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Former Nazi POW grateful to Scottish village

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A former Nazi soldier is leaving his life savings to a community in Scotland where he was held prisoner during World War Two. Eighty-five-year-old Heinrich Steinmeyer says he wants to thank the people of the village of Comrie, Scotland, for the kindness he was shown while a prisoner. Anchor Jeb Sharp finds out more from Comrie resident, George Carson.

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JEB SHARP:  A story of reconciliation today.  The story involves a former Nazi soldier named Heinrich Steinmeyer.  He’s eighty five years old now and he’s reaching out to a community in Scotland where he was held prisoner during World War II.  Steinmeyer says he wants to thank the village of Comrie in Scotland for the kindness he was shown during his time as a POW.  To show his appreciation, Steinmeyer is donating his life savings to the village.  Eighty year old George Carson lives in Comrie and is a World War II veteran himself.  He’s been in touch with Heinrich Steinmeyer for the past seven years.  Mr. Carson, it’s nice to speak with you, sir.

GEORGE CARSON:  Just call me George.

SHARP:  Alright, George.

CARSON:  Now how can I help you, my dear?

JEB SHARP:  How do you feel about Mr. Steinmeyer’s offer of reconciliation?

CARSON:  I feel it’s a wonderful example of how putting the past behind you and showing appreciation for the kindness he received.  When he came to Comrie as a prisoner of war, he was treated with kindness and that is him repaying that kindness.

SHARP:  Do you now consider this former enemy a friend?

CARSON:  Oh, he’s a very, very much, a close personal friend.  Very, very much so.

SHARP:  How did you get to know him?

CARSON:  My late wife, when she was a girl, felt sorry for one of the young German prisoners of war named Fritz.  Now I don’t know where Fritz is now but he was only seventeen.  He had been Hitler Youth then recruited into the Army and he was allowed out on certain occasions, out of the camp and he wanted to go to the cinema in Kries, seven miles away.  So they put him in a school uniform, took him in a bus to the cinema.  They bought him fish and chips, took him back home, back to Comrie and they put a camp uniform on again and got back into the camp and nobody knew anything about it.

SHARP:  George Carson says that story was typical of the way locals treated some of the POW’s in 1945.  But he says his late wife never met Heinrich Steinmeyer, another of the four thousand POW’s who spent time in Coltie Bragen Camp.  Seven years ago, Steinmeyer came forward with an unusual favor to ask.

CARSON:  And Heinrich Steinmeyer asked me if I knew anyone who could scatter his ashes when he died in the hills beyond the camp where he was taken prisoner because that’s where he wanted his ashes scattered.  Although I am eighty, I’m a keen hill walker and I said I would do it and I’ve agreed to scatter his ashes on the hill.

SHARP:  Now when you go out walking, do you pass the Coltie Bragen POW camp?

CARSON:  Oh, very, very often, yes.

SHARP:  What was the camp like back in the day?  I mean if they could sneak somebody out to the movies and back, it must have been a more …

CARSON:  Well, it must have been, at the time, I’m sorry my late wife’s not here, she could answer it, but Heinrich must have been allowed out for a few hours on a Saturday afternoon but he would not be allowed to go beyond the boundaries of the village you know, to purchase a few things like soap and things from the local shops.  And some of these prisoners of war, they had very little money and some of the people in the village used to give them, they’d give them a few you know, a few schillings to buy a little extra for themselves.

SHARP:  It sounds remarkably friendly.  Does everyone feel warmly towards the former prisoners the way you do?

CARSON:  Well, I highly consider it to be.  I know two condone personally old folks club, a club for the elderly.  I mean it was very well received by them, including the Payne, an ex-Scottish prison guard and he got very friendly towards Heinrich as well.

SHARP:  So you don’t find people who have more trouble forgiving?

CARSON:  No, absolutely not and I’ll give you an example.  Another prisoner of war, and he had a pub and the soldier from the Army come, used to come to his pub and he said, I’m a soldier and you’re a soldier, although we fought on opposite sides, we were still soldiers doing duty for our country and people are very, very understanding. It’s all in the past.

SHARP:  George Carson speaking to us from Comrie in Scotland.  Thanks again.

CARSON:  It’s been a pleasure speaking to you, right.

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