Vet Remembers Life in Heidelberg After World War II

By Dave MelanconOctober 4, 2007

Vet Remembers Life in Heidelberg After World War II
(Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

HEIDELBERG, Germany - Sometimes an old warrior's memories carry lessons for those serving today.

Dr. Henry Zaytoun, an orthodontist visiting Germany from Raleigh, N.C., relived some his memories last month and saw many parallels between World War II and today's Global War on Terrorism.

The 83 year old had a front-row view of history as it unfolded during his tour of duty as a staff orthodontist on Campbell Barracks from 1946 until 1948. Although commissioned as a naval officer, Zaytoun was assigned to the 3rd U.S. Army because of a shortage of dentists and orthodontists.

The days were memorable when the kaserne was known only as a command post and Heidelberg struggled to rebuild its community and economy, said the former lieutenant junior grade.

"The German people really suffered from the cold and a lack of fuel and food. It was a very austere time for the Germans," Zaytoun said. "The Americans tried to support them as much as they could. The people tried to make the best of a bad situation."

Life was pretty easy for the combat veterans and members of the U.S. Constabulary serving on the installation, he said.

"These were the guys who had been through it all," he said. "It was a relaxed situation for them.

"There were some anxious moments from time to time but nothing to get too disturbed about. You exercised a little care when you went out."

The day that shaped his military career and the rest of his life took place in an Erlangen replacement depot during the spring of 1946 while he was waiting for his assignment to the 3rd Army Headquarters.

That day, Zaytoun traveled to NAfA1/4rnberg to observe the ongoing Trial of the Major War Criminals Before the International Military Tribunal, better known as the NAfA1/4rnberg Trials, which ran from 1945 until 1949.

Sitting in the dock at the Palace of Justice were some of the highest ranking Nazi officials, he said.

Zaytoun said he remembers seeing defendants Hermann GAfAPring, Rudolf Hess, Albert Speer, Karl DAfAPnitz, Joachim von Ribbentrop and Dr. Hjalmar Schacht.

"The defendants came across as very evil people. People had not realized how evil this regime had been," he said. "Looking at those defendants, the evilness just emanated from them. I saw something there that was just bad, very bad."

The most famous hearing was for 24 senior Nazi leaders. Their trial ran from Nov. 20, 1945, until Oct. 1, 1946. The trials for all of the war criminals continued until 1949. Robert H. Jackson was the chief U.S. prosecutor.

Zaytoun said he was impressed by Jackson's presentation and the gravity of the proceedings. Most of all, he said, he was proud of his country.

"However we got into this war was justified to bring an end to that type of brutality, that type of government, that type of philosophy," he said. "I was proud to be an American."

Later that day, Zaytoun explored the city and saw the destruction and the Nazi monuments. He saw German people digging through rubble for belongings and for building materials.

"I could visualize Hitler standing up there and looking out over the mass crowds," he said.

That day in the war-raved city and his reactions to the trial were the defining moments in his life, Zaytoun said.

Since his tour of duty, Zaytoun has made several trips to Germany with his family. Their itinerary usually includes his former Heidelberg duty station and NAfA1/4rnberg.

Unfortunately, he has not been able to talk with Germans who were living during the war or the trials, he said. However, he has talked with many younger Germans about the period and its aftermath.

"The German people of today recognize it was a bad thing," he said. "They say it is time to move on to new things, better things and make a better world."

There are many parallels between Zaytoun's tour of duty and for those men and women serving today, he said.

As the world's most powerful and freest nation, the United States had a duty and obligation to become embroiled in the Second World War and the rebuilding of Europe and Asia, he said.

"Many people in the United States said that was not our affair and let the Europeans take care of themselves," Zaytoun said. "Ultimately, it did become our affair and it became our affair in a very profound fashion, at the cost of many thousands of American Soldiers' lives."

The United States still shoulders that obligation, he said.

"Some may say Iraq is not our affair," he said. "When freedom is put down where ever, it affects all of us. We had a responsibility to secure freedom in Europe in the 1940s; the same responsibility lies with us today in the Middle East or in any other part of the world."

(Dave Melancon is a member of the USAG Heidelberg Public Affairs Office)