Hptm Benesch of Brandenburgers

[D Haimerl]

Sorry for lengthy post but I have in a way 3 related questions:

1) I'm trying to locate more information on Hptm. Benesch of the Brandenburger units. He served in Norway in 1940 w/ the Nordzug then in fall 41 led a Brandenburg company in assault on Oesel-island in Baltic (in documents Gruppe Benesch). After that he supposedly went to Finland and worked as a liasion officer (? in connection w/ Lt Kp 'Trommsdorf'). By late summer 43 he is commanding 14.(16.)/4th Rgt/Div "BB" in Sardinia before his company moves to Yugoslavia. Early 44 he is commanding Verband Wildschütz and when Brandenburg Streifkorps taken over by Skorzeny he commands SS-Jagdverband Süd-Ost (til war's end?). While commanding the later, in Richard Landwehr's Romanian SS book, there is a picture supposedly of him wearing a German Cross in ??? (What action would he have won this-Sardinia? While commanding Verband Wildschütz?)
Now Frnz Kurowski states his name is Fritz (nickname?) and he was a Luftwaffe officer. Helmut Spaeter also uses Fritz but in another section (sorry my Die Brandenburger book is 1500 miles away) lists his first name as starting with 'E'(Erich?) and implies he survived the war.
If the later is true, he survived war, has anyone come across an Allied interogation report(s) on him, especially since the Western Allies appeared to be interested in anyone associated with Skorzeny's group. Does anyone able to find his first name and other biographical information on him? Also what did he win the German Cross for?

2) A related question. If one was searching for primary source documents on Verband Wildschütz and it's predecessors(Einheits Kirchner, Boekl and Benesch) what higher HQ would one search in the captured German records at NARA? Would it be 2nd Panzer Army or a corps HQ? Also would one search the Ia records or since Verband Wildschütz seems to be more a covert intel unit would one look under the HQ Ic section?

3) Last question. Where does one look to find award recommendation documents relating to the specific actions soldiers are being recommended for the German Cross, Knights Cross, etc.? Yes, I'm specifically interested in Brandenburg unit awardees.

Thank you for any and all help.

[AlifRafikKhan]

You can post your question about Hauptmann benesch in Axis Biographical Research: http://forum.axishistory.com/viewforum.php?f=5

[Marcus]

You can post your question about Hauptmann benesch in Axis Biographical Research: http://forum.axishistory.com/viewforum.php?f=5

As you know we don't allow double posting. I have moved this thread to the ABR section.

/Marcus

[Doktor Krollspell]

Looking through Patzwall & Scherzer's "Das deutsche Kreuz 1941-1945" (2001), nobody with the name of Benesch received the German Cross in Gold, although it's not impossible that it could have happened very late in the war, in the spring of 1945. There are a few DK-Trägers who are not listed in this book...


Regards,

Krollspell

[Doktor Krollspell]

I also took a (fast) glance in Antonio J. Munoz' "Forgotten Legions: Obscure Combat Formations of the Waffen-SS" (1991), and the few pages that are dedicated to SS-Jagdverband Südost, and a "SS-Sturmbannführer Benesch" is mentioned twice, first in a general rooster with Officer's names and then in the text about the ex-Brandenburger commando officer Major Auch, who is transferred to the Jagdverband and was known to have...

...a good working relationship with his officers, especially the commander of Einsatzgruppe Rumänien, Waffen-Sturmbannführer Toba, and the German counterpart in the unit, Sturmbannführer Benesch.

Regards,

Krollspell

[Larry D.]

D.H. -

Have you checked the "Minor Axis Nations - Croatia" sub-forum here on AHF? And the "WW2 in Africa & the Mediterranean" sub-forum as well? Go to each and use the SEARCH function located at the top of the page and look for Benesch, Abwehr and Jagdverband Südost. There are some extensive threads there and these contain the identity of many postwar Counterintelligence War Room London interrogation reports and studies on Abwehr and Jagdverband personalities and activities in the Balkans. I took part in these discussions and I believe Benesch is mentioned a number of times, IIRC.

In 1944 there was a "Major" Benesch (f.n. not given) in Zagreb who was using a cover as a Luftwaffe officer and the Abwehroffizier on the Stab of Kommando Flughafenbereich 6/XVII that was headquartered there. He was not Luftwaffe. But this was apparently enough to throw Franz Kurowski off because Kurowski never double-checks or corroborates anything he puts in his books.

L.

[Larry D.]

More on the BENESCH in Zagreb:

BENESCH, Gustav. (DOB: 24.11.96). 01.10.39 Maj.(Erg.O.), in Lw.Fü.St.(Abt. Ic/Gruppe VI). 1940-41 Abw. I Luft/Abwehrstelle Salzburg. c.05.42 appt Leiter Abw. I Luft Agram (Zagreb). 01.06.42 promo to Obstlt. 1943 Chef d.Abt. In- u. Ausländische Luftrüstung/Generalluftzeugmeister. 06.05.45 promo to Oberst with RDA of 01.06.45.

The above officer was in the Luftwaffe. The Abwehr officer in Zagreb in 1944 used this one's identity. Very clever, since they both had the same last name!

L.

[FMG]

"The SS Hunter Battalions"
by Perry Biddiscombe

SS-Obersturmbannführer Ernst Benesch, Kdr. Jagdverband Südost.

Frank

[D Haimerl]

Everyone thank you for your replies. I will look at the sections mentioned and do a search. Again thank you all.

[pax1980]

D Haimerl: I want to come in contact with you, from Norway and are researching the Brandenburgers action in Norway during the war.
(I tried to send you a private message, but arent allowed due to new user) Please send me your email in a PM.