Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/11/24

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Nazi Leicas
From: "Jeffrey Frankel" <jfrankel@worldnet.att.net>
Date: Wed, 24 Nov 1999 10:40:14 -0500

I had an unusual incident at work a few months ago.

I was discussing my LTM camera in the maintenance department of my plant
when an electrical contractor came in a listened in.  An elderly Polish man,
he smiled and asked if I would like to see his screw mount.  I said sure.

About two weeks later he returned with a fairly beat up IIIA (?I think) with
an uncoated 50 elmar.

He went on to tell me the following story (paraphrased):

He had just taken an SS officer as prisoner and found the camera on his
posession.  When the prisoner swore at him in German (Not realizing that he
spoke German), he took him out back, told him he would not need the camera
any more, and shot him in the head.

I just stared at the camera in my hands, as a wave of revulsion came over
me.  The quiet calm of that well used piece of German photographic
perfection was shattered by the reality of the story.

I handed the camera back to him and washed my hands as soon as I was out of
the room.

Boy, It's good to get that off my chest.  Saved me a visit to the therapist.

Jeff