Named Luftwaffe Droop Tail - Help Requested

[Verzettelt]

I am trying to trace a helmet I recently acquired from the son of a US vet. The helmet is an early double decal droop tail M35, and inside the liner it is stamped “Wachba? d. Luftw. Bln 1936” with the name “Schuchardt” and “W. Bez. Kdo. Berlin II” glued into the liner.

Based on my simple online research, this unit appears to be:
Wehrbezirks-Kommando II, responsible for the Wehrmeldebezirke (Wehrmeldeämter) of Berlin-Pankow und Berlin Prenzlauer Berg.

A General Major Karl Schuchardt was the commander of Flak Brigade X in 1943 when he was killed near Oul. During the years when he MAY have been issued this particular helmet, he was transferred into the Luftwaffe as Commander of the 4th Flak-Battalion (1 Apr 1935-30 Sep 1935) and Commander of the I. Battalion of the 4th Flak-Regiment (1 Oct 1935-30 Jun 1938).

Online I have also read that a small military police force was organized in February 1933 when Hermann Göring was Minister of Interior. The "General Göring Regiment" consisted of flak batteries and searchlight battalions and retained a motorcycle company and a guard battalion that were used at Göring's forest estate at Karinhall and on special occasions.

So, could there be any connection between the guard unit and the flak unit via Schuchardt’s name, making this Karl Schuchardt's helmet, or am I barking up the wrong tree. Can anyone help with information? I would be most appreciative.

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[Larry deZeng]

He is the only SCHUCHARDT in my data base of 25,000 Luftwaffe officers. So, if the helmet belonged to a Luftwaffe officer in the mid-1930's, and not to some enlisted guy with that name, then I would say that the general is most likely your man.

As for there being a connection between the Wach-Btl.d.Lw. Berlin and Regiment General Göring in 1936, the answer is "yes". They were very closely related and at one point the battalion belonged to the regiment.

--Larry

[Verzettelt]

Thank you, Larry. It seems that this Schuchardt could very well be the person to whom this helmet belonged. Here is a photo of him.

If anyone else has information or ideas, I would appreciate hearing them.

[History]

You know this deserves a WOW ?

[Simon O.]

Hang on a minute, reread what Larry wrote. The name only turns up once amongst OFFICERS. On the German war graves database there are 220 men with that name and Generalmajor Schuchardt's assignment in 1936 was not with Wachbtl. Berlin or based in Berlin, he was in Dortmund.

http://www.ww2.dk/ground/flak/flargt4.html

[tenoriodj]

It is also possible that a search through the Luftwaffe officers "der Reserve" files would turn up more matches. As was the case in the Heer (though not in the Kriegsmarine) Offiziere der Reserve were a majority of those who served.

Das aktive Offizierkorps der Luftwaffe umfaßte im Juni 1944 15.019 Offiziere. Diese Zahl konnte bis zum Dezember desselben Jahres durch Neueinstellungen, Übernahme von Kriegs- und Reserveoffizieren sowie den Eintritt von Beamten in das aktive Offizierkorps auf rund 18.000 Offiziere gesteigert werden. Den größten Anteil am Offizierkorps der Luftwaffe hatten natürlich die Reserve- und Kriegsoffiziere, also die nicht aktiv und nicht Berufsoffiziere waren. Deren Anteil umfaßte ein mehrfaches des aktiven Offizierkorps und erreichte zum gleichen Zeitraum die Zahl von etwa 62.000 Offizieren.

Dirk Richhardt, "Auswahl und Ausbildung junger Offiziere 1930–1945 Zur sozialen Genese des deutschen Offizierkorps" (Unpublished Ph.D. Thesis at Marburg, available online

So as Richhardt points out, Reserve and Kriegsofiziere (promoted as a result of war merits) were several times the number of aktiv offiziere, or some 62K to about 18K aktiv in 1944. The total number of officers by dec 1944 was 80,688 officers.

These reserve offiziere and Kriegsoffiziere saw action, earned awards and were KIA and MIA like the rest of them. They just werent professional or "active" and (Larry, correct me if im wrong re. Luftwaffe lists) were not listed in the Ranglisten

As we have discussed here, this highlights the challenge in researching Heer and Luftwaffe officers on the basis of a name.... there is no substitute for Bundesarchiv research, especially in regard to reserve and Kriegsoffiziere files...

[Larry deZeng]

These reserve offiziere and Kriegsoffiziere saw action, earned awards and were KIA and MIA like the rest of them. They just werent professional or "active" and (Larry, correct me if im wrong re. Luftwaffe lists) were not listed in the Ranglisten.
As we have discussed here, this highlights the challenge in researching Heer and Luftwaffe officers on the basis of a name.... there is no substitute for Bundesarchiv research, especially in regard to reserve and Kriegsoffiziere files...

(1) First, at wartime peak strength on 1 November 1943, the Luftwaffe had a total of 120,000 officers, officials of officier rank and engineers of officer rank.
(Source: NARA WashDC: RG 242/T-321 roll 114, frame 0119 (Lw.Organisationsstab/9.Abt., 23.5.45).)

(2) Yes, Gustavo, the only Luftwaffe DALs that have survived are the 1 August 1944 and the April 1945 lists for A 1, A 2 and A-3 Aktiv Officiere. The other DALs noted below have never been found:

Dienstaltersliste of the Luftwaffe

Dienstaltersliste A (for Truppenoffiziere, meaning regular officers)

Pre-War to 15.8.41: there was only one "A” list.

l5.8.4l to 15.6.43: divided into two "A” lists as follows:

• DAL A l: all Truppenoffiziere considered to be on flying duty.
• DAL A 2: all Truppenoffiziere not meeting the requirements for DAL A 1.

15.6.43 to the End of the War: divided into three “A” lists as follows:

• DAL A 1: all generals, general staff officers, and all Truppenoffiziere on active flying duty or serving as paratroop officers, or who held valid flying and paratroop licenses.
• DAL A 2: all Truppenoffiziere who did not meet the requirements for the A 1 list, but were not in category A 3.
• DAL A 3: Truppenoffiziere who did not meet the A l or A 2 requirements because of age or other reasons (poor record, passed over repeatedly for promotion, etc.).

Note: the “A” and “A/B” list Personalveränderungen give changes of assignment, identifying both old unit and new unit, and promotions, giving unit assigned to.

Dienstaltersliste B (for Ergänzungsoffiziere)
This list was discontinued after 10.1.44, with all officers being carried over to lists A 1 - A 3.

Dienstaltersliste C (for Offiziere d.B. - inactive officers)
Reserve officers. (Name and rank only - units not identified).

Dienstaltersliste D (for Kriegsoffiziere)
All officers who were considered neither Truppenoffiziere nor Reserveoffiziere.

Dienstaltersliste E (for Offiziere z.V., a.D. and d.B.a.D.)
Former active and reserve officers subject to recall during wartime. (Name and rank only - units not identified).

'gards,

--Larry

[Verzettelt]

Thanks everyone who has contributed.

If this Schuchardt was in Dortmund then the helmet must have belonged to another soldier by the same name (officer or not).

What are the chances that the Bundesarchiv would have information on a Schuchardt that served in the Wach-Btl.d.Lw. Berlin? Is there the possibility of doing research online or must it be done in Germany? Either way, maybe someone can tell me how to proceed. I would appreciate any guidance.