Fallen WWI Soldier's bedroom remains untouched for 96 years.

[devildog34]

You all may have seen this story but thought it was quite fascinating.

Semper Fi

Kevin

 

http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/dead-soldiers-bedroom-remains-untouched-for-96-years/story-fnixwvgh-1227092082585

 

[David D]

Wow!

[501stGeronimo]

Wow, that is sad what happened to the young man. But it is great that the owners have kept up the tradition.

[tarbridge]

That was a interesting read...Thanks.

[trenchbuff]

That is amazing!

[mes]

Wow Incredibe testment to the lost genration,

[cutiger83]

Sorry but I guess I am the only one who finds this very strange. I can understand the family keeping it that way but the house was sold in the 1930's. A little creepy to me to keep these rotting uniforms of someone that you don't know in a room in your house.

 

....Kat

[501stGeronimo]

Same could be said about what we do. We might know the name of the person. But in reality, it is just a uniform in our closet to someone we, don't know.

[Garandomatic]

While some more attempts at preservation might be ideal, it's essentially no different than me making sure the mud packed in the vent hole of a WWI helmet remains there, because apparently those Stahlhelms whistled when the wind blew, and the owner probably did that to it before an American brought it home. My local KIA B-25 co-pilot's movie stubs are still in the pockets of his wool overcoat from when he was in the states during training.

 

I'd sure the heck honor that promise.

 

Want to talk about strange, I guess, my dad's business partner bought a Victorian or pre-Victorian house that was abandoned in 1974 or so. Widow up and left. We're talking half-eaten boxes of chocolate, the old lady's undies still in the dressers, etc. The water damage was horrible, literally the whole house was gutted after the belongings were removed, some sold, some trashed, new floors, tons of structural work to make it solid once more.

 

Here's one more. Saw this on gunboards.com. Fella (maybe a member here??) had a pretty amazing collection, and in it was the Stahlhelm that a WWI German was killed in. Shrapnel entered the back of it as he took cover in his trench, passed through his head, and lodged in the front brow of the helmet. Obvious discoloration from prolific bleeding, had the man's name written in it, and with the helmet was photographic documentation. It sat atop his grave marker during the war, and his father, an older reservist that drove truck or something, stopped by his son's grave and took the helmet home. It stayed with the family for decades. I can't imagine my dad (or myself) doing the same thing, not by a long shot.

[Torch03]

Great read, thanks for sharing it with us.

 

Matt

[cutiger83]

Same could be said about what we do. We might know the name of the person. But in reality, it is just a uniform in our closet to someone we, don't know.

 

Sorry but this is not the same. Did you see the 100 yr old wallpaper falling off the wall? Did you see the uniform getting eaten by moths? How much damage is being done to the house because the room is not being properly cared for? How is it preserving anything by letting moths overtake your house? This is different than someone preserving a uniform or a medal. This is an entire room of the house being abandoned.

 

Would you honestly let an entire room in your house disintegrate and fall down because of ONE person that you do not know?

 

...Kat

[ssggates]

This is great! Very interesting and a nice tribute. I'd love to see it in person. Thanks for sharing!

[501stGeronimo]

 

Sorry but this is not the same. Did you see the 100 yr old wallpaper falling off the wall? Did you see the uniform getting eaten by moths? How much damage is being done to the house because the room is not being properly cared for? How is it preserving anything by letting moths overtake your house? This is different than someone preserving a uniform or a medal. This is an entire room of the house being abandoned.

 

Would you honestly let an entire room in your house disintegrate and fall down because of ONE person that you do not know?

 

...Kat

May not know them, but it keeping the tradition and honor of the young man alive. Plain and simple. Respect.

[Garandomatic]

The way I see it, your opinion is as good as mine. But what do I know.

[cutiger83]

May not know them, but it keeping the tradition and honor of the young man alive. Plain and simple. Respect.

 

We will have to agree to disagree.

 

To me, allowing your home to disintegrate by keeping a room the way it was 100 years ago is not respecting this soldier. There are many ways to show respect without having to let your own home fall apart. How is it respect to have the room falling apart around you? Besides allowing a room in your house to fall down are there health issues with leaving this room the way it is? You could easily take a few items and set up a display in a case without having to let this happen to your home.

 

How many of you saying this is great would honestly DO this to your home?

 

...Kat

[Garandomatic]

Where did it say that the whole house was falling in? They obviously have cleaned it a time or two over 100 years. So the wallpaper is peeling. I don't like seeing the uniform go to shreds, but if those people feel that it is necessary, I don't see what is wrong with what they do to their house, and I don't see what is wrong with some of us for thinking that the notion of it is pretty neat.

[ssggates]

 

We will have to agree to disagree.

 

To me, allowing your home to disintegrate by keeping a room the way it was 100 years ago is not respecting this soldier. There are many ways to show respect without having to let your own home fall apart. How is it respect to have the room falling apart around you? Besides allowing a room in your house to fall down are there health issues with leaving this room the way it is? You could easily take a few items and set up a display in a case without having to let this happen to your home.

 

How many of you saying this is great would honestly DO this to your home?

 

...Kat

 

Does it really matter? It is what it is. Take it at face value. It's an interesting and unique article and a tribute to this soldier. They weighed the pros and cons no doubt and made their decision.

 

[501stGeronimo]

Please, other than wallpaper, show me where the actual damage is? Is the house suddenly falling apart around them? Cmon...

[FreeRange]

Thanks for the link! Very touching story.

 

I suppose - if it were my house - I would respect the room, left as it was...but still maintain it. Most things needs to be maintained. And that might include, at some point, replacing the wallpaper with a new version of the same pattern.

 

If this is what it looks like in 100 years...what will it look like in 500 years? I'll assume the parents envisioned a museum-themed room over time...not a pile of decay.

[cutiger83]

I knew when I posted my first response that I was in the minority.

 

Everyone keeps saying this is about respect. I respect the history and sacrifice as well but how far do we have to go to show respect? Do we have to turn an entire room in our house into a shrine to one soldier? Exactly how is having a room in this shape showing respect? Could the items not be preserved in a way that won’t cause so much damage to both the items and our house? If this soldier came back, what would he say about this room? I am not saying to just toss the items in the trash. I am saying that these items can be preserved in a better atmosphere than a room in this condition.

 

 

[FreeRange]

I think you could show respect 'rehousing' it in another way too...but this is unique in that we get a 'real' glimpse into the (very short) life of a young man who died too early...I think it's fascinating.

 

Is it a shrine to 'just' one soldier...yes. But it is also a legacy of how a whole lot of soldiers lived at the time. Two separate, but related, events.

 

And if the soldier came back? No way of knowing how he would react...but I'd guess at first he'd be horrified...and then when he got over that...I think he would be very touched by the sentiment...

 

...and then maybe he'd want his stuff back, lol.

[501stGeronimo]

Here are the photos

[501stGeronimo]

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[501stGeronimo]

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[501stGeronimo]

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