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German Medic POWs Were Shocked American Doctors Treated Them Like Colleagues, Not Enemies | Letters Never Sent | YouTubeToText
YouTube Transcript: German Medic POWs Were Shocked American Doctors Treated Them Like Colleagues, Not Enemies
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During World War II, American medical personnel, driven by professional ethics and practical necessity, treated captured German medical staff not as enemies but as colleagues, fostering a profound "medical brotherhood" that transcended national animosity and challenged Nazi ideology.
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December 16th, 1944 1340 hours near Bastonia Belgium
captain David Steinberg chief medical officer of the
101st Airborne Division's aid station
heard the distinctive whistle of incoming artillery
and threw himself flat against the frozen ground the shell landed 50 yards away
close enough to shower him with frozen dirt but far enough to leave him intact
when the ringing in his ears subsided he heard something that made him forget
tactical caution entirely someone calling for a medic in German
Steinberg raised his head cautiously and spotted movement in a crater 30 yards away
two figures in field grey uniforms one lying still the other kneeling over him
with hands pressed against a bleeding wound the kneeling soldier wore a Red Cross armband
clearly visible even from distance a German medic trapped in no man's land
trying to save a wounded comrade while American and German forces exchanged fire
overhead every tactical instinct said stay down
let the enemy medic deal with his own casualties don't expose yourself to
fire for the sake of Germans who'd been trying to kill Americans hours earlier
but Steinberg was a doctor before he was a soldier
and the hippocratic oath he'd sworn didn't include nationality clauses
he made a decision that would have gotten him court martialed
if it had gone wrong cease fire
Steinberg shouted to nearby American positions medical personnel in the open
hold your fire the shooting from American positions stopped
Steinberg stood up raised his hands to show he was unarmed
and began walking slowly toward the crater the German medic looked up
saw an American officer approaching and his face transformed from
concentration to terror he reached for the pistol
at his belt with one hand while keeping the other pressed
against his patient's wound ready to fight or die
but unwilling to abandon the wounded man Sanitator Steinberg called out
in his limited German gesturing to the Red Cross
armband on his own uniform medic I help
the German medic's hand froze on his pistol he stared at Steinberg
with an expression of complete incomprehension as if the American had just
announced he could fly when Steinberg reached the crater
and knelt beside the wounded German soldier whose femoral artery was pumping blood
through the medic's inadequate field dressing the German medic began speaking rapidly in German
words tumbling over each other in shock and confusion
Steinberg didn't need translation to understand the message
this German medic couldn't believe an American doctor
was voluntarily helping save a German soldier's life
pressure here Steinberg said positioning the German medic's hands correctly
on the wound keep pressure I'll get supplies
he crawled back to American lines retrieved his medical kit and returned
to the crater where the German
medic was still maintaining pressure exactly as Steinberg had positioned him
staring at the American with wide eyes together without sharing
more than a dozen words of common language they clamped the artery sutured the wound
and stabilized the patient well enough for evacuation
when they finished both medics sat back against the crater wall
blood covered and exhausted the German medic pulled off his helmet
revealing a face that looked barely old enough to shave
he extended a trembling hand towards Steinberg and spoke the only English phrase he seemed
to know thank you
Steinberg shook the hand recognizing in the young German's face
the same exhaustion stress and commitment to saving lives
that he saw in every medical officer's mirror you're a good medic Steinberg said
knowing the words wouldn't be understood but hoping the tone would communicate respect
that moment two enemy medics sitting in a crater having just saved a life together
while their armies tried to kill each other overhead
became the first of thousands of similar encounters
where captured German medical personnel discovered that American forces treated them
not as defeated enemies but as fellow medical professionals
who shared a calling that transcended national boundaries
and military allegiances the first encounters
when American forces initially captured German medical personnel
the Germans terror was often immediate and obvious
they expected to be separated from wounded patients
and executed or forced to watch while Americans committed atrocities
against German casualties the propaganda had been explicit and detailed
about American medical barbarism lieutenant colonel Walter Hayes
commanding a medical battalion attached to the 3rd Armored Division
described capturing a German field hospital near Auckin in October 1944
we entered the facility expecting armed resistance
instead we found three German doctors two nurses and maybe a dozen orderlies
trying to care for about 40 wounded German soldiers
when we came through the door the senior German doctor stepped forward
and began speaking rapidly in English explaining who they were
pleading with us not to harm the patients offering to surrender
if we'd just leave the wounded alone he was shaking obviously terrified
but trying to protect his patients I had to physically put my hand on his shoulder
and tell him to calm down that we weren't going to hurt anyone
that we were medical officers just like him the transformation in German medical personnel's
attitudes when they realized American forces
actually intended to treat them professionally happened quickly
and was often accompanied by emotional reactions the relief of not being executed
combined with shock at being treated with respect produced responses ranging from quiet tears
to complete psychological breakdowns the immediate tactical priority
was usually securing the German medical personnel and their facilities
without disrupting ongoing medical care American commanders quickly Learned
that allowing German doctors and medics to continue treating German wounded
while under American supervision was more effective than trying to
replace them with American medical
staff who were already overburdened the medical brotherhood by late 1944
as American forces advanced through France and into Germany they were capturing increasing
numbers of German medical personnel doctors surgeons nurses
medics and support staff who'd been providing
medical care to Wermacht forces throughout the European theatre
the captures happened in various ways medical units overrun during rapid advances
hospitals in captured towns individual medics found
treating wounded in the field the captured German medical personnel
had been conditioned by years of Nazi propaganda to expect barbaric treatment from American forces
they'd been told Americans were culturally inferior
that democratic societies produced soldiers without honor
that capture meant torture humiliation and likely death
for medical personnel specifically propaganda had emphasized
that Americans would execute doctors who treated German soldiers
or use them for forced labor in degrading conditions
the reality they encountered contradicted every expectation
American military medical doctrine shaped by Geneva Convention provisions
and professional medical ethics treated captured medical personnel as colleagues
who happened to be on the wrong side rather than as enemies who deserved punishment
the approach wasn't just humanitarian it was practical as
American medical services were often overwhelmed by casualties
and could use skilled assistance regardless of its nationality
the professional recognition what shocked captured German medical personnel
most profoundly wasn't just humane treatment it was being treated as professional colleagues
rather than as defeated enemies or war criminals American medical officers addressed
German doctors by rank and title
consulted with them about patient care asked their professional opinions
and generally conducted themselves
as fellow medical professionals collaborating on shared problems
this professional respect was particularly meaningful
because it contradicted both Nazi propaganda about American barbarism and German
military culture that emphasized rigid
hierarchy and formal protocols American medical officers
relatively informal approach addressing even captured enemy
doctors with professional courtesy rather than military formality
created atmosphere of collegial cooperation rather than captor captive relationship
Doctor Wilhelm Hartmann a German surgeon captured
near Metz in November 1944 described his shock at
American professional treatment in testimony given years later
I expected to be interrogated about military matters
perhaps forced to work under guard in degrading conditions
instead the American chief surgeon invited me to observe an operation
a complex abdominal procedure on a German patient
he explained his technique asked my opinion on approach
and when I suggested alternative method based on my training in Berlin
he actually tried my suggestion and thanked me when it proved effective
he treated me as a colleague not an enemy I couldn't reconcile
this with everything I'd been taught
about American doctors being incompetent products of inferior medical education
the professional interactions often revealed that American and German medical personnel
had more in common with each other than with their respective military commands
they shared frustrations about inadequate supplies
concerns about patient outcomes gallows humor about impossible situations
and the psychological burden of trying to save lives
while their armies were ending them the shared professional culture
created immediate bond that transcended national enmity
the collaborative work as American medical facilities
became overwhelmed by casualties from intense fighting in late 1944 and early 1945
pragmatic necessity drove increased utilization of captured
German medical personnel the Germans had skills training
and experience that American forces desperately needed
using them made operational sense even beyond humanitarian considerations
the collaboration took various forms depending on facilities and circumstances
in some field hospitals captured German doctors worked
alongside American physicians treating both American and German wounded
in P O W camps German
medical personnel staffed infirmaries
caring for German prisoners under American medical supervision
in rear area facilities German medical specialists
provided expert consultations on complex cases
the working conditions improved rapidly as American medical officers
recognized the quality of German medical training and competence of captured personnel
initial suspicion and caution gave way to genuine professional collaboration
German doctors participated in surgical teams German nurses provided patient care
German medics assisted with everything from triage to evacuation
Major James Morrison a surgical officer who worked extensively
with captured German medical personnel documented the evolution initially
we treated them as prisoners who happened to have
medical skills we could exploit within weeks we were treating them as colleagues
the good ones and most were very good proved themselves through professional competence
they'd suggest techniques we hadn't considered they'd work 30 hour shifts without complaint
they'd provide patient care that met or exceeded our own standards
you couldn't maintain prisoner captor mentality when you were working side by side
saving lives the collaboration extended to medical education
and technique sharing American doctors had access to newer antibiotics
better surgical instruments and more abundant supplies
German doctors often had more extensive surgical experience
from years of war and different training approaches that complemented American methods
the exchange of knowledge and techniques benefited both sides
and ultimately improved patient care the ethical complexity
the use of captured German medical personnel created ethical complications
that troubled both American and German participants
The Geneva Convention provisions about medical neutrality
were clear in principle but ambiguous in application
when captured medical personnel were working in facilities
treating both American and German patients for German doctors and medics
providing care to American soldiers while their own countrymen were still fighting
created profound moral conflict they'd taken oaths to serve German military
but they'd also taken hippocratic oaths that obligated them to treat all patients
regardless of allegiance working under American supervision
to save American lives felt like collaboration or even treason to some while
others rationalized it as maintaining medical ethics
under impossible circumstances Dr Heinrich Mueller
a German physician captured in January 1945 described his internal conflict
I was caring for American soldiers whose wounds had been inflicted by German forces
perhaps by units I'd served with perhaps by men I'd trained
every American life I saved might mean more German deaths later
but I was a doctor the man on my operating table wasn't an enemy
he was a patient who needed my skills I had to separate my identity as German patriot
from my identity as physician or I couldn't function
the Americans somehow understood this conflict and didn't force me to resolve it
they just let me do the medical work for American medical officers
the ethical questions centered on how much autonomy
to give captured enemy medical personnel whether to allow them to
care for American patients and how to balance security concerns
against medical necessity most resolved the dilemma
by prioritizing patient care above security protocols
trusting that medical professionals would honor their ethical obligations
regardless of nationality the material superiority
captured German medical personnel were consistently shocked
by the abundance and quality of American medical supplies
compared to what they'd been working with in German service the contrast illustrated
broader economic
and industrial disparities between the combatants in ways that pure military
comparison couldn't capture the material differences were stark
and immediately obvious penicillin availability American forces had abundant supplies
German forces had virtually none plasma for transfusions
American medical units carried standard plasma supplies
German units often had none morphine Americans had sufficient quantities
for generous pain management Germans rationed strictly surgical instruments
American equipment was modern and plentiful German equipment often outdated or improvised
bandages and dressings American supplies were abundant
German forces often used paper bandages ambulances and evacuation
Americans had dedicated medical vehicles Germans increasingly
relied on whatever transport was available Doctor Friedrich Weber
captured with an entire German field hospital in March 1945 documented his astonishment at
American medical resources in one American field hospital
I saw more penicillin than entire German armies had available
they used it routinely for infections that we'd watched kill patients
because we had no effective treatment they had whole blood for transfusions
while we were still using plasma substitutes that barely worked
their surgical facilities had equipment I'd only seen in major Berlin
hospitals before the war the material abundance was staggering
they could afford to provide optimal care for every patient
while we'd been rationing and improvising for years
the material superiority extended beyond medical supplies to logistical organization
American medical evacuation systems moved wounded from front lines
to field hospitals to rear area facilities with efficiency
that German medical personnel found remarkable the systematic approach to medical logistics
treating it as industrial process rather than ad hoc emergency response
reflected broader American organizational competence
the psychological transformation for captured German medical personnel
the experience of working alongside American doctors
and receiving professional treatment initiated psychological transformation
that paralleled but differed from
the denazification experienced by combat prisoners
the transformation operated through professional identity
rather than political indoctrination the progression typically
followed recognizable stages initial terror and expectation of abuse
gave way to relief at humane treatment relief transformed into surprise
at professional respect surprise evolved into gratitude
for being allowed to continue medical work gratitude deepened into genuine
professional collaboration for many the collaboration
ultimately prompted questioning of Nazi ideology that had predicted barbaric American behavior
the transformation was particularly profound for younger German medical personnel
who'd been trained entirely under Nazi regime and had no adult memories of pre Nazi
medical culture they'd been taught
that Nazi ideology represented scientific advancement
and that democratic societies like America were decadent and inferior
working with American doctors who demonstrated superior resources
techniques and ethical standards challenged every Assumption
about Nazi superiority twenty four year old Doctor Klaus Richter
who'd graduated from medical school in 1943 and served as combat surgeon
until capture in February 1945 described his psychological journey
my entire medical education had been infused with Nazi ideology
theories about racial differences in medical treatment
claims about German medical superiority contempt for American and British medicine
as products of inferior cultures
within two weeks of capture I watched American surgeons
performing procedures I'd been taught were impossible
using drugs I'd been told didn't exist or didn't work
achieving survival rates we'd never approached every day working with them
destroyed another piece of what I'd been taught by the time I was repatriated
I understood that my education had been corrupted by ideology
and that real medicine had no nationality only competence and ethics
the closing memory on May 8th, 1965 20 years after the war's end
the American Medical Association hosted a reunion of military physicians
who'd served in the European theater among the attendees was Doctor Wilhelm Hartmann
the German surgeon who'd been captured near Metz in 1944
and worked alongside American doctors for the war's final months
Hartman was approached by Doctor David Steinberg who'd retired as full colonel after the war
and established successful surgical practice in Philadelphia
the two men hadn't seen each other since 1945 but recognized each other immediately
they embraced while other physicians watched in silence
you taught me more about surgery than any professor Steinberg said
that procedure you showed me for abdominal trauma I've used it hundreds of times
saved countless lives you gave me back my humanity
Hartman replied his English fluent after two decades of practice
I'd spent years in military service where everything was subordinated to ideology
and national interest you and your colleagues
treated me as doctor first enemy second or really not as enemy at all
you reminded me that medicine exists above politics
that our duty is to patients regardless of what flags their governments fly
that lesson shaped my entire postwar career the story of German medical POWs
being shocked when American
doctors treated them like colleagues was never about dramatic battlefield rescues
or heroic medical achievements it was about professional ethics
surviving the worst circumstances humanity could create
about individuals refusing to let war destroy
their fundamental identity as healers
and about finding common ground in shared calling that proved stronger than national hatred
the German doctors and medics who expected execution
and received professional respect who feared humiliation and found collaboration
who anticipated contempt and experienced collegiality
they carried those experiences throughout their lives and careers
they became bridges between former enemy nations living proof that even total war
couldn't destroy human capacity for professional cooperation
and mutual respect and it began with American medical officers
who saw captured German medical personnel not as defeated enemies to be
exploited or punished but as fellow professionals
who shared commitment to saving lives that transcended the temporary circumstance
of being on opposite sides of a war they proved that medicine's highest calling
alleviating suffering regardless of who suffers could survive even in the midst of
mechanized warfare's industrialized death
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