2 , 0 0 0 ▁military ▁gra ves . ▁▁ ▁The ▁presence ▁of ▁Naz i ▁soldiers ▁led ▁to ▁the ▁Bit burg ▁controvers y ▁because ▁the ▁entire ▁SS ▁had ▁been ▁adj ud ged ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁criminal ▁organisation ▁at ▁the ▁N ure m berg ▁tri als . ▁Although ▁not ▁originally ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁it iner ary , ▁Re agan ▁and ▁K ohl ▁made ▁a ▁visit ▁to ▁the ▁Ber gen - B elsen ▁concentration ▁camp ▁before ▁visit ing ▁Bit burg . ▁▁ ▁Re agan ▁stayed ▁only ▁eight ▁minutes ▁at ▁Kol mes hö he ▁Military ▁C emetery . ▁He ▁was ▁joined ▁by ▁Stein hoff , ▁K ohl , ▁and ▁ 9 0 - year - old ▁US ▁Army ▁General ▁Matthew ▁R id g way ▁who ▁had ▁commanded ▁the ▁ 8 2 nd ▁Air bor ne ▁in ▁World ▁War ▁II . ▁After ▁Re agan ▁placed ▁a ▁w re ath ▁at ▁the ▁c emetery ▁mem orial , ▁they ▁all ▁stood ▁to ▁attention ▁while ▁a ▁short ▁tr ump et ▁sal ute ▁was ▁played . ▁At ▁the ▁end , ▁Stein hoff ▁suddenly ▁turned ▁and , ▁in ▁an ▁un script ed ▁act , ▁shook ▁hands ▁firm ly ▁with ▁a ▁pleased ▁R id g way ▁in ▁an ▁act ▁of ▁genu ine ▁recon c ili ation . ▁A ▁very ▁surprised ▁K ohl ▁later ▁thank ed ▁Stein hoff ▁for ▁his ▁actions , ▁who ▁later ▁said ▁that ▁it ▁just ▁seemed ▁to ▁be ▁the ▁right ▁thing ▁to ▁do . ▁ ▁Death ▁On ▁February ▁ 2 1 , ▁ 1 9 9 4 , ▁Stein hoff ▁died