EP237 - A discovery under layers of paint. Innocent or Sinister ?

[@RitaMoore]

It looks like the German "Freiheit" which means freedom

[@sallymoffit3751]

The bedroom you are renovating is truly a beautiful one... increasingly so as the layers àre peeled back.

[@Mime_Mama]

How nice to meet new people and have a lovely dinner! Yum paella sounds delicious! Wires and wires! Rols, you two are getting there! The Citadelle is getting the love and attention it deserves! How wonderful to get treats in the mail! Loving the Christmas decorations Suzie!

[@peterwhite9261]

How lovely to be invited out for a lovely meal with new friends. One can never have enough good friends. I love the decorations. My favorite is the Treetop Fairy. I look forward to seeing her every year. I am just doing my small tree tonight. Rols, I hope you can dcifer that wall writing. The salon is coming along nicely. ❤

[@marilynwade9448]

Love the theme music. Fits such an old historic chateau. Beautiful. Preserving all the old world charm❤❤❤❤

[@TinaCarstens-r7p]

The Citadel is gorgious and cosy. You two make it more beautiful every day. The christmas tree is so lovely, it makes me happy to look at it. Take care Suzie and Rols and stay safe and warm. Best wishes Tina 😘

[@melissaschneider8197]

The kitchen is so much better lit since you moved the drape to the other side. Looks lovely, also the cookoo clock.

[@WolfgangZenker-e5s]

That words on the wall appear to say "Die Ehre treibt …" (The honor drives …") and would be just the beginning of a sentence, so look for a continuation either below or continuing around the corner on the other wall.

[@chateaucitadelleducavalier]

Thank you Wolfgang, I shall go very gently on the next section 👍

[@WolfgangZenker-e5s]

Looking more closely, the last visible word could also be "heißt" (= "is named"). In that case the complete text would probably have been the motto of the "Waffen-SS" which was originally the militia of the Nazi party and later became a paramilitary group that had both regular units fighting in the war as well as the units running the concentration camps. So to answer the question in the title: Rather more sinister than innocent.

[@agnesgosling3347]

Suzie your tree looks lovely 🎄.Rols the room is really coming along well done.I have enjoyed the music thank you.👍👍👍

[@nancibishof6462]

You are gradually revealing the histories of the château while replacing the bad juju of the German occupation of it during WWII with your love and kindness. And are at the same time bringing it to life with a cozy and welcoming presence.

[@virginiawestcot3111]

Your Chateau is really looking good with all your work (both). Christmas tree makes the room warm & happy ❤

[@dawnbarnes8729]

Loving how the kitchen is coming along. ❤️😊

[@laurensouthgate2458]

I sang along with the Angels we have heard on high thank you for that. What a interesting find I hope you find more of a sentence to uncover more history. Thanks to you two the Citadelle lives on. Merry Christmas from Canada.

[@janegendreau6595]

Suzie, the kitchen is looking so nice & I do love the Yellow Ocre color on the inset of the window. It's uplifting & warm. Will you be painting the other walls in the kitchen the same color? You may have already said, but I don't recall! Rols, how fascinating about the "writing on the wall"!! So much history @ the Citadelle & I see someone in the comments has already done extensive research on this for us!! Veronique, a very nice 📦 for Suzie & Rols, very kind of you, as well as Joanie's adorable ornament! Happy Holidays & Blessings all!! 🇺🇸

[@normamurray4450]

I am so happy for you in every way....moving along well with your renos, being invited to a friend's home for Paella and some fun. The tree looks lovely Suzie. Enjoy those cookies Rols, if there are any left now.

[@jonimarchese7655]

Joyeux noel Suzie and Rols, Suzie the tree looks beautiful, Rols the bedroom is coming along nicely. What a nice surprise the writing on the wall, maybe there will be more. That's the fun part of the renovations, discovering treasures from the past. I love what you did to the ornament. Love from N.Y.

[@terrythomas2735]

Lovely tree and the place is really looking great. Merry Christmas 🎄 God Bless

[@chateaucitadelleducavalier]

@@terrythomas2735 thank you Terry, Merry Christmas to you too ☺️

[@penihavir1777]

Lovely video. ♥️ That yellow at the windows makes me feel happy when I see it. I hope it continues to do the same for you. 🙂♥️ I knew at once that the writing is German. I see one of your German viewers provided a translation… which is good because I don’t think I’ve used my German in years, so my translation might be error ridden. Last year, to get a bit of practice, I tried to find a KZbin channel where someone is fixing up an old German house (or schloss, or berg 😉). But I had no luck. I’m assuming I’m using the wrong search terms.

[@lindamounts2193]

Pretty tree.

[@lbuffc]

Hi! It looks like German Writing!! Interesting. I love how the kitchen is turning out! Happy Holidays!!

[@chateaucitadelleducavalier]

@@lbuffc thank you ☺️

[@charmees6637]

What joy to share a meal with some friends that’s what this time of yrpear is all anout

[@hammarbergets]

You are doing such a great job! 👍 I can see that you haven't found the bigger metal brush in your barn 😅 I had always the same problem in my old farm. Constantly wondering where I was last using whatever tool. 🙄 I was wondering if you use a moist spunge and then you put on ash to see what the text is. I have seen how people clean headstones in church yards with something like that. You can probably find the best method on a KZbin vlog 😂

[@glenyscallaghan1195]

It is all looking really lovely.⭐️👋👋

[@KrisanthiaMum]

Everything is looking good. Glad you had a good lunch with new friends. I find peace in knowing that you are both bringing back the good in your Chateau. God bless you both and have a marvelous Christmas season. See you soon ❤️

[@rozbarber3195]

Fabulous Christmas tree. I’m really missing mine and the pleasure I get from opening all the decorations. I have a small 4ft tree and some baubles and lights. It’s cute and will do. What a find with the writing! Hope you find some more. I agree with the comment that it’s German and I would think definitely linked to the war. Merry Christmas or Nadolig Llawen from here in Wales!

[@janscorza7549]

Fahrenheit, temperature of water boiling point. Maybe they had a water heater there?

[@Fasciseus]

The writing on the wall next to the fireplace 6:44 is "Meine Ehre Heißt Treue" which translates to "My Honor is Loyalty" (only the "Ehre Heißt" is clear, the "M" of the first word is relatively clear, the final word appears to be under the paint yet towards the corner of the room, yet to be revealed). It was the motto of the German Waffen SS (organized in 1933 and ended with the surrender of Germany in 1945). That would all make sense since you said the house was occupied by the Germans during the war. You may find other defacements elsewhere on the walls as they are cleaned. The German letter "ß" is a double "ss" in English.

[@chateaucitadelleducavalier]

Thank you for watching and for the information ❤️

[@jurgenkading3375]

I think it says die Ehre treibt- Honor drives.

[@philipholum4277]

Is it possibly "Meine Ehre Heisst Treue? This is an SS motto, and I believe your place was once occupied by them? Or am I imagining something?

[@chateaucitadelleducavalier]

Hello Philip, yes you are correct, it seems that it is indeed the motto of the SS and we have SS signatures on the back of one of our doors. Thanks for watching

[@lindaedwards6683]

Yeah, I was also going to say the etset ß in German has the double s sound.

[@cindyjones2741]

Merry Christmas from the desert of New Mexico

[@nelleg152]

Lovely tree ❤

[@lisaharner3720]

Intriguing find. Hope you find out what it means. Lovely tree!

[@patriciathompson350]

Merry Christmas Suzie, Rols and family. Christmas blessings to everyone.🌲❤🎉

[@corricatt]

bring it!!

[@dianerayburn1728]

Seeing your lovely tree I saw a post by Nigella Lawson on bsky showing her Christmas tree. As well as lights, it was hung with - artificial - rashers of bacon. :)

[@chateaucitadelleducavalier]

Ha ha, typical Nigella 😂😂😂

[@crissjeunen]

Hello from Belgium. Great chateau you have. The word you found on the wall ; if it says Ehretienst, this means honor service in English. Could at one time there have been a "mass" when other people (or Germans) lived there ? I hope this helps you a bit. Kind regards.

[@guyprot-zq1dz]

C'est de l Allemand à 100 %😊

[@susanamann1806]

Sinister😡

[@annettesharrock1236]

Nice gift you both received, Looks like German the writing on the wall Rols .lovely Christmas tree Suzie . Thanks for sharing Take care Suzie and Rols

[@daynight4902]

Best wishes to you

[@helenhelps9619]

🏰🏰

[@chateaucitadelleducavalier]

Thank you Helen ❤️

[@cindybanks6844]

Your tree is lovely. Happy Holidays

[@chateaucitadelleducavalier]

Thank you Cindy. You too! ❤️

[@mariettedallo7541]

Meine Ehre heisst Treue ...is a German phrase that translates roughly to "My Honor Is Loyalty." In Nazi Germany, the Waffen SS (the military wing of the SS) used this phrase as a motto; it is a reference to the organization's loyalty to Adolf Hitler. Since World War II, neo-Nazis and other white supremacists around the world use this German phrase (or its equivalent in English or other languages) as a hate slogan.

[@valtho9217]

Heißt (ß = ss in german) 👍

[@AngelikaPlett]

It says in German "Ehre heißt" and it seems to be just part of a sentence. And it means "Honour means..." but the rest is missing and I can't complete it.

[@mika72.-Bois]

Am I the (almost! 😄) first to comment? Wishing you both a Merry & Blessed Christmas 🎄 from Julie in Perth, Australia 🦘 🇦🇺 Ps I wish I knew German to help you discover what is written on your wall. The letter ß is pronounced "s".

[@guyprot-zq1dz]

Ma femme dit que le dernier mot est un verbe conjuger heisst, la lettre bizarre est un eszett soit ss😊

[@MABOart]

Could it be Freiheit ? (Freedom)

[@chiffonslumierdominique3297]

Perhaps germans during the second war have passed at the chateau?

[@sibyllegraviett8062]

'Ehe' means marriage, 'heißt' means 'means or named', and yes, it is German. 😊

[@heliedecastanet1882]

You found an awful motto, if ever it is the old nazi one, dedicated to Hitler. Awful. Yet it is sadly a part of the history of the building.

[@istvancsaszar9566]

🌲💫💥👍👍👍

[@carolynewilliams1194]

Ehre heisst is German for Honor calls

[@coby6417]

🎅🏻🎄🌟👍👏🍀💐

[@gitteawwal5447]

To me it looks as the german word Freiheit ❤

[@joannemacintyre251]

👍🏻👍🏻

[@jurgenkading3375]

That is GERMAN

[@flofudge8680]

I think German.

[@papagaaiable]

'Ehre heißt' is German and means : Honor means.... Ehre = honor and heisst or heißt = means. the funny letter is an old spelling for a double s, also called sz. There are probably more words underneath the paint. It could be 'Meine Ehre heisst Treue '... meaning My honor means ( or is) my faithfulness.Maybe written by some German soldier? I kind of seem to see 'ine' before Ehre... I just googled it and Wikipedia has an article about it is was the motto of the German SS( en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meine_Ehre_hei%C3%9Ft_Treue), just google Meine Ehre heißt Treue, and you'll find it. So it definitely means that there were German SS soldiers in your chateau.

[@janegendreau6595]

How very interesting! Thank you for your research! 🇺🇸