So much of what Germans have written in the immediate aftermath of the war was done so to impress the occupying forces, not necessarily to tell the truth. NS members and followers were sent to camps by the victors for their beliefs, so it was better to fit in than to rock the boat, lest they be called a Nazi. I make no secret that I am a National Socialist; I pride myself on being honest, loyal, and humane. The average person, who is intelligent, sees the newspaper stories, and watches TV shows that constantly show NS as a criminal state. Today they have no reason to investigate the stories, it is made to be taboo to question the official version of events, and you are not in the right mindset if you do. The Allies’ assertion that they were the angels and we were the demons has had 60 years to evolve. Many good scholars in Germany support the allied versions, when they come to me for answers as to why we did these things, I tell them the truth, and they act as if I am a brainwashed liar who is defending a very evil man and idea. I ask them how are they certain the victors are honest and not lying? They reply there is too much evidence against Hitler. When I ask them if they are aware, the Allies had many former German citizens working to create “evidence” to use against political enemies for revenge, they look stumped and confused. Anyone who claimed some type of persecution during the Third Reich can write a book, and whatever he or she says becomes fact. Laws are now being drawn up in the Federal Republic to keep these “facts” from being disputed. Someday people may actually go to prison camps for challenging these “facts.” If a nation, who defends itself against those who actively try to sabotage a war effort by putting them in prison camps, is evil, then all nations are evil because they all did this. NS Germany was no different from those we fought, England, America, and above all the USSR put people who disagreed with their government in prison camps (or worse) during wartime. It was our misfortune that due to the bombings, many of ours died at the end.

You fought on the East front with Grossdeutschland, what was your experience?
Otto: Yes, I was impressed with what I heard about GD and wanted to be a part of such a fine division. Their reputation in the early part of the war with Russia put them on par with the Waffen-SS, they were always outnumbered and in the thick of the fighting. They gave Ivan many bloody noses and kicks to the balls. I was able to join this fine unit and quickly became a battalion leader, I was very proud of my men; they fought hard and were loyal. My experience on the east front was a defining part of my manhood; I saw things that no one should ever see. Russia refused to sign any agreements regarding rules during wartime, and it showed right away. We attacked Russia and their soldiers were told to not be humane to the invader. From the early days, reports would come in about wounded soldiers being shot, surrendered soldiers being executed, and civilians being executed. A man in my regiment testified before our commander that he was captured with 10 other soldiers, and Ivan shot them all, he was the only survivor, as he played dead. I will say that most of my interactions with the Russians were positive. The people were friendly and helpful, and thanked us for the help we gave them. Our medical staff freely helped Russian soldiers and civilians alike; they delivered more than one Russian child in our sectors. The partisan menace was another story, they were nothing short of animals, and treated like so when captured. They were something rather new for us in modern war. They struck at the most weakest points, killing old reservists, and nurses. Today they are hailed as freedom fighters, but they truly were murderers, and seemed sadistic in the way they mutilated bodies of their enemies.

GD was a frontline combat division who was always in the thick of major battles; we fought well and with honor. [continued]