East German Army Bullying, Serving in a Brigade HQ and Military Exercises (346)

East German Army Bullying, Serving in a Brigade HQ and Military Exercises (346)

Warning: This episode does cover the subject of suicide. If you need help please use these links: UK https://www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan/ Rest of the World https://findahelpline.com/i/iasp Tilo shares his raw and powerful testimony of a young man conscripted into the East German military at the height of Cold War tensions. He recounts the daunting prospect of being drafted into the border guards, an assignment he was determined to avoid at all costs due to his moral opposition to the Berlin Wall and the potential to be forced into shooting unarmed escapers. Tilo vividly describes the intense medical and psychological scrutiny he faced from military officials and shares the ingenious way he ensured he wouldn't be placed in the border guards, a tactic that involved a bold statement of conscience in front of a military panel. The episode also delves into the harsh realities of East German military life, from the ritual humiliations of new recruits to the tragic story of a comrade's suicide attempt under the pressures of service. We explore the psychological toll of such an environment and the coping mechanisms soldiers use to survive. Tilo also describes working in an artillery brigade headquarters, an unusual tactic to prevent Allied Military Liaison Missions from identifying their vehicles and an attack by East German paratroops during an exercise. Episode extras here https://coldwarconversations.com/episode346/ The fight to preserve Cold War history continues and via a simple monthly donation, you will give me the ammunition to continue to preserve Cold War history. You’ll become part of our community, get ad-free episodes, and get a sought-after CWC coaster as a thank you and you’ll bask in the warm glow of knowing you are helping to preserve Cold War history. Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/ If a monthly contribution is not your cup of tea, We also welcome one-off donations via the same link. Find the ideal gift for the Cold War enthusiast in your life! Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/store/ Support the project! https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/ Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/ColdWarPod Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/coldwarpod/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/coldwarconversations/ Youtube https://youtube.com/@ColdWarConversations Love history? Join Intohistory https://intohistory.com/coldwarpod 00:00 Trigger Warning and Introduction 00:54 Tilo's Early Life and Draft Experience 02:43 Avoiding the Border Guards 10:27 Life in the Artillery Brigade 14:37 Harsh Realities and Hazing 18:14 Comrade's Suicide Attempt 35:03 Zyklus 89 Exercise and Conclusion Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episoder(448)

Eileen - A British student living in Cold War East Germany (32)

Eileen - A British student living in Cold War East Germany (32)

Today we speak with Eileen Ford-Price who was British student in the GDR in the 1980s in Rostock. Before we start I’d like to thank all our Patreon who donate monthly to support the podcast further an...

20 Okt 201840min

The Korean War in Britain (31)

The Korean War in Britain (31)

We speak with Doctor Grace Huxford, author of the Korean War in Britain – Citizenship, Selfhood and Forgetting.  The Korean War was known as the “forgotten war”, but it is key in understanding the ear...

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Leaving your family to go off to a nuclear war (30)

Leaving your family to go off to a nuclear war (30)

Dave Arnold was the Chief Observer at a Royal Observer Corps nuclear monitoring post. I made a fascinating visit with Dave to the Rushton Spencer Royal Observer Corps nuclear monitoring post in Staff...

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Cold War Living History Event - The Soviet Threat (29)

Cold War Living History Event - The Soviet Threat (29)

This episode takes place at a Living History event in and around the Hack Green Secret Nuclear Bunker museum in deepest Cheshire in the UK. I can heartily recommend visiting the Hack Green Bunker and ...

29 Sep 201854min

Cold War USAF pilot Buz Carpenter talks Vietnam recon, Skunkworks and more

Cold War USAF pilot Buz Carpenter talks Vietnam recon, Skunkworks and more

USAF pilot Buz Carpenter talks about about flying reconnaissance over Vietnam, the Skunkworks where secret USAF projects were developed, his time commanding Ramstein airbase at the end of the Cold War...

21 Sep 201845min

Flying the Cold War Blackbird SR71 Spyplane (27)

Flying the Cold War Blackbird SR71 Spyplane (27)

Today we are talking about the SR71 Blackbird spy plane. Only 32 Blackbirds were ever made, and they were in service from 1964-1998. The great defensive ability of the plane was its high speed and alt...

15 Sep 201854min

My father was the leader of the Soviet Union - Part 2 (26)

My father was the leader of the Soviet Union - Part 2 (26)

This is part 2 of my conversation with Professor Sergei Khrushchev the son of Nikita Khrushchev who led the Soviet Union 1953 to 1964. Before we start I would again like to thank all those who are sup...

7 Sep 201832min

My father was the leader of the Soviet Union - Part 1 (25)

My father was the leader of the Soviet Union - Part 1 (25)

In part 1 of this interview we talk about Professor Khrushchev’s early years, his relationship with his father, his father’s rise to power, the 1956 Hungarian Uprising as well the first international ...

2 Sep 201839min

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