I just read Tom Wittman's account of his trip to Rodenberg.

He donated back to the city a shooting prize necklace that was 'liberated' (I translate that as stolen) after the war.

An altruistic act by a man whose stature, in my mind at least, has always been high, but is now astronomical.

Accompanied on his trip by our forum's very own Bill (Willi) Warda, it tells an amazing tale.

Read it and tell me that you are not impressed, I dare you.

Here is the link;

http://www.wwiidaggers.com/banter.htm

John

Looks like they had a wonderful time,I look forward to hearing a lot more at the Max Show.

Gary

Wow now that�s something!

Knowing T Wittmann I can't say I'm surprised by his very generous effort.
However; This may be a good opportunity to discuss target shooting or "Schuetzfest's" as they are called in Germany.*
It's difficult for many to comprehend just how popular organized target shooting was in the non politically correct times primarily up to WW II. A recent acquisition of mine that I pictured elsewhere is this very elegant Schuetzen rifle that was made in Germany in 1925. This was an out-of-the-woodwork acquisition earlier this year. I plan on shooting it as soon as I can locate some 8x46 reloading dies. The blue box contains an extra sight plus a magnifier.
*Many Schuetzfests were held here by German immigrants as well.
Jim

That was a very nice thing you did Tom, my hats off to you sir.

Regards Sepp

GDC 0292 Gold

Tom, What a wonderful contribution you did. And to think, how many times I thought about purchasing this chain. Again, wonderful thing you did and we all should be so giving to others. James

Really impressive

My two cents : It is very nice to see history .The story was just something that we never hear about in my many trips over to germany i often wonder what happened to all there culture and history and now we know they were defeated and robbed of everything they had.My famaily was from holland first the nazis came and used everything than the allis came and used the rest .But i guess if they did'nt we would not have anything to collect.So my question to the collectors out there if you had a named dagger and the famaily of the owner asked to get it back would you return it? I would and I take the hit on the amount I had in it. Just to see someone happy to have it back. My two cents good job tom

I just finished reading the article and must say I am moved by all of this! My few dealings with Tom have been outstanding and more than positive. This was truly an act of outermost generosity. A prime example of �Doing the right thing!�
Vielen Dank! JME

Reichstall, the simple answer is not many.

Mr.Whittman can afford to be altruistic as he has made his fortune from items such as this ( in spades ) for decades.

DOUG
DID YOU EVER THINK TOM DID THIS JUST BEING A NICE GUY. IT'S NOT ALWAYS ABOUT MONEY ALL THE TIME. YES TOM HAS MADE MONEY AND MOST OF US HAVE IN THIS HOBBY.

WE MIGHT NOT HAVE AS MUCH MONEY AS TOM BUT HE'S BEEN DOING THIS FOR 30 YEARS. IF IT WAS NOT FOR ALL THE BOOKS HE WROTE. YOU AND MOST OF US WOULD NOT BE IN THIS HOBBY OR MAKING MONEY DOING IT.

YOU GO TO THE SHOWS AND YOU SEE TOM THERE HE SPENDS MOST OF HIS TIME HELPING GUYS LIKE YOU AND ME. HE GIVES ALL THE INFO YOU NEED FREE OF CHARGE AND 90% OF THE TIME IT'S NOT HIS STUFF HE'S HELPING GUY'S WITH.

SO IN SHORT GET OFF TOMS A** I MAY NOT HAVE HAD THE MONEY TO TAKE IT BACK TO THEM LIKE TOM DID BUT I WOULD HAVE MAILED IT TO THEM.

money it is not about money,It was about doing the right thing no matter if it was tom or i or you .I wish all my stuff could go back to the orignal owners famaily if they so desired it .But alas most want nothing to do with any of it.By the way a good agrument for not buying any named item i never have to give it back and eat my own words.

Bob, I don't recall being on the man's ass at all.

I simply stated (if you look back up the thread) that the man can afford to be altruistic. Another collector of lesser means might not feel so inclined to give up such a high ticket item for nothing.

I really don't care one way or another.It's his item, he can do what he pleases with it.

Well Said Doug

Sepp

GDC 0292 Gold

I have to agree . . . this description certainly fits my experience with Tom. I bought one of his dagger books many years ago, and to this day, this is still the only transaction we have ever conducted together. At every show I attend where Tom is present, I am still greeted by him as if I were his number-one customer. Knowing that my pocketbook is incessantly empty, Tom has never turned away his attention, and has been nothing short of a true gentleman to me in all respects of the word.

I have met many a wealthy person in my past, and Tom may have acquired quite a large sum of money over the years - but in my experience, he is one of the few people in this world that will not go out of his way to make sure you are made aware of his sizeable bank account . . . or to belittle you in any way for not having one.

what a great story and deed does much to elevate our hobby and those who collect

Seems as though this Rodenberg chain fell into the right hands (Tom Wittmann) anywhere else it would of ended up on a junk heap/srcapmetal/ or as costume jewelry for a theatre cast and being tossed about. I myself would never of given it a thought if I saw it.
Tom Wittmann restored Honor to a small community, that took pride in their Germanic Heritage. Any other assumption would be baseless rhetoric!! The Nazis were notorious art thieves and had no intentions of returning what did not belong to them. Most of the art was returned after the war by the occupying forces,, but not all.
War trophys and historical art forms are at opposite ends of the spectrum,, some stuff can not be kept. War trophys IMO are up to the current owners discretion,, and art can not be deemed as such!
If it happened to me,, I would want it returned also. Must have been a horrible site watching A small towns heritage driving away on the end of a tank barrel,, let alone what the SS did when separating children from their parents.
I have never known Tom to be selfish in any way,,but just the opposite,,, inside and outside of the hobby. I am proud to know him. Larry C

Tom told me that they related to him that the chain had been "liberated" near the end of the war when the allies moved through and were searching for hidden weapons. The last time it was seen was swinging back and forth on the barrel of a Sherman tank as it left town.

Dave

Hat's off to Tom. Sometimes the focus on dealers seems negative, nice to see some good words shared about him. Truly deserving.

When your a collector, as Tom Witmann is, your also a historian in events that happened in the period of the objects one collects. And as we know most everyone in that terrible conflict of WW2 had nothing to do with starting it. There were a lot of wrongs done on all sides. Tom saw what was clearly a wrong and with compassion in his heart he did what many would not do - he gave back the stolen item. The item he paid for. Only to return it to the rightful owners for NO CHARGE after they agreed to purchase it. What he recieved in return was worth a whole lot more than any monerary value that chain could have possible received. It was the gesture. One of healing a wound of the town of Rodenberg.
I do have to disagree with Tom on one point: That's when he says 'Anybody would do the same thing thing'. Well I don't think so. I know, as others do on this forum, that there are other well healed dealers/collectors in this hobby....that have been there for decades...I don't see anyone else doing it.
But there is the one who is 1st and shows the way to the rest. Just Great. What a wonderful experience.

Besides...I bet Wittmann Militaria now has a few extra pickers in the Hanover area! Ha!

Well Done Tom. Congratulations!

-Serge-

I found this article neat, it shows that money is not always the most important thing in life. Sadly many people are blinded by greed. Tom is a gentlemen and scholar, plain and simple. We should always remember the golden rule and; how this little nugget of knowledge doesn't refer to "Gold"

Hats off to Tom!

Impressive story.

I must say though, I do like the part about the chain embellishing the barrel of the M4 on it's way out of town...pretty funny. I can picture the scene in my head....the GI storming out of the house saying "We'll be taking this with us...you lousy krouts!"

Didnt he do the samething with a luftwaffe goblet. The german pilot that lost it heard that tom had it. Tom made arrangements for the pilot to get it back since he didnt have the funds to pay for it.