Anyone who has ever been to war – or loved anyone who has come home from the war – knows that the “stories” they bring back aren’t mere tales to those who lived them firsthand.

Therefore, they’re usually nothing something you ask them to tell, as it’s asking them to relive a harrowing time.

OP’s great-grandfather was living in Denmark and fought on the side of the German Empire in WWI. He did not have a choice.

This is a story i was told by my grandfather (G) about when he and his brother were kids and spoke to their grandfather (GG) who was a WW1 vet. (my great-great grandfather).

It’s malicious to be sure, but it’s kind of messed up.

My grandfather and his family are from Sønderjylland, which is today the most southern bit of Denmark. But during WW1 it was the most northern part of the German Empire.

The people there identified as Danes and spoke Danish, but were Germans and therefore had to fight in the war on the German side.

He had PTSD and did not like to talk about it.

GG never wanted to talk about the war for obvious reasons and people also had to be mindful not to drop anything, as loud noises apparently set him off.

People in the family always respected this, except for my grandfathers brother who wanted to hear some “cool” war stories and kept pestering him for it.

Asking what he did and if he k—ed anyone and the like.

Keep in mind this is a bratty child around the age of 8. And PTSD wasn’t fully understood in this time. This is the late 40s we’re talking.

One of his young grandsons wouldn’t top pestering him.

GG kept saying no and the boy kept pestering. Eventually the boy started leaning back in his chair only to lean forward again so that it would make a loud bang against the floor.

And he did this several times while his grandfather visibly shook with each thump. While the rest of the family told him to stop.

But eventually GG shouted at him to stop and that he would tell him some war stories.

So, he told the (awful) tales.

Turns out my GG-grandfather and his regiment (Regiment 84) committed some pretty heinous war crimes in Belgium.

Apparently they were constantly told stories about German troops being k***ed in horrific ways in surprise attacks by Belgian civilians. And as a result they were told to k*** any who seemed suspicious.

He explained how they really feared even old ladies and children. So they shot them. They burnt down their homes.

He even told of coming across an old man walking down the road, and some of the other soldiers thought that he was going to report their position to French troops.

So they stripped him n***d and beat him to d***h.

Needless to say the boy never asked for stories again.

My Grandfather describes his grandfather as a kind man. Except of course if you tried to press him on the war.

And i think it really goes to show what war does to a person. That a seemingly kind person becomes capable of doing such things.

I’m guessing no one asked for stories again.

The top comment thinks they understand why.

Most people’s memories are not fond.

It can be hard to really grasp the horror.

And still we say it was worth it.

You’ve gotta to respect that.

This is awful.

That kid’s parents should have shut him up before it came to this.

Great-grandpa probably agreed.