Zweitschrift SB: 225 ID early war, 114 Jager Div mid war, Tigers at the end?

[Hank C.]

I'll post more tomorrow....I know that unfortunately these few docs don't give us much more help in straightening out the missing pieces. Most of what would help - award docs - aren't there. I don't know if they were or not...both of the sellers I got this grouping from said there was much disagreement in the family when he passed. From what I gathered, his uniform was also sold. But I never saw it or had a chance to get it. No telling what else (if anything) there was.

best
Hank

[Archi]

Hi Hank !

Thanks for the additional scans ! I think those do have some interesting info,
I'll try to have a more detailed look soon.
The first hand account of his last actions would be very interesting, of course !

Cheers,

Archi

[Archi]

Hi Hank !

The "look soon" took much longer than expected, sorry !
Here is what I can make up from the additional documents you posted so far :

1) His career/ranks within the SA / Police :
- SA : 23.11.1931 - 29.01.1933 (Post #29)
(not sure whether then there was a break from Feb. - Oct. 1933)
- Polizei and Feldjägerkorps from 01.11.1933 - 31.03.1937 (Post #29)
- Gendarmerie (mot.) from 01.04.1937 - (to the end ?!)
ranks :
in 1935 Unterfeldjäger (Post #12)
in 1937 Wachtmeister (Post #22)
01.02.1938 promoted Gendarmerie-Oberwachtmeister (Post #23)
01.01.1941 promoted Gendarmerie-Zugwachtmeister (Post #26,27)
01.09.1944 promoted Hauptwachtmeister d. Gendarmerie (Post #29)

2) His ranks within the Wehrmacht :
he was "incorporated" into the Wehrmacht on 26.08.1939 with rank : Unterfeldwebel
promoted 01.11.1939 : Feldwebel (while already Oberwachtmeister rank with the police)
promoted 01.01.1941 : Oberfeldwebel (exactly when he was promoted Zugwachtmeister (police))

After some research, I was surprised, that the rank of Oberwachtmeister with the police is
somehow corresponding to Uffz. (Heer) and Hauptwachtmeister somehow to Oberfeldwebel (Heer).
(Perhaps someone with better knowledge can clarify these matters).

What I did not understand from the documents : According to his Ehrenbuch, he was "ernannt
to Hauptwachtmeister on 15.Sept. 1943". This could either be a memory error by about one year,
(and then referring to his appointment to that rank with the police) or this could refer
to his appointment as "Spiess" of a Feldgendarmerie-Trupp ?!


3) According to his units/service :
From the start of the war until autumn 1941, he served with the Feldgendarmerie-Trupp 225
of the 225. Inf.Div. in the West [FPN: 35805]. Such a unit was organized like this :
http://www.wwiidaybyday.com/kstn/kstn2033b1mar42.htm

At some time (in autumn 1941 ?!) he must have been in hospital (Kriegslazarett 2/619) and then
was released to Feldgendarmerie-Ersatz-Abt. I (located at Perleberg). (Post #26)
From there, he was possibly transferred to the 170. Inf.Div., another WK X unit (if I decipher
now the first follow up entry in his Ehrenbuch correctly).
In the second half of 1942, this unit was serving in the East with army group North (as was
20. ID(mot), where he might have spent some time too, because of his EKM).

It seems he was seriously wounded there, as the next document (post #28), shows that at the beginning
of January, 1943, he was with the Marsch-Kompanie Gren.-Ersatz-Btl. 220, located at Schleswig :
http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/...rsBat220-R.htm
And while with this unit, he asked the "Amt für Leibesübungen" of the city of Hamburg, [kind of a:
community (local) sports department of the city of Hamburg], which requirements he would have to meet,
to fulfill the conditions for the "Versehrten-Reichssportabzeichen".

So at that time, he must have been severely maimed [hampered] by war actions?
[Funny sidenote: German bureaucracy was still at its height at that time, as the response was :
"To answer this question is within the responsibility of the office of the senior mayor of Schleswig!"]

The next unit he mentions is the 114. Jg.Div., where he was transferred to during some time in 1943.
Its still not clear to me, when he left this unit to make his driver license near Paris and how the
other units (Wi.-Kdo. 9, FPN 39721 (on driver license) post #7, the Pz-Abt. mentioned in post#10) fit in the picture.

Perhaps he still was with 114. Jg.Div. in May 44, when the awards were entered into the SB (post #10)
(At least, his promotion documents were still sent to Kommando 114. Jg.Div. (FPN 40145) in August
or September 1944.)

For what happened in 1945, perhaps his diary could give some more clues.

Cheers,

Archi

[Hank C.]

Hi Archi,
Many thanks for the comprehensive follow-up. I'll try and take some pix of his printed/written diaries & e-mail to you. I've already typed out & translated some of them myself. They don't give any unit designations, but some hints at the areas he was involved as well as the equipment used (i.e., when they picked up the King Tigers near Stettin).

best
Hank