Local Government TV

▼

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

LV Vet Roundtable to Host Hitler Youth Who Survived Dresden

If you like the History Channel, you'll love the LV Vet Roundtable. Military history buffs like Paul Fiske and Mike Sewards are collecting the fascinating stories of the men and women who served in our military, especially WWII vets.

Last year, I had the honor of listening to Emmaus Everyman Bob Kauffman share his experiences as an 18 year-old replacement who was thrown up against Germany's most elite combat unit, the 1st SS Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler. "We got the crap kicked out of us," this unsung hero bluntly admitted. Kauffman has also written a book about his combat experience, The Replacement.

If you have time on Thursday night at 7 PM, drop by the Lehigh County Senior Center. This month's guest, like my father, endured the Allied fire-bombing of Dresden in February 1945. Today, he's the Reverend Dr. Manfred Bahman, the pastor of St. Joseph Lutheran Church in Allentown.

When Dresden was being fire-bombed, my father was a POW, cowering inside a slaughterhouse with author Kurt Vonnegut, who later wrote Slaughterhouse Five. As the bombs began to explode around them, Vonnegut claims that one of them wisecracked, "I wonder what the poor people are doing tonight." I am certain the source of that dark humor is my father.

Unlike my father and Vonnegut, Dr. Bahman was a member of the Hitler Youth, and his father was a Nazi.

Dr. Bahman's story is one I'd never miss.
at

7 comments:

  1. AnonymousMarch 30, 2011 at 2:15 AM

    Ya
    Really a nice post about LV Vet Roundtable to Host Hitler Youth Who Survived Dresden...............
    Bangor Homes for Sale

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousMarch 30, 2011 at 7:22 AM

    Is Northampton County having a Veterans day thing on Friday this week?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Bernie O'HareMarch 30, 2011 at 8:55 AM

    Yes, When I find out exactly what it is, I will post a blog about it.

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousMarch 30, 2011 at 12:00 PM

    Thank You Bernie for posting information on this upcoming meeting.
    We are also opening "The Mid=Alantic Regional Veterans Assistance Center 118 N. 9th St, Allentown later this year. It is the second phase of the 'Round Table. Call me I would be happy to show you around and tell you all about it.....PJF

    ReplyDelete
  5. Bernie O'HareMarch 30, 2011 at 12:12 PM

    Paul, I'll speak to you about that Thursday night.

    ReplyDelete
  6. AnonymousMarch 30, 2011 at 1:22 PM

    Wonderful Bernie, Look forward to it. Bring a friend or two. There will be a full announcement about the Center prior to the Speaker, and pass-outs of the Mission statement.
    See you Thursday evening.....PJF

    ReplyDelete
  7. Bernie O'HareMarch 30, 2011 at 5:02 PM

    i will ask some people i know.

    ReplyDelete

You own views are appreciated, especially if they differ from mine. But remember, commenting is a privilege, not a right. I will delete personal attacks or off-topic remarks at my discretion. Comments that play into the tribalism that has consumed this nation will be declined. So will comments alleging voter fraud unless backed up by concrete evidence. If you attack someone personally, I expect you to identify yourself. I will delete criticisms of my comment policy, vulgarities, cut-and-paste jobs from other sources and any suggestion of violence towards anyone. I will also delete sweeping generalizations about mainstream parties or ideologies, i.e. identity politics. My decisions on these matters are made on a case by case basis, and may be affected by my mood that day, my access to the blog at the time the comment was made or other information that isn’t readily apparent.