Peter, while I was preparing the below you posted about I./IR 73. What a timing !!
So, are we able to say now, the date
18. is secure and confirmed ?
Klaus-Henning von Schmeling-Diringshofen (1910-1939)
A soldier of jewish descent who was thrown out of the Reichswehr in 1933 due to the regulations of the NS racial laws, served in China then with the staff of GenO von Seeckt (training of the Tschiang Kai-schek troops) from 1934-1938, came back to Germany and received the “Deutschblütigkeitserklärung” [classified arian for the record], re-entered service as a Hauptmann, and was killed in action in the Polish campaign as one of the first officers serving his homeland.
Klaus-Henning was born on 22.12.1910 in Bromberg as the second son of Henning Julius von Schmeling-Diringshofen and his first wife Cläre, geb. Born. He spent his youth in the several garrisons of his father (Schneidemühl most of the time). After the divorce of his parents in 1921 he stayed with his mother in Berlin-Lichterfelde. He finished school with the “Abitur” and entered service of the Reichswehr in the II.(Jäger-) Bataillon of Infanterie-Regiment 4, Kolberg (Kolberger Jäger ; carrying the tradition of : Pommersches Jäger-Bataillon “Fürst Bismarck” Nr. 2).
In 1933 he was promoted to Leutnant. His Bataillons-Kommandeur was the later GFM Erich von Manstein, who was Kdr. of the Kolberger Jäger from 1931-1934, promoted to Oberst during this time. When the NS racial laws were put into practice throughout the country and within the Reichswehr especially he was thrown out of the army according to the regulations that no officers of jewish descent were allowed to stay in service. This was a bitter blow for him.
It is not quite clear if he was regarded as a Jew or a half or quarter jew per the definitions and the terminology of the racial laws (not known for sure if his mother was classified jewish or one of the grand-parents). What happened was, in the words of the time, he was kept from serving his fatherland under the flags of the N. furtheron [“seinem Vaterland weiterhin unter den Fahnen des Nationalsozialismus zu dienen”].
Various sources state that Oberst von Manstein did forward a written protest against this treatment of this Leutnant serving under his command. There was no way out and with the help of the regimental cdr. [and probably von Manstein, too] Klaus-Henning was posted to the staff of GenO von Seeckt. This staff of hand-picked and capable personnel was established to support the Chinese National Gouvernment and to train the National Chinese Army. From 1934-1938 Klaus-Henning served as a high respected officer there, since 1935 under the command of General Alexander von Falkenhausen. Most of the time in Nanking, later in Tschungking. After the German-Japanese pact in autumn 1938, the time of this detachment had to end and the officers had to leave China (otherwise they had to face the loss of their german citizenship).
It was offered and promised to Klaus-Henning that he can re-enter the army, taking into account the years of service in China. In addition he was declared arian ; he received a so-called “Bescheinigung, dass er Arier sei” (so-called “Deutschblütigkeitserklärung”).
His brother-in-law Alexander tells the story that – like he was told as a child – Klaus-Henning was travelling with a cargo-steamer and this vessel sunk in heavy waters at the Galizian Coast – Klaus-Henning was able to save his pure life only. Soon after arriving in Germany in september 1938, he in fact took the opportunity to proceed with his military carrer and went on to become Kompaniechef 1./Infanterie-Regiment 73, Celle, in the rank of Hauptmann. With this unit he went into war.
The hardest battle which would fullfil his fate was to become known in german as the “Schlacht an der Bzura”. Very heavy combats were in progress in the area Ruszki - Adamowa Góra for at least four days (16.09. - 19.09.). The whole area and parts of it were passing from hands to hands many times. Klaus-Henning was killed in action during these fightings near Dwor Ruszki (manor [Gut] Ruszki) near the village Adamowa Góra. According to the records of Hauptmann Chill from I. Btl. Infanterie-Regiment 73, he was fatally wounded in the early hours of September 18th ("kurz nach 4 Uhr gefallen") during a Polish attack with heavy weapons against the positions guarded by his 1. Kp.
(1) To complete the picture it is to state that in later times an obituary notice [Todesanzeige] was found (old newspaper) in the 1933 von Schmeling family book, which shows the death date of September 19th. (most probably a mistaken message to the family for any reason).
Born in Silesia, starting a military career as a “Kolberger Jäger” and being a protegé of the later GFM von Manstein, service in China with GenO von Seeckt, returning home and re-entering the Wehrmacht, officially classified to be an “Arier”, and loosing his young life of 28 years in the third week of the Polish campaign might show a spotlight of the simultaneously complex and strange circumstances of that time in history.
(1) the original report reads :
"18.September, Schlacht an der Bzura
Die Nacht war wieder sehr warm, sodaß die Truppe im Freien gut biwakieren konnte. Feinberührung war nirgends vorhanden, sodaß die Feldposten ganz "friedensmäßig" aufziehen konnten.
Die vordersten Feldposten wurden von dem Strassenkreuz bei D.Ruszki etwa 1000m nach Westen und Nordwesten vorgeschoben. Feldwebel Spötter von der 1.Kp. befahl die vorderste Feldwache.
Um Mitternacht hörten die Posten aus der Ferne polnische Laute herüberhallen.........
.....Schon nach kurzer Zeit wurde es auf der ganzen Front der 1.Kp. lebhaft. Polnische Kräfte versuchten im Schutze der beiden Strassengräben auf Ruszki vorzukommen. Als gegen 2 Uhr der polnische Druck stärker wurde, forderte Hptm.von Schmeling VErstärkungen an.....
........
Gegen 4 Uhr morgens setzte bei völliger Dunkelheit ein erneuter polnischer Angriff ein, der mit großen Waffen vorgetragen wurde. In diesem Augenblick meldete die 1.Kp., daß Hptm. von Schmeling tödlich verwundet verwundet worden sei und der Feind so stark angriffe, daß die Kompanie nach Ausfall von sechs leichten MG und einem s.M.G. nicht mehr in der Lage sei, die befohlenen Linie zu halten...."
Sources :
1) Genealogisches Handbuch des Adels,
Adlige Häuser B Band VII, 1965:
Klaus-Henning Alexander Eberhard v.S.-D.
geb. 22.12.1910 Bromberg
gest. 18.9.1939 bei Kutno
2)
Geschichte des Geschlechts von Schmeling, von Schmeling-Diringshofen und Blecken von Schmeling , Hrsg. Kurt von Schmeling, Eschweiler, verfaßt und redigiert von Hans Wätjen, Bremen 1970 [Familienbuch 1970]
3)
Schmelinge in Pommern 1283 – 1933 , Hrsg. Dr. Wilhelm von Schmeling, verfaßt und redigiert von Regierungsrat a.D. Dr. Dr. Wilhelm von Schmeling, Berlin-Friedenau, 1933 [Familienbuch 1933]
- in this book the Todesanzeige [obituary notice] was found (file itself)
4)
Familienbuch von Schmeling u.a. , Alexander von Schmeling-Diringshofen, 3. Auflage 1995
[Alexander is the brother-in-law (Halbbruder) to Klaus-Henning, 4th son from 2nd marriage]
5) family website
http://www.jvsd.de/schmeling/lnl222.htm
(and I got kind help by the site administrator)
in addition (concerning the aspect of his jewish descent ; parts found online and in the works above ; this is not finally researched and confirmed in every detail) those works not used directly :
- Erich von Manstein, Verlorene Siege
- Bryan Martin Rigg, Hitlers Jewish Soldiers
(Rigg obviously used the Personalakte of Klaus-Henning ; in Bundesarchiv-Militärarchiv Freiburg)
Thanks for allowing this short “extra”. I stumbled upon the website and did notice not less than three differences of the data. This is an example also how difficult it can be to fix precise data.
With regard to the listing :
von Schmeling-Diringshofen Claus-Henning, 22.09.1910, Hptm., Kdr. 1./I. R. 73, 19. Div., 18.09.1939 (n. Verw. v. 17.09.), VB, O. v. Knobelsdorff „19. Panzer-Division 1939 – 1945”
1) the name
should be
Klaus-Henning ; see Todesanzeige (the family has to know this at least), GenHdA, and in addition : the christian name Klaus with a “C” appears a single time only in the family history for a younger member born 1963 in Celle ; all others are spelled with a “K”
2) the date of birth
should be 22.
12.1910 per the sources above
3) the date of death
should be
18. 09. most likely ; what makes this tricky is the death obituary – 19. !!
One should assume that the family back in Sep 1939 should have known this for sure ; but, can we rule out that they were informed with a wrong date, or with a date not known for sure/or better that days ?
So, Peter, you provided this from the v. Knobelsdorff divisional history I think. Can you look up again and tell exactly what’s stated there, please ?
WIA 17.09., died during night 17./18. then (?). Or indeed in the night to 19. (?).
4) the location
Kutno denotes the bigger area after all.
Best regards
Bernd
edited per new and more precise informations / 3 March 09 / Bernd
