Feldpost number help request.

[john moody]

Hello all,

Yet another request for help in tracing a FPN!

I have today opened a letter which has remained sealed since being sent on 1st December 1944.
The letter was sent to Uffz. Hans Grosse, and returned to the sender (his partner) who lived in Vienna with the following pencil written annotation on the envelope:- "Zuruck au absender, eiupfanger(?) fur grossdeutschland gefallen ka"

The letter is dated (as previously mentioned) 1st December 1944 and bears the FPN 12923B.
Due to the statement on the envelope, presumably the sender decided not to open the letter, and I felt a little sad to pry inside.
The letter is two A4 pages long, written on both sides of the paper; and asks why he has not written to her in such a long time.
Very poignant, a memory of the tragedy of war on people.
Anyone can point me in the right direction for this man's unit at the time?
Thanks in advance,

Best regards,

John.

[Larry deZeng]

FpN 12923 B
(25.1.1943-31.7.1943) Regimentsstab,13.-14. Kompanie u. Kolonne Grenadier-Regiment 369,
dann Regimentsstab u. 13.-14. Kompanie Grenadier-Regiment 369, [Kolonne wurde Fp.Nr. 33907 A]

So, suffix "B" was most likely 13. Kp.

It belonged to: http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/...onen/369ID.htm

[john moody]

Hi Larry,

Many thanks for the input, these men were not very nice towards the people they conquered. Estonian vounteers for the SS I believe.

[Larry deZeng]

No, the Regiment belonged to 369. Infanterie-Div. (kroat.). In early 1943 when it was formed and then sent to Croatia, the Regiment had about 2,400 Croatian volunteers and 600 German cadre personnel. But by November 1944 these figures had reversed themselves and the Regiment had about 1,000 Croatians and 1,200 Germans in it. The Regiment was located in and around Mostar at that time. You can read all about the Regiment in this book:

Schraml, Franz. Kriegsschauplatz Kroatien: Die deutsch-kroatischen Legions-Divisionen – 369., 373., 392. Inf.-Div. (kroat.) – ihre Ausbildungs- und Ersatzformationen. Neckargemünd: Kurt Vowinckel Verlag, 1962. Illus. Maps.

I used to correspond with Oberst Schraml back in the late 'seventies. Great guy. As for your reference to "treatment", the war in Croatia was arguably the most brutal during the war in Europe. Both sides butchered each other and quarter was rarely given by either side. Uffz. Grosse was probably one of the German cadre assigned to the Regiment. There was heavy fighting in the Mostar area during fall 1944 as Tito's Dalmatian brigades re-took South Dalmatia and western Hercegovina. Let's hope Grosse didn't fall into their hands.

--Larry

[john moody]

Hi Larry,

Many thanks for your informative input and link! I have so much to learn.
People like yourself is what makes the forum so good, thanks again.

Best regards,

John.

[john moody]

Hi all,

No reference to "treatment" in my original post!!

Best regards,

John.