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PRESS RELEASE by
THE GERMANY-UNITED STATES-CANADA RECONCILIATION
COMMITTEE
On the occasion of the presentation of a formal letter of
apology from a former US Army officer to the German people for
the mistreatment of German prisoners after World War II AND on
the occasion of the publication of a new edition of Other Losses
by James Bacque about those prisoners of war, a public meeting
was held at 2:00 pm Monday October 31, 2011 in the Congressional
and Monument Rooms of The Courtyard US Capitol Marriott Hotel,
1325 2d St. NE, Washington DC 20002. Tel 202 898 4000
Merrit P Drucker (US army major, retired) has apologized to the
German army for the deaths of German prisoners in US army camps
after World War II. Following extensive private investigations
in the US and Germany, Drucker has sent an e-mail to Lt. Col.
Max Klaar (Bundeswehr retired) head of the Verband deutscher
Soldaten (German Veterans’ Association) regretting the lethal
conditions in the US camps where according to Col. Ernest F.
Fisher of the US army (retired) some 750,000 Germans died
because they were denied available food and shelter. By order of
the American commander, General Dwight Eisenhower, German
civilians were forbidden on pain of being shot to take food to
the prisoners. Drucker has also formed a committee of six
people, in Germany, the UK, Canada and the US to pursue further
investigations and make amends. Drucker has posted on the German
veterans’ website a questionnaire asking for details of
prisoners’ internment which has already elicited many grateful
responses. Many Germans have written to Merrit Drucker to thank
him for taking a heavy weight of grief and guilt off their
minds. Max Klaar was flying over for the occasion to accept the
formal letter of apology from Drucker on October 31st. In
addition, Max Klaar presented a proposal for a peace treaty
between the USA and Germany. It has 14 points.
Other Losses, an Investigation into the mass deaths of German
Prisoners of War in the hands of the French and the Americans
after World War II by James Bacque, first published in 1989,
became a world-wide best-seller, published in 13 countries, but
has been suppressed in the US for 20 years. This edition, which
contains much new information from the KGB archives in Moscow,
was commissioned by Karl Siegler, the son of a former prisoner
in a US army camp. Col. Dr. Ernest F. Fisher, formerly a senior
historian of the U S Army Center for Military History, who
supplied the eloquent foreword to Other Losses, was also
present. In that foreword he wrote, “Starting in April, 1945 the
United States army and the French army casually annihilated
about 1 million men, most of them in American camps.” The author
spoke and two short films about postwar Germany were shown.
For further information contact Kevin@Talonbooks.com or James
Bacque at 705 549 8148 or Merrit P. Drucker at 202 722 6716.
Please contact Talonbooks for interviews
See also www.jamesbacque.com and www.talonbooks.com and the
Verband deutscher Soldaten
www.verband-deutscher-soldaten.de
Report by Merrit Drucker
Comments and Quotes by People that were there
I wanted to respond to your request for an explanation of how
our ceremony went. I believe our event was one of great dignity,
solemnity and historic importance. I introduced the event and
stated our purpose.
We received a very moving support letter from the
Canadian-German Congress (Tony Bergmeier) which I read as part
of the introduction. The author’s father has been a POW. I will
scan and send to all. Mr. Bacque provided a good summary
overview of “Other Losses”.
I then presented the Apology Letter to LTC Klaar and we
exchanged salutes. I must say that it was quite a difficult
feeling that I was bearing a great responsibility for my nation
and also rendering what I am sure must be the most significant
salute I will ever make.
LTC Klaar gave a speech about the harm the cover ups have done
and presented his peace plan. It was a very moving speech and a
good description of the situation between our nations.
We were two people there whose fathers had been POWs.
Mr. Bacque showed the film about Crimes and Mercies. Ann
Morrison showed her film about the Potsdam expulsion. We had
about 50 people. All were very deeply appreciative. I believe
this was a key event and I came away feeling a great motivation.
I remain very thankful to all as we would not have been able to
get to this point without our collective efforts.
It was a great event that was a credit to all and the opening up
of new hope for truth about this time.
I will send all a copy of the video of the event so you can see
it.
Best regards,
Merrit Drucker
Quotes from James Bacque
Tony (Bergmeier), your speech was excellent and was read out in
full by Major Drucker. It was heard by about 40 people in the
room, which included John Frim of the Canadian Embassy.
Drucker spoke very well and so did Klaar. I was moved to tears
and so were many others to see them standing there, two
soldiers, speaking as friends, shaking hands, saluting, then
embracing. I felt all the spirits of the dead of the war move in
me.
I can’t send you the official press release just yet because I
am the one who has to write it and then I have to check it with
each of Max and Merrit. But you now have the gist of it.
Thanks for all your help…We will do all we can to animate our
friends in Germany to talk about the need for a peace treaty.
Quote from Ann Morrison
I returned from Washington D.C. where the German/US/Canada
Reconciliation Conference was held. It went very well and I felt
privileged to have been invited.
Merrit Drucker, James Bacque and Max Klaar spoke with much
emotion about the losses after the Second World War. I watched
in amazement at how it’s never too late to tell the story and
it’s never too late to say you’re sorry.
There were a few laughs and many tears as the apology was given
and accepted. The apology was given from the United States to
Germany and will be used as a tool to create a calming peace
that’s been missing for far too many years.
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