Hello all,
I want to show this very interesting Soldbuch with 3 photos and some additional papers. It is not only an interesting grouping but also an emotional. I purchased the Soldbuch directly from the niece of the original owner of the Soldbuch, I was very happy that she gave me the chance to get this grouping. He fought in some of the famous fights as Normandy and the Ardennes in which he was both wounded. He was killed in April 1945 in Berlin. I did my best to reconstruct the (military) life of Klaus Dietrich Kortstock, a man that died to young.
Here we go:
Civil life
Klaus Dietrich Kortstock was born on 03.02.1925 in Berlin. During the war Klaus was still living with his parents, Hermann and Ilse Kortstock. He had also a little brother who can be seen on some photos. The family was living happily in the capital of the Third Reich, at the Hassoweg 6. His father his occupation was Stadtinspektor, he worked for the government. On the moment that Klaus was called up for military duty he was still a scholar.
First months in the Luftwaffe
Somewhere in 1943 Kortstock was called up for military duty. He became part of the Luftwaffe. After his basic training he was transferred to the 13./ Flieger-Regiment 71, part of the III./ Fl. Rgt. 71, in Béziers – Southern France near the Mediterranean. On 06.01.1944 his Zweitschrift Soldbuch was opened, still he was with the 13./ Flieger-Regiment 71. Probably he was awarded during this period with the Segelfliegerabzeichen, that can be seen on the photos.
Some days later, 09.01.1944, Kortstock was transferred to an unknown unit for me. I can’t read the first word but it says ?? Sammelst(elle) Melun(area of Paris). Probably it was some kind of a FJ trainings unit as more Fallschirmjäger units were near Melun. Kortstock stayed in this unit for several months. I presume he was trained here as a Fallschirmjäger and he went to the jumpschool somewhere in France. As can be seen on the photos with the Soldbuch he was awarded the Fallschirmschützenabzeichen. This award is not mentioned in his Soldbuch, nor a Fallschirmschüle so I presume he was fully trained as a paratrooper in this unknown unit near Melun. As said afterwards he was a qualified Fallschirmjäger. On page 7 of the Soldbuch is the mention that Kortstock is Fallschirmtauglich(suitable as paratrooper), page 6 says he is also Springtauglich(suitable for jumping).
On 21.04.1944 Kortstock was transferred to the 11./ Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 14, 5. Fallschirmjäger-Division. The division was created in the area of Reims, France. In May 1944 the 5. FJD. was transferred to Bretagne / Brittany. The division was, compared to other FJ units, of low quality. Most of the troops hadn’t finished their paratrooper training. The quality and quantity of the troops and material was not that good. The division stayed in Brittany till July 1944.
The story will continue in the next posts!
I hope you like it!
I want to show this very interesting Soldbuch with 3 photos and some additional papers. It is not only an interesting grouping but also an emotional. I purchased the Soldbuch directly from the niece of the original owner of the Soldbuch, I was very happy that she gave me the chance to get this grouping. He fought in some of the famous fights as Normandy and the Ardennes in which he was both wounded. He was killed in April 1945 in Berlin. I did my best to reconstruct the (military) life of Klaus Dietrich Kortstock, a man that died to young.
Here we go:
Civil life
Klaus Dietrich Kortstock was born on 03.02.1925 in Berlin. During the war Klaus was still living with his parents, Hermann and Ilse Kortstock. He had also a little brother who can be seen on some photos. The family was living happily in the capital of the Third Reich, at the Hassoweg 6. His father his occupation was Stadtinspektor, he worked for the government. On the moment that Klaus was called up for military duty he was still a scholar.
First months in the Luftwaffe
Somewhere in 1943 Kortstock was called up for military duty. He became part of the Luftwaffe. After his basic training he was transferred to the 13./ Flieger-Regiment 71, part of the III./ Fl. Rgt. 71, in Béziers – Southern France near the Mediterranean. On 06.01.1944 his Zweitschrift Soldbuch was opened, still he was with the 13./ Flieger-Regiment 71. Probably he was awarded during this period with the Segelfliegerabzeichen, that can be seen on the photos.
Some days later, 09.01.1944, Kortstock was transferred to an unknown unit for me. I can’t read the first word but it says ?? Sammelst(elle) Melun(area of Paris). Probably it was some kind of a FJ trainings unit as more Fallschirmjäger units were near Melun. Kortstock stayed in this unit for several months. I presume he was trained here as a Fallschirmjäger and he went to the jumpschool somewhere in France. As can be seen on the photos with the Soldbuch he was awarded the Fallschirmschützenabzeichen. This award is not mentioned in his Soldbuch, nor a Fallschirmschüle so I presume he was fully trained as a paratrooper in this unknown unit near Melun. As said afterwards he was a qualified Fallschirmjäger. On page 7 of the Soldbuch is the mention that Kortstock is Fallschirmtauglich(suitable as paratrooper), page 6 says he is also Springtauglich(suitable for jumping).
On 21.04.1944 Kortstock was transferred to the 11./ Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 14, 5. Fallschirmjäger-Division. The division was created in the area of Reims, France. In May 1944 the 5. FJD. was transferred to Bretagne / Brittany. The division was, compared to other FJ units, of low quality. Most of the troops hadn’t finished their paratrooper training. The quality and quantity of the troops and material was not that good. The division stayed in Brittany till July 1944.
The story will continue in the next posts!
I hope you like it!
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