Documents on Real History

      

[] Index to the Traditional Enemies of Free Speech      [] Alphabetical index (text)

Quick navigation

Letters to David Irving on this Website

 

 

 

 

 

 

Unless correspondents ask us not to, this Website will post selected letters that it receives, and invite open debate.

Martin Doutré of New Zealand sends, January 24, 2004, pictures of things taken from Joseph Kramer by British troops

typewriter

 

KramerKramer's belt

I FINALLY gained access to a digital camera today, so that you can scrutinise the varied collection of German regimental badges, affixed to the belt, at reasonably high resolution. Commandant Josef Kramer's belt was taken from him by Acting Sgt. Arthur (Buck) Taylor, Serial number 998411, 22nd IND: Para: coy, attached to the British 6th Airborne Div.

We took many close-ups of the regimental badges and I'll sent you some in a couple of emails. Based upon where the clasp and buckle sit on Commandant Kramer's belt, we assume that his waist girth was about 45.5 inches. Mr Taylor stated that Josef Kramer was not a fat or out of shape man, but a strongly built, tall individual of very imposing presence and stature.

Sgt. Buck Taylor, who had ongoing contact with Commandant Kramer through his trial and up to his execution by hanging, found him to be a very intelligent and personable individual.

The "Beast of Belsen" title did not fit the imprisoned man himself, who was, apparently, very likeable and reasonable, according to Sgt. Taylor's memory of him.

I'll ship you the full CD of digital photos . . . a fairly large file. I'm given to understand that some of the regimental badges are quite rare. Best wishes and much success in your work,

Martin Doutré
Auckland, New Zealand

 

Kramer belt

 badges

dagger

Postscript: The German officer who surrendered this dagger to Sgt. Buck Taylor, immediately asked for it back. Sgt. Taylor complied after the officer assured him he was not going to harm either himself or anyone else with it. The German officer then broke the feet off the eagle emblem on the dagger and stated, 'now the eagle can never land'.

Sorry about the dust on Commandant Kramer's belt or lack of polish and appropriate Teutonic lustre on the German regimental badges. We simply took the items down off a wall where they hung, placed them on a saw horse in the garden and photographed them.

 

 
Our dossier on Auschwitz | and on Belsen
 
BBC News Sixty years since liberation of Nazis' Bergen Belsen concentration camp -- Mr Irving seems somehow to blame, and comments
A letter by Joseph Kramer on Starvation and epidemic conditions in Bergen-Belsen camp, written on March 1, 1945, to his superiors at Oranienburg
A reader asks for information on Bob Pilkington and the hanging of Joseph Kramer
 

Free download of David Irving's books
Bookmark the download page to find the latest new free books

© Focal Point 2005 David Irving