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Re: Why the petty sarcasm?

Posted by Gregory on Fri Sep 06, 2002 07:56:10 AM

In reply top Why the petty sarcasm? posted by Tony on Thu Sep 05, 2002 07:14:54 PM

Your message appears in reply to mine, but is addressed to Andy, so I am uncertain whether I am accused of "petty sarcasm" or not. I case I am, I thought that anyone who read the word "joke" would understand that the first part of the posting was made tongue in cheek. I hope I wasn't wrong.

The second part was more serious. I don't think that Germany and Poland are in a position to question each other's record on human rights. Despite the current glorification of the Nazi war machine, the atrocities perpetrated on Polish soil are a matter of historical record - I believe that Halibags are dear to the Polish soul because of their role in supplying Warsaw during the 1944 revolt. And we shall not mention a number of very emotional Polish place names. The scale of what happende there in 1939-45 certainly outweighs anything which happened after 1945.

Similarly, unquestioning acceptance of German claims to the Krakow collections (which, BTW, was NOT what Andy Saunders was discussing) might make an interesting precedent for the repatriation of a certain CR.42 and Black 6 from Hendon, a certain Macchi C.200 from Washington, even a certain LVG from Shuttleworth perhaps? Obviously I would not be against a certain G.50 retracing its steps from Zagreb to Turin, but if the price were the return of the only WW1 Austro-Hungarian flying boat to Austria, well, then the price is too step.

To sum it up.
If I read Andy correctly, he's complaining about German claims to unrecovered wrecks - very much in the US Navy style so often lamented on this board. I think he has a point.
Tony is supporting the efforts of a certain Prof. Dr. Dr. to retrieve the prewar collection of the DLS, by means of trade, barter, sale or whatever. Which sits fine with me, as long as it is clear that (a) it is a bilateral, negotiated solution, (b) it does not impinge on my efforts to recover certain airframes in Italy, Russia or North Africa and (c) it is unrelated to Andy's complaint.

I welcome criticism of my opinions, but I also appreciate careful reading of my words before lashing out. In any case, I apologise for boring you with the law of unexpected outcomes.

Gregory


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