Skybird
10-26-22, 03:27 PM
Today, 34 years ago on October 26th 1988, the tragedy at Ramstein AB took place, killing over 70 and injuring and traumatizing for the rest of their lives over 1000.
This is a German movie from 2022, no docu, but a movie closely following the facts and focussing on the victims. The facts are presented factually, the individual fates are touching. Very.
You will probably have to use a VPN to access the ARD Mediathek from outside Germany. I found the movie moving, unagitated, and fair.
https://www.ardmediathek.de/video/ramstein-das-durchstossene-herz/ramstein-das-durchstossene-herz/das-erste/Y3JpZDovL2Rhc2Vyc3RlLmRlL3JhbXN0ZWluLWRhcy1kdXJjaH N0b3NzZW5lLWhlcnovOTQ3MDdjNGEtZDgyZi00NjFlLTk1MjUt OThhZDUwZjEyYTA2
Just 30 years later the government of the federal state begged the victims for pardon for the chaotic rescue that killed more people than would have necessarily die, and for the three decades of trying to silence the rememberance of the events.
The US never has formally apologized to the victims for the failure of the base commander, or accepted its responsibility, and has always prevented that commander to be interrogated by German researchers. They blamed the Germans for the non-observance of the safety distance, and the German politicians blamed it further on the Italians, in order not to strain the relationship with the USA. There is evidence that the American base commander knew that the figure "Pierced Heart" would be flown and that the safety distance would not be respected. On the day of the accident, the safety zone was only 450-530 meters. It should have been at least 900 meters and more, according to the regulations and in view of the speeds flown, according to the contractual provisions. Most of the victims were killed by flying debris, and many of the victims died in the 450-900 meter zone, which should have been a safety zone but was not cleared by the Americans. Many fire victims were hastily moved away by American base personnel, following a motto from the Vietnam war, and taken outof the "hot zone" - although this is exactly what you are not supposed to do with fire victims. This also increased the death toll, and the "hot zone" was no hot zone anymore anyway. One can forgive the personnel for not having known this, after all most of them were soldiers and tehcncians, not medics or doctors. The failure of the base commander one cannot forgive. He knew the program that the Italians would fly (different to initial claims), and he did not care to safeguard that the security distance would be kept. As commander of the airbase, he is to be held acountable for security.
Until today, all flight shows with military aerobatic teams are banned in Germany. And that is good so.
This is a German movie from 2022, no docu, but a movie closely following the facts and focussing on the victims. The facts are presented factually, the individual fates are touching. Very.
You will probably have to use a VPN to access the ARD Mediathek from outside Germany. I found the movie moving, unagitated, and fair.
https://www.ardmediathek.de/video/ramstein-das-durchstossene-herz/ramstein-das-durchstossene-herz/das-erste/Y3JpZDovL2Rhc2Vyc3RlLmRlL3JhbXN0ZWluLWRhcy1kdXJjaH N0b3NzZW5lLWhlcnovOTQ3MDdjNGEtZDgyZi00NjFlLTk1MjUt OThhZDUwZjEyYTA2
Just 30 years later the government of the federal state begged the victims for pardon for the chaotic rescue that killed more people than would have necessarily die, and for the three decades of trying to silence the rememberance of the events.
The US never has formally apologized to the victims for the failure of the base commander, or accepted its responsibility, and has always prevented that commander to be interrogated by German researchers. They blamed the Germans for the non-observance of the safety distance, and the German politicians blamed it further on the Italians, in order not to strain the relationship with the USA. There is evidence that the American base commander knew that the figure "Pierced Heart" would be flown and that the safety distance would not be respected. On the day of the accident, the safety zone was only 450-530 meters. It should have been at least 900 meters and more, according to the regulations and in view of the speeds flown, according to the contractual provisions. Most of the victims were killed by flying debris, and many of the victims died in the 450-900 meter zone, which should have been a safety zone but was not cleared by the Americans. Many fire victims were hastily moved away by American base personnel, following a motto from the Vietnam war, and taken outof the "hot zone" - although this is exactly what you are not supposed to do with fire victims. This also increased the death toll, and the "hot zone" was no hot zone anymore anyway. One can forgive the personnel for not having known this, after all most of them were soldiers and tehcncians, not medics or doctors. The failure of the base commander one cannot forgive. He knew the program that the Italians would fly (different to initial claims), and he did not care to safeguard that the security distance would be kept. As commander of the airbase, he is to be held acountable for security.
Until today, all flight shows with military aerobatic teams are banned in Germany. And that is good so.