134 infantry regiment - please HELP!!

[aterrasse]

dear All,

I have just bought a number of very interesting pictures and pieces of uniform for a German NCO of the 134 Infantry Regiment.

I would like to know more about this gentleman and intend to carry out a thorough ID search in the coming days/weeks.

As a first steps, I would lie to know about the regiment which he used to belong. It is the 134 Infantry Regiement. Many of the pictures on which he appears seems to suggest that the regiment was at some times based in Brünn. Does anyone know anything about this regiment and what happened to it?

I will post some pictures if required (or event for interest: this NCO wears the most "untextbook" visor cap I have ever seen in my life of headgear collector!!).

I look forwards to hearing from you.

Kind regards

Alex

[Folkert D.]

Hi Alex,

you sure picked an interesting unit there!


It was initially formed from the Austrian Infanterie-Regiment Nr.4 "Hoch- und Deutschmeister" (part of the Austrian 2. Infanterie-Divsion) as part of the 44. Infanterie-Division after the "Anschluß" in August 1938.

As what happened to it, nominally the story of the "Infanterie-Regiment 134" ends in October 1942 when it was renamed to "Grenadier-Regiment 134" . The true end came a few months later when it was totally destroyed in Stalingrad.

(Though a new 44. Infanterie-Division was later on reformed with a few veterans from the old unit.)


Folkert

[nonameno]

Hello Alex,
I agree, a very interesting regiment indeed. I have been collecting what ever I can find to this regiment for years, but there is very little to be had. I would be very curious to see what you have to share.
Thank you,
Curtiss
nonameno@aol.com

[aterrasse]

Very interesting indeed!

I have quite a few postcards of our man and a few other things which I would like to post. I will do that in daylight tomorrow.

One of the photocards addressed to his "lieben" is dated on the back "19.1.1943". Would that mean that our man (his name is Gerhard by the way!) was in the Stalingrad region at that time? Is it possible that the field post was still working only a few days before the surrender?

Alex

[Folkert D.]

Not only in the region, but right down in the Kessel! (Highly probable, at least. Only a very small number of men from IR 134 were outside the Kessel and those were mostly technical and administration personnel. All fighting formations [and the regimental band] were in the Kessel.] On the 19th the remnants of IR 134 lay a few (1-2) kilometers east of the former principal airfield of Stalingrad, Pitomnik, which had been lost on the 16th.

As to whether the Feldpost was still working: definitely! I've read letters dated from the 19th and 20th myself and I am very sure from I've read and heard that the system kept working till the 22nd. (Please remember, Feldpost was recognized as a very important morale factor: nothing to eat - bad; no Feldpost - catastrophe!)


Folkert

[aterrasse]

Folkert, that is so interesting and you are so knowlegeable!

I shall post the documents I have tomorrow morning without failing, so please keep an eye on the thread.

Alex

[aterrasse]

Here we are:

This is Gerhard of the IR 134. My photograph is not very detailled, but you can see the regiment number on the shoulder boards (134).

Who can help about the uniform type worn by Gerhard?

Also interesting feature of our man, is his visor cap which is completely contrary to regulation (adler and wreath made in bullion and officer style silver buttons holding the leather chinstrap).

This photograph is dated by our man himself "19.1.1943".

Alex

[aterrasse]

Second picture of Gerhard:

Here, the uniform changes. Can anyone tell me what is the uniform type that he is wearing?

Noticeably, our man looks very drawn and tired on that photograph.

He is still a NCO but the collar does not longer show the white ridge.

Alex

[aterrasse]

Third picture is a ID size picture (a bit larger in fact).

Again, another type of uniform is use: any idea about the type?

The shoulder boards clearly show the number "134" but this time the number is sewed on.

Alex

[aterrasse]

I have many more things about the nam which I will post later.

Thank you all for your interest

Alex

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Alex, the uniforms shown are the standard M36 tunic.

However, in the first photo he has had the collar retailored to a more fashionable pointed style which was a popular modification with many NCO's.

Cheers, Ade.

[Adrian Stevenson]

I forgot to mention that in the second photo he is a junior NCO and would not wear collar tress.

Cheers, Ade.