Soldbuch to Michael Wieland, s.Pz.Abt.504, Pz.Abt.115, KIA in Holland 1944

[dennisb]

Great Soldbuch(!) with an incredible good research!!
Simply fantastic!

[Edward]

Really nice Soldbuch Rob! Nicely presented. The outdoor uniform pic of him wearing his Pz uniform with the belt and buckle just showing is cool too. I found it really interesting that he was a trained Panzerschütze with assignment to the Flak element of the unit.

[5thFallschirm.]

As said, a very nice SB and good research.
I like the photo of the guy very much.

[Oberbootsmann]

Hello Rob. Congrats to your grouping. Awsome documents and a thoroughly done research job. I wish I had the time to do it that detailed.

Regards

[Panzer Rob]

Thanks for all of the complements guys and I am glad that you enjoyed the thread

Congrats Rob It is a super soldbuch which you finally have been able to pull out Henners' collection. Great research you have done and written. Great presentation job

Regards

Erwin

Thanks, Erwin. It really is an amazing Soldbuch and I couldn't be happier with it Henner first showed the Wieland set to me about 4 or 5 years ago and I've been thinking about it ever since. I patiently waited for the day it would make its way into my collection; I knew it would eventually as he promised me first right of refusal if he ever decided to sell it, and being a very good friend and a man of his word he held true to that promise..... and man am I glad he did!!!

Very interesting Rob!

I wish I had the time to do this sort of research on some of my Soldbücher but the kids ensure I do not

Ah yes, but as you know that will all be changing for me in a few months Come around 1.September researching IDs will be the last thing on my mind

Interesting for me also with you showing the 3,7cm Flakpanzer IV “Möbelwagen”, I have some photos of these and never really looked into what they were....forget the unit but the crews bodies are draped in flags of them.

It's a really neat and interesting looking vehicle! Only around 240 were produced and there are just two surviving examples; One is at the Auto and Technik museum in Sinsheim Germany and the second is at Saumur. There were two other Flakpanzers based on the Pz.IV chassis, the Wirbelwind (2,0cm Flakvierling) and Ostwind (3,7cm). I'd really like to see the photos you have.

I forgot to mention it in my original post but if you look closely at the last photo of the Möbelwagen from Pz.Rgt.15 you can see large shrapnel holes and gouges in the side of the armored fighting compartment panel.

Incidentally I had a trawl through the Volksbund and tried different combinations and a phonetic search but no luck. Checked the Vermisstenbildliste and of course he is not in there but worth a look.

I appreciate you taking the time to look. Thank you for that, Ian.

Really nice Soldbuch Rob! Nicely presented. The outdoor uniform pic of him wearing his Pz uniform with the belt and buckle just showing is cool too. I found it really interesting that he was a trained Panzerschütze with assignment to the Flak element of the unit.

Thanks, Jerry. The photo in the Soldbuch is just fantastic; razor sharp and quite large when compared to most other Soldbuch portrait photos. In addition to being able to even read the text on the belt buckle you can also see part of the holster on his belt.

Here's a better scan.

[Lee Luke]

1

[Ian Jewison]

Thanks, Jerry. The photo in the Soldbuch is just fantastic; razor sharp and quite large when compared to most other Soldbuch portrait photos. In addition to being able to even read the text on the belt buckle you can also see part of the holster on his belt.

Here's a better scan.

Is that his tropical/DAK belt in the photo? Looks like he never got round to handing it in and exchanging it for black leather.

/Ian

[Dr. Strangelove]

Excellent!

Excellent Research and great illustrations. Thanks.

[afrikasandman]

Rob,

that is just a killer presentation, really brings the soldbuch to life! Thank you for posting it and all the research and time you put into it.

Also that does appear to be a tropical belt in the photo, really contrasts nicely with that wrapper. Matt

[CWP]

Fantastic presentation Rob. That portrait photo is a killer.

[PzV]

Rob, amazing and very good research!

Jim

[Panzer Rob]

Thanks guys!

Is that his tropical/DAK belt in the photo? Looks like he never got round to handing it in and exchanging it for black leather.

/Ian

You are correct Ian... No doubt that's a tropical belt he is wearing

Matt- I totally agree, the tropical belt adds just the right amount of contrast to his black wrap

Rob

[Panzer Rob]

Hello all,

It is with great enthusiasm that I am able to post a very important update to this thread.

When I originally researched and presented this Soldbuch I was unable to determine if Michael Wieland was killed in action on 1.November, or if he was wounded on an earlier date and later died on 1.November in St. Hubert, perhaps at an aid station or field hospital (see post #7). In other words, the details, date and circumstances of his death were a complete mystery and all I could determine from the entries in his Soldbuch was that he died on 1.November 1944.


Well, I am excited to report that the mystery has been solved and we can bring to a proper and fitting close this thread on Michael Wieland. A few months ago I was contacted by Michael Wieland's nephew who came across this thread while researching his uncle, and in our correspondence which has since followed he has generously shared with me information and photos of Michael Wieland, including some photos of his grave marker, images of a memorial to the soldiers from Michael's home town who perished during the war (Wieland's portrait appears on the memorial) as well as detailed information regarding Michael Wieland's death and how he came to be buried in St. Hubert.


So now, over a year after originally starting this thread, thanks to Michael Wieland's nephew I am able to confirm that on 1.November 1944, while serving as the commander of a Flakpanzer IV Möbelwagen deployed on the front lines, Michael Wieland was killed by shrapnel while traveling on foot trying to find a vehicle to assist in the recovery of his Möbelwagen which had become immobilized due to a mechanical breakdown. His body was brought to his unit's command post by some combat engineers where the company commander ordered that his body be laid to rest in St. Hubert cemetery, with full military honors, on 2.November 1944 with a eulogy given by the division's pastor.


Here is a portion of text taken from the sobering tribute to Michael Wieland on his Totenbild (which Michael's nephew so kindly transposed to digital text):

"Uffz. Michael Wieland, Landwirtssohn von Herrnwahlthann, der im Blütenalter von 22 Jahren und 9 Monaten am 1. November gefallen ist. Über die Umstände seines Heldentodes ist uns Folgendes berichtet worden: „Mit seinem Flak-Panzer in vorderster Linie eingesetzt, erlitt dieser einen technischen Schaden und blieb bewegungsunfähig liegen. Da setzte unser Held Michael Wieland alles ein um den Panzer zu bergen. Ständig war er zu Fuß unterwegs um irgendeine Abschleppungsmöglichkeit für seinen Panzer zu erkunden. Dabei ist er durch feindliche Granatsplitter gefallen. Pioniere brachten sodann den Toten zum Gefechtsstand, wo der Kompanieführer die Überbringung des gefallenen Kameradenn nach St. Hubert bei Kempen anordnete. Dort wurde er in einem Sarg aufgebahrt und am 2. Nov. mit noch einem Kameraden unter militärischen Ehren auf dem Heldenfriedhof des Gemeindefriedhofs St. Hubert begraben. Bis zur Beisetzung hielten Kameraden am Sarg die Totenwache. An dem Begräbnis beteiligten viele Zivilpersonen und ein Divisionspfarrer hielt die Trauerrede.“

Dieses Ziel hat unser Michael nicht nur gekannt, nach diesem Ziele hat er auch gestrebt. So weit wir wissen, hat er in seinem Leben sich an Gott gehalten. Er achtete die göttlichen Gebote und hielt sich von der Sünde fern. Er erfüllte treulich seine religiösen Pflichten und beschränkte sich da nicht etwa nur auf das Allernotwendigste. Er tat viel mehr. Er ging seit seinen Kindheitstagen oft zu den heil. Sakramenten.- Er erfüllte seine Kinsespflicht und brachte seinen Eltern stets Ehrfurcht, Liebe und Gehorsam entgegen, Darum trauern seine Eltern sehr um ihn. - Und als er zur deutschen Wehrmacht einberufen wurde, da hat er auch mehr als seine Pflicht getan.

Das sagt uns seine Beförderung zum Unteroffizier und noch mehr das E.K.II und das Panzerkampfabzeichen, mit dem er ausgezeichnet worden ist. Welch ein pflichtbewußter, tapferer Solat unser gef. Held gewesen ist, das sagen auch die Umstände seines Heldentodes. Er lief im feindlichen Feuer umher, weil er unbedingt das wertvolle Kriegsgerät, den Panzerwagen, der ihm anvertraut war, retten wollte. Dabei hat er den Heldentod gefunden.

Trauert nun, ihr Eltern und Geschwister um euren Michael, wir trauern mit euch!"

And here it is roughly translated into English:

"The circumstances of Michael's death have been reported us: "With his anti-aircraft tank (Möbelwagen) deployed in the front lines, it suffered technical damage and became immobilized. Our hero Michael Wieland tried everything to recover the tank. He was constantly walking on the road to find any possibility for towing his armor. Here, he was killed by enemy shrapnel. Pioneers then brought his body to the command post, where the company commander ordered the delivery of the fallen Kameradenn to St. Hubert in Kempen. There he was laid out in a coffin and on Nov. 2. buried with a comrade with military honors at the hero cemetery of the parish cemetery of St. Hubert. Until the funeral, comrades held vigil at the coffin. Many civilians took part in the funeral and a Division pastor gave the eulogy."

"And when he was called up to the Wehrmacht, since he has done more than his duty. That tells us he was promoted to corporal and even more the E.K.II and the Panzer assault badge, with which he has been awarded. What a brave, dutiful soldier our hero has been, told in the circumstances of his heroic death. He ran around in enemy fire because he wanted to save the valuable military equipment, the (Möbelwagen) which was entrusted to him. There he found a hero's death. Now the parents and siblings to your Michael, we mourn with you!

Here are scans of Michael Wieland's Totenbild, complements of Michael's nephew:

[Panzer Rob]

The tribute memorial to the fallen soldiers from Michael's home town. Michael's photo appears on the memorial:

[Panzer Rob]

Since originally starting this thread I have come across some very interesting Flakpanzer IV Möbelwagen images that I would like to now post. It's a very unique and interesting vehicle that Michael Wieland commanded and these images give us a wonderful view of it in both training and in the field during deployment in combat. As you can see, the four hull superstructure side panels could be arranged in three positions: Fully closed as to form a box around the crew and main gun, partially opened in tactical/combat mode, and fully opened - more likely than not for training purposes or deployment in a rear area as completely lowering the hull sides in a combat situation would offer no protection to the crew.


The first three images show a Möbelwagen during firing practice and you can see that the hull sides are completely lowered: