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Verdun Veteran tells about his Experiences at the Front


Fritz

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Unteroffizier Ernst Weckerling from Infanterie-Regiment 81, born 1897

Bildergebnis für unteroffizier ernst weckerling

One hundred years ago the battle of Verdun was being fought. It was there that the Germans had developed a plan to break the stalemate of the trenches: they were going to to bleed the French white by inflicting disproportional losses on them. The target was Verdun, a prestigious city fortress that had protected France in many occassions before.

First-hand accounts of survivors of this battle are a bit on the rare side, let alone veterans who were recorded telling of their experiences. One such man was Unteroffizier Ernst Weckerling, who appeared in the PBS documentary "People's Century" sporting the famous German Pickelhaube.  (quora.com)

Unteroffizier Franz Weckerling of Füsilier-Regiment 80 in a late interview. He is wearing an officer's helmet, which would not have been appropriate, probably later acquired.

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Robert Meier, 1897-2007, Germany's Former Oldest Living Man and a WWI veteran

 

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Author German Werth - eye witness reports on Verdun, including interview with Ernst Weckerling and several others.

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New film clip, photos and text added

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