Help with grandfather's photos. Any info, please!

Discussions on every day life in the Weimar Republic, pre-anschluss Austria, Third Reich and the occupied territories. Hosted by Vikki.
Post Reply
Volyn
Member
Posts: 455
Joined: 04 Jul 2018, 05:53
Location: USA

Re: Help with grandfather's photos. Any info, please!

#91

Post by Volyn » 25 Oct 2018, 16:09

1. War Merit Cross 2nd Class (with Swords?) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_Merit_Cross
2. Eastern Front Medal - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Front_Medal
3. Wehrmacht Long Service Medal 4th Class with Hoheitszeichen - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wehrmacht ... vice_Award
4. Crusade Against Communism Medal with "Azov" bronze clasp and "Donet" and "Caucaz" silver clasps - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crusade_A ... nism_Medal
5. General Assault Badge - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Assault_Badge
6. Wound Badge in Black - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wound_Badge
7. Feuerwerker Badge - https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feuerwerker
8. Edelweiss Badge -
9. Ärmelschild Kuban (Kuban Shield) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuban_Shield
10. Bandenkampfabzeichen (Bandit-warfare Badge) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bandit-warfare_Badge
I found another badge that he would have earned due to his anti-partisan activities in the Balkans and Greece from 1943-1944.

10. Bandenkampfabzeichen (Bandit-warfare Badge) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bandit-warfare_Badge
Bandit-warfare Badge in Bronze.jpg
Bandit-warfare Badge in Bronze.jpg (88.05 KiB) Viewed 2888 times
I do not know if he would have had the Bronze, Silver or Gold version. Most likely it was the bronze version, but due to the amount of time that his Division was engaged in anti-partisan battles/operations throughout Greece, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Montenegro he could have been eligible for the Silver or Gold badge as well.
Anti-Partisan-badge.jpg

wbfamily
Member
Posts: 79
Joined: 09 May 2015, 21:06
Location: United States

Re: Help with grandfather's photos. Any info, please!

#92

Post by wbfamily » 26 Oct 2018, 20:07

Volyn wrote:
24 Oct 2018, 00:11
Volyn wrote:
22 Oct 2018, 19:18
1. War Merit Cross 2nd Class (with Swords?) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_Merit_Cross
2. Eastern Front Medal - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Front_Medal
3. Wehrmacht Long Service Medal 4th Class with Hoheitszeichen - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wehrmacht ... vice_Award
4. Crusade Against Communism Medal with "Azov" bronze clasp and "Donet" and "Caucaz" silver clasps - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crusade_A ... nism_Medal
5. General Assault Badge - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Assault_Badge
6. Wound Badge in Black - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wound_Badge
7. Feuerwerker Badge - https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feuerwerker
8. Edelweiss Badge - Edelweiss Badge.jpg
I found another badge that he would have been eligible for - 1. Gebirgs-Division fought in the Kuban Bridgehead in 1943 so he would have been there as well.

9. Ärmelschild Kuban (Kuban Shield) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuban_ShieldKuban Shield.jpg

I made another combat route based on his Division's campaigning in the Caucasus from 1942 until their fighting withdrawal in 1943 from the Kuban Bridgehead and into the Crimea via the town of Kerch. https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Kamensk ... 357314!3e2Caucasus Map.jpgXXXXIX GebKorps Map - Taman Kerch Retreat.jpg
wbfamily wrote:
14 Oct 2018, 17:48
Or what this says? Taganrog 25.8.42.jpg
There is still a mystery as to why he is in Taganrog on 25 AUG 1942, his Division was involved in a lot of fighting during that time, so it seems strange for him to be so far away from the action and dressed in civilian clothes.

Three theories -

1. He could have been wounded, Taganrog had hospitals and recovery centers for officers and soldiers to rest.
2. During the summer campaign battles for the Caucasus in 1942, various infectious diseases occurred massively, so again he could be a hospital patient.
3. He could have been on leave, but I do not think his unit would have just let him go on R&R in the middle of such an intense campaign.
Fascinating!!

Are there hospital lists that can be checked to see if he was hospitalized? I think this may be the answer.

I know that while in russia he miscalculated an explosion and it knocked him back quite a ways. I'm unsure if the extent of his injuries.

Did you check the plate number in my post last week?


Volyn
Member
Posts: 455
Joined: 04 Jul 2018, 05:53
Location: USA

Re: Help with grandfather's photos. Any info, please!

#93

Post by Volyn » 26 Oct 2018, 20:31

wbfamily wrote:
26 Oct 2018, 20:07
Did you check the plate number in my post last week?
Yes I found the following information based on this link http://www.kfzderwehrmacht.de/Homepage_ ... __6-1.html.

Unfortunately, such a high registration number WH (above 1 million) cannot be identified because they just stopped keeping such detailed records for them as the war kept progressing.

The list below shows the registration dates for all Heer vehicles until the Summer of 1944.

This vehicle is a Sd.Kfz. 6/1 - Artillery Tractor, you can actually see the artillery cannon behind the vehicle.
WH-1044398
WH 1000000-1099999 - August 1941
Sd.Kfz. 6 - Half-Track.jpg
Sd.Kfz. 6 - Half-Track.jpg (54.81 KiB) Viewed 2774 times

Deutsches Reich
Wehrmacht 1944


WH 1 -9999 Seit 19.06.1939
WH 10000-99999 Seit 1935 / neu seit 19.06.1939
WH 100000-199999 Seit 1937 / neu seit 19.06.1939
WH 200000-299999 Seit 1938 / neu seit 19.06.1939
WH 300000-399999 Seit 1939
WH 400000-499999 Seit 1939
WH 500000-599999 Seit 1939
WH 600000- 699999 Seit 1939/1940
WH 700000-799999 Seit 1940
WH 800000-899999 Seit 1940
WH 900000-999999 Seit 1940
WH 1000000-1099999 Seit August 1941
WH 1100000-1199999 Seit Herbst 1941
WH 1200000-1299999 Seit 1942
WH 1300000-1399999 Seit 1942
WH 1400000-1499999 Seit Ende 1942
WH 1500000-1599999 Seit 1943
WH 1600000-1699999 Seit 1943
WH 1700000-1799999 Seit 1944
WH 1800000-1889900 Seit Sommer 1944
wbfamily wrote:
26 Oct 2018, 20:07
Are there hospital lists that can be checked to see if he was hospitalized? I think this may be the answer.
I am not sure, I think it is possible but we need to identify which hospitals were operational in the Taganrog region in August 1942. I have only found the SS hospital and I do not think he would have been there.
wbfamily wrote:
26 Oct 2018, 20:07
I know that while in Russia he miscalculated an explosion and it knocked him back quite a ways. I'm unsure if the extent of his injuries.
This is good information, do you know anything else about this event?

offizier1916
Member
Posts: 367
Joined: 20 Sep 2015, 11:37
Location: the sun

Re: Help with grandfather's photos. Any info, please!

#94

Post by offizier1916 » 27 Oct 2018, 12:15

thank you guys for the very interesting photos you share and and the detailed Research. very appreciated

Volyn
Member
Posts: 455
Joined: 04 Jul 2018, 05:53
Location: USA

Re: Help with grandfather's photos. Any info, please!

#95

Post by Volyn » 28 Oct 2018, 15:35

wbfamily wrote:
16 Oct 2018, 02:49
Sejanus wrote:
16 Oct 2018, 01:20
wbfamily wrote:
14 Oct 2018, 17:48

Do you know what this item hanging from his pocket might be?
Image
Looks like a whistle lanyard.
I've been pulling my hair out for a whistle lanyard?! Hahaha, thank you!
Whistle Lanyard.jpg
Whistle Lanyard (2).jpg
Here are two photos of the whistle lanyard on a uniform.

wbfamily
Member
Posts: 79
Joined: 09 May 2015, 21:06
Location: United States

Re: Help with grandfather's photos. Any info, please!

#96

Post by wbfamily » 29 Oct 2018, 01:26

Volyn wrote:
26 Oct 2018, 20:31
wbfamily wrote:
26 Oct 2018, 20:07
Did you check the plate number in my post last week?
Yes I found the following information based on this link http://www.kfzderwehrmacht.de/Homepage_ ... __6-1.html.

Unfortunately, such a high registration number WH (above 1 million) cannot be identified because they just stopped keeping such detailed records for them as the war kept progressing.

The list below shows the registration dates for all Heer vehicles until the Summer of 1944.

This vehicle is a Sd.Kfz. 6/1 - Artillery Tractor, you can actually see the artillery cannon behind the vehicle.
WH-1044398
WH 1000000-1099999 - August 1941
Sd.Kfz. 6 - Half-Track.jpg


Deutsches Reich
Wehrmacht 1944


WH 1 -9999 Seit 19.06.1939
WH 10000-99999 Seit 1935 / neu seit 19.06.1939
WH 100000-199999 Seit 1937 / neu seit 19.06.1939
WH 200000-299999 Seit 1938 / neu seit 19.06.1939
WH 300000-399999 Seit 1939
WH 400000-499999 Seit 1939
WH 500000-599999 Seit 1939
WH 600000- 699999 Seit 1939/1940
WH 700000-799999 Seit 1940
WH 800000-899999 Seit 1940
WH 900000-999999 Seit 1940
WH 1000000-1099999 Seit August 1941
WH 1100000-1199999 Seit Herbst 1941
WH 1200000-1299999 Seit 1942
WH 1300000-1399999 Seit 1942
WH 1400000-1499999 Seit Ende 1942
WH 1500000-1599999 Seit 1943
WH 1600000-1699999 Seit 1943
WH 1700000-1799999 Seit 1944
WH 1800000-1889900 Seit Sommer 1944
wbfamily wrote:
26 Oct 2018, 20:07
Are there hospital lists that can be checked to see if he was hospitalized? I think this may be the answer.
I am not sure, I think it is possible but we need to identify which hospitals were operational in the Taganrog region in August 1942. I have only found the SS hospital and I do not think he would have been there.
wbfamily wrote:
26 Oct 2018, 20:07
I know that while in Russia he miscalculated an explosion and it knocked him back quite a ways. I'm unsure if the extent of his injuries.
This is good information, do you know anything else about this event?
I've been searching for a hospitals in the region but I'm not coming up with anything. I don't think my sources are nearly as good as yours. I will keep trying though.

I will see if I can find more information about the explosion in Russia. I probably won't be able to go through more of his belongings until mid-week.

history1
Banned
Posts: 4095
Joined: 31 Oct 2005, 10:12
Location: Austria

Re: Help with grandfather's photos. Any info, please!

#97

Post by history1 » 31 Oct 2018, 10:43

wbfamily wrote:
11 Oct 2018, 00:20
Helmut0815 wrote:
10 Oct 2018, 23:02
wbfamily wrote:
10 Oct 2018, 03:43
Do you buy chance know what "13b" means on the postcard?
13b was the postal code for southern Bavaria.
regards
Helmut
Thank you very much.
For further use, it might be helpful in the future:
Image

history1
Banned
Posts: 4095
Joined: 31 Oct 2005, 10:12
Location: Austria

Re: Help with grandfather's photos. Any info, please!

#98

Post by history1 » 31 Oct 2018, 11:16

Volyn wrote:
10 Oct 2018, 21:59
I found out which POW camp it is - 380 Fanara/Bitter Lake.

http://www.canalzoners.co.uk/POW%20Camp ... 20Egyt.htm

They were held until 1947 for several reasons:
1. Search for war criminals.
2. Organizational and transportation problems (it was often easier to supply and maintain camps than to transfer prisoners).
3. Concerns about the deterioration of the situation in Germany (additional unemployment for feeding).
4. They were economically useful.
5. The repatriation lasted a long time and the Italians took precedence.

Regarding the latter - Prisoners held by Great Britain began to leave in 1946 (probably in September). It lasted almost two years.
What´s your source for this claim, Volyn?
More likely the truth for the late repatriation of them is this quote from your link:
"In March 1947 during a speech to the Lower House, the MP for Ipswich, Mr. R.R. Stokes, stated that the reason for the sluggish pace of repatriation was that the local British authorities held the manpower of the POW’s to be so indispensable that they would simply have to wait for repatriation and then on the 30th September 1947, the British Government announced that it would be necessary for it to reduce the repatriation to a fraction of the planned quota because of the shortages of ships."

history1
Banned
Posts: 4095
Joined: 31 Oct 2005, 10:12
Location: Austria

Re: Help with grandfather's photos. Any info, please!

#99

Post by history1 » 31 Oct 2018, 11:27

wbfamily wrote:
10 Oct 2018, 02:31
And a few more. It seems as if he was an engineer in a mountain unit and kriegsmarine? As you can see, he was a pow in egypt in 1947. [...]
Image
Why do you think that he was an engineer aboard the SS Deutschland in 1937? Is there any hint for that, please? Especially as his profession in later years was "Kunstm." what is the acronym for "Kunstmaler" = artist, painter.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_cr ... eutschland

Volyn
Member
Posts: 455
Joined: 04 Jul 2018, 05:53
Location: USA

Re: Help with grandfather's photos. Any info, please!

#100

Post by Volyn » 31 Oct 2018, 14:33

history1 wrote:
31 Oct 2018, 11:16
Volyn wrote:
10 Oct 2018, 21:59
I found out which POW camp it is - 380 Fanara/Bitter Lake.

http://www.canalzoners.co.uk/POW%20Camp ... 20Egyt.htm

They were held until 1947 for several reasons:
1. Search for war criminals.
2. Organizational and transportation problems (it was often easier to supply and maintain camps than to transfer prisoners).
3. Concerns about the deterioration of the situation in Germany (additional unemployment for feeding).
4. They were economically useful.
5. The repatriation lasted a long time and the Italians took precedence.

Regarding the latter - Prisoners held by Great Britain began to leave in 1946 (probably in September). It lasted almost two years.
What´s your source for this claim, Volyn?
More likely the truth for the late repatriation of them is this quote from your link:
"In March 1947 during a speech to the Lower House, the MP for Ipswich, Mr. R.R. Stokes, stated that the reason for the sluggish pace of repatriation was that the local British authorities held the manpower of the POW’s to be so indispensable that they would simply have to wait for repatriation and then on the 30th September 1947, the British Government announced that it would be necessary for it to reduce the repatriation to a fraction of the planned quota because of the shortages of ships."
Thank you for adding this information, you could be correct - I simply listed a series of reasons that could have prevented him from being returned sooner, just logical possibilities. Also, he had escaped from the prison camp and was recaptured and sent to a different camp in Cyprus (I have not identified this one yet), so this could have been another factor as well.
history1 wrote:
31 Oct 2018, 11:27
wbfamily wrote:
10 Oct 2018, 02:31
And a few more. It seems as if he was an engineer in a mountain unit and kriegsmarine? As you can see, he was a pow in egypt in 1947. [...]
Image
Why do you think that he was an engineer aboard the SS Deutschland in 1937? Is there any hint for that, please? Especially as his profession in later years was "Kunstm." what is the acronym for "Kunstmaler" = artist, painter.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_cr ... eutschland
Great job - I am curious how did you identify it as the SS Deutschland, is it written on his hat (I cannot read it)?

wbfamily
Member
Posts: 79
Joined: 09 May 2015, 21:06
Location: United States

Re: Help with grandfather's photos. Any info, please!

#101

Post by wbfamily » 31 Oct 2018, 17:36

history1 wrote:
31 Oct 2018, 11:27
wbfamily wrote:
10 Oct 2018, 02:31
And a few more. It seems as if he was an engineer in a mountain unit and kriegsmarine? As you can see, he was a pow in egypt in 1947. [...]
Image
Why do you think that he was an engineer aboard the SS Deutschland in 1937? Is there any hint for that, please? Especially as his profession in later years was "Kunstm." what is the acronym for "Kunstmaler" = artist, painter.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_cr ... eutschland
I don't have any information for what his profession was on the ship. I know only that he was on it based on the photos he's in and the Ellis Island crew lists. I will check them again to see if his profession is specified.

How did you know he was an artist? I don't think I mentioned it before but he did some beautiful work!

history1
Banned
Posts: 4095
Joined: 31 Oct 2005, 10:12
Location: Austria

Re: Help with grandfather's photos. Any info, please!

#102

Post by history1 » 31 Oct 2018, 19:43

Volyn wrote:
12 Oct 2018, 02:41
[...]
Heeresmunitionsanstalt Hohenbrunn employed about 4,000 local residents (the vast majority of whom were women) and 700 forced laborers, mainly Russians and Ukrainians, but also Poles. On the day of American liberation, forced laborers killed the hated camp leader and his translator. You can actually visit the area with a guide today.
[...]
Could you be so kind and give the source for the copyright protect images and text as the forum rules request?
It would help tremendous as one really wonders because they are not shown in the Wikipedia link and neither is the information from there.
Both are from here: https://www.sueddeutsche.de/muenchen/la ... -1.2465779

Volyn
Member
Posts: 455
Joined: 04 Jul 2018, 05:53
Location: USA

Re: Help with grandfather's photos. Any info, please!

#103

Post by Volyn » 31 Oct 2018, 20:40

history1 wrote:
31 Oct 2018, 19:43
Volyn wrote:
12 Oct 2018, 02:41
[...]
Heeresmunitionsanstalt Hohenbrunn employed about 4,000 local residents (the vast majority of whom were women) and 700 forced laborers, mainly Russians and Ukrainians, but also Poles. On the day of American liberation, forced laborers killed the hated camp leader and his translator. You can actually visit the area with a guide today.
[...]
Could you be so kind and give the source for the copyright protect images and text as the forum rules request?
It would help tremendous as one really wonders because they are not shown in the Wikipedia link and neither is the information from there.
Both are from here: https://www.sueddeutsche.de/muenchen/la ... -1.2465779
I did not get my information from this source, it is a good one (maybe the original). I received my information based on assistance from others who helped me to locate the site, they provided me the photos so I posted them.

history1
Banned
Posts: 4095
Joined: 31 Oct 2005, 10:12
Location: Austria

Re: Help with grandfather's photos. Any info, please!

#104

Post by history1 » 31 Oct 2018, 21:18

Volyn wrote:
18 Oct 2018, 00:59
wbfamily wrote:
16 Oct 2018, 23:54
On another note...I thought I had uploaded this photo but realized I didn't. Where could this have been taken?
Ożenna - Poland - 7 SEP 1939.jpg

This is the border of Ożenna (in Poland) and Nižná Polianka (in Slovakia) and they are connected by a road that goes through the Beskid nad Ożenna Pass - Your grandfather entered into Poland here, he seems to be assigned to Gebirgs-Jäger-Regiment 98 at the time (or he is "floating" between units).

This is another photo of the same location dated 7 September 1939, click the link to follow - https://fotopolska.eu/1206392,foto.html?o=b285014 The photo on the website and your grandfather's photo were taken on the exact same day.
Exactly the same photo signed " Grenzübertitt nach Polen " is included in the publication "Gebirgs-Jäger-Regiment 98 im polnischen Feldzug". In the text itself, the date of 07.09 was written:
"Unter klingendem Spiel der Rgt.-Musik überschritt das GJR 98 am 7.9. nachmittags beim Zollhaus Ozenna die polnische Grenze".

Which is more or less that in the afternoon of 7 September, accompanied by the regimental orchestra, GJR 98 crossed the Polish border near the "Ożenna customs post".

On the other hand, in the elaboration on the activities of II./GJR 100 (" Die Sturmfahrt unserer Gebirgsjäger durch Polen, Gefechts- und Erlebnisbericht des II. Geb.-Jäg.-Rgt- 100 ") a picture taken clearly in the same place (visible the same two boards and a pillar between them), signed " Der Spitzenzug des Bataillons überschreitet bei Niz Polanka die polnische Grenze ", meaning the leading platoon of the regiment crosses the Polish border near "Niz Polanki". - credit to my friends in Poland.
1. The caption to the photo in the links reads: " Sept.7th 1939: Southern border of the 2nd Polish Republic, Dukla pass near Ożenna - soldiers of the 100th Gebirgsjäger-Regiment. Recognisable are the typical boundary stones"
2. What leads to the conclusion that the gtrandfather was assigned to the 98th and not to the 100 Gebirgsjägerregiment?
3. A Bataillon is a battalion and not a regiment.
Further readings:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dukla_Pass
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Dukla_Pass

history1
Banned
Posts: 4095
Joined: 31 Oct 2005, 10:12
Location: Austria

Re: Help with grandfather's photos. Any info, please!

#105

Post by history1 » 31 Oct 2018, 21:22

wbfamily wrote:
14 Oct 2018, 17:48
[...]
Or what this says?
Image
The text says:
Liebe Grüße,
euer Walter

Taganrog, 25.8.42

Post Reply

Return to “Life in the Third Reich & Weimar Republic”