Rick, I need your help !!

[Eric Queen]

Rick,

I was hoping you could help me with this. I recently picked up this "sterbebild" and am somewhat perplexed by it. You'll notice that it mentions that this man was a "Fallschirmjager" and that he is wearing a M-36 Infanterie Waffenrock, but that doesn't necessarily mean that he was an "Army" paratrooper. There were many transfers to the paratroopers from Infantry and other units in late 1940/1941 after the April / May 1940 success's in the West. Of course for me there is a huge difference between an "Army" paratrooper and a guy who transferred from an army unit in to the Luftwaffe paratroopers. You'll notice that this guy was 25 years old when he died in Jan. 1942. That would have made him 20/21 in 1937/38 when the FIK existed. Which is consistent with what it should be. Notice also that he is wearing the Oct.38 medal m/spange which was awarded to former members of the FIK in March of 1939. So we know the photo was taken post March 1939 ( three months after the FIK transferred to the Luftwaffe ), but most of these guys didn’t get their Luft uniforms until after March 1939 so this could still be consistent with him being a former member of the FIK. The reference to action in Polen is also consistent ( but not exclusive to ) the FIK ( as II./FJR 1 ). He is not on any of my rosters of the FIK but I have only about half the names so this fact also is not conclusive.

Besides writing to someplace like WAST do you have any suggestions on how I could find out for sure if this guy was FIK or not?

Thanks for the help Rick.

Eric

[Rick Research]

Eric-- WW-Two is the "wrong war" for me, but from my experience of award documents--

I have never seen a Sudeten-With-Spange to an enlisted man bestowed before the early months of 1940, so I would say this photo was taken then, circa + or - fall of France.

If he was still in Army uniform in February-April 1940, say at earliest, that would let him out as one of your early paratroopers. The other ribbon is for the March 1938 Austrian Anschluss, and if your guys were not there, that would be another clue.

[Eric Queen]

Rick,

Thanks for the response. Its really hard to say on this one. I wrote that army paratroopers were given the Oct.38 medal in March 39. I meant to say June 39. Here is a document for the medal mit spange given to former army para Willi Peters.



Some army paratroopers wore their infanterie uniforms as late as mid 1940. Below is a colorized photo of my friend Werner Klein. Notice he is wearing the EK I & II ( for Moerdijk, Holland May 1940 )as well as the army jump badge and FJR1 sleeveband.



Although the FIK did not participate as a unit in the annexation of Austria, there were some members who were given temporary assignments with the luft para unit that did take part in that particular "blumenkrieg".
Here is a document for the March 38 medal given to army para Franz Einberger.



I think that it is possible that he was with the FIK although not probable. Do you know of any comprehensive resourse to be able to research the individual histories of these soldiers that were killed during the war?

Thanks,

Eric

[JYN]

Eric,

I had the same question with this "sterbild". But I was glad that everything was clearly written. He did the "ausbildun" on 13 Feb. 40 and thet he joined a FJR. He died by the Maleme airfield in Crete.
Concerning his grave, I had it from the VdK website and for his unit I get it from the book "General Meindl und seine Fallshirmjaeger" page 277. He was beloning to the 9./LL-Sturm.Rgt. Sometimes thins are easy.