M40 SS helmet name help

[LetsGo82nd]

I have an M40 SS helmet that is inscribed with a couple of names. The most prominent name is Kowalewski. I have looked into he origins of the name and it appears to be of Polish ancestory. I was not aware that there were any polish SS volunteers? Can anyone help me with the origins of this name? I am also interested to learn how common of a name this is and if there is any possibility to research the helmets owner? There are two other names in the helmet one of which appears to be "Pala" the other name is very hard to read and appears to start with a "P" as well. All of the names are written on different sides of the liner. Thanks for any help with this.

-Jeremy

[Gerdan]

In the recent German phonebook you will find 1081 entries Kowalewski!


Gerdan

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Jeremy, the spelling can change a little. I found this on the web:

One of the most common surnames in contemporary Poland, Kowalski is a derivative of the work "kowal," meaning blacksmith in Polish. Thus, this occupational surname and its derivatives are basically the Polish version of the English surname SMITH.

Poles did not serve in the Waffen SS as "Poles". But men with Polish names did. These men would have been deemed "Volksdeutsche". Born in modern Poland but classed as being from German stock.

A school friend of mine; his father was classed as such and served in the Heer.

Cheers, Ade.

[VIPER]

What about von dem Bach Zelewski.

[Simon O.]

A very significant proportion of the wehrmacht, SS and all third reich organisations included volksdeutsch that is people from areas that had been incorporated into the Reich one way or another as well as many who 'came home'. Those with German ancestry living in other countries.

Poles, Czechs and of course Austrians made up the largest proportion of these non-Germans.

[LetsGo82nd]

Thanks everyone for the help with this. So I take it that the chances of being able to do any research on this without a first name is next to immpossible? Given that there several names in the helmet would it be possible to narrow down the search by identifying a unit based on the multiple names? Thanks again for the help. -Jeremy

[Larry deZeng]

Jeremy wrote in part:

........would it be possible to narrow down the search by identifying a unit based on the multiple names?

There were thousands of SS and Waffen-SS units. An estimated 800,000+ men passed through the ranks of the Waffen-SS alone during its existence, which is but a small fraction of the 18,000,000 who passed through the Wehrmacht during the war. To do as you proposed would require: (1) complete personnel rosters for each and every unit, and (2) approximately 80 full work-days to examine the rosters for a match. This would require 16 weeks at a German archive (they are only open 5 days a week). Figure roughly $1,000 a week for lodging, food and transportation cost, or $16,000 plus air fare. Now, even if you had the money, the time, the motivation and the German language skills, you still would not be able to do it. The reason? These personnel rosters, except for a few scattered exceptions, do not exist. They were nearly all destroyed during the last months of the war.

I hope this will illustrate the problems involved in trying to find first names to go with the last names found in these war relics.

--Larry

[PHILBROWN]

larry, i sure as hell wouldnt hope your kids ask about santa claus, kidding aside, again i say contact mike constandy to do a search when hes at nara, if he says its impossible its impossible, no offence intended at all, just thought i would give a suggestion

[Larry deZeng]

larry, i sure as hell wouldnt hope your kids ask about santa claus, kidding aside, again i say contact mike constandy to do a search when hes at nara, if he says its impossible its impossible, no offence intended at all, just thought i would give a suggestion

Yes, Phil, I confess to a long-winded answer to his question that was also just a bit tongue-in-cheek, but then on the other hand I didn't want to lie to the guy. I have answered that same question so many times that I've starting getting creative with my replies by trying to add a touch of humour flavoured with a dash of cynicism and sarcasm!

[MJC]

Nara

Jeremy,

There are roughly 30 SS men named KOWALEWSKI, or with a slight derivation, and one man named PALA in NARA's personnel and Rasse und Seidlungs Hauptamt (RuSHA) files. These are by no means complete, but NARA does advertise that greater than 90% of the personnel files currently exist in College Park.

I hope this helps.

Mike Constandy

[Bob.U.hundrac]

I seem to find quite a few Prussian's who's last names are of Polish background.