LANDSER @ www.deutschesoldaten.com

What is lANDSER?

 LANDSER at www.deutschesoldaten.com will attempt to add to the existing cyber-literature regarding the German Army in World War Two. There is little primary research here, and nothing in the way of information that isn't known or published elsewhere. But it is an attempt to raise the bar as far as quality of information. For all their zeal, many websites dealing with the German military approach the subject in a haphazard or incomplete way, either attempting too little, or casting their net too far.

This site is aimed at re-enactors, gamers and modellers, but there is information of interest to casual historians, family historians, uniform collectors, re-enactors and other hobbyists and hobby suporters.

The German Army has held a certain fascination in English-speaking circles even predating the unconditional surrender of Germany to the Allies in May 1945. This fascination has found expression in cyberspace, where hundreds, perhaps thousands, of amateur websites in the English language cater to this area of interest.  The webmaster has been fortunate to have had contact with German Army veterans and afficionadoes and some of the information presented here has not found expression - at least not in English - on the Internet.

In the final analysis, the German nation was responsible for the Second World War. Whatever harsh penalties may have been meted out at Versailles, there is no escaping this. The German people are responsible for the deaths of some 10 to 12 million innocent civilians in gas chambers and mass shootings. Many of these deaths were accompanied by public humiliation, torture, and inhumane medical experiments.

The level of involvement the German Army had with these revolting atrocities will always be a matter of debate. In the field, particularly against the western Allies, the German soldier acquitted himself in an honourable fashion, treating enemy soldiers and civilians alike with the respect demanded by international law, and expected by common human decency.

This site will not, can not, attempt to define what the German soldier actually was; the two extremes to choose from are the completely innocent and politically neutral soldier who had no idea of what was happening back home (as portrayed in numerous first person accounts) to the murderous anti-Semetic soldier of the Nazi state, brutalizing all who stood between him and and a racially pure world (as portrayed by Omer Bartov or Daniel Goldhagen). The truth must lie somewhere in the middle. For some, the wounds created by Germany's actions in the Second World War will never heal. For me, and hopefully for those who frequent this site, we can agree to Forgive - but Never Forget.

If this site is to be guilty of glorifying anything, let it not be Nazism or genocide, but the strength of the human spirit when faced with adversity. Whatever he may have been fighting for, the German soldier fought well, and bravely. As a Canadian, I am glad we beat them, but above everything else, I am sad that it had to happen at all. I am sure many Germans feel the same way.

Who pays for it?

 This site, like so many on the internet, is run privately as a one-person operation.  There are no user fees and the expenses are borne out of pocket by the webmaster.

Who is the webmaster?

 This site was created by Michael A. Dorosh, CD.  The webmaster has been a member of the Canadian Forces since 1987 and has published two books on the subject of Canadian Army uniforms.

Dressed To Kill
CANUCK: Clothing and Equipping the Canadian Soldier 1939-45

How can I contribute?

 By emailing the webmaster, who is always on the lookout for quality images and information regarding Canadian soldiers of the 20th Century.  Bear in mind several points, however;
  • The webmaster will credit fully anyone who contributes material that is used on the site.
  • The webmaster will not knowingly use copyrighted material for which permission has not been granted by the legal custodian of said material
  • The webmaster is not obligated to make use of any material sent to him and has the final say as to what is appropriate site content and what is not.

How often does
the site get updated?

 While the webmaster recognizes and appreciates the enthusiasm that contributors feel for having their material added to the site in a timely manner, this is not always possible.
  • The webmaster is not rewarded financially for his work on this site; it is done in his spare time.
  • Submitted material, no matter how high the quality, may sometimes be held back in anticipation of including it in a more comprehensive format pending further research or work.  In other words, your photo of your uncle in uniform may be terrific, but if the webmaster can include it on an entire page of photos relating to a specific battle or unit, he will hold back until the material can be best presented.  This may be a few days, it may be several months.  The webmaster apologizes for any inconvenience or perceived injury this causes on the part of his contributors.

What other sites does the webmaster host?

http://www.canadiansoldiers.com