Mystery of Some Schnapps Cups Resolved

[Tim O.]

Hi Guys

I knew that schnapps 'shot' cups were sometimes attributed to fighter pilots for shooting down an enemy but I have two cups bearing the Staffel badge, awarded to an officer in 1. Staffel Küstenfliegergruppe 106. One is dated 13.11.38 and the other 13.11.39. I wondered if it was to celebrate the founding of the Staffel but this did not fit and nor did a number of other theories. Anyway, to cut a long story short, my wife resolved it today and it was this man's birthday! From his papers I can confirm he was born 13th November 1914. So it seems these little cups fulfilled many duties. It just shows the value of talking to your wife!

Here are the two cups mentioned.

[Tim O.]

and the other....

[Tim O.]

Here is the recipient, Willi Gaul: as an Oberleutnant featured in a contemporary Luftwaffe magazine and as a Hauptmann (later in the war) when he was serving with III./KG40. He survived the war and started a car dealership in Hamburg.

[Ludwig]

Those small silver Schnapsbecher were quite common as gifts, when for example an officer left his unit to serve in another. Also silverplates with the collegues signatures engraved.

[Tim O.]

Thanks Ludwig.

[Ludwig]

[Tim Calvert]

Dammit.....maybe i should've tried talking to my wife when i was married?

That would've been a real pain in the A55 though.

Awesome cups.....and great to have the nice photos to go with them.
Thanks for sharing Tim!

[Tim O.]

Hi Tim

I guess it depends on the wife in question!

These two Schnapsbecher (thanks for the correct term Ludwig) came with a really nice document group, which includes award documents, photo albums, newspaper articles, post-war correspondence with Allied airmen, Flughbuche, and a number of other memorabilia. This guy was an observer in the Kriegsmarine until transferring into the Luftwaffe when it took over all flying personnel. He was a qualified pilot from the outset but didn't get his military licence until mid-war and was awarded the Combined Pilot/Observer badge in May 1943. An interesting fellow.

Thanks for your interest.

[Thomas Durante]

Interesting info Tim, thanks for sharing this grouping with us.

Does the little lady have any thoughts on the significance of the dice on the cups?

Tom

[Tim O.]

Hi Tom

I can cover that one Tom - it's the Staffel emblem of 1/106. It shows a cup and three dice, which was displayed on the Staffel aircraft carried on a black shield, as on this Heinkel 60 from 1939. It was also carried on the Heinkel 115s that replaced the 60 within a month or so of the war starting.

[Thomas Durante]

Very interesting Tim, makes perfect sense.

If you look at the cups, both have the exact same dice pattern showing except for one. The earlier cup has a "4" showing on the front die, but the later cup has a "5", I wonder if there is a significance to these numbers? Maybe his age??

Tom

[Thomas Durante]

I don't think it is his age, since the first cup dice adds up to 27 and the second one adds up to 28. But his birthday was 1914, so he would only be 24 when he received the first cup, not 27.

Tom

[Tim O.]

Hi Tom

I have no idea on the number combination. This wall plaque also came with the grouping....

[AFF96]

Very cool items..Fun!!