Looking for map of WWII historical sites

Have you seen this Google Earth KMZ file: https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!topic/gec-history-illustrated-moderated/xMQpBgH5Cm4

Hi,

I get this information from books, travel brochures and pamphlets.

If you're focused only on Germany, there are tons of WW2 sites, all depends what you're after, ie, battlefield memorials, war cemeteries, battlefield museums, historic plaques commemorating an event, usually tragic to horrific, civilian cemeteries of victims of Anglo-American bombing, etc. and your desire to get to the places, such as Potsdam, Kleve, Remagen, Wesel am Rhein, Berlin, (obviously), Seelow, Neuhardenberg, Kiel, etc.

"...just one in Austria!" Which one? Location? I know of seven (off hand) but have seen 5. of them.

When we were touring WWII battle sites we had a wonderful map of France, maybe other countries too. I think it was from Michelin. We were following my father’s route across Europe in US Army.

"Have you seen this Google Earth KMZ file: https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!topic/gec-history-illustrated-moderated/xMQpBgH5Cm4"

I had not seen that before. That is what I am looking for and helpful, thanks. Still very limited content however - there has to be MUCH more...

I am not familiar with link Google Earth.., wouldn't know how to use it anyway.

On WW2 sites in France, Germany (are you including the camps, Dachau, Neuengammen, Buchenwald, Belsen, Flossenbürg, etc), and Austria, I kept a list of those I have tracked down, including those in the towns listed above, I have been to at least 30...not a handful

That doesn't include WW2 sites in Poland, the Czech Rep. or Hungary, such as the American Liberation Monument in Pilsen, etc.

How do define WW2 sites? Only military and war sites in Austria and Germany? Do you include Holocaust related sites, such as the villa in Berlin-Wannsee? Or, Nazi sites, such as Bad Tölz.

"How do define WW2 sites? Only military and war sites in Austria and Germany? Do you include Holocaust related sites, such as the villa in Berlin-Wannsee? Or, Nazi sites, such as Bad Tölz."

We are interested in most anything, everything. (Although probably not just a plaque along the road that says X happened here on this date) Anywhere we can get up close and personal to real, physical history.

I can't help you with the map, but in my experience, there is much less than maybe you imagine. Many battles left little evidence that was not cleaned up, rebuilt, or faded with time. Many structures were heavily bombed, then further torn down. You may have your best luck searching for sites and logging them yourself, or hooking up with someone who did the same. Even then, you may find a battle site, but other than seeing the terrain, there may be nothing of note there, even a plaque noting the battle.

The other thing to be aware of is the Germans did not have the same enthusiasm for commemorating and preserving much of WW2. You will likely find many more memorials and sites related to the Holocaust and hardships encountered by the population, even museums only have brief sections on the war, and I can't think of any major museum dedicated solely to the military aspects of the war like you see in the US or the UK. The museums and sites you do find will be as much dedicated to Peace or memorializing the dead.

That said, there are a couple Siegfried Line museums, the West Wall museum near Irrel and the Siegfried Line Museum at Pirmasens. A memorial and museum at Remagen; sites in and near Nuremburg; Berlin has a number of museums and sites that touch on the war; the Eagles nest, or what remains. The list can go on easily, but may require some research.

While we enjoy and persist in visiting sites of battles, they are often quite disappointing. It seems that locals do not want to leave the scene of devastation looking like devastation. They clean it up. It is interesting to see the site, but the changes of time obscure what happened during the war. Years ago, when we lived in Germany, my dad took us to see his foxhole from the WWII time. It was underwhelming to this 9 YO boy's eye. We did, at one point, find a German helmet, with a huge hole in the very top of the helmet. We still have that.

"...from the smallest most obscure, off the beaten path locations - even if there is hardly anything left...." I would totally reject the last part on "anything left." On the contrary, there are. One just has to know about them and get to them, which may prove to be taxing but the sites are there. If you have a good reading level of German, you'll spot them out.

I'll list a few cemeteries where there is a WW2 (or WW1 for that matter) section or primarily is on WW2. I suggest going to the following:

1. Kleve.... the Reichswald cemetery stemming from the horrific battle. It contains British soldiers as well as German, a big place. I was there once...in 1989

2. The Invalidenfriedhof ca 30-40 min walk from Berlin Hbf. Not only is it the oldest Prussian-German military cemetery but there is in the back against the wall explained in German section for civilian victims of Allied bombing of Berlin

3. Berlin-Karlshorst on Treschowallee, the actual building attached to some function to the Wehrmacht, undamaged in 1945, where the Soviets received the German surrender, the last of the 4 German surrenders signed in 1945. That building now is focused on the Russo-German War, goes through the Nazi-Soviet Pact, etc.

4. Seelow...Gedenkstätte Seelower Höhen and Museum. when the Russians unleashed the largest battle ever fought on German soil in the Battle of Berlin. There is a Soviet cemetery, displays of Russian tanks, likewise at Karlhorst.

5. the Goethe Cemetery in Potsdam....As you go through ti, there is one section aimed at catching your attention of the British bombing raid in March in 1945, numerous civilian victims, you'll see the names on the wall.

6. Wesel am Rhein...the public cemetery which has a WW2 soldiers' section. ...That one took a bit more time in accessing it.

7. British War Cemetery in Berlin on Heerstraße, easily accessible from the U-Bahn or bus, next to the Jewish cemetery. This site contains the RAF pilots/crew members shot down on bombing missions over Berlin.

8 Torgau an der Elbe...where the US and Soviets linked up in 1945.

Lots more if you're looking more suggestions, just depends on what you're after...more museums on WW2, etc.

Not a map, but you might find some interesting stops.
http://www.thirdreichruins.com/misc_sites6.htm

At the main cemetery in Frankfurt, they have the war graves for the soldiers of WWI and WWII and a memorial as well as the civilian graves, mass graves for the slave laborers, mass grave from 524 Polish men sent on a death march from the Adlerwerke in Frankfurt, and the site where they buried the cremations of those killed in the T-4 program and a collection of organs taken from these people and found in the University hospital sitting in jars on the shelves.

Another vote to check thirdreichruins.com. Very interesting photos of places then and now. Used it to note several places on a recent trip.

I don't have a map for you, but I do have a recommendation: the tiny town of Diekirch, Luxembourg, has one of the best WWII museums I've ever seen -- the National Military History Museum. Well worth a visit. There's also a George Patton museum in the nearby town of Ettelbruck. I think these qualify for your off-the-beaten-track places.

OK, thanks all.

Yes, thirdreichruins.com is a way cool site. Really like the "then and now" stuff.
"Diekirch, Luxembourg, has one of the best WWII museums I've ever seen -- the National Military History Museum." Hadn't come across that yet but we almost certainly hit it - looks very interesting. Might even go see his grave while we are in the area.

Hi,

There are a few real "life" ruins from the war and left that way too, almost Pompei-like, assuming you want to see them:

1. Küstrin an der Oder. The city and Old City were destroyed, flattened in 1945, since Küstrin was declared Festung Küstrin. I've been there, ruins which were not rebuilt. It is the east side of the Oder, ie, in Poland. You visit the museum, it's all in German and Polish, the curator didn't speak English Then you see the ruins, according to the map he gives you, see what used to a street corner, or the steps of a building....eery, and moving. The maps and photos prior to the war on display outside point out/show what the famous Altstadt looked like. This is a joint German-Polish undertaking, you'll read explanations to that effect. On the west side of the Oder is Küstrin-Kietz, which is obviously in Germany.

.. Another site of war ruins left as they were is in Berlin-Krampnitz, the site of the tank school (Panzerschule). I've not been out here since you need a car to access the place.

For both these places, the "then" stayed as "then" ..certainly not at a "then and now " situation.