Interview with Ralph J. Devine, April 12, 1994

Partial Transcript: It's April the 12th, 1994. I'm in Springfield, Kentucky in, uh, city hall in the conference room with, um, um, Ralph Devine.

Segment Synopsis: Colonel Kelly introduces Ralph Devine and gives a description of his military service and activities during World War II.

Keywords: Armored division; Battle of the Bulge; Bombings; D-Day; Dachau concentration camp; Medical company; Normandy (France); Saint-Lo (France); Springfield (Ky.); Utah Beach

Subjects: Soldiers--Kentucky--Springfield; United States. Army; World War, 1939-1945; World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--France--Normandy; World War, 1939-1945--Veterans.

Partial Transcript: Okay Ralph, uh, let's go, uh, take you right at, uh--as you come up to Bathstone.

Segment Synopsis: Devine talks about his journey to Dachau, and his first impressions of the camp as they neared the gates. He talks about seeing train cars full of bodies, and talks about the crematory furnaces at the camp.

Keywords: Ashes; Boxcars; Capturing; Cattle cars; Cremation; Crematory; Dachau concentration camp; Deaths; Fences; French prisoners; Furnaces; German soldiers; Human bodies; Inspection; Killing; Polish prisoners; Raining; Roads; Smoke; Tanks; Train cars; Yards

Subjects: World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--Germany; World War, 1939-1945--Concentration camps; World War, 1939-1945--Concentration camps--Germany; World War, 1939-1945--Conscript labor--Germany; World War, 1939-1945--Prisoners and prisons

Partial Transcript: They was in constant contact all night, the armored was, to make sure they done it right.

Segment Synopsis: Devine talks more about his journey to Dachau. He talks about seeing tanks firing upon the gates of Dachau to break them down, and talks about the prisoners and guards he saw inside the camp.

Keywords: Ambulances; Autobahn; Columns; Company; Dachau concentration camp; Dust; Firing; French prisoners; Gates; German soldiers; Medics; Polish prisoners; Preparation; Shooting; Smells; Tanks; Towns

Subjects: World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--Germany; World War, 1939-1945--Concentration camps--Germany; World War, 1939-1945--Conscript labor--Germany; World War, 1939-1945--Prisoners and prisons

Partial Transcript: So, uh, how soon is it--who goes inside the, the camp?

Segment Synopsis: Devine describes French and Polish prisoners at the camp attacking German guards once the American soldiers arrived. He describes these killings in as much detail as he can recall.

Keywords: Ambulances; Beatings; Clubs; Cremation; Crematory; Dachau concentration camp; Death; French prisoners; Furnaces; Gates; German soldiers; Human bodies; Jewish prisoners; Killing; Laborers; Lieutenants; Medics; Murders; Polish prisoners; Preparation; Running; Starving; Tanks; Uniforms; Yelling

Subjects: World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--Germany; World War, 1939-1945--Concentration camps--Germany; World War, 1939-1945--Conscript labor--Germany; World War, 1939-1945--Jews--Rescue; World War, 1939-1945--Prisoners and prisons

Partial Transcript: Um, you're seeing murder. You know, it's kind of a different thing from--you've seen a lot of casualties and, and, um, disfigurations and horrors of war...

Segment Synopsis: Devine talks about his and other soldiers' feelings about the prisoners killing the German guards. He says that overall they felt it was justified.

Keywords: Dachau concentration camp; Death; Deserved; Effects; Emotions; Feelings; French prisoners; German soldiers; Justice; Killing; Murders; Polish prisoners; Reactions; Responses; Revenge; Running; Thoughts; Vengeance

Subjects: Concentration camps--Psychological aspects.; World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--Germany; World War, 1939-1945--Concentration camps--Germany; World War, 1939-1945--Conscript labor--Germany; World War, 1939-1945--Moral and ethical aspects; World War, 1939-1945--Prisoners and prisons

Partial Transcript: How many tanks are you seeing there?

Segment Synopsis: Devine talks more about the tanks breaking down the main gates of Dachau. He talks more about the French and Polish prisoners attacking the German guards, and says that some of the prisoners joined his company when they left the camp.

Keywords: Ambulances; Angles; Autobahn; Company; Cooking; Dachau concentration camp; Fear; Firing; French prisoners; Friendly; G.I.s; German soldiers; Internees; KP duty; Main gates; Main street; Officers; Polish prisoners; Scared; Tanks

Subjects: World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--Germany; World War, 1939-1945--Concentration camps--Germany; World War, 1939-1945--Conscript labor--Germany; World War, 1939-1945--Prisoners and prisons

Partial Transcript: Okay, uh, let's go back inside the camp. And talk about the internees.

Segment Synopsis: Devine talks about searching the crematory furnaces at Dachau and describes their operation.

Keywords: Buildings; Children; Chutes; Conveyor belts; Cremation; Crematory; Dachau concentration camp; Dead; Death; Feelings; Fires; French prisoners; Furnaces; German soldiers; Hot; Human bodies; Internees; Jewish prisoners; Naked; Polish prisoners; Reactions; Trailers

Subjects: World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--Germany; World War, 1939-1945--Concentration camps--Germany; World War, 1939-1945--Prisoners and prisons

Partial Transcript: Tell me, tell me if you can, your feelings here.

Segment Synopsis: Devine discusses how he felt and the nightmares he had after his experiences at Dachau.

Keywords: Angry; Dachau concentration camp; Death; Deserved; Dreams; Effects; Emotions; Feelings; Human bodies; Justice; Killing; Murders; Nightmares; Reactions; Responses; Retaliation; Revenge; Thoughts; Vengeance

Subjects: Concentration camps--Psychological aspects.; World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--Germany; World War, 1939-1945--Concentration camps--Germany; World War, 1939-1945--Moral and ethical aspects; World War, 1939-1945--Prisoners and prisons

Partial Transcript: You say that you went by and opened car doors--(coughs)--uh, railroad car doors.

Segment Synopsis: Devine talks about searching the railroad cars full of bodies for any possible survivors. He talks more about how he felt after his experiences at Dachau.

Keywords: Ambulances; Anger; Angry; Appetite; Boxcars; Cattle cars; Dachau concentration camp; Dead; Death; Deserved; Dreams; Effects; Emotions; Feelings; Gassing; Human bodies; Jewish prisoners; Jews; Justice; Killing; Leaving; Living; Murders; Nightmares; Rail lines; Railroad cars; Reactions; Responses; Retaliation; Revenge; Thoughts; Train cars; Vengeance

Subjects: Concentration camps--Psychological aspects.; World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--Germany; World War, 1939-1945--Concentration camps--Germany; World War, 1939-1945--Jews--Rescue; World War, 1939-1945--Moral and ethical aspects; World War, 1939-1945--Prisoners and prisons

Partial Transcript: Where'd you go to from there?

Segment Synopsis: Devine describes camping outside of Munich, and talks about the relations between the American soldiers and the German civilians. He says he had heard that several American soldiers were killed by German soldiers after going home with German women. He briefly talks about his family. The interview is concluded.

Keywords: Attitudes; Children; Death; G.I.s; German civilians; German soldiers; Grandchildren; Great grandchildren; Ill will; Killed; Killing; Lectures; Maturing; Murders; Restraint; Shooting; Streets; Towns; Wife; Women

Subjects: Munich (Germany); World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--Germany