[Adriano Baumgartner]

I am only a small fish on a big Ocean, but I would like to express freely my thoughts down here:
1- Regarding on the pure Historical point of view, this list could be a point of start to many young and new writers or researchers that still want to research one aspect or another that was not writen yet. So, this could be a great idea, even exposing those "old eagles" to more and more letters asking for information and photos. BUT, the veterans had their right to disregard the letters, burn them or answer them IF they feel the person is honest and want to do something positive about their information.
2- Unfortunately for us, there are people who DIG photographs and other documents to SELL them on the Internet. Those people are "criminals" not only towards the veterans, but towards most of us, who just want to obtain first hand information. They are "killing" History in my way of perception...
3- As far as I do know, NO veterans ever received a small parcel or percentage of the revenues, regarding their own contribution with historians and Military Publishers...so this could be a point of start towards a kind of retribution in regard of their memories, or families ( who often donate or loan documents and photos ). I have heard from a dozen of English pilots that they loaned particular photos to famous UK writers and never received them back!! I am still young, but I do not know what is happening to those standards of Integrity, generosity and kindness I learned when young...people only wants to make money, use the veterans archives to publish, etc....I wrote only one book so far, and as soon as I got it published, a small percentage of the revenues will go to UNICEF, because it is my way of seeing things...to ensure that what those veterans passed will not happen again. Some 30 seconds later, I saw a thread here from a famous writer saying that he has in his possession a part of a former RAF bomber. He didn´t annouce it to sell, neither intend to sell as far as I see, because there is something to honour on this part of History...perhaps he will give it to the families, or to an Aviation Museum...This is the way I see things...the character of the people who deals with those veterans´history is what of counts here...
4- I wish more writers ( and I mean those famous writers that has dozens and dozens of books published ) could create a kind of FUND for Historical research, or support any kind of Veterans Fund...I would be very happy to participate...A former Luftwaffe night-fighter ace that lives in Brazil once told they did not receive support to their meetings on Germany...They fought and are now discarded like trash...Sad to here those things...
I appologize IF any comments here are harsh, but this is the way I feel things. I do not want to create another caos or exchanging of harsh words, but this list can lead to 2 ways: a bad one and a good one...
Sincere and friendly yours
Adriano Baumgartner