tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7858950.post1841236593864555964..comments2023-05-31T14:16:36.022+03:00Comments on Otto's Random Thoughts: An extended answer to Rex Gildo on Ethnic Germans in the Red ArmyJ. Otto Pohlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07457089758142264049noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7858950.post-62251437511518928332017-10-01T15:48:28.314+03:002017-10-01T15:48:28.314+03:00Vielen DankVielen DankJ. Otto Pohlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07457089758142264049noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7858950.post-52627218079089280242017-10-01T11:07:22.143+03:002017-10-01T11:07:22.143+03:00Great stuff, Otto. Really answers some questions I...Great stuff, Otto. Really answers some questions I have been trying to work through relating to the chaotic Summer of '41, particularly as it relates to Volga German Red Army conscripts. <br /><br />Long story short, my wife is German and her grandfather was originally from the Volga German ASSR. I had the good fortune of getting to know him pretty well in the final years of his life, and, although there was a pretty significant language barrier, we managed to talk through much of his experiences as a conscript, prisoner and refugee on both sides of the Eastern Front. <br /><br />He had a truly horrifying four-year stretch from '41-'45, but due to a fortuitous series of events, he ended up in western Germany just at the time the War ended, and was able to avoid the forced repatriations to the USSR.<br /><br />That said, in the past few years I have tried to gain a better understanding of the experiences of the ethnic Germans in Russia under Stalin. Of course, any such increase in understanding and knowledge on the topic would be pretty damned hard to achieve without the yeoman's work that you have personally put in on the subject. Your efforts to shed light on this topic are definitely appreciated.Rex Gildohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07003294161921659101noreply@blogger.com