Knights Cross Recipients Who Are Still Living

[Gary Jucha]

I

Don't you think the veterans get pestered enough.

Their annual meeting is the one time they might be able to get together amongst themselves.

[Pierre]

I suppose that it wouldn't be a very good plan to advertise in the newspapers where this meeting takes place. Considering the quantity of late "nazi hunters" in Germany this bunch of old gentlemen would probably finish the day being beaten up. They attacked vets in Crete a couple of years ago so it would be even easier to "take care of them" in Germany

Pierre

[Etienne B.]

And not forget the ''extreme'' left that always try to disturb the veteran meetings.

[JulioMoc]

Sad news...

Major Werner HOFFMANN

*13.01.1918 Stettin
+08.07.2011 Bremen

RK 04.05.44



http://www.saladeguerra.com.br/2011/...-hoffmann.html

[Anand]

Hi Bjorn, I have recently joined this forum based on my interest in WW2 and the Wehrmacht's achievements purely based on a soldier's duty. I am curious to know how do we get the current address for any of the veterans alive today as you managed to write a letter and also receive a signed photograph.
Thanks & regards, Anand

[mdj]

Ss kc holder karl brommann died on 30th june 2011. Hè was one of THE last living kingtiger panzerman

Rip
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_Brommann


Martin

[vonkoenigsberg]

Does anyone know of a database or website where one could look up decent un-signed photos of RK recipients? I am finding the going very difficult. How else does one get photo prints?

That's too bad about Karl Brommann.

[ardennes1944]

R.I.P. ...







Phil.

[Mark C. Yerger]

Don't you think the veterans get pestered enough.

Their annual meeting is the one time they might be able to get together amongst themselves.

agreed

They're all VERY old and are tired of the same questions, and especially pests wanting their items, etc

All are aware how collectors swarm on families after they die, thefts, and other garbage. Funeral ribbons are stolen from graves the day of the funeral, saw at least 2 here for sale over the years. Dirt bags.

I've known hundreds of SS KC holders, all of whom considered collectors (other than a personal signed photo) irritating and clueless of actual history knowledge.

Especially the idiots who ask what RZM number their buttons were or similar garbage they couldn't care less about.

[ardennes1944]

and brilliant businessman

Pierre

yes ,your right


Helmut Eberspächer: a socio-politically committed entrepreneur
Esslingen, 27 June 2011 – He was one of the well-known business figures in Baden-Württemberg (Germany) after the war, not only did he successfully drive forward the development of international automotive supplier Eberspächer, he also became involved during his lifetime on a socio-political level and in industrial association affairs. Helmut Eberspächer, for many years the CEO of the Eberspächer group of companies, died on 19 June 2011 at the age of 95 in Esslingen/Neckar.

After his high school graduation, the grandson of company founder Jakob Eberspächer, born in Tübingen in 1915, began his studies in mechanical engineering at Stuttgart University of Technology, from which he graduated as a qualified engineer in 1939. During the Second World War, Eberspächer served as a pilot in the German Air Force and was awarded the Knight’s Cross. Shortly after the end of the war the young engineer joined the family business, founded in 1865 as a plumber's workshop, which at that time was still known in the region as “Glasdach-Eberspächer” (roof-glazing). In 1950, together with Walter Eberspächer, he took over the chairmanship of the board of management. Later, with his nephew Hans Eberspächer and son-in-law Dr. Günter Baumann, he managed the rapidly growing company and remained active in this role until the end of 1988. Following his age-related retirement from day-to-day business, Helmut Eberspächer headed the company’s advisory board for a further 17 years and held its honorary chairmanship until the end. His outstanding entrepreneurial achievements were recognized nationwide. From 1969 to 1999 Helmut Eberspächer was a member of the board of the Confederation of German Employers (BDA) and from 1968 to 1990 of the German Automotive Industry Association (VDA). In 1981 he was appointed an honorary senator of the University of Stuttgart. He took over the presidency of the State Federation of Baden-Württemberg Employers’ Associations (from 1978 to 1988) as the successor to his friend Hanns Martin Schleyer, following his murder. In addition, as a music lover, Helmut Eberspächer was a committed patron of the International Bach Academy.

During his active period he played a substantial role in the expansion of the company group to become one of the world’s leading automotive suppliers in the area of exhaust technology and vehicle heaters. Shortly after he joined the company, serial production of pre-heaters began for the VW Beetle and the one millionth muffler left the plant. The cutting-edge technology company was already manufacturing catalytic converters and particle filters in the 1980s. As a far-sighted entrepreneur, at the time Helmut Eberspächer was already placing increasing emphasis on the international growth of the corporate group. Nonetheless, it was those Swabian virtues above all that he took as his principles: absolute dependability, highly personal contact with the customer and unswerving loyalty to his staff – coupled with the intense striving of the engineer for ever more advanced innovations. He was proud of the fact that the international group of companies, with around 5,600 staff in 26 countries, remains 100 per cent family-owned to this day: his grandson Heinrich Baumann, who has been in corporate management since 2004, and Martin Peters from the other shareholder group, who has been in management since 2001, make up the fifth generation of managing partners

[Paul E]

agreed

They're all VERY old and are tired of the same questions, and especially pests wanting their items, etc

All are aware how collectors swarm on families after they die, thefts, and other garbage. Funeral ribbons are stolen from graves the day of the funeral, saw at least 2 here for sale over the years. Dirt bags.

I've known hundreds of SS KC holders, all of whom considered collectors (other than a personal signed photo) irritating and clueless of actual history knowledge.

Especially the idiots who ask what RZM number their buttons were or similar garbage they couldn't care less about.

Unfortunately Mark is quite correct thieves have preyed on RKT for many years , Erich Topp being one of the more prominent cases , no wonder so many have come to mistrust collectors and their motivation

[Death-Ace]

Ss kc holder karl brommann died on 30th june 2011. Hè was one of THE last living kingtiger panzerman

Rip
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_Brommann


Martin

God Bless...kinda wonder if they meet their tanks up there as if on the endless Elysian Fields.

[vonkoenigsberg]

It's always sad to hear of the passing of yet another Knight's Cross holder. Brave men like that hardly exist anymore.
Speaking of, what are your opinions on Soren Kam? First: Does he still send autograph photos? Second: Did the courts find him innocent of the allegations against him? Or was he tried in absentia?

[Anand]

Very sad to note about Karl Brommann. may god bless him to rest in peace hereafter.

[Steinar]

It is of course sad when a KC holder dies but is it sad because he was a KC holder, and a KC holder is like a piece of history because our interest for WW2?

However, its not sad that a 90-100 years old or so person dies. How can that be sad? Should of been celebrated because that person reached such a long lifeline.
If you are so lucky to live with good health for almost 100 years you have done well I'd say.