As a title, I am using the rank last held by Herr Knips.
He joined the Hitler Youth in 1938 and as time went by, he eventually joined the ranks of the Gren. Regt. 422 of the 126. Inf. Division and spent his whole wartime career on the Eastern Front.
So, I'll try ot start at the beginning and work forward from there.
I got this grouping from JW Burchell. He had it on the E-Stand for awhile and I was really quite amazed that someone hadn't nabbed it before me.
It consists of the following:
Three HJ badges:
- Leistungsabzeichen (silver) marked # "103681" & "M1/34"
- Miniature of above award marked "M1/63"
- Shiessauszeichnung (silver) marked "M1/77".
- Small portrait photo of the soldier in HJ uniform dated 1938
Six medals/badges with 6 corresponding award documents to the same man:
- Ostmedaille with ribbon - maker marked "19"
- KVK II Class w/swords - ribbon missing; unmarked
- Infantry Sturmabzeichen (Silver) with minor repair - see here: http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=848160 )
- Wound Badge (Black) - maker marked "E.S.P."; non-magnetic
- EKII with ribbon; unmarked; magnetic core
- EKI - de-Nazified; marked "15" - see here: http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=848157
Wehrpass with many entries, including qualification for HJ awards noted above also "Reichsschwimmschein"; and all awards noted above PLUS "AERMELBAND KURLAND"
Five period documents:
- 14.Mai 1943 Rechnungsfuehrer - Pruefung
- Bescheinigung - Nahkampfe - Ort nach Regimentsbefehl (places where he fought in Russia from 1942-1945)
- 01.Juli 1945 - Bescheinigung...dass er im Besitz nachstehender Kriegs-auszeichnungen ist (7 awards including "Aermelband KURLAND")
- 01.Juli 1945 - Flugansage
- 10.Jul. 1945 - "Certificate of Discharge / Entlassungschein"
- Stickpin and
- Award document - "Silberne Ehrennadel" of the "Traditionsverband 126. Inf.-Division" (ehemals IR 422) to the veteran
- Plastic shield-shaped reunion badge "1940-1990 126. Inf. Div. / 18.-19.8.90
- '57 Ribbon Bar showing all 7 wartime awards, including "KURLAND" (see here: http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=847825
He survived the 'Kessel' of Kurland.
My very good friend, Nick Grooters helped me there by passing this information along to me:
Reg.422 was indeed in the Kurland kessel (Western Latvia) and the unit was very fortunate and able to escape Latvia and evacuate at the last minute with KM help, landing in Neustadt / Holstein (German-Danish border area) where they surrendered to the British on May 12, 1945 (so after VE day). A very lucky Regiment which explains why this material survived and with a pattern '57 ribbonbar!
So, let's start off with what we have from his time in the Hitler Jugend.
Here is a picture of him in his HJ uniform. There is a date on the back of it which dates it to 1938.
He joined the Hitler Youth in 1938 and as time went by, he eventually joined the ranks of the Gren. Regt. 422 of the 126. Inf. Division and spent his whole wartime career on the Eastern Front.
So, I'll try ot start at the beginning and work forward from there.
I got this grouping from JW Burchell. He had it on the E-Stand for awhile and I was really quite amazed that someone hadn't nabbed it before me.
It consists of the following:
Three HJ badges:
- Leistungsabzeichen (silver) marked # "103681" & "M1/34"
- Miniature of above award marked "M1/63"
- Shiessauszeichnung (silver) marked "M1/77".
- Small portrait photo of the soldier in HJ uniform dated 1938
Six medals/badges with 6 corresponding award documents to the same man:
- Ostmedaille with ribbon - maker marked "19"
- KVK II Class w/swords - ribbon missing; unmarked
- Infantry Sturmabzeichen (Silver) with minor repair - see here: http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=848160 )
- Wound Badge (Black) - maker marked "E.S.P."; non-magnetic
- EKII with ribbon; unmarked; magnetic core
- EKI - de-Nazified; marked "15" - see here: http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=848157
Wehrpass with many entries, including qualification for HJ awards noted above also "Reichsschwimmschein"; and all awards noted above PLUS "AERMELBAND KURLAND"
Five period documents:
- 14.Mai 1943 Rechnungsfuehrer - Pruefung
- Bescheinigung - Nahkampfe - Ort nach Regimentsbefehl (places where he fought in Russia from 1942-1945)
- 01.Juli 1945 - Bescheinigung...dass er im Besitz nachstehender Kriegs-auszeichnungen ist (7 awards including "Aermelband KURLAND")
- 01.Juli 1945 - Flugansage
- 10.Jul. 1945 - "Certificate of Discharge / Entlassungschein"
- Stickpin and
- Award document - "Silberne Ehrennadel" of the "Traditionsverband 126. Inf.-Division" (ehemals IR 422) to the veteran
- Plastic shield-shaped reunion badge "1940-1990 126. Inf. Div. / 18.-19.8.90
- '57 Ribbon Bar showing all 7 wartime awards, including "KURLAND" (see here: http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=847825
He survived the 'Kessel' of Kurland.
My very good friend, Nick Grooters helped me there by passing this information along to me:
Reg.422 was indeed in the Kurland kessel (Western Latvia) and the unit was very fortunate and able to escape Latvia and evacuate at the last minute with KM help, landing in Neustadt / Holstein (German-Danish border area) where they surrendered to the British on May 12, 1945 (so after VE day). A very lucky Regiment which explains why this material survived and with a pattern '57 ribbonbar!
So, let's start off with what we have from his time in the Hitler Jugend.
Here is a picture of him in his HJ uniform. There is a date on the back of it which dates it to 1938.
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