Danzig 1939

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Ian Sayer
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Danzig 1939

#1

Post by Ian Sayer » 09 Jan 2018, 12:52

1939 08 28 Danzig Forster's VB.jpg
1939 08 23 Danzig Forster's VB 01.jpg
I am not sure if I have posted these before but if I have it would have been a long time ago, Basically I have had Gauleiter Forster's Visitors Book for many years. There are two pages which continue to intrigue me.

The first is the page dated 23rd August 1939. This wqas the date when the Senate passed the resolution that made Forster the Head of State for Danzig. Hans Frank, Philip Bouhler and Seyss-Inquart were all present that day. Also signed in was Major General Friedrich Eberhardt who commanded the attack on the Westeplatte. Dr Wilhelm Zarske (Press Chief) has also signed as has Dr Edmund Veesenmayer (who had been heightening tension between Poland and Germany) and Forster's SS adjutant Felix Strautmann. However there are several signatures which remain unidentified. Can anybody help by making any suggestions as to who these unidentified signatories might be?

The second page is dated the 28th August 1939 and contains the signatures of some of the officers from the battleship 'Schleswig Holstein' which had just arrived in Gdansk where it was morred alongside the Westerplatte. It was this ship that was to fire the opening shots of WW2 on the 1st September. Captain Kleikamp has signed along with Korvette Kapitan Guido Zaubzer, Dr Walther Bothel and Leutnant zur See Eric Blei but that still leaves three other unidentified officers. Can anybody make any suggestions as to who they might be.

In addition I would like to locate any photos of Forster or the Senate on , or near, the day on which that decision was taken. I have seen photos of the Schleswig Holstein moored in the Westerplatte but I cannot currently find any high resolution photos taken during that time. If someone could point me in the right direction for copies I would be grateful.

Many thanks.

Ian

GregSingh
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Re: Danzig 1939

#2

Post by GregSingh » 10 Jan 2018, 07:44

Dr. habil. Ernst Heinsius
Marineoberstabsarzt

Günther Heydemann
Oberleutnant zur See

Wilhelm Huth - Greiser's deputy


Ian Sayer
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Re: Danzig 1939

#3

Post by Ian Sayer » 10 Jan 2018, 10:16

Thanks Greg. Very helpful indeed.
Regards
Ian

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Re: Danzig 1939

#4

Post by GregSingh » 10 Jan 2018, 11:25

Possibly another one - Dr. ? Otto Gauweiler

Alamy has a nice photo of Senate members from 1933 (still with Rauschning and Batzer, who were not there in August 1939).

Ian Sayer
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Re: Danzig 1939

#5

Post by Ian Sayer » 10 Jan 2018, 14:17

Yes I'm sure you're right anout Gauweiler. Looks like that and, it fits too. Many thanks.
I'll check the photo out on Alamy.
Much appreciated
Best
Ian

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hucks216
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Re: Danzig 1939

#6

Post by hucks216 » 10 Jan 2018, 17:02

The Korvettenkapitän below Kleikamp's signature might be that of Johannes Kinzel who served as an officer on Schleswig-Holstein from June 1939 to September 1940 and was promoted to Fregattenkapitän in 1941.

Ian Sayer
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Re: Danzig 1939

#7

Post by Ian Sayer » 10 Jan 2018, 17:46

Thanks Hucks. I think you are right. Its amazing . You look at these things for years and then a new face has a look and sees it from a different angle!
Much obliged. Best Ian

GregSingh
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Re: Danzig 1939

#8

Post by GregSingh » 11 Jan 2018, 00:19

Forgot to upload the photo from 1933...
Wilhelm Huth is second from left. Rauschning in the middle front, Greiser on the right.
senate-in-danzig-1933-cpj9ag.jpg
senate-in-danzig-1933-cpj9ag.jpg (74.18 KiB) Viewed 8567 times
And we have a text of resolution from 23rd of August 1939.
FSD-23.08.39.jpg
I thought for a while that we have Dr. Schimmel signature right to Eberhardt, but I'm not sure...

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hucks216
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Re: Danzig 1939

#9

Post by hucks216 » 11 Jan 2018, 00:27

Looking at that text and then the signatures, the one opposite Eberhardt wouldn't be Schimmel would it? There's definitely a 'h' in the first few letters so the two before it might be 'Sc'. Just an educated guess.

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Re: Danzig 1939

#10

Post by GregSingh » 11 Jan 2018, 00:31

Yeah, that's what I just wrote. But "double m" is not there.

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hucks216
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Re: Danzig 1939

#11

Post by hucks216 » 11 Jan 2018, 00:34

The one below that belongs to Karl-Albrecht von Groddeck:

Landespolizei-Regiment 2 bis 31. August 1939, dann Infanterie-Regiment 244
Kommandeur: Oberst Karl-Albrecht von Groddeck

Mentioned here in relation to Gruppe Eberhardt:

http://de.metapedia.org/wiki/Gruppe_%E2 ... t%E2%80%9C

GregSingh
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Re: Danzig 1939

#12

Post by GregSingh » 11 Jan 2018, 00:38

Sure it is von Groddeck !

If we have Dr. Schimmel right, only 2 to go...

Ian Sayer
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Re: Danzig 1939

#13

Post by Ian Sayer » 11 Jan 2018, 18:28

Well that's brilliant work Hucks and Greg. Definitley von Groddeck. Not sure about the one on the right of Eberhardt being Schimmel. There is a mark above the end of the signature. Doesn't look like an umlaut or a dot over an i. Of the two under von Groddeck the top one looks like Hans Jung or similar and the one below that Egindorff or similar? Any bells ringing?
Much appreciated guys. Regards Ian

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hucks216
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Re: Danzig 1939

#14

Post by hucks216 » 11 Jan 2018, 20:20

I've found a SS-Sturmbannführer Egersdorff of III/Totenkopf-Standarte 6 in early 1940 but I have no idea if he has any links to Danzig.

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Re: Danzig 1939

#15

Post by GregSingh » 11 Jan 2018, 23:53

In the SS & Polizei section of the Forum we have -

Hans-Georg Egersdorf(f)
23.9.39 - 1.6.40 SD Leit-Abschnitt Danzig
https://forum.axishistory.com//viewtopic.php?t=37256

From 1939 Danzig address book -
Hans-Georg Egersdorff.jpg
Hans-Georg Egersdorff.jpg (5.26 KiB) Viewed 8498 times
Confusing, may not be the same person...
Last edited by GregSingh on 12 Jan 2018, 00:23, edited 1 time in total.

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