WW II vet held in Nazi slave camp breaks silence

Anthony Acevedo thumbs through the worn, yellowed pages of his diary emblazoned with the words "A Wartime Log" on its cover. It's a catalog of deaths and atrocities he says were carried out on U.S. soldiers held by Nazis at a slave labor camp during World War II -- a largely forgotten legacy of the war.

He was one of 350 U.S. soldiers held at Berga am Elster, a satellite camp of the Nazis' notorious Buchenwald concentration camp. The soldiers, working 12-hour days, were used by the German army to dig tunnels and hide equipment in the final weeks of the war. Less than half of the soldiers survived their captivity and a subsequent death march, he says.

CNN Article


It's quite a lengthy read, but worth it.



God Bless all those who have served.

wow, powerful stuff
its a good reminder for us to keep vigilant watch on our own governors today, that they do not try and bring in a similarly repressive regime and tactics.
we've come so close lately to letting the freedoms these guys fought and died for just slip away.
We need to protect the legacy they won for us.

What? Are you telling me that the Nazis were inhuman and cruel in the administration of their death camps? This is news to me! I've never heard of such a thing! Who has been keeping this secret?

When I started reading the whole article I figured; 'This rather long article probably tells something new so I better read it'...But it didn't.

Yet another 'WWII Camp story'...Didn't we know all of this?

Or is the shocking fact of this story that his superiors made him sign a document in which he stated to never talk about what happened to him? And because finally he did...Now it is ATS news...Is that it?


Please don't get me wrong, it is terrible what this man and many others have gone through and something like this should never happen again!

But why is this such a newsworthy story?

Originally posted by kcire
But why is this such a newsworthy story?

I think the fact that this man is talking, after signing a document that he wouldn't makes it the news story.

With today being Veterans day, what better day to post it.

Nice find and a very good article. I would love to sit and talk to this man just to hear his story. Thanks for posting.

Originally posted by kcire
But why is this such a newsworthy story?

I don't really see why that question is relevant. The important thing here (to me, anyway) is that one of the WWII veterans tells his story. And it IS important that their stories are told. The people who lived through the war are all getting very old now, and we should listen to them - and learn from their experiences - while they are still among us.

The article was a good read. Thanks to the OP for posting it.

More than ever articles like this solidify in my mind that if any Government of any Country declares a War.....its people should rise up and totally purge that Governments Seats with the politicians blood. If this was a normal event what Politician would decide he wanted to send off other peoples children to die for their own personal agenda ?.

Defending your borders or repelling invaders is different but to go off to Foreign lands and rape pillage is so medi-evil and primitive that a message needs to be sent to the leaders that think these acts are ok.

New international Law 101: Any Political leader who incites or legislates to actively agress another Nation shall have any and all siblings executed in front of them and then be summarily executed themself.

[edit on 11-11-2008 by mazzroth]

Originally posted by ziggystar60

Originally posted by kcire
But why is this such a newsworthy story?

I don't really see why that question is relevant. The important thing here (to me, anyway) is that one of the WWII veterans tells his story. And it IS important that their stories are told. The people who lived through the war are all getting very old now, and we should listen to them - and learn from their experiences - while they are still among us.

The article was a good read. Thanks to the OP for posting it.

Not to mention its November 11th, which (in Canada anyways) is Remembrance Day. People and kids especially these days have no idea what people went through so we can have the lives we have.

Luckily, during high school I had the opportunity to travel Europe, primarily France and Germany. During that I visited a couple concentration camps and they were INSANE. Original buildings stood intact as they did back then, but lining the interior walls were photos of what it looked like during operation.

Prisoners were literally STACKED on top of each other on beds, all looking so malnourished it was a wonder they could even stand. Just outside the gates stood the "Showers" or the gas chambers, families would watch each other leave the gates for a shower and never return.

At the bottom of one of the camps was another building which looked alot like the others, when you walked in practically directly in the center was an 'operation' table with slats that ran across it in every direction, the table slanted, all in an effort to funnel the blood off the table. They used this table to conduct experiments on prisoners. A few feet away a small room with one wall of glass window stood, where they would inject chemicals (or whatever they wanted) into prisoners, then place them in this room and observe the horror that they were experiencing.

The building next to the science room, had only one purpose. Incineration. Two incinerators sat in the room, one on each side. And while these prisoners walked out of their huts, to work, or whatever, malnourished and dying, im sure the air ripe with the smell of burning brothers and sisters.


The horrors that took place at these camps were so bad, that I am amazed that the french and german governments (both have camps) even allow people to come visit them.

Hearing the story from the people who lived it, makes it live and refreshes its relevance. Its far too easy for those of us who did not live it to see it as just some ancient history.
However, with our guard down, it could happen again.
In fact it has, just not to you or I at the moment. It is happening today in the not-so-secret prisons the U.S. has around the world; not to mention Abu-Ghraib and Gitmo.
This time its our government, the supposed good guys, doing the torturing.
Still doesn't make it right.
As our governments fade to fascism before our eyes, how hard would it be for them to turn to using this practice on anyone seen as not supporting them?
I am grateful that this man and others are telling their story.

[edit on 12-11-2008 by wayno]

Is there a possibility for us to invite him for a future ATSmix?

This is very important information that needs to be remembered so we do not continue this vicious circle of repeating the same mistakes.

Many very aware and good people are feeling as a collective to step forward more so now than ever to tell their stories and to bring the truth and light to the surface.

For so long we have been controlled through fear and threats of harm, it is now or never as we prepare to move either into a future of even greater despair or towards a Golden future filled with promise of a better world.

When all the vets of WWII are dead, you'll still be able to get reports from the Irak vets and especially the abu graib prison guardians, you know,... just to make sure no one repeats the same mistakes.

i would listen to this man all day and never utter a word to interrupt him.. to me men who lived through the war and fought and lived while he watched comrades die all around him are the reason people like me should be humble in his presence.. this mans story is living history and every word he speaks should be recorded for future generations...

reply to post by fatdad


Right on, they were honorable men and in those days they made an effort not to spread fear to us back here at home especially women and children, sure there must have been exceptions, but it was not their honorable way.

I remember when Bush I made it a family TV time, I really think that things began to heat up after his New World Oder Speech during that time. Clearly.

well that wasn't as bad as I was imagining...

Now if you really want to be totally Pissed Off.... listen to the crew members of the USS Liberty ... ~! now that Johnson dude must have been a really cold hearted bastard, IMO,

[edit on 13-11-2008 by BornPatriot]