Research help please

[JasonS]

I am looking for any info you can post about a German soldier.

Name: Emil Schmelz

Musikkorps des Eisenbahn = pioner = regiments Batallion 3

I have tried to use the websites listed in the pinned section, but I am at a loss. I will reward the person who can provide me the most info with a WWII era gift. I would love to know all I can about this fellow since I have over 100 of his photographs.

Thanks in advance.

Jason

[Larry deZeng]

I am looking for any info you can post about a German soldier.
Name: Emil Schmelz
Musikkorps des Eisenbahn = pioner = regiments Batallion 3
I have tried to use the websites listed in the pinned section, but I am at a loss. I will reward the person who can provide me the most info with a WWII era gift. I would love to know all I can about this fellow since I have over 100 of his photographs.
Thanks in advance.
Jason

Ah, yes, dear old Emil. I knew him well.......

See and read all posts in this thread:

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=278071

[JasonS]

Ok, I read the thread and used the links. I still have not been able to get any info.

I guess I will never know about poor Emil and his true fate.

[Larry deZeng]

Ok, I read the thread and used the links. I still have not been able to get any info.
I guess I will never know about poor Emil and his true fate.

If he was a soldier (as opposed to a commissioned officer), probably not. Only WASt in Berlin has this information and as the thread said, unless you meet those qualifications they will not usually provide it.

--Larry

[JasonS]

Thanks Larry.

I have billet papers for him, business card from where he bought his accordian, and programs from concerts he saw and played in. I was hoping to learn even more about him, but I guess I will just be happy knowing I had a glimpse into the personal life of a brave soldier.

[Gerdan]

Is there any address on these papers (town, street) ?
In which concert hall did he go to the concerts?

Gerdan

[JasonS]

Here is the link to a thread I started. There are scans of the programs, business card, and other document starting on page 9 post #131
http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...t=59989&page=9

[Larry deZeng]

Then, we know the unit and location, Eisenbahn-Pionier-Ersatz-Bataillon 3, Hanau, but that still won't lead us to the identity of the band members. And I don't think we can assume that he came from Hanau just because he was with a military band stationed there. However, it might be worthwhile to contact the Hanau Stadtarchiv to see if they might have some material on the band for early 1941 that could possibly put names to faces, such as local newspaper articles with photos showing the band members. That's about all I can think of.

--Larry