who were the SS-Krabach Batt?

[Michael Fay]

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...S+Krabach+batt

Hello Living History Forum,
I have an old photo of some SS graves. the plaques on the markers have written on them: "4/SS-Krabach Batt. (or it might be Hrabach)
All died on 21.1.42.
Can anyone tell me how to learn more about this group? With some help I have come to believe they were part of the 4th SS Polizei.
But cannot find anything on SS Krabach Batt, itself.
I really want to learn their story.
thanks, Michael

[Simon O.]

If it says 'batt.' rather than Btl. or bat. then it would refer to batterie as battalion in German is bataillon ie. with only 1 t.

could it be Kradsch. Batl.?

Looking at where these guys fell and are buried i don't think the Polizei division is what you're looking at. Perhaps Das Reich or even the SS Kav. Div.

[Michael Fay]

I see what you mean and yes, what I thought was a second "t" is probably an "l" with a longer stem and some are not crossed(those that are are a continued horizontal movement from the first "t"). It could be , as you suggest, "Kradsch" but the 4th letter is shaped most assuredly like a "b" of today. I will have to find out if stylized semi- Fraktur /Alt-Schrft (which is how the words are partially designed) has a "d" that looks like todays "b"

So this photo is most likely a 4/SS (?) Bataillon gravesite.
Thanks Simon Orchard for your aid.

If it says 'batt.' rather than Btl. or bat. then it would refer to batterie as battalion in German is bataillon ie. with only 1 t.

could it be Kradsch. Batl.?

Looking at where these guys fell and are buried i don't think the Polizei division is what you're looking at. Perhaps Das Reich or even the SS Kav. Div.

[Simon O.]

4 refering to the 4 kompanie or schwadron of course.

Kradschützen is the only thing i can think of that would fit and Das Reich's motorcycle battalion had 5 companies, it can't be the name of a commander as they sometimes did with temporary units as it would be given as 'bataillon schülze'

As both the date and place of their deaths is known a look through Das Reich's history should be able to confirm or deny the theory.

any chance of seeing the grave marker blown up in hi res?

[Michael Fay]

any chance of seeing the grave marker blown up in hi res?[/QUOTE]

Simon Orchard,
I appreciate your help.
here is my 1st attempt and a high res crop of one of the main Grave placards.

[Simon O.]

Yep, 4 Kompanie. SS Kradschützen Bataillon.

As i mentioned in my PM the Volksbund database has their place of death as Pysino.

[Michael Fay]

thanks Simon Orchard

Hello Simon, much thanks!I have been trying to figure out who they were for about 1 year.
So they were the 4 Kompanie. SS Kradschutzen Bataillon. Am I correct in understanding that you wrote they were part of 'Das Reich?'
And this area was called Pysino. This photo came with a group of SS photos , but there is no way to know if they were originally together , of course.
What is the best book to read on the Das Reich?

Thanks again,
Michael

[Simon O.]

There are people here with far better knowledge on the SS than I but i guess the best books on DR in English would be the translation of Otto Weidinger's divisional history published by JJ Fedorowicz. volume III is the one you want.

http://www.jjfpub.mb.ca/unit_histories.htm#Das_Reich