Walter Hofmann (Sonderkommando 1b)
Re: Walter Hofmann (Sonderkommando 1b)
The Hennicke interrogation report can be found at UK National Archives, KV 3/105.
Re: Walter Hofmann (Sonderkommando 1b)
The UK reference above is just a line on a page for you. I should give that a miss.
You might find a visit to the Bundesarchiv Ludwigsburg will be more productive.
B162/21089-B162/20219, investigation against Kroeger and Koskull of Einsatzkdo 6 (EG C); B162/20197 p.1914 mentions the suicide of Walter Hofmann in Flensburg, 13 May 1945.
B162/25973, one file entitled "Überprüfung des W.Hofmann, SS-Führer der Einsatzgruppe C."
If you visit Ludwigsburg (same rules at as Berlin) ask to see all the Kartei index cards which mention "Walter Hofmann" born whenever, and you will be able to see every file reference in which he is mentioned, with a short description, so you can assess the best to look at. Probably a day's work, maximum two. Best to see everything and get it photocopied.
Have a look at their website - their opening hours are not as good as Berlin. If you get their early enough drive through the huge side gate before they close the metal doors. Parking meters outside!
You might find a visit to the Bundesarchiv Ludwigsburg will be more productive.
B162/21089-B162/20219, investigation against Kroeger and Koskull of Einsatzkdo 6 (EG C); B162/20197 p.1914 mentions the suicide of Walter Hofmann in Flensburg, 13 May 1945.
B162/25973, one file entitled "Überprüfung des W.Hofmann, SS-Führer der Einsatzgruppe C."
If you visit Ludwigsburg (same rules at as Berlin) ask to see all the Kartei index cards which mention "Walter Hofmann" born whenever, and you will be able to see every file reference in which he is mentioned, with a short description, so you can assess the best to look at. Probably a day's work, maximum two. Best to see everything and get it photocopied.
Have a look at their website - their opening hours are not as good as Berlin. If you get their early enough drive through the huge side gate before they close the metal doors. Parking meters outside!
Re: Walter Hofmann (Sonderkommando 1b)
Steve, thanks again for your support! I will try this also and contact BAL.
I would like to share the current status and my experiences so far.
Approx. 2 months ago I went to the Bundesarchiv in Berlin (BAB). The woman at the information/visitors desk told me right away, that is is not possible to access any information (Microfilms etc.) immediately; they need the questionaire filled out in beforehand (you can download it from their webpage), and then they would need about 4-6 weeks to "prepare" everything. When this is done, they would inform me via eMail or phone.
However, I filled out the form, added some information I already knew about Walter Hofmann (NDSAP number, SS number, DOB etc.) and that they should look for "Hoffmann" as well and went home.
4 Weeks later I got an eMail from an BAB employee, obvioulsy an archive specialist, that all the requested documents are ready to be accessed on premise at the BAB in Berlin:
R 9361-VIII (Sammlung BDC: Personenbezogene Unterlagen der NSDAP/NSDAP-Zentralkarktei)
R 9361-IX (Sammlung BDC: Personenbezogene Unterlagen der NSDAP/NSDAP-Gaukartei)
R 9361-III (Sammlung BDC: Personenbezogene Unterlagen der NSDAP/Rasse- und Siedlungshauptamt)
R 9361-III (Sammlung BDC: Personenbezogene Unterlagen der NSDAP/SS-Führer-Personalunterlagen)
R 9361-II (Sammlung BDC: Personenbezogene Unterlagen der NSDAP/Parteikorrespondenz)
R 3001 (Reichsjustizministerium)
2 x Befehlsblätter des Chefs der Sicherheitspolizei und des SD (Bef.-Blätter Nr. 10 vom 15.03.1941 und Nr. 42 vom 19.09.1942)
Since it´s 800 Kilometers for me to Berlin it was not feasible to go again, so I ordered all the documents digitally reproduced on a CD, which I received 4 weeks later (costs: around 100 €).
The documents are quite interesting, but unfortunetaly there is nothing related to his Einsatzgruppen deployments; even the SSO file only contains some basic data.
Beside from these ativities I visited the museum "Topographie des Terrors" in Berlin (http://www.topographie.de/en/); they have quite a big library (http://www.topographie.de/en/library/) holding a lot of books about Gestapo, SS, Einsatzgruppen etc., but also there I didn´t find anything concrete about Hofmann.
Maybe anyone can recommend a book about the Einsatzgruppen, which contains detailed organizational charts, hierarchie, historie etc.?
I think I have to evaluate more "3rd party - sources" like the ones Steve mentioned here (i.e. investigations or lawsuits against other EG members, in which Hofmann might be mentioned).
Any more suggestions are much appreciated!
Thanks
I would like to share the current status and my experiences so far.
Approx. 2 months ago I went to the Bundesarchiv in Berlin (BAB). The woman at the information/visitors desk told me right away, that is is not possible to access any information (Microfilms etc.) immediately; they need the questionaire filled out in beforehand (you can download it from their webpage), and then they would need about 4-6 weeks to "prepare" everything. When this is done, they would inform me via eMail or phone.
However, I filled out the form, added some information I already knew about Walter Hofmann (NDSAP number, SS number, DOB etc.) and that they should look for "Hoffmann" as well and went home.
4 Weeks later I got an eMail from an BAB employee, obvioulsy an archive specialist, that all the requested documents are ready to be accessed on premise at the BAB in Berlin:
R 9361-VIII (Sammlung BDC: Personenbezogene Unterlagen der NSDAP/NSDAP-Zentralkarktei)
R 9361-IX (Sammlung BDC: Personenbezogene Unterlagen der NSDAP/NSDAP-Gaukartei)
R 9361-III (Sammlung BDC: Personenbezogene Unterlagen der NSDAP/Rasse- und Siedlungshauptamt)
R 9361-III (Sammlung BDC: Personenbezogene Unterlagen der NSDAP/SS-Führer-Personalunterlagen)
R 9361-II (Sammlung BDC: Personenbezogene Unterlagen der NSDAP/Parteikorrespondenz)
R 3001 (Reichsjustizministerium)
2 x Befehlsblätter des Chefs der Sicherheitspolizei und des SD (Bef.-Blätter Nr. 10 vom 15.03.1941 und Nr. 42 vom 19.09.1942)
Since it´s 800 Kilometers for me to Berlin it was not feasible to go again, so I ordered all the documents digitally reproduced on a CD, which I received 4 weeks later (costs: around 100 €).
The documents are quite interesting, but unfortunetaly there is nothing related to his Einsatzgruppen deployments; even the SSO file only contains some basic data.
Beside from these ativities I visited the museum "Topographie des Terrors" in Berlin (http://www.topographie.de/en/); they have quite a big library (http://www.topographie.de/en/library/) holding a lot of books about Gestapo, SS, Einsatzgruppen etc., but also there I didn´t find anything concrete about Hofmann.
Maybe anyone can recommend a book about the Einsatzgruppen, which contains detailed organizational charts, hierarchie, historie etc.?
I think I have to evaluate more "3rd party - sources" like the ones Steve mentioned here (i.e. investigations or lawsuits against other EG members, in which Hofmann might be mentioned).
Any more suggestions are much appreciated!
Thanks
Re: Walter Hofmann (Sonderkommando 1b)
The first secondary source I just looked at is Helmut Krausnick/Hans-Heinrich Wilhelm, "Die Truppe des Weltanschauungskrieges. Die Einsatzgruppen der Sicherheitspolizei und des SD 1938-1942" (Deutsche Verlags-Anstalt, Stuttgart, 1981) and only one mention, of "Stabsführer Hoffmann" with the Gruppenstab Einsatzgruppe C in September 1941. In a footnote on p.189, quoting a statement by Paul Blobel from his trial before a US Military Tribunal (Case IX). The quotation is "....Rasch oder seinem Stabsführer Hoffmann...". In the index it states "Hoffmann, Walter (Stabsführer der Einsatzgruppe C)".
H-H Wilhelm (above) wrote about Einsatzgruppe A; Ruth Bettina Birn wrote about its Sonderkommando 1a (under Sandberger) becoming KdS Estland.
My friend Andrej Angrick wrote a history of Einsatzgruppe D ("Besatzungspolitik und Massenmord") a few year ago.
But few have written anything about Einsatzgruppe B (a recent biography of Alfred Filbert, EK 9, springs to mind) but where are the historians writing about Einsatzgruppe C when it is such a rich area for research.
This last point was part of a discussion I had with the prosecutors at the Zentralstelle just last month. Maybe historians are put off by having to describe the Babi Yar mass execution.
H-H Wilhelm (above) wrote about Einsatzgruppe A; Ruth Bettina Birn wrote about its Sonderkommando 1a (under Sandberger) becoming KdS Estland.
My friend Andrej Angrick wrote a history of Einsatzgruppe D ("Besatzungspolitik und Massenmord") a few year ago.
But few have written anything about Einsatzgruppe B (a recent biography of Alfred Filbert, EK 9, springs to mind) but where are the historians writing about Einsatzgruppe C when it is such a rich area for research.
This last point was part of a discussion I had with the prosecutors at the Zentralstelle just last month. Maybe historians are put off by having to describe the Babi Yar mass execution.
-
smetanin albert
- Member
- Posts: 4980
- Joined: 15 Jun 2003, 19:08
- Location: Russia
- Contact:
Re: Walter Hofmann (Sonderkommando 1b)
postwar interrogation of Karl Hennicke:
https://www.ifz-muenchen.de/archiv/zs/zs-0907.pdf
https://www.ifz-muenchen.de/archiv/zs/zs-0907.pdf