⭐ If you've watched a few episodes and feel like I've earned it, be sure to subscribe so that you don't miss any new content when it comes out. Also be sure to check out The Gettysburg Museum of History and their store at gettysburgmuseumofhistory.com.
Hi there,,I’m a long time subscriber to your channel and all I can say is thank you so much,,imo your content is top class and I’ve recommended your channel to a number of other history buffs,,i fell in love with history when I was a young boy listening to my grandad telling me some stories from his time serving as a gunner in the Royal Navy during WW2,,he didn’t go into a real detail though and as an adult I just wished I got to know him more as he died when I was about 10/11,,it was only when I was an adult and my uncle told me my grandad actually served at one point on The Hood battleship,,although I was always proud of him finding that out made me even more proud that my grandfather served on a famous Ship,,anyway as I said thank you for the time and effort that you put into your channel,,keep it up and hopefully all the crap you’ve been going through with TH-cam the last year or so will stop happening
I really appreciate the effort put into making the uniform look as it would with all the proper awards. Replica or not, it looks awesome. Erik does a great job.
Thanks for showing this wonderful tunic which I had already made out in the backgroud in an earlier video. It's a beautiful piece to a legendary SS General who spent about 10 years in prison after the war. There are 3 authentic tunics and 2 great coats in private collections today including this one. Others had been destroyed and stripped for souvenir insignia by the CIC officers who had access to his home near Sonthofen a few months after the war. The cufftitle is a replacement (when originally found the tunic's cufftitle had been stripped) and the blood order ribbon was never on this tunic, as can be seen on period photographs, so I would recommend to take that one off to keep it as authentic as possible. The tunic was found 10 years ago near Washington D.C. and I'm glad it has been put on display, at least for some time, where the public can see and appreciate this piece.
I truly appreciate you sharing these videos. There are so many unknown stories of the war. Thankfully we have you to teach us. Keep up the fantastic work! Thank you Eric for preserving and showing us the tangible items to put everything into perspective!
JD, I have a 7 year old daughter that can and sometimes watch your videos with me, yes, there’s topic that she has no idea what’s going on, but I still instill in her an interest and thirst for history. Your channel is extremely respectful and you are full of knowledge. She has seriously seen things on the “children’s youtube” section that is more worrisome than anything that you’ve shown…please, keep the good work, what you are doing is right and I know TH-cam is being difficult lately, but you are doing what’s right. I will keep watching, I will keep sharing and supporting what you do. I know for a fact that my daughter has a channel here that she will be able to come for years to learn more about history. Thank you!
Many years ago I knew a guy that had been at Kursk, he was a radio operator in a tank, he had been sent back to either deliver something to command or collect something. He came out of a tent that had been set up and litteraly bumped straight into Sepp. He was a lowly private at the time and had only just enlisted, he was apologising profusely and Sepp was fine about it and just said to him have you got a cigarette, he got his cigarettes out and let Sepp take one then returned to his unit where he was like wow you'll never guess what just happened and recounts the story to the rest of his tank crew, the older more experienced ones were yeah he always does that never buys his own cigarettes always manages to get one of some lowly inexperienced soldier.
I heard a few similar stories from other vets who all adored good ol' Sepp. For all of them he was a soldiers' father, which his funeral was a massively attended event in Germany that day...
IIRC, Sepp Dietrich was there at Cintheaux when Michael Wittmann went on his final mission, and so was 12 SS General Kurt Meyer on August 8, 1944. Less than half an hour later Wittmann and his 007 Tiger was destroyed by the Canadian Sherbrooke Fusiliers armoured regiment at Gaumesnil in Normandy.
Looks to be a feldbluse (summer tunic) ...from a later period during the war, since he was already an Oberst Gruppenfuhrer (3 stars) I have a replica gabardine jacket almost identical to the one on the photo where he's shown reading a newspaper at the berghof. Pity this one is missing the medal bar but otherwise a very beautiful tunic!! Awesome! Funny thing about Dietrich is that he was held in high regard by Hitler as he was already a WW1 veteran, the leader of the original SS bodyguard and one of the so-called Alte Kameraden (old comrades, a title that means that you were there from the beginning of the nazi party) yet he was also notorious among wehrmacht officers as he was reportedly not very smart and a bad strategists...He was apparently known for not having a big understanding about tactical or strategical affairs....But he had guts and led the way which made him revered among his troops in de leibstandarte
Thank you for taking the time and commitment necessary to climb thru all the hurtles to bring us great such great educational videos and content. JD you are awesome
I just wanted to say thank you for showing this information some of us can't travel to these places and pay thier respects to the people who lost thier life's I've alway loved history and this part of history ww2 has always gotten to me emotionally 💔 I can't fathom what these people went through it really makes me sick to my stomach but this Parr of history needs to be talked about more so history doesn't repeat itself again thankyou for doing what you are doing!❤️🇺🇸 God Bless the soldiers who died in this war and all the prisoners who lost their lives cause of these camps!!🇺🇸❤️🙏🕎✝️🛐
@Valerie Fritgerald ... You make a good point. People today cannot start to fathom how completely incompesing the war was for every individual. People cannot fathom how it changed the entire world operating differently overnight. Everything became the war. Nothing else mattered. I'm afraid you're about to see it 1st hand Valerie. We're working straight toward World War 3 and history is repeating itself as I type this.
Might I suggest Sabaton take on Christmas Truce it is so powerful I'm not a Christian but I do believe in a higher power and that sent chills down my back it was so done correctly, they did a complete album of war heroes of World War 1 and a few songs from World War II we can never forget these things
Ditto with my medical expenses my mom can’t afford for us to go outside of Georgia let alone go to a whole other country. So with his videos it’s nearly like I’m traveling the world.
I agree. Their videos are well thought out, well spoken and well done. As a well read and outspoken armchair history major(-ette), I applaud them also for showing some class and leaving the gutter language at the door. 👏 Bravo!
Thank you so much for this series. You do it so well and with respect and reverence for the victims. You're not glorifying the evil people who did these things but teaching us ,like any teacher, the ugly side of this war. Please keep up the good work.
Years back a "militaria shop" in a German style shopping area in Southern California had a uniform on display. When I asked what it was the proprietor said it had belonged to Herman Goring. When I commented I though Herman Goring was way too large to fit into such a standard sized jacket he got flustered saying "I can tell you about that!" Caveat Emptor. Related. I once purchased a tailor made veteran bring back German Mt. Troop officer's tunic from the veteran himself. In the cuff were theater tickets for somewhere near Berchtesgaden. Something I wish now I had kept.
I’ve been through that museum before. A lot of great artifacts to look at. The Gettysburg one is awesome too. Love the fact you showcased this uniform too. Thx
As the war went on, Dietrich came to regard himself more of a Wehrmacht general, rather than a strictly SS one. He commanded army groups as well as W-SS ones, which is one of the main reasons for the gold, as that was the general's "color". He also wore army pattern eagles on his cap and sleeve on his service dress uniforms, and wanted his collar tabs to be gold, too. All of this ran afoul of Himmler, who forbade him from any of this, but as usual Dietrich ignored him. He died in 1966, an unrepentant Nazi, but for better of worse, did not approve of the "excesses" of the regime. Whatever that means.........
To call Sepp Dietrich evil and associate him with Malmedy is just lame. He did not “escape execution” it was simply rightfully found that he not even remotely had any responsibility for any war crimes. He was a brave soldier and highly regarded leader by his soldiers nothing more nothing less.
What is brave about being a soldier for the Nazis I'm not sure, specifically with knowledge of killing of the jews. One thing I would say this is definitely not, and that's brave.
We must not cover up the ugly parts of history in the name of equity and escapism. I do not understand YT and others finding realities that some of my wife's and my families lived offensive, but will gladly show perversions of contemporay "influencers". Your presentations are always genuine, gritty when they need to be, but nothing I would not have allowed my son to see when he was a child so we could discuss it and he learn something. There, I've ranted and am ready or hateful replies. You do a great job. Keep traveling.
@@simonsmith1974 People are entitled to their opinions. Whether someone agrees or disagrees does not give you the right to call that person a *fool* . I can always agree to disagree with people. So few people actually tolerate others' views beyond their own. I am neutral on any comments on this subject. I do object to your bad mouthing someone with a differing opinion.
@@rickschlessenger3464 I did not call anyone a fool. I merely stated why I would see someone disagreeing with OP as foolish. I have no problem with differing opinions, even if the opinion is very distasteful. Disagreeing with respect is how we grow as humans.
Both of my parents served during WWII. I've been fascinated with your work. I was wondering if you would consider doing a podcast on World War II nurses, the good ones. My mom was stationed in France and the Philippines. She talked of the castles, or French chateaus. I am so proud of both. This was e unique and wonderful generation. Ty
Both of my parents served, too. My dad was in the army in North Africa and Europe. My mom was in the WAVES and part of her service was in Hawaii (interesting story of how she was able to go there near the end of the war).
My great-uncle was a fighter pilot and he came back he started to drink well what it's now called PTSD. He told the differences between the men on the field and the planes in the air that's quite interesting about all that. My grandmother was so mean to him cuz he drank. I would sit around for hours and listen to him talk about his stories when my grandfather passed he was laid to rest with his Four Brothers on the Arizona thanks for keeping history alive
I find it fascinating to note that Sepp Dietrich became a spokesman for HIAG, a political group dedicated to upgrading (whitewashing?) the political image of the SS after the war. Obviously, this was after his release from prison. He even met with Adenauer and argued that ex-SS men should be welcomed in the new Bundeswehr. He was in fact successful in this, although the core of the Bundeswehr were ex-Wehrmacht officers with no love lost for the SS and few ex-SS were accepted. Dietrich complained about this to no avail. At his funeral in 1966 some 5,000 attended, probably representing the greatest gathering of ex-SS men ever after the war.
Wow that's all I can say - I've been collecting WW2 stuff for 40 years and when I see something of that caliber I get really excited, WW2 was huge part of human history it's a shame that they don't teach more in schools today, anything from the German military and specifically with the swastika it's super collectibles and in the last few years it's got very expensive, holding something in your hands that was there in WW2 it's like going back in time, today's young generations have no idea of the tremendous sacrifice people went through during WW2.
SS Oberst-GruppenFuhrer Sepp Dietrich was a bad ass too! He was certainly no Rommel or Manstein, but he was a capable, competent field Commander and his accomplishments on the battlefield would prove this. Detrich was known to look after his men and was one of the only Generals that arranged for winter clothing for his division in 1942 invasion of Russia. He was also an innovator and is credited as the first to outfit his Waffen SS troops with camouflage uniforms, something that is ubiquitous in modern armies. He was also a hardcore NASI with all that this entails; burning villages, killing civilians, etc.; so Sepp Dietrich was a "bad actor" as well as a "bad ass".
@@boybulgarian5447 Absolutely. Sepp Dietrich was renown for bravery and was known for fighting honorably. Having said this soldiers under his command did do atrocities. It is the Commander that controls behavior sets the "tone" for operations. Dietrich was tried and convicted in the Malmedy Massacre Trial because he was in overall command. I remember reading about an incident near the end of the war, Dietrich and his men were scrambling, preparing to defend a German city. The town Fathers, i.e. the mayor and several others visited Dietrich and asked to have the city declared an "Open City". Dietrich had them shot. I can't remember the name of the town, or the date. I am not a Sepp Dietrich scholar by any means. This was out of character for Dietrich. I chalked the incident up to the stress of battle. One can imagine Dietrich after fighting 5 years for the Fatherland, now attempting to set up a desperate defense of a city he is ordered to hold; then he gets a visit from guys in clean suits that have given no sweet or blood for Germany? They don't want fighting in their town? Rather than explain the situation Dietrich has them shot! This is an predictable action for an SS General, yet a war crime none the less.
One of the guards at Nuremberg that Goering befriended and gave him a uniform is from my town. Decades ago it was known that uniform was in our town...Im shure it was sold or placed in a museum before I was old enough to have a beer legally.
That dude had you guys in your town believing that story and the whole time he was probably a cook for 4 years at an American base and never even deployed 😂
@@ssherrierable No the historians know ALL the guards names..he is in the history books and he HAD Goerings uniform..everyone knew he was at Nuremberg.
Cooks ARE the biggest bad asses.I knew a cook that would work all day in the kitchen and volunteer for patrol afterwards...cook is the hardest job in the military in my opinion and the guys I know who were really in and pulled KP know what I mean.
Two of my uncles served in Germany, France and Belgium during WW11 and one of my uncles (all brothers) served in Hawaii. My uncle Virg's company came up on Hitler's bunker after he killed himself where my uncle took his pen knife out and dug a couple of stones from Hitler's fireplace as trophies. Now they are part of my oldest aunt's (one of his sisters---there were eight) fireplace. Some people might think it's sick but he earned the right to do whatever he thought he was big enough to do, in my lofty opinion. RIP Unka Virg! Unka Gene and Unka Wilfred. 🕊️🕊️🕊️
Maybe it's the camera angle, but in looking at Dietrich's uniform blouse it seems he wasn't a very big man, maybe 5'7" or 5'8"? Maybe a little shorter? The Luftwaffe pilot/observer badge with diamonds looks like the special "honorary" pilot's badge Goering presented to prominent Germans. Rommel had one and so did Himmler. Even though it was honorary it was authorised for wear by non-Luftwaffe personnel by Hitler. The WW1 tanker's badge interests me even more, I've never seen one! This really makes you wonder what else is out there to be found as people go through grandpa's or "Uncle Joe's" attics, doesn't it? Good video! Thanks!
Great piece of history...the uniform has the rank of Oberstgruppenfuhrer, which is a full general, (3l, 3 pips)...the only higher rank in the SS was Reichsfuhrer, which belonged to HH...SS ranks with leaves started with Standartenfuhrer(full Colonel, 1leaf)...Oberfuhrer(Senior Colonel, 2l), Brigadefuhrer(BG, 3l), Gruppenfuhrer(Maj.Gen., 3l, 1pip), Obergruppenfuhrer(Lt.Gen., 3l, 2pips) & finally, SD's rank, described above...HH, as Reichsfuhrer-SS, had 3l surrounded by a wreath & 3l on each shoulder board...just a bit of trivia to contextualize SD's uniform & rank in relation to other SS officer ranks...
Recently a Mercedes Benz that some US Soldiers requisitioned and took home while the rightful owner was in prison after WW2, was confiscated and returned to the Grandchildren of the original owner when it returned to Germany. And I think the families of alot of the Japanese Officers in WW2 who had their Swords taken (whether they were dead or alive) are mounting legal action to get them back. The law can be blurry in alot of these cases, Possession being 9/10s of the Law isn't necessarily precendent these days..
Many years ago at Ft. Indian Town Gap, during the re-enactment of the Battle of the Bulge, a man showed up claiming to be the son of Sepp Dietrich. He bore an uncanny resemblance to his purported father. He was warmly welcomed by several of the Waffen SS re-enactment groups. Given a black uniform with all the shiny medals they could find. He even went so far as to sign autographs.....what an incredible scam. Free food and drink for several days...he faded into the woodwork, leaving many re-enactors red faced and embarrassed.
I remember this. I think it was around 2005, as I'd gotten back from Iraq in January 2004 and reported to The Old Guard in DC later that year. I drove straight to FIG after getting off work, making sure the 101st reenactors saw me in my BDUs with 101st combat patch (I was a young Sergeant, or soon to be Sergeant, can't remember) who was proud of what my unit had accomplished in 2003. Anyway, this "son" of Dietrich was a celebrity of sorts. We welcomed him and my unit, a 1st SS Pionier squad, had quite the barracks setup. That year we also had a guest from the Ostfront, an Asian reenactor representing one of the foreign SS Soldaten. Funny stuff to think of this now; though I enjoyed my reenacting days and all organizations claimed to be apolitical, I think that some people took it all, to include descendents of prominent former enemies, a bit too seriously.
Eso es falso, Wolf Dieter Dietrich estuvo en una recreacion en Pensilvania, y vistió el uniforme de carrista con las medallas de su padre que todavía conserva y por algo mal hecho, nunca más volvió a participar en algún acto más,era el hijo mayor de Sepp
Yes...This is not true. It was really his son. You must not have been there... Actually, it happened in 2006, and his wife was with him as well. BTW-... Google is your friend.
I'm glad that this was saved for history. It always made me wonder why the US army destroyed Hitler's uniform that he was wearing during the July bomb plot, including his trousers which were torn to shreds, as shown in the famous photograph where someone holds them up so you can see the damage.
This is fascinating. I'm surprised the uniform has survived some 80 years in such pristine condition. You must admit that German officers' uniforms of WW II were stylish and sharp! This is a nice piece of history. And it should be preserved.
Sepp Dietrich was a man's man, a soldier's soldier. He was no strategic genius like von Manstien but a a commander who really lead his men. I have the upmost respect for a man like him of any army or any time. The LAH / LASH was any elite unit within an elite force within an army with a combat record second to none. The regimental badge of the LSAH was a skeleton key within a sheild - a 'sepp' is German slang for a skeleton key a tribute to their original comander Joseph 'Sepp' Dietrich. The Waffen SS divisions esp in the early part of ths war to me strongly resembled the Roman Legions , with their loyalty to their comrades and their general being before their loyalty to the Emperor mess with them at your peril. I do not like what Sepp fought for but I admire the way he did it. Fun fact the Tiger Tank in the film 'Kelly's Heroes" bore a skeleton key insignia (look closely) which means it was part of the LASH Which did serve in Italy.
It’s ironic today that the same enemies we fought and were allied with (CCCP) are alive and well entrenched in our government and society today in vast numbers. Their is no good vs. evil. Just winners and losers. I and many others were fortunate enough to meet his son and his wife (born in 1944) at a WW2 reenactment in FIG, PA in 2007. For the event Sepp Jr. wore his dads black Panzer Wrap complete with insignia and awards. I remember giving him a ride back to his hotel room and the little time that I spend with him alone was a very quiet, reserve, polite and respectable gentleman. BS’ing with his wife over our formal dinner I asked all that mushy stuff girls like to talk about. I asked her (forget her name) what attracted you to Sepp? She said his confidence and physical bearing of command. I believe at the time they were living in Belgium. Those were the golden years of WW2 reenacting before the fun police caught up, shut down and chased a lot of great people out of the hobby. Now today the vets on both sides are almost all gone. Surely can no longer field. We miss you Gerhard. Those who knew him were blessed and those who didn’t missed out. Meine Ihre Heisst Treue!
Yes, it was heroic that the Allies liberated Nazi Germany from fascism, but people always forget that the Americans, Soviets and so on also committed war crimes, as a result of which many civilians had to suffer or even died
Great item to add to the collection. By wars end, even Sepp was opposed to Hitlers "stand or die" orders. Even backing German Army commanders in many cases.. He was soldier and a Nazi. But its questionable which priority he had. Maybe that mystery saved him from execution
Great Presentation And Display If It Wasn't For This Channel I Never Knew These Uniforms Still Existed I Always Thought They Burned And Destroyed The Uniforms
Love the way you folks cover the 'lesser' aspects of history. I wonder if Hugo Boss designed this uniform, as he was the original designer of SS unforms.
I hope his family have his awards. So many officers had their’s stolen by allied soldiers. They fought for an evil regime but the awards were won fair and square. There is some evidence that old Sepp knew and was sympathetic to the July 20th plotters.
Wait please. Sepp Dietrich was a highly decorated WW I veteran, awarded Iron Cross 2nd and 1st Classes for valor. He later became a Police Officer rising to the rank of Sgt. I believe before he joined the NSDAP. Certainly not a mere butcher’s apprentice.
Y la medalla de asalto Panzer de la lgm que es muy raro verla,el participó en los primeros tanques,tengo una foto de el sobre un tanque,además en su mismo regimiento estaba Adolf Hitler aunque no coincidieron y su amistad fue después y hasta el final,era la única persona que trataba al Führer de tu y lo llamaba Adi,pasaba por encima de Himmler,a quien no soportaba,aunque era el padrino de dos de sus hijos,en sus uniformes ponía lo que quería y como quería,era intocable, el aguila del brazo izquierdo era bordada en oro,la boca manga también y el aguila de algunas gorras de plato era la de la Herr en lugar de la de las Waffen SS,si alguien necesita más información que pregunte.
![[ENGSUB] UNPRODUCTIVE DAY ใช้ชีวิต (เปื่อยๆ) ด้วยกัน 1 วัน! | OUROAD CLOSEFRiEND SS2 EP.9](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/pyYKZ3kra9w/mqdefault.jpg)
⭐ If you've watched a few episodes and feel like I've earned it, be sure to subscribe so that you don't miss any new content when it comes out.
Also be sure to check out The Gettysburg Museum of History and their store at gettysburgmuseumofhistory.com.
Hi there,,I’m a long time subscriber to your channel and all I can say is thank you so much,,imo your content is top class and I’ve recommended your channel to a number of other history buffs,,i fell in love with history when I was a young boy listening to my grandad telling me some stories from his time serving as a gunner in the Royal Navy during WW2,,he didn’t go into a real detail though and as an adult I just wished I got to know him more as he died when I was about 10/11,,it was only when I was an adult and my uncle told me my grandad actually served at one point on The Hood battleship,,although I was always proud of him finding that out made me even more proud that my grandfather served on a famous Ship,,anyway as I said thank you for the time and effort that you put into your channel,,keep it up and hopefully all the crap you’ve been going through with TH-cam the last year or so will stop happening
Hi are you on pawn stars show?
He was idolized by his soldiers because he cared about them. Around 7000 people attended his funeral.
SPOT ON; WHAT MADE THE WAFFEN SS AN ELITE UNIT WAS THAT OFFICERS TRAINED WITH ENLISTED MEN; NO WIDE GULF BETWEEN THEM AS IN THE REGULAR HEER ARMY.
true, then he reincarnated in 1975 in New Jersey as punishment for being bad in his previous life
Sepp was one hell of a soldier. Knew how to inspire and motivate those under his command.
He was not a was criminal.
Dietrich’s uniform is a awesome piece of History. I agree this is very awesome! Thanks for sharing!
Admiring the uniform of a nasty nasty man feels weird, it must be like what a black person feels when they see a rebel flag.
Oh, it’s awesome, eh❓🥊🙀
@@mrdiplomat9018 It is!!
@@mrdiplomat9018 it is
@@mrdiplomat9018Indeed , It may not fit in your BARBIE Collection ! Lol
I really appreciate the effort put into making the uniform look as it would with all the proper awards. Replica or not, it looks awesome. Erik does a great job.
Thanks for showing this wonderful tunic which I had already made out in the backgroud in an earlier video. It's a beautiful piece to a legendary SS General who spent about 10 years in prison after the war. There are 3 authentic tunics and 2 great coats in private collections today including this one. Others had been destroyed and stripped for souvenir insignia by the CIC officers who had access to his home near Sonthofen a few months after the war. The cufftitle is a replacement (when originally found the tunic's cufftitle had been stripped) and the blood order ribbon was never on this tunic, as can be seen on period photographs, so I would recommend to take that one off to keep it as authentic as possible. The tunic was found 10 years ago near Washington D.C. and I'm glad it has been put on display, at least for some time, where the public can see and appreciate this piece.
I truly appreciate you sharing these videos. There are so many unknown stories of the war. Thankfully we have you to teach us. Keep up the fantastic work! Thank you Eric for preserving and showing us the tangible items to put everything into perspective!
Phenomenal. Artifacts of history few will know exist, let alone see. Love these. Thank You!
Glad to share it.
Lets hope TH-cam can leave this video alone. Great work JD.
JD, I have a 7 year old daughter that can and sometimes watch your videos with me, yes, there’s topic that she has no idea what’s going on, but I still instill in her an interest and thirst for history. Your channel is extremely respectful and you are full of knowledge. She has seriously seen things on the “children’s youtube” section that is more worrisome than anything that you’ve shown…please, keep the good work, what you are doing is right and I know TH-cam is being difficult lately, but you are doing what’s right. I will keep watching, I will keep sharing and supporting what you do. I know for a fact that my daughter has a channel here that she will be able to come for years to learn more about history. Thank you!
I like that this channel takes history seriously and you're thorough. Good work
👊🏻
👍up to the soldier who got this and brought it back as a war trophy. It’s an awesome piece of history that now can be seen by everyone. Great video 👍😊
An awesome piece of history? Ok Nazi.
I was there last summer and had the pleasure of seeing this. Great piece of history.
Incredible. Thank you for sharing this part of history. Everyone needs a dose of reality. RIP isn't enough. ❤️
Many years ago I knew a guy that had been at Kursk, he was a radio operator in a tank, he had been sent back to either deliver something to command or collect something. He came out of a tent that had been set up and litteraly bumped straight into Sepp. He was a lowly private at the time and had only just enlisted, he was apologising profusely and Sepp was fine about it and just said to him have you got a cigarette, he got his cigarettes out and let Sepp take one then returned to his unit where he was like wow you'll never guess what just happened and recounts the story to the rest of his tank crew, the older more experienced ones were yeah he always does that never buys his own cigarettes always manages to get one of some lowly inexperienced soldier.
I heard a few similar stories from other vets who all adored good ol' Sepp. For all of them he was a soldiers' father, which his funeral was a massively attended event in Germany that day...
@@lennyaviation9653 you have to admire the gall of this or "front " as Uk criminals call it .
@@Stephen-Dietrich-Kolokouris Agreed...
@Black Diamond Rhino..Stephen Dietrich Do you have Any of his belongings any medals or uniforms and also could you not put a claim for that shirt?
Went to your museum over the summer, one of the coolest places I’ve been to in my life
Sepp Dietrich was a loyal soldier
Wonderful exhibit,I love this channel and I love the Gettysburg museum of history! I can't wait to buy some more relics from their store
Awesome. Thank you for sharing. We should remember our history. Even the history we hate.
IIRC, Sepp Dietrich was there at Cintheaux when Michael Wittmann went on his final mission, and so was 12 SS General Kurt Meyer on August 8, 1944. Less than half an hour later Wittmann and his 007 Tiger was destroyed by the Canadian Sherbrooke Fusiliers armoured regiment at Gaumesnil in Normandy.
Thank you for showing this history should never be sanitized by anyone
Looks to be a feldbluse (summer tunic) ...from a later period during the war, since he was already an Oberst Gruppenfuhrer (3 stars)
I have a replica gabardine jacket almost identical to the one on the photo where he's shown reading a newspaper at the berghof. Pity this one is missing the medal bar but otherwise a very beautiful tunic!! Awesome!
Funny thing about Dietrich is that he was held in high regard by Hitler as he was already a WW1 veteran, the leader of the original SS bodyguard and one of the so-called Alte Kameraden (old comrades, a title that means that you were there from the beginning of the nazi party)
yet he was also notorious among wehrmacht officers as he was reportedly not very smart and a bad strategists...He was apparently known for not having a big understanding about tactical or strategical affairs....But he had guts and led the way which made him revered among his troops in de leibstandarte
WOW, I never imagined I would ever actually see that!!!
Notable also is the replica Knight's Cross with Swords, Oak Leaf and Diamonds, at the neck of the uniform. Good show ...
Thank you for taking the time and commitment necessary to climb thru all the hurtles to bring us great such great educational videos and content. JD you are awesome
I just wanted to say thank you for showing this information some of us can't travel to these places and pay thier respects to the people who lost thier life's I've alway loved history and this part of history ww2 has always gotten to me emotionally 💔 I can't fathom what these people went through it really makes me sick to my stomach but this Parr of history needs to be talked about more so history doesn't repeat itself again thankyou for doing what you are doing!❤️🇺🇸 God Bless the soldiers who died in this war and all the prisoners who lost their lives cause of these camps!!🇺🇸❤️🙏🕎✝️🛐
Beautifully said Valerie.
My mom goes by the same name too, so. I just wanted to extend my appreciation to something, that I feel too.
Namaste
🙏🏼🙌
@Valerie Fritgerald ...
You make a good point. People today cannot start to fathom how completely incompesing the war was for every individual. People cannot fathom how it changed the entire world operating differently overnight. Everything became the war. Nothing else mattered. I'm afraid you're about to see it 1st hand Valerie. We're working straight toward World War 3 and history is repeating itself as I type this.
Might I suggest Sabaton take on Christmas Truce it is so powerful I'm not a Christian but I do believe in a higher power and that sent chills down my back it was so done correctly, they did a complete album of war heroes of World War 1 and a few songs from World War II we can never forget these things
Ditto with my medical expenses my mom can’t afford for us to go outside of Georgia let alone go to a whole other country. So with his videos it’s nearly like I’m traveling the world.
I agree. Their videos are well thought out, well spoken and well done.
As a well read and outspoken armchair history major(-ette), I applaud them also for showing some class and leaving the gutter language at the door. 👏 Bravo!
Thank you so much for this series. You do it so well and with respect and reverence for the victims. You're not glorifying the evil people who did these things but teaching us ,like any teacher, the ugly side of this war. Please keep up the good work.
The JD and Eric team strikes again! Great job you two! Thank you for keeping History Alive!
Great stuff, I just really appreciate these American Artifact series!!!
Years back a "militaria shop" in a German style shopping area in Southern California had a uniform on display. When I asked what it was the proprietor said it had belonged to Herman Goring. When I commented I though Herman Goring was way too large to fit into such a standard sized jacket he got flustered saying "I can tell you about that!" Caveat Emptor.
Related. I once purchased a tailor made veteran bring back German Mt. Troop officer's tunic from the veteran himself. In the cuff were theater tickets for somewhere near Berchtesgaden. Something I wish now I had kept.
I’ve been through that museum before. A lot of great artifacts to look at. The Gettysburg one is awesome too. Love the fact you showcased this uniform too. Thx
As the war went on, Dietrich came to regard himself more of a Wehrmacht general, rather than a strictly SS one. He commanded army groups as well as W-SS ones, which is one of the main reasons for the gold, as that was the general's "color". He also wore army pattern eagles on his cap and sleeve on his service dress uniforms, and wanted his collar tabs to be gold, too. All of this ran afoul of Himmler, who forbade him from any of this, but as usual Dietrich ignored him. He died in 1966, an unrepentant Nazi, but for better of worse, did not approve of the "excesses" of the regime. Whatever that means.........
Not a nice guy.
He was also useless tactically according to other officers, one famously gave up trying to teach him how to read a map
That's not quite the story. A staff officer was explaining a battle situation on a map and he didn't understand it. That's a different thing.,
good info,I always wondered about that,I thought it was a supply issue...
that Dietrich uniform is an incredible piece of History. Thanx a million for these videos!
Amazing what you and Erik come across. Thanks for sharing.
Another great video. Congrats on 375k subs JD. Such great work, always.
Your knowledge is flawless. Thank you!
Thanks JD and Erik. Great piece of history. 👍👍👍👍👍
Amazing Real American History... Thanks again for preserving the past...Great work...JD
Wow it’s so beautiful! I really love that iron crosses.
Great job! Well stated! I’m a WWI person myself. You have to go to Verdun…. A living hell…
Wow that’s wild to look at, Soldiers brought back everything they could Thanks JD i love the Relic videos good stuff
Yeah they brought back everything they could indeed…biggest looting in history
well, the same as the russians, they were marauders... nothing to be that proud of and def not talking about sacrifice.
As much as I dislike the Nazi ideology and philosophy, they sure do know how to dress. Hugo Boss made the best suits in the entire war.
To call Sepp Dietrich evil and associate him with Malmedy is just lame. He did not “escape execution” it was simply rightfully found that he not even remotely had any responsibility for any war crimes. He was a brave soldier and highly regarded leader by his soldiers nothing more nothing less.
I agree, would be about time to approach history more objectively and fact based instead of painting with the wide brush.
What is brave about being a soldier for the Nazis I'm not sure, specifically with knowledge of killing of the jews. One thing I would say this is definitely not, and that's brave.
@VIPICCB8 what
@VIPICCB8 don't call me stupid and all I have to say is it the blind lead the blind both fall into a ditch
A broad brush of history used to characterize as such.
We must not cover up the ugly parts of history in the name of equity and escapism. I do not understand YT and others finding realities that some of my wife's and my families lived offensive, but will gladly show perversions of contemporay "influencers". Your presentations are always genuine, gritty when they need to be, but nothing I would not have allowed my son to see when he was a child so we could discuss it and he learn something. There, I've ranted and am ready or hateful replies. You do a great job. Keep traveling.
Well said good sir. 👏👏👏 Anyone who disagrees with you is a foolish person.
@@simonsmith1974 People are entitled to their opinions. Whether someone agrees or disagrees does not give you the right to call that person a *fool* . I can always agree to disagree with people. So few people actually tolerate others' views beyond their own. I am neutral on any comments on this subject. I do object to your bad mouthing someone with a differing opinion.
@@rickschlessenger3464 I did not call anyone a fool. I merely stated why I would see someone disagreeing with OP as foolish. I have no problem with differing opinions, even if the opinion is very distasteful. Disagreeing with respect is how we grow as humans.
@@rickschlessenger3464 and I didn't badmouth anyone.
@@simonsmith1974 So when someone calls you foolish that is a compliment?
Very nice piece of history, indeed. Great presentation by Erik as always. 👍
Its my goal to get down to the museum this year ! Love your guys work
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JD and Erik, keep up the great work your both doing!
Both of my parents served during WWII. I've been fascinated with your work. I was wondering if you would consider doing a podcast on World War II nurses, the good ones. My mom was stationed in France and the Philippines. She talked of the castles, or French chateaus. I am so proud of both. This was e unique and wonderful generation. Ty
Both of my parents served, too. My dad was in the army in North Africa and Europe. My mom was in the WAVES and part of her service was in Hawaii (interesting story of how she was able to go there near the end of the war).
My mom was also in the WAVES and dad was in the army. Both were stateside. Mom spent most of the time in Clinton Oklahoma!
My great-uncle was a fighter pilot and he came back he started to drink well what it's now called PTSD. He told the differences between the men on the field and the planes in the air that's quite interesting about all that. My grandmother was so mean to him cuz he drank. I would sit around for hours and listen to him talk about his stories when my grandfather passed he was laid to rest with his Four Brothers on the Arizona thanks for keeping history alive
Thanks for sharing this history!
JD, my grandfather brought back a German 8mm K98 mauser which I now have. Has 1936 stamped on the top of the breech.
I find it fascinating to note that Sepp Dietrich became a spokesman for HIAG, a political group dedicated to upgrading (whitewashing?) the political image of the SS after the war. Obviously, this was after his release from prison. He even met with Adenauer and argued that ex-SS men should be welcomed in the new Bundeswehr.
He was in fact successful in this, although the core of the Bundeswehr were ex-Wehrmacht officers with no love lost for the SS and few ex-SS were accepted. Dietrich complained about this to no avail.
At his funeral in 1966 some 5,000 attended, probably representing the greatest gathering of ex-SS men ever after the war.
Really enjoyed the video mate love history and love your channel can't wait for the next one 🙂
Wow that's all I can say - I've been collecting WW2 stuff for 40 years and when I see something of that caliber I get really excited, WW2 was huge part of human history it's a shame that they don't teach more in schools today, anything from the German military and specifically with the swastika it's super collectibles and in the last few years it's got very expensive, holding something in your hands that was there in WW2 it's like going back in time, today's young generations have no idea of the tremendous sacrifice people went through during WW2.
I can't remember if I saw that when I visited or not. There were so many things to look at. I guess I'll have to go back 😉
It’s new.
You guys have the sickest collection ever… love it
Pretty wild.
SS Oberst-GruppenFuhrer Sepp Dietrich was a bad ass too! He was certainly no Rommel or Manstein, but he was a capable, competent field Commander and his accomplishments on the battlefield would prove this.
Detrich was known to look after his men and was one of the only Generals that arranged for winter clothing for his division in 1942 invasion of Russia. He was also an innovator and is credited as the first to outfit his Waffen SS troops with camouflage uniforms, something that is ubiquitous in modern armies.
He was also a hardcore NASI with all that this entails; burning villages, killing civilians, etc.; so Sepp Dietrich was a "bad actor" as well as a "bad ass".
Rommel wasn't as good as you think.
Agree with the first part but he was never involved in any war crimes . He was highly regarded by his soldiers as well as enemies as a brave commander
@@boybulgarian5447
Absolutely. Sepp Dietrich was renown for bravery and was known for fighting honorably. Having said this soldiers under his command did do atrocities. It is the Commander that controls behavior sets the "tone" for operations. Dietrich was tried and convicted in the Malmedy Massacre Trial because he was in overall command.
I remember reading about an incident near the end of the war, Dietrich and his men were scrambling, preparing to defend a German city. The town Fathers, i.e. the mayor and several others visited Dietrich and asked to have the city declared an "Open City". Dietrich had them shot. I can't remember the name of the town, or the date. I am not a Sepp Dietrich scholar by any means.
This was out of character for Dietrich. I chalked the incident up to the stress of battle. One can imagine Dietrich after fighting 5 years for the Fatherland, now attempting to set up a desperate defense of a city he is ordered to hold; then he gets a visit from guys in clean suits that have given no sweet or blood for Germany? They don't want fighting in their town? Rather than explain the situation Dietrich has them shot! This is an predictable action for an SS General, yet a war crime none the less.
Great video as usual. A half a million uniform! Holy smokes that's lot
One of the guards at Nuremberg that Goering befriended and gave him a uniform is from my town. Decades ago it was known that uniform was in our town...Im shure it was sold or placed in a museum before I was old enough to have a beer legally.
That dude had you guys in your town believing that story and the whole time he was probably a cook for 4 years at an American base and never even deployed 😂
@@ssherrierable No the historians know ALL the guards names..he is in the history books and he HAD Goerings uniform..everyone knew he was at Nuremberg.
Cooks ARE the biggest bad asses.I knew a cook that would work all day in the kitchen and volunteer for patrol afterwards...cook is the hardest job in the military in my opinion and the guys I know who were really in and pulled KP know what I mean.
One of the best WWII commanders. His soldiers loved him.
No chance was he, he was way overpromotied christ he couldn't even read a map properly
They had such good looking uniforms. What a piece of history.
Yes they did.
Two of my uncles served in Germany, France and Belgium during WW11 and one of my uncles (all brothers) served in Hawaii. My uncle Virg's company came up on Hitler's bunker after he killed himself where my uncle took his pen knife out and dug a couple of stones from Hitler's fireplace as trophies. Now they are part of my oldest aunt's (one of his sisters---there were eight) fireplace. Some people might think it's sick but he earned the right to do whatever he thought he was big enough to do, in my lofty opinion. RIP Unka Virg! Unka Gene and Unka Wilfred. 🕊️🕊️🕊️
Pretty amazing to have this rare piece of history.
Thank you for sharing
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Maybe it's the camera angle, but in looking at Dietrich's uniform blouse it seems he wasn't a very big man, maybe 5'7" or 5'8"? Maybe a little shorter?
The Luftwaffe pilot/observer badge with diamonds looks like the special "honorary" pilot's badge Goering presented to prominent Germans. Rommel had one and so did Himmler. Even though it was honorary it was authorised for wear by non-Luftwaffe personnel by Hitler. The WW1 tanker's badge interests me even more, I've never seen one!
This really makes you wonder what else is out there to be found as people go through grandpa's or "Uncle Joe's" attics, doesn't it?
Good video! Thanks!
As per the entry into his Soldbuch / Paybook, Dietrich's height was 171 cm.
@@lennyaviation9653 That converts to slightly over 5'7", about 5'7"and a 1/3d.
@@wayneantoniazzi2706 I converted my own Dietrich uniform/mannequin to exactly that height.
Interesting how Dietrich looks like a big bruiser in his photos but in reality was a shorty.
Very cool the awards were added to make it look like if he was wearing it 👍
Awesome video to wake up to. Good stuff JD
Very excellent video of showing valuable history. On the piece itself, it is a rather attractive uniform.
Great piece of history...the uniform has the rank of Oberstgruppenfuhrer, which is a full general, (3l, 3 pips)...the only higher rank in the SS was Reichsfuhrer, which belonged to HH...SS ranks with leaves started with Standartenfuhrer(full Colonel, 1leaf)...Oberfuhrer(Senior Colonel, 2l), Brigadefuhrer(BG, 3l), Gruppenfuhrer(Maj.Gen., 3l, 1pip),
Obergruppenfuhrer(Lt.Gen., 3l, 2pips) & finally, SD's rank, described above...HH, as Reichsfuhrer-SS, had 3l surrounded by a wreath & 3l on each shoulder board...just a bit of trivia to contextualize SD's uniform & rank in relation to other SS officer ranks...
Absolutely amazing
I’ll be there in June to see it in person.
Wow ! Amazing piece of history.
We are coming to Gettysburg this Saturday, see you there!
Thanks for the tour of Pearl, My father entered the Navy the day after the attack he served both Pacific and the Atlantic
Incredible piece of TR history, how long will it be on display for?
As always a great video!
As well as the malmedy massacre 1st SS was also responsible for the Wormhoudt massacre of British troops in 1940.
Recently a Mercedes Benz that some US Soldiers requisitioned and took home while the rightful owner was in prison after WW2, was confiscated and returned to the Grandchildren of the original owner when it returned to Germany. And I think the families of alot of the Japanese Officers in WW2 who had their Swords taken (whether they were dead or alive) are mounting legal action to get them back. The law can be blurry in alot of these cases, Possession being 9/10s of the Law isn't necessarily precendent these days..
Great video JD. You do outstanding work 👍 👍 👍
Many years ago at Ft. Indian Town Gap, during the re-enactment of the Battle of the Bulge, a man showed up claiming to be the son of Sepp Dietrich. He bore an uncanny resemblance to his purported father. He was warmly welcomed by several of the Waffen SS re-enactment groups. Given a black uniform with all the shiny medals they could find. He even went so far as to sign autographs.....what an incredible scam. Free food and drink for several days...he faded into the woodwork, leaving many re-enactors red faced and embarrassed.
I remember this. I think it was around 2005, as I'd gotten back from Iraq in January 2004 and reported to The Old Guard in DC later that year. I drove straight to FIG after getting off work, making sure the 101st reenactors saw me in my BDUs with 101st combat patch (I was a young Sergeant, or soon to be Sergeant, can't remember) who was proud of what my unit had accomplished in 2003.
Anyway, this "son" of Dietrich was a celebrity of sorts. We welcomed him and my unit, a 1st SS Pionier squad, had quite the barracks setup. That year we also had a guest from the Ostfront, an Asian reenactor representing one of the foreign SS Soldaten.
Funny stuff to think of this now; though I enjoyed my reenacting days and all organizations claimed to be apolitical, I think that some people took it all, to include descendents of prominent former enemies, a bit too seriously.
@@anonymousm9113 did you know a member of the Old Guard with the last name ...Godfrey?
@@apstrad 😂
Eso es falso, Wolf Dieter Dietrich estuvo en una recreacion en Pensilvania, y vistió el uniforme de carrista con las medallas de su padre que todavía conserva y por algo mal hecho, nunca más volvió a participar en algún acto más,era el hijo mayor de Sepp
Yes...This is not true. It was really his son. You must not have been there... Actually, it happened in 2006, and his wife was with him as well. BTW-... Google is your friend.
Very tough brave warrior, I hope that uniform is in a museum.
I'm glad that this was saved for history. It always made me wonder why the US army destroyed Hitler's uniform that he was wearing during the July bomb plot, including his trousers which were torn to shreds, as shown in the famous photograph where someone holds them up so you can see the damage.
This is fascinating. I'm surprised the uniform has survived some 80 years in such pristine condition. You must admit that German officers' uniforms of WW II were stylish and sharp! This is a nice piece of history. And it should be preserved.
Depp Dietrich was almost promoted again to Volksmarschall but due to the war going so bad it never happened
Amazing video guys!
This is very current as only the last 2 years at most has there been any conversation of WW2 uniforms In general and German uniforms in particular
Very, very cool!
Sepp Dietrich was a man's man, a soldier's soldier. He was no strategic genius like von Manstien but a a commander who really lead his men.
I have the upmost respect for a man like him of any army or any time. The LAH / LASH was any elite unit within an elite force within an army with a combat record second to none. The regimental badge of the LSAH was a skeleton key within a sheild - a 'sepp' is German slang for a skeleton key a tribute to their original comander Joseph 'Sepp' Dietrich.
The Waffen SS divisions esp in the early part of ths war to me strongly resembled the Roman Legions , with their loyalty to their comrades and their general being before their loyalty to the Emperor mess with them at your peril.
I do not like what Sepp fought for but I admire the way he did it.
Fun fact the Tiger Tank in the film 'Kelly's Heroes" bore a skeleton key insignia (look closely) which means it was part of the LASH Which did serve in Italy.
The "key" emblem comes from the last name, "Dietrich", which has the meaning "keeper of the keys", or "lockpick".
Interesting how artifacts of the losing side have more value than the artifacts of the winning side.
It’s ironic today that the same enemies we fought and were allied with (CCCP) are alive and well entrenched in our government and society today in vast numbers. Their is no good vs. evil. Just winners and losers. I and many others were fortunate enough to meet his son and his wife (born in 1944) at a WW2 reenactment in FIG, PA in 2007. For the event Sepp Jr. wore his dads black Panzer Wrap complete with insignia and awards. I remember giving him a ride back to his hotel room and the little time that I spend with him alone was a very quiet, reserve, polite and respectable gentleman. BS’ing with his wife over our formal dinner I asked all that mushy stuff girls like to talk about. I asked her (forget her name) what attracted you to Sepp? She said his confidence and physical bearing of command. I believe at the time they were living in Belgium. Those were the golden years of WW2 reenacting before the fun police caught up, shut down and chased a lot of great people out of the hobby. Now today the vets on both sides are almost all gone. Surely can no longer field. We miss you Gerhard. Those who knew him were blessed and those who didn’t missed out. Meine Ihre Heisst Treue!
Hey. neo kraut... the dude you were drooling over to meet as Sepp`s son was a scammer !! 🤡
Yes, it was heroic that the Allies liberated Nazi Germany from fascism, but people always forget that the Americans, Soviets and so on also committed war crimes, as a result of which many civilians had to suffer or even died
Great item to add to the collection. By wars end, even Sepp was opposed to Hitlers "stand or die" orders. Even backing German Army commanders in many cases.. He was soldier and a Nazi. But its questionable which priority he had. Maybe that mystery saved him from execution
Great Presentation And Display If It Wasn't For This Channel I Never Knew These Uniforms Still Existed I Always Thought They Burned And Destroyed The Uniforms
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Love the way you folks cover the 'lesser' aspects of history. I wonder if Hugo Boss designed this uniform, as he was the original designer of SS unforms.
He didn’t design the uniforms. He only made them.
It's worth it great piece of history
This video like all your others is AWESOME JD. ,,, BUT you better watch out for the " you tube Nazis " THANK YOU FRANK FROM MONTANA.....
I hope his family have his awards. So many officers had their’s stolen by allied soldiers. They fought for an evil regime but the awards were won fair and square.
There is some evidence that old Sepp knew and was sympathetic to the July 20th plotters.
You can be sure that also all of the awards were stolen by US soldiers as they just took absolutely everything they could get hold of
That is in Great Condition 👍
Very interesting
Wait please. Sepp Dietrich was a highly decorated WW I veteran, awarded Iron Cross 2nd and 1st Classes for valor. He later became a Police Officer rising to the rank of Sgt. I believe before he joined the NSDAP. Certainly not a mere butcher’s apprentice.
Y la medalla de asalto Panzer de la lgm que es muy raro verla,el participó en los primeros tanques,tengo una foto de el sobre un tanque,además en su mismo regimiento estaba Adolf Hitler aunque no coincidieron y su amistad fue después y hasta el final,era la única persona que trataba al Führer de tu y lo llamaba Adi,pasaba por encima de Himmler,a quien no soportaba,aunque era el padrino de dos de sus hijos,en sus uniformes ponía lo que quería y como quería,era intocable, el aguila del brazo izquierdo era bordada en oro,la boca manga también y el aguila de algunas gorras de plato era la de la Herr en lugar de la de las Waffen SS,si alguien necesita más información que pregunte.
You need a history listen. This man was an absolute role model.
Was the knights cross ,with oak leaves made with diamonds? Couldn’t tell
Another cool episode