Bug out bag ETO 1939

[nobodyspecial]

I had a friend at work who was ethnically Turkish, but grew up in the Crimean Peninsula of the Ukraine. He had exactly this challenge in January of 1945. He was in what became the Eastern zone of Germany. He was only 17 at the time, and was with an older gentleman who had worked in the same factory. They had one thought in mind, and that was to go west. They made it. An amazing story.

That is an amazing story. I think the notion of escape and evade would be rather hard to do. At various times you will need a great deal of luck.

 

[dhermann1]

He had a LOT of luck. He has a big scar on his neck from a Messerschmitt bullet that grazed his neck once. He was in Dresden when it was bombed. He ran to the river, avoided the death trap flimsy shelters, and survived unscathed. He had a LOT of luck.

 

[Colonel]

This thread pretty well describes my "weekend bag" that I keep stocked and sitting in the closet at all times. Not shown - because it is on me at all times - is a .357 mag. revolver and some spare ammo and a pocket knife. This kit has a few modern items like a battery-powered cell phone charger, but plenty of old-style things like a brass Marble's compass. I'll have to put it on the scale and see what it weighs.

... and part of my inspiration for having this in the first place - this photo is of a relative of mine. It was taken in a Russian concentration camp for Latvians. The photo was obviously taken soon after they arrived and before they knew what might happen next. They were never heard from again.

 

[vitanola]

The father of an old friend of mine was a refugee in '34. He made his way east from Tuebigen to Shanghai with a large quantity of high-quality unset diamonds sewn into the linings of his clothes. He met a nice Galitzianer girl in Shanghai, who had been brought there by her parents in the 'twenties (they had been living in Hungary and had had questionable associates), married her, and conceived a child, who was born in China. The family moved to NY after the War.

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

Once you have your rucksack packed, the harder part is trying to figure out where to run. Chances are most other countries do not want you. Perhaps with enough money you can convince border guards you are a tourist on holiday treking in the Swiss alps. Where else to run and how and why would you be able to cross borders?

Besides the usual survival gear, a pair of wire cutters to snip the barbed wire on the Swiss border so as to sneak across at night.

 

[Mike K.]

Let's keep the thread on track everybody.
Political and religious rants do not have their place in The Fedora Lounge.
Thank you kindly.

 

[Oldpagan]

I would grab a canvas rucksack in a neutral tan color; inside I would have an extra pair of wool pants and a long sleeve shirt, 2 pair of socks. A compass, map, 2 quart metal pot, fork / spoon set, canteens (one in the pack and one on the outside), flint and steel kit, sheath knife, extra ammo, small fishing kit, first aid kit, roll of cord, money and any jewelry I had. I would roll a jacket up in a wool blanket and wrap that around the top and sides of the ruck.

On my person, hat, long sleeve shirt, wool pants, hiking boots, belt, leather vest, jack knife, money, pipe with tobacco, sheath knife, handgun (in whatever caliber I had), and a 5’ long walking staff.

 

[nobodyspecial]

The father of an old friend of mine was a refugee in '34. He made his way east from Tuebigen to Shanghai with a large quantity of high-quality unset diamonds sewn into the linings of his clothes. He met a nice Galitzianer girl in Shanghai, who had been brought there by her parents in the 'twenties (they had been living in Hungary and had had questionable associates), married her, and conceived a child, who was born in China. The family moved to NY after the War.

That brings up an interesting point. What is the modern equivalent of diamonds as far as someting small, easily concealed and worth a lot of money? In today's world if someone handed me a diamond as a bribe I would assume it's a fake.

Would bugging out be easier or harder today than in the 30's?

 

[Diamondback]

For the record, my deleted post was neither political nor religious--it's family tradition going back to the Alamo... best articulated in recent memory by one Capt. Mal Reynolds.

Today, much more difficult--it was far easier to build a "cover identity" to assume back then.

 

[1961MJS]

Would bugging out be easier or harder today than in the 30's?

Hi, that's an interesting question. I had been reading but kind of ignoring this thread until this came up.

1. More communications today. Your citizenship (or lack) COULD be looked up by computer quickly at the border.

2. Political correctness makes actually looking up your citizenship by the border guards of SOME (both American (Obviously) and EU Countries) a forbidden concept.

3. Most valuable items can (and are) faked easily, money, diamonds, and even gold. Gold is checked by weight, but I don't know how much it's supposed to weigh so how would I know what you gave me??

4. It seems to me that having cached several identities (Jason Bourne) in different countries would be a good idea.

That's my take so far.

Later

 

[dr greg]

Would bugging out be easier or harder today than in the 30's?

Best ask an Afghan/Iraqi/Iranian refugee, they are the ones on the move across borders at night these days.

 

[MPicciotto]

The UN Refugee status does provide an internationally recognized and operated system for "officially" bugging out. But it's certainly not easy, nor does it happen very quickly.

As for a "bug out" bag for ETO 1939 it's hard for me to say. As I am now, an American, my passport would be all I would need. Or a Passport and a press pass basically causing Germany to WANT me to leave any area they were moving into. On the other hand, and this I'm assuming was the original question, were I a national of say France, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Belgium etc. Then I'm not really sure what I'd pack. A lot of what was stated here I think.

Matt

 

[Highlander]

Great thread, and something I have (and keep) thinking on.

I too have two bags one at my work, and one at my home (and I usually throw my bag from home in when I travel). Earthquake, Tornado, many things happen that would make it nice to have a few days of food and water, not to mention clean socks, a shirt, a rain jacket (or winter coat depending on the time of year). I have a small first aid kit (with the wonderful Hemostats that are useful in everyway). Clean underwear (for a day or so, with luck all will be better by then). But I too keep my Beretta Model 92 at hand at work with four 15 round magazines, at home, I have both my model 1911 and a Smith .357 depending on which Shoulder Holster I grab. I have a 12 guage with a bandolere of 4Buck also(If I was really running I'd leave it). (I don't honestly envision a riot here, but you never know). Two or three assisted opening knives (one an Emerson Karambit).

Lots of Great ideas here. I should have thought of water purification tablets earlier and hadn't.

 

[MPicciotto]

I do keep a ready bag for my volunteer position with The Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services in my pickup. In it I have a weeks worth of clothing and uniforms, my boots, a knife and a bit of snack food.

A friend of mine used to be part of a SAR team and he had a 24-hour pack kept loaded in his Jeep with a change of clothes, a sleeping bag and some other essentials for a surprise night in the woods.

Matt

 

[Kodiak]

For this case, I'm considering the question from an American traveler's perspective; perhaps you're in Europe on a business trip, or you're some form of government diplomat or agent. Either way...

A revolver would be almost worthless in the setting described. If you were behind "enemy lines" it would only raise suspicion in cross borders. If you were stopped, you'd be arrested immediately. If you did find yourself in a position to use said revolver, six shots would almost certainly not suffice to eliminate multiple threats at short range (you would almost certainly never be chased by a single guard), especially at revolver speed. Furthermore, a revolver would not have the range necessary to engage an enemy at a distance. If you were crossing through neutral or friendly territory, it'd be unnecessary.

Any other firearms would be too bulky to carry in a concealed manner. Much better would be a stiletto or switchblade knife, supplemented by brass knuckles.

Regarding other items, at least one blanket and warm clothing would be must-haves. I'd certainly pack at least two thick sweaters, gloves, and a watch-type wool cap. Extra pairs of underwear would take the backseat to as many pairs of wool socks as I owned. Beyond that and an shirt, no more clothing would be necessary.

Survival items could also be sparse. No need for a large, fixed blade knife. Only small fires would be safe, and you can break limbs to get wood for such blazes. I'd carry matches, a lighter, and lighter fluid. Flint is, in my opinion, overrated. This from someone who has made fire with flint on multiple occasions. Fishing kit wouldn't be necessary either. You're escaping, not going camping, remember. Basic medical supplies would be helpful, with a focus on moleskin for blisters.

I'd carry as much dried meat or peanut butter as I could. In the winter, carbs aren't nearly as good as protein. Cigarettes would be a must, for trade and bribes.

Maps would be the most important items. In such a situation, you would probably only travel for three or four days, considering that "Fascists are fast approaching" IE, they have yet to arrive. The focus would be on moving quickly, not comfortably. And, if you were moving through any sort of populated area (ie, all of Europe) you could almost certainly hide in a barn or other shelter a la the Jewish refugees in Defiance, all along the way.

Everything goes into an overnight bag, preferably leather, that will blend in in a crowd.

 

[Colonel]

... Flint is, in my opinion, overrated. This from someone who has made fire with flint on multiple occasions....
Maps would be the most important items...

If we're talking literally in 1939, then I would agree completely with your comments on flint, since it would be the mineral flint. If we're talking about today, then ferrocerium rods are available and that would definitely be part of my kit. They are very effective at fire starting, assuming that you also have good tender; they are completely unaffected by getting dunked in water, and even the smallest ones will light literally thousands of fires. Old fashioned flint and steel, though, are a royal pain to use.

Along with a map goes a compass (that is usually assumed, but I thought I'd mention it). Also a small compact binoculars lets you check things out before you find yourself in the middle of a checkpoint or before you walk all that way only to find out that you should have gone another way.