance, the general eventually spat out, “Yes, I understand.” | ||
| Line 128: | Line 128: | ||
In balance, I think that I have been extremely fortunate overall. My family, parents, sister, and I could have perished in the ovens of Auschwitz, like so many unfortunate others. We all escaped. I could have been killed or maimed during World War II, and again I escaped unharmed. I arrived in the U.S. penniless, with only a good education but no particular skills at the age of twenty-six. I was able to acquire the means to make a decent living for my family and myself and to give my kids a good education. I have been able to see my three sons marry and enjoy my seven grandchildren. | In balance, I think that I have been extremely fortunate overall. My family, parents, sister, and I could have perished in the ovens of Auschwitz, like so many unfortunate others. We all escaped. I could have been killed or maimed during World War II, and again I escaped unharmed. I arrived in the U.S. penniless, with only a good education but no particular skills at the age of twenty-six. I was able to acquire the means to make a decent living for my family and myself and to give my kids a good education. I have been able to see my three sons marry and enjoy my seven grandchildren. | ||
John Brunswick became a manufacturer of plastic shower curtains, tablecloths, and mattress covers. | [[Brunswick, John H. (0552530)|John Brunswick]] became a manufacturer of plastic shower curtains, tablecloths, and mattress covers. | ||
'''The above content is from ''The Enemy I Knew: German Jews in the Allied Military in World War II'' by Steven Karras. Steven has given us permission to reproduce the chapters in their entirety. All content is copyright Steven Karras and Zenith Press. No reproduction without permission.''' | |||
== See also == | == See also == | ||
* [[Brunswick, John H. (0552530)|John Brunswick]] (soldier page) | |||
* [[The Stories/The Enemy I Knew|The Enemy I Knew]] | * [[The Stories/The Enemy I Knew|The Enemy I Knew]] | ||
* [[The Stories]] | * [[The Stories]] | ||