George Leitmann, a young soldier in 1945, recounts the chaotic and tragic moments of liberating Germany during the final months of World War II. As part of the 286th Combat Engineer Battalion, he faced unsettling situations, including discovering the gruesome deaths of children ordered to fight against Americans. His memories, especially of hanging children executed by the Waffen SS, haunt him, reflecting the brutal realities of the war and contributing to his deep disillusionment with humanity. His experiences also include the liberation of Kaufering concentration camp, emphasizing the horrors inflicted during this time.
The front line was extremely fluid... the Wehrmacht and the SS fought fanatically to preserve the floundering Nazi regime.
Apparently, Waffen SS had come through and rounded up kids... and told them to fire [it] at the first American tank they saw.
George Leitmann was among the US soldiers who liberated the Kaufering concentration camp.
This picture became so pervasive that you get your doubts about humanity.
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