Thank you for sharing your story, well done. I too was born in Bamberg in 1951 in a building built in 1586. My father was an American stationed in Bamberg. He married my mother, a German citizen. My aunt lived near Mrs. Von Stauffenberg. To my surprise, to learned my aunt often had tea with Mrs. Von Stauffenberg. I couldn't help to ask my aunt if she could get an autograph which she did. I understand Mrs. Von Stauffenberg rarely sign autographs but made an exception. I feel I have a piece of history of a German officer with a great moral character.
Stauffenberg was not a hero, he was far more complex than that. He supported facets of Nazi ideology, was anti semtic, but he opposed the Holocaust. He was worried Germany would fall to the Soviet Union and wanted to keep Eastern Europe under German rule - those were the terms he was seeking from the Western Allies. Hero is the wrong word, used by people who don't understand this complex man or the German resistance movement.
I read about your story and was so very touched! I hope you don't feel guilt or any responsibility for your father's actions- you are your own person, and you are a testament that great people can come from any background. Your daughter is such an eloquent young lady, and I wish that even some Jews were as dedicated to the Jewish cause as you are. I am an agnostic of Russian Jewish background and say thank you for being who you are.
I was stationed there 1969 and 1970 a beautiful city founded in the fourth century AD. Pope Clement the second was buried there. I always wondered why it was never bombed. I saw a world war two documentary on 8th air force and bombing patterns and missions of that day the U.S. air flew over Bamberg it was very cloudy day and they(I believe it was devine intervention)decided not drop bombs I always thaught it was other reasons. Also Gene Petney wrote a song and movie about the town without petty. I loved the town when I was there and good memories of that city.
