Carl Erdmann (1898–1945) and Werner Reese (1909–1941) were not far apart in age. Their lives drifted towards each other and almost collided. The proceedings in which they were involved, one as a victim, the other as a perpetrator, set the course for both. One was impeded, the other supported. One man’s sorrow was another man’s joy. Both died in the war, both died (too) early. The question of remembering and forgetting was answered very differently in each case. The outcome of the war exercised a massive impact on this matter. Posthumously, the cards were reshuffled, winners and losers were determined differently, the positions were swapped.