Wehrpaß to Oberstleutnant Günther von Scheliha

[Archi]

Hello Ian !

Very interesting to see his Karteikarte and his career !
Knowing that, I found a photo of him in the divisional history of 10. ID (scan below).

And the first name is very likely Hans Heinrich von Scheliha (Scherzer gives only Hans for the IIa of 10. ID):
According to the link below, there was an Oberstleutnant Hans Heinrich von Scheliha, (affiliated to a Wehrersatzamt,
which in turn was subordinated to Gen. Olbricht ?!) who was arrested on 24th July, 1944, because of
potential connections to the resistance :
https://books.google.de/books?id=tgK...DoATADegQIBxAB
(I assume that OKH/Ag ETr./E is related to Ersatz / replacements ?
And the author of the book might have misinterpreted the terminology somehow.)

This Hans Heinrich von Scheliha could have been a close relative of :
Generalleutnant Hans Heinrich von Scheliha (*11.12.1856 Frankfurt a.M. +30.12.1929 in Oldenburg) (p. 9 of the pdf):
http://www.bis.uni-oldenburg.de/jasp.../kj7087-01.pdf
https://www.deutsche-digitale-biblio...CDMOR5SYAWVPLC

====================
In general, there seem to have been at least 3 branches of the family :
- one in Schlesien
- one in Potsdam/Berlin
- one in Oldenburg

Considering that Wilfried was born in Potsdam :
If not choosing the cavallery branch, there was one very attractive alternative :
IR 9 in Potsdam (also designated "Regiment Graf 9").
http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/...nter/IR9-R.htm

At least, this unit has a connection to Mogilev :
A large group of Soviet soldiers was encircled at Mogilev in July 41 and the task to capture that city was given to VII. AK.
23. ID (with IR 9) was part of that corps and the attack on that city started on 20./21.7.41.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Mogilev

Just an idea, but of course, there are many other possibilities ...

Best regards,

Archi

[harmel]

Scheliha

Great info mate thanks for sharing this Wehrpass.
Well done!
Harmel (Alex)

[Archi]

Hello !

I was able to pick up the book from Tucher from the link above.
In the appendix is a document, issued from the Heerespersonalamt (HPA) and sent to the HQs of Armygroups, Armies and Wehrkreise.
It contains a list of officers that were found guilty by the "Ehrenhof des Heeres" to be somehow connected to the attempt of the 20th July, 1944.
As a result, the officers in that list would be either "ausgestossen" (I don't know the translation) (55 in total) or "entlassen" (dismissed)
(29 in total, among those von Scheliha) from the Wehrmacht.

The important part of this document is, that it gives the last position in connection with the first name :
Oberstleutnant Hans-Heinrich Scheliha, OKH/AHA/ Ag E/Tr.
So we can be sure, that this is the officer mentioned on the Karteikarte shown by Ian.

Some more details from the book:
Hans-Heinrich von Scheliha was imprisoned on the 24.7.44 and stayed in prison (most of the time after 7.10.44 in the Zellengefängnis
Lehrter Strasse) until 25.4.45, when he was finally was set free.
Other officers, imprisoned together with him, were at the same time picked up by the SD and executed or sent to Plötzensee,
and had the luck be be freed by Soviet troops there.

Best regards,

Archi

[Archi]

Hello !

Coming back to Günther, whose WP started the thread and the remark of Edward regarding the 3. Garderegiment zu Fuss :

What is also interesting is the first service unit entry listed and dates. His WWII service may have been brief, but from 1891-1912 he served continuously with the 3 Garde Regiment zu Fuss for 21 years.

I found a reference in a book by John Keegan (The mask of command).
During his service prior to WW I, Günther von Scheliha must have met a lot of important officers in that unit, which finally ended up in high positions after 1933.
(I am not sure, whether it is correct, that von Brauchitsch was with that unit, but the general idea should be).

Perhaps some old connections, resulted in his reactivation and his service with OKW WFSt ?!

Best regards,

Archi

[Ian Jewison]

Thanks for the update Archi


Ian

[HeinzGrimberg]

Yes Harald Friedrich Walter von Scheliha.....