Help with names/inscriptions!

[Mark Mac]

Can anyone read this inscription. It is the same on three different photos. It may be a Division Commanders name or place name. I did not originally believe it to be a Generals name, but...


Any help is appreciated!

Mark

[Mark Mac]

I never showed this as I thought it to be unreadable, but...let us try!

This is for an RK holder - date, if I am not mistaken, is February 1945.

[Mark Mac]

I have been working on this...

Could the first name be Jaenecke - as in Generalleutnant Erwin Jaenecke commander of the 389 Infantry Division from February to November 1942.

If so, the inscription may be inaccurate, or added later. The reverse also mentions - "Division Kom." or Commander and what I believe to be La Meri...? The rest of the town name is hidden by album paper, but it appears to be a French town.

The 389th was destroyed in Stalingrad, but rebuilt in Bretagne - France. Is there a La Meri... in Bretagne?

Jaenecke was awarded the RK on 9 Oct 42 while the division was in Stalingrad. Picture does not look like Stalingrad . He was wounded in 17 Jan 43.

Perhaps Jaenecke is seen here visiting the newly rebuilt 389 Div. - as an invited guest(?) while he was recovering from his wounds in Fuhrer reserve. The awards shown would match (not all shown though) and most likely, from what I can gather, the locations may match.

All assuming I am correct with the name...!

It sure looks like him though!

Mark

[Gran Sasso]

Could the first name be Jaenecke?

I read "Sweniko" - most probably a russian town.

[Mark Mac]

Well...that makes my "research" look silly!

I cannot find a village/town named Sweniko. I guess it is possible that the person that had the photo misspelled the word.

I still think it looks very much like Jaenecke.

[harmel]

Help with name

Hi Mark,I thought it was Jaenecke,photo
taken possibly as Cmdr of 389th ID,later
awarded KC 9/10/42(Cmdr)and DkiG 2/1/43
as Cmdr of 4th Army Corps.If you look at the
right side of uniform you can just make out an
award,which could be the Spanish Cross (Swords)
grade not sure but a def recipient.
Regards Harmel

[Mark Mac]

Gran Sasso and Harmel thanks!

The only reservation I have about the ID is that Jaenecke earned the RK during the thick of the Stalingrad fighting. I doubt they would have had a ceremony in such, what seems to be, a well ordered and clean (undamaged) area. Things only got worse from then on and he was wounded in January. In a few short months he was in Fuhrer Reserve then took over the Korps as you stated. I suppose it is possible that he was flown somewhere to meet AH for the award and this is the pic.

Just some thoughts. I am entertaining myself now with the "reasoning in public"!

The picture does not stand up well to magnification, but here is a closer look.

Still looking for the other name!

[Elwyn]

OK... perhaps I am drinking early for New Year's Eve ..... but I think it looks like Arnold SZELINSKI!! First time ever.

What do you think? Can we celebrate?

Cheers
Elwyn