K.K. I/SS “Deutschland”

[lohengrin]

Hello,

Can anyone tell me who does this signature belong to?

Thank you,
Lohengrin

[lohengrin]

My cousin just emailed me that an expert from another forum identified the signature as... SS-Obersturmbannfuhrer Hans Feierlein, who also served with Prinz Eugen (I believe)...

[Bill G.]

Yes, he is listed in the December 1937 SS DAL as the commander of that unit, as a Hauptsturmfuhrer. He was a very early SS member, # 355.

[lohengrin]

Yes, he is listed in the December 1937 SS DAL as the commander of that unit, as a Hauptsturmfuhrer. He was a very early SS member, # 355.

Thank you Bill...

Very interesting that considering his early SS-career, he is completely absent during WW2...

[HPL2008]

Very interesting that considering his early SS-career, he is completely absent during WW2...

He wasn't absent during WW II. Here's what data I could find on him in the SS-Dienstalterslisten [Officers' Seniority Lists]:


Name: Feierlein Hans
Date of birth: 7 August 1904
NSDAP No.: 33 023
SS No.: 355
Promotion dates:
- 9 Nov. 1933 - Untersturmführer
- 12 Aug. 1934 - Obersturmführer
- 20 April 1937 - Hauptsturmführer
- 21 June 1941 - Sturmbannführer
- 21 June 1944 - Obersturmbannführer
Awards and decorations: Golden Party Badge, Blood Order, War Merit Cross with Swords 2nd and 1st Class, SA Sports Badge, German Sports Badge in Silver, SS Honor Ring, SS Honor Sword
Duty Assignments:
- II/SS-1 (SS-DAL of 1 July 1935)
- I/SS-"Deutschland" (SS-DAL of 1 Dec. 1936 and 1 Dec. 1937)
- SS-Standarte "Der Führer" (SS-DAL of 1 Dec. 1938)
- SS-Freiw.Geb.Div. "Prinz Eugen" (SS-DAL of 1 Oct. 1942 and 1 Oct. 1943)
- Commander of SS-K. Sch. III (W-SS DAL of 1 July 1944 and SS-DAL of 1 Oct. 1944)
Other data: Member of Lebensborn e.V.

A chart for 20 December 1941 in Vol. 4 of Mark Yerger's German Cross in Gold series lists him on the staff of the SS-Kavallerie-Brigade.

A wartime photo of him (while serving as the Divisionsingenieur of "Prinz Eugen" was posted here: http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=655115

[Br. James]

Hans Feierlein certainly was an Altekämpfer -- he held 1st Issue Blood Order #399.

Br. James

[lohengrin]

He wasn't absent during WW II. Here's what data I could find on him in the SS-Dienstalterslisten [Officers' Seniority Lists]:


Name: Feierlein Hans
Date of birth: 7 August 1904
NSDAP No.: 33 023
SS No.: 355
Promotion dates:
- 9 Nov. 1933 - Untersturmführer
- 12 Aug. 1934 - Obersturmführer
- 20 April 1937 - Hauptsturmführer
- 21 June 1941 - Sturmbannführer
- 21 June 1944 - Obersturmbannführer
Awards and decorations: Golden Party Badge, Blood Order, War Merit Cross with Swords 2nd and 1st Class, SA Sports Badge, German Sports Badge in Silver, SS Honor Ring, SS Honor Sword
Duty Assignments:
- II/SS-1 (SS-DAL of 1 July 1935)
- I/SS-"Deutschland" (SS-DAL of 1 Dec. 1936 and 1 Dec. 1937)
- SS-Standarte "Der Führer" (SS-DAL of 1 Dec. 1938)
- SS-Freiw.Geb.Div. "Prinz Eugen" (SS-DAL of 1 Oct. 1942 and 1 Oct. 1943)
- Commander of SS-K. Sch. III (W-SS DAL of 1 July 1944 and SS-DAL of 1 Oct. 1944)
Other data: Member of Lebensborn e.V.

A chart for 20 December 1941 in Vol. 4 of Mark Yerger's German Cross in Gold series lists him on the staff of the SS-Kavallerie-Brigade.

A wartime photo of him (while serving as the Divisionsingenieur of "Prinz Eugen" was posted here: http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=655115

Thank you for the information.

I discussed this man with a few of my friends and we agreed that it seems a bit strange that he had such a impressive career prior to WW2 and almost disappear from 1939 onwards... it seems that he was an admin man, rather than a front line soldier or a leader...

[HPL2008]

Thank you for the information.

I discussed this man with a few of my friends and we agreed that it seems a bit strange that he had such a impressive career prior to WW2 and almost disappear from 1939 onwards... it seems that he was an admin man, rather than a front line soldier or a leader...

To be honest, I really see nothing strange, there. Consider this:

So far, we don't have that much biographical data on him, but we know from his duty assignments that he was an engineer, with an occupational specialty in motor transport matters/vehicular engineering:

He was the technical officer for the motor park of I./SS-"D" (1936/1937), later moved on to a regimental-level assignment with the newly-raised SS-"DF" (1938), served as the brigade engineer for the SS Cavalry Brigade (1941), then as the divisional engineer for "Prinz Eugen" (1943/1944) and finally became commander of SS Motor Transport School III (1944).

This was actually a steady progression through duty assignments with increasing responsibilities and it was reflected by an equally steady series of five promotions between 1933 and 1945: After he was commissioned, his promotions came, respectively, after one, three, four and three years in rank.

Rising from 2nd Lieutenant to Lieutenant Colonel in 11 years is really not bad at all, and certainly not indicative of unappreciative superiors or some kind of trouble.

Sure, this is not the lightning-fast career we know from high-profile individuals like, say, Kurt Meyer, who was a general by 33, but quite typical for officers serving in such administrative, logistical and technical support roles (as is his being awarded "only" the KVK 2nd and 1st Class).

[lohengrin]

To be honest, I really see nothing strange, there. Consider this:

So far, we don't have that much biographical data on him, but we know from his duty assignments that he was an engineer, with an occupational specialty in motor transport matters/vehicular engineering:

He was the technical officer for the motor park of I./SS-"D" (1936/1937), later moved on to a regimental-level assignment with the newly-raised SS-"DF" (1938), served as the brigade engineer for the SS Cavalry Brigade (1941), then as the divisional engineer for "Prinz Eugen" (1943/1944) and finally became commander of SS Motor Transport School III (1944).

This was actually a steady progression through duty assignments with increasing responsibilities and it was reflected by an equally steady series of five promotions between 1933 and 1945: After he was commissioned, his promotions came, respectively, after one, three, four and three years in rank.

Rising from 2nd Lieutenant to Lieutenant Colonel in 11 years is really not bad at all, and certainly not indicative of unappreciative superiors or some kind of trouble.

Sure, this is not the lightning-fast career we know from high-profile individuals like, say, Kurt Meyer, who was a general by 33, but quite typical for officers serving in such administrative, logistical and technical support roles (as is his being awarded "only" the KVK 2nd and 1st Class).

Thank you for this and you are definitely correct!

He seems like a admin-person, rather than a front-line soldier... I guess taking into account his early SS entrance and the Blood Order, I would expect more distinguished career and higher office assignment... But then perhaps he was more focused on his craft and was content in the role he had...