Whose Signature is this

[rfleming32]

Would someone be so kind as to identify this signature of this General for me and what "A.H.Qu." might mean? Thanks, Richard

[Larry deZeng]

General der Panzertruppe Dietrich von Saucken.

He was appointed to that position on 7. April 1945.

--Larry

[rfleming32]

Thank you so much

[Simon O.]

A.H.Qu means Armee HauptQuartier or Army Headquarters

[rfleming32]

An RK with oaks and diamonds holder. The little bit I have read about him tells me I like this man for his integrity. The war was almost over when he signed this and he was about to spend many years of captivity in Russia. He died in1980 after being released. Thank you again.

[Simon O.]

What is it by the way?

[rfleming32]

An award document.

[Simon O.]

Yes, i gathered that. What award doc? Can't you show the whole thing?

[rfleming32]

Yes Simon, I will do so next week when I have checked this out a little deeper. In this case I believe the document is more important than the award that goes with it so will probably place it under the documents forum. Need to do a little searching to see what I can find out and take some decent photo's.
Best, Richard

[Simon O.]

Thanks Richard, it'll be interesting to see, same date he got his diamonds.

[Simon O.]

Right, i found it. It's a preliminary award doc for the luftwaffe Ehrenblattspange to an Oberfeldwebel in 2./NAG 4. Certainly rarer than the award itself.

[rfleming32]

Simon: Here is the document. Thank you forthe help.

[Larry deZeng]

There is an error in this temporary certificate of award. The "(Einsatz)" should actually be "(Einsitzer)" - a Luftwaffe term lost on most German Heer personnel, including generals (or especially generals). Nahaufklärungsstaffeln equipped with single-seat photo reconnaissance marks of the Bf 109 and Fw 190 fighter carried this suffix in their official designation.

It would be interesting to know how 2./NAGr. 4 came to be co-located with von Saucken and his Stab on 8 May 1945. Last seen, 2./NAGr. 4 was in the process of moving from Neubrandenburg to Schwerin on 30 April 1945, fuel permitting. The Staffel had been at Danzig-Langfuhr until late March, but it had only a couple of damaged Bf 109s and very little fuel after that date. Von Saucken's Armee Ostpreußen (formerly AOK 2) did not come into existence until 7 April. After the fall of Danzig on 28-29 March, von Saucken’s command pulled back to the Frische Nehrung (Gotenhafen-Hela area) to the north of Danzig to form a beachhead so as many troops and refugees could be evacuated by ship as possible. So these last desperate days of the war were more of a humanitarian mission for von Saucken than a combat one.

So it appears to me that your man from 2./NAGr. 4 was left behind with Armee Ostpreußen after the few remaining aircraft flew west, and probably fought as an infantryman to the end of the war.

Here is some reading that covers the final struggle in the Frische Nehrung area (the second one is the one you would want):

4. Panzer-Division Teil II: Der Rußlandfeldzug von Mai 1943 - Mai 1945 - Dietrich von Saucken, Traditionsverband der Division, Coburg 1968 (Teil I dieser Divisionsgeschichte ist nicht erschienen.)
Die 4. Panzer-Division 1943 - 1945. Bericht und Betrachtung zu den letzten zwei Kriegsjahren im Osten Joachim Neumann, Selbstverlag, Bonn 1989, (stark erweiterte Neufassung des 1968 erschienen II. Teils der Divisionsgeschichte)

--Larry

[Larry deZeng]

Hi Richard,

This is in response to your PM.

I don't think Oberfeldwebel (T) Ernst Hahn was air crew. "(T)" usually means "Technisch" when used in conjunction with a Luftwaffe EM, so he would have belonged to the large servicing and maintenance component that was organic to the Staffel. I think you would find that when the last of the Staffel's aircraft departed D-Langfuhr the non-flying personnel were probably forced to remain behind and revert to infantry.

Regards,

--Larry

[beaviso]

After the fall of Danzig on 28-29 March, von Saucken’s command pulled back to the Frische Nehrung (Gotenhafen-Hela area) to the north of Danzig to form a beachhead so as many troops and refugees could be evacuated by ship as possible.

To be precise, the Frische Nehrung (today: Mierzeja Wislana) is a thin lane of land located east of Danzig, between the sea and an inland water. It is NOT the Gotenhafen-Hela area. Here, please take a look: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=5...768555&t=h&z=9

Brgds,
Michal