Information About Great Grandfather's Involvement in WW2

[Cheatman1342]

Hello,

I'm hoping for some help in translating some documents and determining my grandfather's role during the war. My great-grandfather's name is Emil Gronau and he served Germany in the Second World War. He came from Tilsit, East Prussia. He had indicated that he was involved in soldier fitness during the war but came back with a bullet wound through his shoulder. Many of his family members died on the Russian front. From the documents, I can see that his final rank was Feldwebel but I can't tell if that was even Army or Air Force. My grandmother wrote him a letter in 1945 addressed to Luftgau Kommando I Stabskompanie in Konigsburg. Would that have been a common point that letters came through or does that indicate Air Force service? Attached are some pictures. Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thank you,
Eric

[Hohlladung]

Hi,

Page 1 shows his service award, when he was sent to hospital on 15.NOV 1941.

It indicates, that he was entitled to wear the "Ehrenkreuz für Kriegsteilnehmer",

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Honou ... _1914/1918

so he was already a participant of the war 1914-1918, which makes sense with his d.o.b. 26.JUL 1899 (in Memel/East Prussia, today Klaipėda/Lithunia).

Page 2 gives his personal details, like Religion (evangelical) and his profession, he was a master butcher.

The next page shows his promotions from Gefreiter d.R. (der Reserve) 1.Nov.1939 until Feldwebel on 1.Jan 1944 (planmäßig/ on schedule).

Next page (page 1 in his Soldbuch) shows, that his Erkennungsmarke Nr.39 (dogtag) was issued at Seefliegerhorst Lochstädt in Pillau.

https://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Ka ... llau-R.htm

The field post letter was send to his unit Stabskompanie Luftgaukommando

https://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gl ... ftgau1.htm

so he belonged to the Luftwaffe, which also indicates the stamp F.A.Z. 56 in his Soldbuch (Flughafenarbeitszug 56).

Why he, as a butcher, was involved in soldier fitness, stays his secret.

So, I hope you got some more details about your Great-Grandfather.

Best regards
Armin

[hucks216]

Contact Bundesarchiv and ask for a copy of his service record:

https://www.bundesarchiv.de/EN/Content/ ... en-en.html

[Cheatman1342]

Armin,

Thanks so much for this additional information. That's a real talent you have. I really appreciate it and will follow up with the Bundesarchiv to see what they can come up with as well.

-Eric C.

Hi,

Page 1 shows his service award, when he was sent to hospital on 15.NOV 1941.

It indicates, that he was entitled to wear the "Ehrenkreuz für Kriegsteilnehmer",

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Honou ... _1914/1918

so he was already a participant of the war 1914-1918, which makes sense with his d.o.b. 26.JUL 1899 (in Memel/East Prussia, today Klaipėda/Lithunia).

Page 2 gives his personal details, like Religion (evangelical) and his profession, he was a master butcher.

The next page shows his promotions from Gefreiter d.R. (der Reserve) 1.Nov.1939 until Feldwebel on 1.Jan 1944 (planmäßig/ on schedule).

Next page (page 1 in his Soldbuch) shows, that his Erkennungsmarke Nr.39 (dogtag) was issued at Seefliegerhorst Lochstädt in Pillau.

https://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Ka ... llau-R.htm

The field post letter was send to his unit Stabskompanie Luftgaukommando

https://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gl ... ftgau1.htm

so he belonged to the Luftwaffe, which also indicates the stamp F.A.Z. 56 in his Soldbuch (Flughafenarbeitszug 56).

Why he, as a butcher, was involved in soldier fitness, stays his secret.

So, I hope you got some more details about your Great-Grandfather.

Best regards
Armin

[Cheatman1342]

Armin, or others who are fluent. I have a few quick questions after thinking about this some more.

The book shows Emil being promoted to Unteroffizier twice. Once in 1941 and once in 1943. Would this have been without and then later with Portepee?

On the top right box in the table it says Lt.c?.Kp.Offi. with F.I.R.M.A underneath it. Any idea what any of that stands for?

Is the first page written as 'Dienst auch zeich mingen. In heber ist berechtigt des Ehrenkreuz des Kriegsteilnehmer zu tragen. Nummer B437/35 ---Pillau d. 13.ii.41 --- gez. Unterschrift --- Hpfm.i.Komp.hof ----- F.I.R.M.A

Thanks Again for all the help. Let me know if I can do anything in appreciation for your time.

Hi,

Page 1 shows his service award, when he was sent to hospital on 15.NOV 1941.

It indicates, that he was entitled to wear the "Ehrenkreuz für Kriegsteilnehmer",

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Honou ... _1914/1918

so he was already a participant of the war 1914-1918, which makes sense with his d.o.b. 26.JUL 1899 (in Memel/East Prussia, today Klaipėda/Lithunia).

Page 2 gives his personal details, like Religion (evangelical) and his profession, he was a master butcher.

The next page shows his promotions from Gefreiter d.R. (der Reserve) 1.Nov.1939 until Feldwebel on 1.Jan 1944 (planmäßig/ on schedule).

Next page (page 1 in his Soldbuch) shows, that his Erkennungsmarke Nr.39 (dogtag) was issued at Seefliegerhorst Lochstädt in Pillau.

https://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Ka ... llau-R.htm

The field post letter was send to his unit Stabskompanie Luftgaukommando

https://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gl ... ftgau1.htm

so he belonged to the Luftwaffe, which also indicates the stamp F.A.Z. 56 in his Soldbuch (Flughafenarbeitszug 56).

Why he, as a butcher, was involved in soldier fitness, stays his secret.

So, I hope you got some more details about your Great-Grandfather.

Best regards
Armin

[Hohlladung]

Hi Eric,

It´s F.d.R.d.A. and stands for "Für die Richtigkeit der Abschrift", which can be translated with:
"For the correctness of the true copy".

I was asking myself, why most of these entries were made by the Arbeitsleiter of the F.A.Z. 56. I think that this Soldbuch is not his original one, maybe it was lost during combat action or other reasons.

Furthermore I did some research about this Flughafenarbeitzug F.A.Z. and found something interesting.
This is not a Luftwaffe unit, but a post war RAF (Royal Air Force) unit.

I only found Flughafenarbeitszug 64 in Faßberg, see here, but only available in German language:

https://books.google.de/books?id=Jf0_EA ... ug&f=false

From Wikipedia:

"Many German POWs were formed into Civilian Labour units – they still had the status of Surrendered Enemy Personnel but they were used where help was needed such as unloading supplies. The German Civil Labour Organisation (GCLO) was set up on 1 August 1947, after the Labour Service units were broken up. The Germans were given the choice of either joining the GCLO or being sent to a prisoner-of-war camp until they were regularly released into civilian life. By late 1947, over 50,000 Germans were employed and organized in units that were attached to parts of the British Army or the RAF as labourers, drivers, mechanics and in many other role. They had a staff of between 220 and 475 men. Although the GCLO was considered a civil organisation, its members wore a kind of uniform and were incorporated into a structure that conformed to military principles. After numerous former members of the Wehrmacht had left the GCLO over time, new members were hired by the British and made use of its right to forcibly recruit staff if necessary."

Source:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_o ... in_Germany

Where Flughafenarbeitszug 56 was located is unknown to me. Is there anything in your memory of your Great Grandfather that would support this?

Otherwise wait until you have more informations from the Bundesarchiv.

Best regards
Armin

[Hohlladung]

Hi Eric,

on page 2 with his personal details, the Soldbuch was signed on 29.November 1946 (18 months after WW2 ended) by the Arbeitsleiter FAZ 56 and it shows the location at Lübeck.

Then this is the RAF Airfield B.158 Lübeck-Blankenese, the British used from 1945-1950.

At this date your Great Grandfather was still POW or better had the status SEP (Surrendered Enemy Personnel).

Best regards
Armin

[Cheatman1342]

Armin. Nice job again. No worries on the links. I can do conversational German, but not much more. What you're saying makes sense about it being a non-original copy. Written on the front of the book in pencil it says 'zweitschrift'. I know that my grandmother and her mother moved from the refugee camp in Oksbol to Lubeck following the war and I never knew why that town was chosen. Perhaps this is the reason. A few pages into the book there is what appears to be a table documenting pay at the time month-to-month and then a random payment for 384 RM I couldn't read. Here is a link below to the whole book that I hope will come through if it provides any more insight on what FAZ56 is or his post war role.
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/ ... sp=sharing

Hi Eric,

on page 2 with his personal details, the Soldbuch was signed on 29.November 1946 (18 months after WW2 ended) by the Arbeitsleiter FAZ 56 and it shows the location at Lübeck.

Then this is the RAF Airfield B.158 Lübeck-Blankenese, the British used from 1945-1950.

At this date your Great Grandfather was still POW or better had the status SEP (Surrendered Enemy Personnel).

Best regards
Armin

[Hohlladung]

Hi Eric,

Yes, thats a chart about his Sold payments starting from JAN 46 unti JUL 47, monthly payment ís 54.00 RM (Reichsmark).
On the 25.AUG 46 384.00 RM payment Urlaubsvorschuß. (advance payment vacation) and for the 01.AUG 47 40.00 RM Entlassungsgeld.(or 140.00 RM?, running ink, release/severance pay).

So I assume he was releasend from British captivity into his civilian life on the 01.AUG 1947.

Best regards
Armin