Fotos from German KM soldiers in Japan 1944 ?

[zbv500]

Hi all,

just got that foto lot in today. Fotos arnt my field of expierince but I thought these would be interesting to see.
The pics are showing a German Kriegsmarine crew in Japan in the years 42 and 44. I dont know if this is the crew of a ship or of a U- boat. In some of the pics there is a tradition or unit badge visible on their sidecaps. Some pics show the Germans together with Japanese woman and mens. Many of the pics are written on the back and one has a Japanese stamp on it. Some of the soldiers wear the tan tropical Uniforms while others wearing the common blue uniforms.
One pic shows a KM soldier with a spanisch cross on the uniform.

I would be glad if anyone could tell me more about that event. Who was the crew and why were they in Japan ????

Anyone has a clue ?

Many thanks Jens

[zbv500]

2

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3

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4

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5

[zbv500]

sorry, forgot the pic

[zbv500]

6

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7

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8

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9

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10

[Giel VW]

I don't know much about the history from the crew that went to Japan, but those are again some super photos! The photo is post nr 6 might have been a recieptment of a STERLING hilfkreuzer abzeichen, made in Japan.

[Eric JB]

Hi Jens,

On one of the photos I see a guy wearing the Hilfskreuzer Abzeichen.

"Thor" entered Yokohama October 1942, lay besides "Uckermark", last one did have an explosion of her tanks and the fire also destroyed Hilfskreuzer "Thor".

"Michel" was January 1943 directed to Japan, entered Djakarta and Singapur, from 2. March 1943 till 21. Mai she was in Kobe, left Yokohama for her second voyage, but was sunk by the US Submarine "Tarpon" on 17. October 1943.

As you have photos dated 1942 - 1944, and we can see the Hilskreuzer badge, I think we see a "Thor" crewmember, as the photos are a mixture : Uboat crewmembers, "Uckermark" crewmembers are also possible.

Can you show us a better scan of the capbadge, or any other medals.
Are there any place names on the back of your photos ?

yours

Eric-Jan Bakker

[Eric JB]

Well, typing the information, the last photo I was able to see was number 6 with the three women.

Giel is right , that is a Hilfskreuzer Abzeichen, but hard to see from this picture if it is a Japanese made Sterling Silver version, but that is possible as both Hilfskreuzer entered a Japanese harbour after their first voyage, and local made badges were handed out to the crew, and the badge looks like it is has one color.

yours
Eric-Jan Bakker

[byterock]

The stamp on #7 IMHO is simply the studio that took/printed the photo. I have seen similar ones.

The swastikas most likely have nothing to do with the Germans or the Nazis it is just a good luck symbol very common before the war and still is in the east.