SS-Stubaf. d.R. Gottlieb Renz

[locke432]

First post friends, and i was hoping for a little bit of help. I know that you guys might get a lot of these requests but any help would be greatly appreciated.

My grandfather fought in WWII as a mechanic in the Air Force. In March of '42, he and some of his men moved into an abandoned german warehouse around the Rhine. As they began converting it into a place where they could bring in planes and fix them he moved into an office. He was checking it out and found a closet full of German uniforms, from which he took one and brought it back to the states.

3 years ago he gave it to me (i'm a junior at Eastern Illinois University becoming a History teacher). I was going to bring this uniform to my Senior WWII class to show the class when me and my grandmother found a medal inside the front left pocket.



This is what we found, a Knights of the War Merit cross. INside the jacket i found the name Renz, stenciled in the right side. I've done research and found his name was Gottleib and i've even found a site that has his biography.

http://waffen-ss.com/page.php?page=500&sort=R

Anyways, if there is anyway anybody can give me help or anywhere to go to look further it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks agains for lisining to me and helping!

[Dieter Zinke]

First post friends,
This is what we found, a Knights of the War Merit cross.
his name was Gottleib

Welcome for a new member!
Gottlieb Renz received the KC of the Iron Cross.
Your pic shows the Kriegsverdienstkreuz II. Klasse mit Schwertern (War Merit Cross 2nd class with swords)

D. Zinke

[Mikedc]

Hello Locke432,

This is what I've have on him. I'm not a member of that site you're mentioning so I don't have his full bio.

Gottlieb Renz.
Born on 12-9-1911 at Pfullingen/Reutlingen.
Member SS(nr. 60.784).
SS-Hauptsturmführer d.R.
On 12-8-1944 he received the Knights Cross.
Between November 1944 and January 1945 he was commander from SS-Schtützen-Bataillon(Mot.)6
within the 6. SS-Gebirgs-Division ‘Nord’.
SS-Sturmbannführer d.R.
Died(KIA)on 3-1-1945 at Bitsch.



Greetings,
Mike

[Michael Miller]

Dear Dieter~

I'm sorry, but the award shown is indeed the Ritterkreuz des Kriegsverdienstkreuz mit Schwertern (and not the KVK II m.Schw.), as evidenced by the suspension ring (which was more complex than that of the 2nd class cross) and the ribbon. Of course, this award had no relevance to Gottlieb Renz.

Best wishes,
~ Mike

[Michael Miller]

Welcome aboard, Locke.

I'm thinking you might have made a small typo and that your post should read March of '45 vs. '42 (as there the Rhine was a bit out of reach for us at that stage of the war).

If that Knight's Cross of the War Merit Cross is original, and your story of its discovery leads me to believe it is, I probably needn't tell you that you have an exceedingly rare and valuable piece on your hands (see Dr. Zinke's amazing thread concerning all recipients of that award, with & without swords, in the Axis Biographical Research forum).

~ Mike

[locke432]

First post friends,
This is what we found, a Knights of the War Merit cross.
his name was Gottleib

Welcome for a new member!
Gottlieb Renz received the KC of the Iron Cross.
Your pic shows the Kriegsverdienstkreuz II. Klasse mit Schwertern (War Merit Cross 2nd class with swords)

D. Zinke

Right you are my good friend, i was just trying to show what it closely looked like, but thanks for the Clarification!

Mikedc, Thank you sooooooooooo much, i greately appreciate what you have!

Michael Miller, yes that was a typo! I proly put down '42 because i just wrote a paper about Russia in '42 and it was probably stuck in my head

[locke432]

Welcome aboard, Locke.

I'm thinking you might have made a small typo and that your post should read March of '45 vs. '42 (as there the Rhine was a bit out of reach for us at that stage of the war).

If that Knight's Cross of the War Merit Cross is original, and your story of its discovery leads me to believe it is, I probably needn't tell you that you have an exceedingly rare and valuable piece on your hands (see Dr. Zinke's amazing thread concerning all recipients of that award, with & without swords, in the Axis Biographical Research forum).

~ Mike

About the stuff too, i recently got a digital camera and i can definately take pictures when i get home from school in about a week and post them for you guys, as well as pics of the medal!

[Dieter Zinke]

Moved from
http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic. ... &start=240

Dieter, do you have any info or pics regarding a Gottlieb Renz?
I believe i have his uniform with his Knights of the War Merit (with swords) medal. I will have pics of it when i return from school.

Thanks,
Locke432

Locke432,

it' s safe to say that Renz never won the Knights Cross of the War Merit Cross but of the Iron Cross.
That' s the way things are. So you have some War Merit Cross with dubious assigment but surely not bestowed to Gottlieb Renz.

Best regards
Dieter Zinke

[locke432]

Thanks for the help! Since i found that medal in the pocket i just assumed that it was his. Again thanks for everything Dieter and others, and if anybody else has any more info. on this man i would appreciate it

[Michael Miller]

Here is some information on his awards, etc.

Best wishes,
~ Mike



Gottlieb Renz
SS-Hauptsturmführer d. R. der Waffen-SS


* 12.09.1911 in Pfullingen / Kreis Reutlingen / Schwaben.
+ 03.01.1945 near Bitsch / Elsaß (Killed in Action as Kdr. I.Bataillon / SS-Gebirgs-Jäger-Regiment 11 “Reinhard Heydrich” / 6.SS-Gebirgs-Division “Nord”).

NSDAP-Nr.: 2 003 182 (Joined 00.00.1933)
SS-Nr.: 60 784 (Joined 01.03.1933)

Promotions:
[00.02.1934] SS-Mann
01.08.1941 SS-Untersturmführer d. R. der Waffen-SS
09.11.1942 SS-Obersturmführer d. R. der Waffen-SS
30.01.1944 SS-Hauptsturmführer d. R. der Waffen-SS

Decorations & Awards:
12.08.1944 Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes as SS-Hauptsturmführer d. R. and Chef 8.Kompanie / SS-Gebirgs-Jäger- Regiment 11 “Reinhard Heydrich”, detached as Fhr. SS-Schützen-Bataillon (mot.) 6 /
“Kampfgruppe Lapp” / 6.SS-Gebirgs-Division “Nord” / XVIII.Gebirgs-Armee-Korps / 20.Gebirgs-Armee
13.07.1941 1939 Eisernes Kreuz I. Klasse
01.11.1939 1939 Eisernes Kreuz II. Klasse
00.00.194_ Infanterie-Sturmabzeichen in Silber
07.07.1944 Verwundetenabzeichen, 1939 in Silber
00.00.194_ SS-Dienstauszeichnung 4. Stufe

[locke432]

Michael Miller, thank you so much for your help. It's amazing how you guys can find all of this info! I'm sorry if i seem like i'm a pest, but i'm just curious about who this man was and it seems like you guys have the best info and sources!

[Shane A Beaver]

Does anyone know with which unit/units Renz received the Iron Cross First and Second Class, please?

Regards Shane

[Ian Hulley]

That photo is lifted from here ... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_Merit_Cross please post photographs of the actaul award you found.

Ian.

[Jampol]

He won his Iron Cross first class in 1./SS–Totenkopf–Infanterie–Regiment 3 / SS–Division „Totenkopf“ (mot.)