| People's War | Do you have a WWII story to share? The BBC's People war project is gathering the stories of the British people during the war to preserve them for future generations. If you want to add your story or the story of a family member there are libraries and museums who will help you, or one of our story gatherers will contact you just call 0845 300 4475. Alternatively, you can log onto the website at www.bbc.co.uk/dna/ww2 and input your story directly. |
Constance's husband, Clifford, brought the cloth back to England from Berlin at the end of the Second World War, and he had always insisted that it belonged to Hitler himself. Although Clifford had spoken very little about his experiences in the army during wartime, it seems that he had acquired the cloth from a railway carriage in a siding in Berlin. Antiques expert Gary Don went along to look at the cloth for BBC Look North. He says: "Hitler had everything made and monogrammed wherever he went; cutlery, table linen - so there'd probably be a few hundred tablecloths... "Some of them are easy to identify as they have the golden eagle and the initials, but this one is quite an unusual one. There have been examples like this coming up on the market but this would have to be verified." Although there is a market for this kind of wartime memorabilia, Gary says: "It's not my market, it isn't something I'd like to auction, but when items like this do come up thousands of people come along just to have a look, out of curiosity." Constance is unsure whether or not she would sell the cloth if it is genuine, she says she feels "revulsion - for the man Hitler who made people suffer" but keeps the tablecloth to remind her of her husband who brought it back from the war. | 
