Hans Marseille's grave

[Luftwaffle8]

I find it strange that no one has put online, the actual resting site of Capt Hans Marseille, the "Star of Afrika." Why is that? According to Find-A-Grave, he is buried in the German Military Cemetery in Tobruk, Sarcophagus 4133. No photo of the sarcophagus at all, and this guy was very famous!

Now the uncomfortable question: Has German and British war graves been vandalized there due to the anti-Infidel sentiments? I've seen photos of British headstones being smashed.

Back in the 70s when I was in college, I thought how fun it would be to visit Egypt and find the grave of Hans Marseilles. Have any of you done this?
Thank you.

[VtwinVince]

There is a famous photo from 1954 of 'Mutti' Marseille visiting the sarcophagus of her son. Of course he was originally buried in an elaborate ceremony in 1942 at Derna, presided over by Kesselring, before his remains were moved to Tobruk. There is also a memorial plaque at his family grave site in Berlin. I visited Egypt in 1984 on a German passport, and the pro-German sentiments amongst the local population were very evident. A taxi driver made no bones about his reverential feelings for Hitler. I don't think there is any issue of 'anti-infidel' sentiment, or whatever you want to call it.

[sidney]

Originally Posted by VtwinVince

I visited Egypt in 1984 on a German passport, and the pro-German sentiments amongst the local population were very evident. A taxi driver made no bones about his reverential feelings for Hitler. I don't think there is any issue of 'anti-infidel' sentiment, or whatever you want to call it.

Yes, I spent some time in the Middle East and they are really fond of Germans, which I find somewhat surprising.

They either do not know, or choose to conveniently ignore the fact that the birth of Israel as the Jewish state owes a lot to the German racial laws of 1930's, whereby between 1933 and 1939, about half of the German-Jewish population and more than two-thirds of Austrian Jews (1938-1939) fled Nazi persecution. They emigrated mainly to the United States, Palestine, elsewhere in Europe (where many would be later trapped by Nazi conquests during the war), Latin America, and Japanese-occupied Shanghai (which required no visas for entry).... The local Palestinian Arabs could only watch in despair the unchecked build up of the mainly young Jewish population, which gradually pushed them out of their land.

This was eventually sanctioned by the UN (i.e., birth of the state of Israel) in 1948, especially on the account of the atrocities committed in the period 1939 - 1945.

Thus, somewhat misplaced sympathies indeed.

[VtwinVince]

I agree about the irony surrounding the foundation of Israel. In trying to wipe out the Jews, Hitler only gave impetus for the founding of a powerful Jewish state.

[Luftwaffle8]

Originally Posted by VtwinVince

There is a famous photo from 1954 of 'Mutti' Marseille visiting the sarcophagus of her son. Of course he was originally buried in an elaborate ceremony in 1942 at Derna, presided over by Kesselring, before his remains were moved to Tobruk. There is also a memorial plaque at his family grave site in Berlin. I visited Egypt in 1984 on a German passport, and the pro-German sentiments amongst the local population were very evident. A taxi driver made no bones about his reverential feelings for Hitler. I don't think there is any issue of 'anti-infidel' sentiment, or whatever you want to call it.

I appreciate your response, but I am still confused. Are the remains of Hans Marseille now buried under the new pyramid monument? I checked online and could not find an old photo of his mother by his sarcophagus in 1954.
I have the large photo book on Marseille by Franz Kurowski...lots of photo, but very vague about his grave, no photos of the sarcophagus at all, no photo of his mother in 1954 by the sarcophagus...and other sources simply skirt the issue of exactly where his remains are. If his remains are buried under the new pyramid monument, there is no mention of it.

[egbert]

Originally Posted by Luftwaffle8

I appreciate your response, but I am still confused. Are the remains of Hans Marseille now buried under the new pyramid monument? I checked online and could not find an old photo of his mother by his sarcophagus in 1954.
I have the large photo book on Marseille by Franz Kurowski...lots of photo, but very vague about his grave, no photos of the sarcophagus at all, no photo of his mother in 1954 by the sarcophagus...and other sources simply skirt the issue of exactly where his remains are. If his remains are buried under the new pyramid monument, there is no mention of it.

Marseille is buried in the VdK war grave cemetery Tobruk, sarcophagus 4133.
The old and new pyramid is just a marker where he died.

[Johannes]

Hi Guys

I visited a similar cemetery in Tunisia. The sarcophagi are not really as such. Basically they are like the ashes boxes. You get a wall filed with little compartments maybe 60cm x 50cm x 50 cm. These I guess must have a box inside, and are covered by uniform plaques. I saw the super-aces Müncheberg and Tonne in Tunisia. Whole place was very well maintained. Guess it was just bones collected-up for each box. All the "graves" seem treated the same no matter how famous.

Regards

Johannes

[Luftwaffle8]

Originally Posted by Johannes

Hi Guys

I visited a similar cemetery in Tunisia. The sarcophagi are not really as such. Basically they are like the ashes boxes. You get a wall filed with little compartments maybe 60cm x 50cm x 50 cm. These I guess must have a box inside, and are covered by uniform plaques. I saw the super-aces Müncheberg and Tonne in Tunisia. Whole place was very well maintained. Guess it was just bones collected-up for each box. All the "graves" seem treated the same no matter how famous.

Regards

Johannes

Did you take photographs of Muncheberg and Tonne sarcophagus in Tunisia? Or is taking a photograph forbidden??? I am just curious that no one has taken a photograph of super ace Hans Marseille's sarcophagus. I surely would have. Thanks Johannes...you've given me some insight on this matter.

[ZOLTAN190D]

https://ww2gravestone.com/people/mar...oachim-jochen/

May this help a bit.If you scroll for zoom in the map ,you can see a medieval castle type structure ,I believe his grave is in this structure/building

[ZOLTAN190D]

His grave bears a one-word epitaph: Undefeated. It is understood that after the war, Hans-Joachim Marseille's remains were brought from Derna and reinterred in the memorial gardens at Tobruk; it was there that his mother visited his grave in 1954. His remains are now in a small clay coffin (sarcophagus) bearing the number 4133.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/F...,_Tobruk05.JPG

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/F...,_Tobruk03.JPG

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxvxw0q6Ejw