Dutch - German Ski Jager group

[Floris]

I found this group recently and thought it might be interessting to show here.
It's a grouping of a man born in Holland (Friesland area) of a German father and a Dutch mother.
His first name Reintje changed during the war to Reinhard.
In 1942 he had to make an exam to become a German citizen.


In 1943 he was part of 2./ Jagerbataillon 11.
This unit was fighting in Russia.
At 10-6-1943 he got wounded and because of this wounding he got the Wounded Badge in Black. But shortly after this he was wounded again.

At 18-7-1944 he was wounded again "bei Cholm" and got again! the Wounded Badge in Black but a month later they changed this and he was finally awarded the Wounded Badge in Silver.
Some different dates are seen on this document.
Interessting to see the difference in writing his rank as Jager and Gefreiter.

[Floris]

1

[Archi]

Hello Floris !

Very interesting group of an interesting type of unit.
Thank you for sharing this !

Very little is known for most of these Jagd- later Jäger-Btls. (there were only 14) :
http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/...Gliederung.htm

At the beginning of 1943, Jäger-Bataillon 11 saw heavy battles south of Smolensk,
in the area Roslawl - Brjansk - Orel.

Around April 43, it became part of Gruppe von Manteuffel (consisting of Jäger-Btl. 9, 10, 11)
and in July 1943, this BG fought at Kursk under XXXXVI. Pz.K. (9. Armee).
http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/...nteuffelGv.htm

In the aftermath of that battle, Jg.Btl. 11 had to face numerous tank attacks and received very high losses.
It was withdrawn from the frontline on 6.8.43 and later dissolved.

All remaining soldiers (and the reconvalescents) of this unit were used for the formation of
the Ski-Jäger-Brigade 1.

Parhaps you will find the follwing map interesting, which covers the way of 1. Ski-Jäger-Brig./Div.
in 1943/44. It shows the location of Cholm, SE of Lublin (these places are often hard to find).
[Most of the above info is from the book : Die deutschen Skijäger, by Georg Gunter and from own research]

What I dont understand :
How are the different WB dates related to each other ?
The Silver WB Zeugnis gives dates for the woundings on 2.5.43, 8.7.43 and 18.7.44 ?!
Probably these dates are more accurate than the 1943 documents, which both give dates in June ?
Is there an explanation ?

Best regards,

Archi

[Floris]

Hello Archi,


Thank you very much for the info.
I'am glad you like it.
I don't have an explanation why there are errors in the dates on the award documents. I have seen such errors before.
The Wounded Badge in Silver and the last Wounded Badge in Black / Cholm have at least same dates. With the other 2 maybe there where some mistakes in his Soldbuch or the clerk couldn't read it. The second one reads 8 June and was maybe read as 8 July. Without his Soldbuch or Wehrpass we will never know.

[Simon O.]

That's incredibly old to be in that type of unit. As it happens i have the complete nominal roll for Jäger Btl.3 from mai 1945 and not one single member of the unit was born before 1900.

[Floris]

It is a bit confusing but I find out.
All males in the family were named after their father.
He, his father and grandfather are named Rintje. (Later changed to the German version Reinhard)
The one serving in the Ski Jager units was born in 1924.

[Simon O.]

Right, that makes much more sense. The 1 Skijäger brigade/division is in my opinion a forgotten elite. A unique formation with an interesting make up and prioritised for new weapon and equipment types.

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