Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

Rick · Site Admin Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 22791 Location: UK

K Wheatcroft's collection of WW2, mainly German, memorabilia (including vehicles) is breathtaking and, in many parts, unsettling.

For anyone interested, here's a link to an article that describes some of his vast collection: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jun/24/the-man-who-sleeps-in-hitlers-bed

I feel a lot better about my much more modest hoarding activities after reading this.

RJ
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peter scott · Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 7215 Location: Edinburgh

I'm sure some people worry about the future of their collections but this one would worry more than most.

Fascinating though.

Peter
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Bitumen Boy · Posted: Tue Jun 30, 2015 8:47 pm Post subject:

Unsettling in many ways, yes. But the historical value is enormous when you look at it objectively, and one day I expect that will be realised. Can a completely one-sided history ever be a good thing?

Peter_L · Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2015 1:28 pm Post subject:

I would guess that the majority of OCC members are no more than two generations away from those who experienced WWII, first hand.

My own parents evacuated from Jersey C.I, only days before the occupation.
They found it very difficult to forgive the German nation.

I don't have the same feelings and my children even less.

.... and so to Mr Wheatcroft's collection. I would guess that by the time my great grandchildren are of an age where they may judge, the collection will be on a par with Roman & Viking memorabilia.

Will the future view him as a visionary or an eccentric ?

I would not feel comfortable surrounded by such a detailed collection, and would better understand the reasons if it were all together on rows and rows of anonymous shelves in some great warehouse. Perhaps I am just a generation too close to reminders of what Hitler's regime took from my parents.

Rootes75 · Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2015 3:29 pm Post subject:

Both of my Grandfathers fought in WW2 so naturally as a youngster I loved the stories etc and have been keen ever since, like so many of my generation.

This collection is huge and significant, not for everyone's taste but highly important in the overall context of WW2 history.
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ka · Joined: 03 Dec 2007 Posts: 600 Location: Orkney.

Interesting and emotional replies to this post. I suppose time will be the decider. When our kids were younger they loved going to Castles, and looking at the gory torture equipment, the cannons etc. Now they take their kids!
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Better three than four.

Bitumen Boy · Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2015 9:56 am Post subject:

peter scott · Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 7215 Location: Edinburgh

Peter_L · Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2015 1:43 pm Post subject:

Having close family ties to Jersey C.I and spending some time there from a child I have seen the transition of what was viewed by many islanders as ugly reminders of the occupation to the present day tourist attractions.

The Channel Islands have some of the largest and best preserved examples of the "Atlantic Wall". Some of the huge naval guns that were dumped over the cliffs after the liberation, have been recovered and are now part of these attractions. Most sites have been cleaned up, maintained and made accessible by private interests.

In the beginning, there was understandable opposition, but now, to many of the younger generations the WWII structures are just another part of the island's history and likely viewed with an eye to the mechanics of the structures more than the social evils that caused them to be built.

Jersey has many structures that serve as monuments to man's inhumanity to man. Many appear as picturesque images on postcards, calendars and tourist guides.

Perhaps one day, Mr Wheatcroft's collection will be cared for by a National Museum or Heritage trust. If so, then those who view it are fortunate that someone saved it in the first place.