I felt first uncomfortable reading your Post, but you chose the right words to describe it such as it had to be done. Seing in black and white the stuff from an unrepentant war criminal is clearly uncommon. Thanks for sharing it with us, and congratulation for the excellent work you did, also for documenting the darkest aspects of this man. Lionel.
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Thanks for not just forgetting about a long ago sale. Great research.
JeffComment
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Thank you Lionel, it took a few rough drafts until I was happy with it.Originally posted by Lionel H. View PostComment
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Of course with any group like this you have to ask, without research, what did he get his awards for......the fact remains in most cases unsavoury duties.
All the same a historical important document.Photos/images copyright © Ian Jewison collection
Collecting interests: Cavalry units, 1 Kavallerie/24 Panzer Division, Stukageschwader 1
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While conducting my research I learned that an American based auction house recently sold a grouping of Erzum's which consisted of his award documents for the Anti Partisan Badge (signed by von dem Bach-Zelewski), as well as the award document for his black wound badge. Also included was his Polizei Dienstausweiss, and, get this, a second Soldbuch...... which only had a few enteries listed that I am convinced he made up in order to throw off the scent of his captors as to what he'd really been up to. There were only 4 or 5 pages filled out in this second copy and while all entries were written in his hand he did not have access to the regiment's official rubber stamps so he used the units feldpostnummer stamp instead. I made contact with the auction house that sold the grouping with the hope that they might contact the winning bidder in my stead but they declined, which for numerous reasons I can understand. They did however provide me with copies of their auction photographs that they had online and were copy protected. I can't show them here as I promised them I would not post them......but they do exist and are online.Originally posted by Ian Jewison View Post
In regard to his listing of awards I've learned that he is not a known recipient of the DKiG. Whether he had been considered for the award or actually received it is unknown to me at this time. Seeing as he was such an adept liar, that entry, although written in his hand, may only have been wishful thinking on his part.Comment
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Photos/images copyright © Ian Jewison collection
Collecting interests: Cavalry units, 1 Kavallerie/24 Panzer Division, Stukageschwader 1
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That's the one!Originally posted by Ian Jewison View Post
If anyone out there knows who now owns these documents please refer them to me.
Thank you.Comment
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I would really like someone's help in telling me what all is being said in this video:
https://thewikihow.com/video_OW2YqQvT-nUComment
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True bastard indeed. Interesting Warsaw Uprising entry in his Soldbuch. Thanks for sharing this here!Comment
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Hello,
The Bandenkampf diploma for Erzum has been modified. Inscriptions scratched and modified in 81 and Silber !
Cordial greetings.
PoluxComment
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I just received some interesting information. I was able to make contact with Aleksander Przybylski, the journalist in the video ( https//you.tube/OW2YqQvT-nU ) explaing what's going on.
Here is a portion of what he has written to me:
"Dear sir,
my name is Aleksander Przybylski and I'm the man speaking in video that you referred to. I'm journalist and author of book "Abisynia, osiedle na poznańskim Grunwaldzie" about so called "Abisynia" settlement in city of Poznan. Build in mid 30's by Poles. In 1934, when polish owners where expelled, it was inhabited by Baltic Germans. Among them at (he provided the address) lived Egon Erzum. During surveys I found that he lived there with his wife and son. I also found his dossier in National Archives in Poznan. Dossier concern his work time in Treuhandstelle Posen.In 1941 he joined Schupo. Artefects which two years ago where dug out at (the above address) where apparantly thrown to a ditch by polish owners when they came back in 1945. Medals, porcelain, buttons, buckles, shoes, Latvian souvenirs and hand grenades (!) etc. where discovered by accident when owners of house where digging installation for entry phone."
He wrote further that:
"As a matter of fact he was prosecuted. There are files in Bundesarchiv connected to his case. Even correspondence between Staatsanwalt in Western Germany to his eastern counterpart. They had plan to get some files from Russia to reassert accusations. However he died after suffering cardiac arrest and never faced trail. I know that main accusaions concerned pacification partisans in Naliboki Forrest and killing Jews from ghetto in Slonim. I found him not only a war criminal but fraud (his claims about PhD and minor scams) and also a person with narcissistic perosnality.
In the pit we found some medals and badges. Among them, as you know, insignia of Latvian Police and of Latvian Airclub. Also some RAD plaques and Riga Liederkranz badges. We also found epaulets from police uniform, but in terrible condition."
Included here is a photograph of the home in which Erzum and his wife and son lived in.
I am actually pleased to learn that he didn't die peacefully in his sleep but died of a heart attack.... hopefully when he learned they were preparing to try him!Last edited by vonStubben; 01-15-2019, 03:35 PM.Comment
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Information on the Slonim ghetto mentioned above:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/S%C5%82onim_GhettoLast edited by vonStubben; 01-15-2019, 04:01 PM.Comment
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Thank you for your assistance and interest but unfortunately, no, it is not him.Originally posted by Uncle Kurt View Post
However....I just received new information from Aleksander, the journalist from Posen/Posnan, that Erzum's photograph is included in the book entitled "The Mascot". The book is the life story of a 5 year ol Jewish boy who's family was liquidated before his eyes. He is found wandering the woods by a Latvian volunteer collaborating with the Nazis who takes in the 5 year old and makes him the units Mascot. Evidently the BBC did a shot film documentary on him and that a major motion picture is also in the works.
Ive ordered the book and will have it soon. Once I have it in hand I'll report back here with what information it contains.
This photograph is on the front cover of the book with the then small boy armed and in German uniform. (Evidently the German weekly newsreels, " Die Wochenschau" filmed a war time segment on this little boy calling him "the youngest Nazi soldier". If anyone knows of it, and can post it here, I'd be grateful. In the meantime I will try to find it as well.) The one soldier standing, in the far left of the picture look very similar to the soldier standing just behind and to the right in the photograph found in Erzum's Soldbuch. I believe it may be the same man, but probably not because I think he's wearing a Latvian uniform.
What do you all think?Comment
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