The official AHF Kriegsmarine quiz thread

[Polar bear]

hi, varjag,

quite right!

over to down under

greetings, the pb

[varjag]

Thanks Polar bear.
We are looking for a KM ERA (engine-room-artificer) - and notorious rebel on the ''lower decks'', whose fate was sealed
after the German surrender - but by German hands....

Who was he and how did die?, Varjag

[varjag]

His life ended at the rifle-range in Flensburg-Mürwik.....

Varjag

[Polar bear]

hi, Varjag,

Johann Christian Süß , executed by firing squad May 11, 1945 ?

but: he wasn´t an ERA, just a private

greetings, the pb

[varjag]

Yes Polar bear, he was the man. (I used ERA for better English descript of a German ''greasemonkey'')

The remarkable thing is - that Süss was convicted by a nazi court-martial before war's end. But Executed 3 says AFTER the German surrender was signed.
One would have thought that Germany had spilled enough blood before surrendering.....
But Knights Cross bearer and former HK Kapitän Rogge - appearently did not think so.

You carry on, Varjag

[Polar bear]

hi,Varjag,

The remarkable thing is - that Süss was convicted by a nazi court-martial before war's end. But Executed 3 says AFTER the German surrender was signed.
One would have thought that Germany had spilled enough blood before surrendering.....
But Knights Cross bearer and former HK Kapitän Rogge - appearently did not think so.

his case was not the only one, there were others, in one of them, 3 men were executed under the responsibility of Kommodore Petersen, the otherwise irreproachable Senior Officer of E-boats and,definitely, not a "Nazi".

To us, they seem to be not understandable at all, but I myself, born 1952, hesitate to judge.

greetings, the pb

[Polar bear]

hi,

I just "discovered" that it is my turn.

Which experience did Hilfskreuzer captains Eyssen, Gumprich, Rogge and Weyher have in common, rather early in their careers ?

greetings, the pb

[varjag]

hi,

I just "discovered" that it is my turn.

Which experience did Hilfskreuzer captains Eyssen, Gumprich, Rogge and Weyher have in common, rather early in their careers ?

greetings, the pb

Three weeks and nothing....what could it be? That German float-planes were useless on the oceans????? Varjag

[Polar bear]

hi, gentlemen,

I`m back after suffering a complete computer breakdown, still with another person´s laptop.

The question did not refer to their time as captain of AMCs, but [quote] early (!) in their carreers [unquote], i.e. before 1933.

btw the Arado wasn´t useless, neither for ATLANTIS in 1941 nor for THOR in 1942.

greetings, the pb

[Polar bear]

hi, gentlemen,

sorry to be so late to provide the solution ...

Eyssen, Gumprich, Rogge and Weyher were all members of the Marinebrigade 3 "von Loewenfeld".

the thread is open again for the next volunteer ...

greetings, the pb

[varjag]

Another personality in the KM - who lost, the last of his many commands. All in the refuelling business....

blockaderunner.jpg

- and here seen in civilian garb, but in a postwar and much lesser...-command.

Who was he?, Varjag

[varjag]

He sat in Sugamo prison for more than a year - accused of War Crimes...... , Varjag

[Polar bear]

hi, Varjag,

Captain (civ.) Koelschbach, commanding SPICHERN 1941 during RHEINUEBUNG, refueling PRINZ EUGEN, and BRAKE from 1942 to March, 1944, when she was sunk in the Indian Ocean, refueling submarines.

greetings, the pb

[varjag]

hi, Varjag,

Captain (civ.) Koelschbach, commanding SPICHERN 1941 during RHEINUEBUNG, refueling PRINZ EUGEN, and BRAKE from 1942 to March, 1944, when she was sunk in the Indian Ocean, refueling submarines.

greetings, the pb

Too right Polar bear - Otto Kölschbach, a very tough skipper. He was also in command of PASSAT, and in the Normandie Dock in St.Nazaire - when the CAMPBELLTOWN rammed the sluice gates...behind the PASSAT, was SCHLETTSTADT - which broke moorings and rammed the PASSAT's stern when the gates partly gave way. PASSAT, he said, was ''an unlucky ship'' - and he was glad to get rid of her, when she was bombed and damaged.
As a shipping agent in my young years - I had the pleasure of making his aquaintance over the span of several trips, buy and read his book - and came to admire the man. He was a ''typical hard German'' - and I would not, have liked to sail in a ship he commanded in peacetime.
BUT - if I had to be in a ship in perpetual danger in wartime - I would've gladly CHOSEN a man like him - as skipper.


Polar bear takes the helm!, Varjag

[Polar bear]

hi, Varjag,

I had the pleasure of making his aquaintance over the span of several trips, buy and read his book - and came to admire the man. He was a ''typical hard German'' - and I would not, have liked to sail in a ship he commanded in peacetime. BUT - if I had to be in a ship in perpetual danger in wartime - I would've gladly CHOSEN a man like him - as skipper.

that must have been quite an experience, and I understand very well what you are saying about choosing him in war.

OK, here comes the next question:
A commanding officer in the Kriegsmarine
- was promoted not in rank, but to the position of "Flottillenchef"
- decorated with the Knight´s Cross
- killed in a bombing raid
all in 24 hours. Who was he ?