Third Reich signatures.

[rick55]

Very Nice. Especially the Rommel piece. I was in the military for over 20 years. I spent 11 years in Germany. 1980 to 1991. I had the pleasure of an elderly german lady working for me who was a child during the war. She related many memories to me over the years. She always said the true generals such as Patton, Rommel, Eisenhower etc., were in fact warriors for their countries but they were always a gentleman first.

[Ian Sayer]

A few weeks ago I acquired a book con taining 214 signatures of Individuals who had apparently been taken into US custody in 1945. Most of them were German but among them were the odd Italian, Brit, Hungarian etc. The book is historically interesting in that many of the signatories have actually written down the place and date they were captured by US Forces. Unfortunately I know nothing of the origins of the book but I am guessing that it was some sort of book that was maintained at a US POW collecting centre in Bavaria, maybe Munich.
Attempts had been made to identify the signatories over the years but the vast majority were incorrectly attributed.
There are still quite a number of signatories that I have not identified or individuals that I am not entirely sure about. In some cases I think I have established an identity but I lack any biograpical information.
I am now going to ask for assistance from all you signature sleuths out there. Although some of these signatures look familiar I am signatured out at the moment so any help from my friends on the forum would be greatly appreciated. I will start posting these signatures now and I would ask that in referring to them that you might quote the number I have attributed to each signature. Where possible I will provide any clues That I have picked up en route.
Thanks in advance

Ian

[Ian Sayer]

Here are another 3 -all Generals

[John G.]

Ian,
Just saw the signature of Dr. Mischke....thank you so much. It's something I've been looking for for several years and I thank you.....now if I could just find a picture of him in his SS uniform!

Interesting how he signed it, too....
Can't thank you enough....
John G.

[Ian Sayer]

Sorry John. Can't do a photo I'm afraid!
Not having much luck with these unidentified signatures at the moment. I will post another three now. I have also posted some signatures under 'Police Generals' and 'SS Generals -1945 signatures' in 'SS & Polizei 'for anyone who may be interested.
Cheers
Ian

[Ian Sayer]

OK Let's try again.
Any guesses?
Ian

[hucks216]

Signature of Generalmajor Alfred Thielmann - rare holder of both the DKiG & DKiS.

[valkyrie]

Signature of Oberstleutnant Friedrich Wilhelm Heinz.

See http://www.friedrich-wilhelm-heinz.de/

Heinz was an early resister to Hitler and he was tasked by Hans Oster to lead the troop of commandos who were to be let into the Reichs Chancellory by Erich Kordt in 1938. Heinz planned to shoot Hitler "while escaping" rather than arrest him as planned. This early plot was upended by the Munich conference.

Heinz was later a member of the Abwehr and of the Brandenburgers. On July 20 he commanded a heavy police battalion in Berlin and took no direct part in the bomb plot. After the plot, his involvement in hiding and moving the Dohnanyi archive was discovered by the Gestapo and a warrant was placed for his arrest. He went to ground in Berlin and survived the war. After the war, he founded and ran a significant intelligence organization. Heinz was also a respected author.

A little known but fascinating resister who could have changed the course of history if Neville Chamberlain had not caved at Munich.

Colin

[Walküre]

Wow! Great find, Colin. I am familiar with the '38 thwarted attempt, but was ignorant regarding his post-war fate. Did I read his German wiki page correctly? His idea was the basis behind the creation of the (Reinhard) Gehlen Organization? Very interesting!

[valkyrie]

Hi Paul - I suggest you try this wiki link - http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friedrich- ... inz-Dienst

The Friedrich Wilhelm Heinz Dienst was an unofficial German-run intelligence organ run in parallel to the allied-run Gehlen organisation.

Colin

[Ian Sayer]

Here's a copy of a wartime TLS from Heinz to another Brandenburger - Hans Albrecht Herzner. I think Herzner was involved in the 38 plot. Can anybody confirm please?
Thanks
Ian

[valkyrie]

Very nice doc Ian - I checked my books and found confirmation that Herzner was a leader in Heinz' raiding party for the Chancellory. See http://books.google.ca/books?id=212hoVr ... 38&f=false

and an excerpt from Michael Heinz' page on his father giving some of the names of the raiding party:

"HEINZ , Franz Liedig (Brigade Ehrhardt), Hans-Jürgen Graf Blumenthal (Offizier), Jürgen von Buttlar (Stahlhelm), Major Döhring (Abwehr II), Haubold Graf Einsiedel, Wolf und Konrad Graf Finckenstein (Stahlhelm), Dr. Fitzner, Grosscurth (Abwehr II), Herbert Hoffmann, Junker (Stahlhelm), Hans-Wolfgang Knaack (Abwehroffizier), Graf von der Recke, Arnold Bistrick, Albrecht Erich Günther (Journalist und Weltkriegsteilnehmer), Ludwig Gehre (Brigade Ehrhardt) und Hans-Albrecht Herzner (Reserveoffizier im IR 9)."

Colin

[Ian Sayer]

Hi Colin
Well thanks very much for that. Herzner is an interesting character. Hitler previously authorised the war to commence on the 26th August 1939. As a result of the ever changing political situation Hitler stepped back from the brink and cancelled the attack on Poland. Unfortunatley it was too late to stop Herzner who was leading an Abwehr K Group to capture the stategic railway tunnels which ran through the Polish Jablunka Pass. Just after midnight on the 25th August he sat down and pencilled what would become the first operational order of World War II. " Crossing Polish frontier 0030 hours with J(ablunka) C (Commando) at point 627 north north west of Cadca'. Then he signed it.
There is more about the operation here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jab%C5%82o ... w_Incident
Here is that message
Regards
Ian

[valkyrie]

Holy crap! That's somewhat more than autograph Ian! Thankyou for sharing.

Colin

[Ian Sayer]

Thanks Colin. Unbelievably Herzner was honoured for this incident by the award of the Iron Cross 2nd Class. This therefore became the first medal, awarded for valour, of World War 2. Here it is and you will note that ,unusually ,it is signed by Keitel.
Regards
Ian
Herzner also led a special Wehrmacht/Ukranian nationalist battalion during the invasion of Russia. In 1942 he was wounded in action and sent to a military sanitorium to recuperate. On the 3rd September 1942 he was last seen laying on a float in the middle of a lake. Suddenly he disappeared. His body was found 2o hours later. An investigation was held but his death was deemed to be a simple accident.