Hans Hermann Loew

[StuGIII]

Hi,

I have a death card that I'm having trouble translating. There are some words and abbreviations that I can't understand and in some instances due to how my keyboard is set up, I simply can't translate. Would some forum member help me out? Also, in the family photo that I'll be attaching it would seem Hans was in the 7th Regiment when the photo was taken, am I right in this assumption and what division would the 7th have been in? Also, would someone be able to read the Hitler Youth and Female RAD patches on the kids jackets?

[StuGIII]

Hans Hermann Loew

Here is the front of the family photo.

[StuGIII]

Hans Hermann Loew

Here is the back of the family photo.

[Hank C.]

In Loyal Memory
of our unforgettable, very much loved, loving son, brother, and nephew.
(don't know what Pg. is)
HHL
(don't know stud. rer. pol)
NCO of the panzergrenadiere
Awarded the wound badge
born 7 Sep 1919
Died 13 April '44 in southern sector of East Front

Fell during a "Spaehtrupp" action at the head of his group, a youngster of worthy, correct character, full of energy for life and a sense of duty. He is buried in the Hero's Cemetery in Bereccosina.
Now he rests there in eternal peace.

He was a volunteer in Munich as of 1st Sep 1939, after finishing his reichsarbeitsdienst service in the Drivers Section there. Driving trucks was his greatest pleasure. So he came to be assigned to a truck transport regiment, with them he participated in the operations in Belgium and France, then many more times after being stationed in the East. Only once did he enjoy a short studying vacation, to prepare for greater responisiblity in his job. He also used many days of his vacation to help in his parents brewery.
To all here, he was a good comrade.
Let the earth be good to him. (hard to translate)

best
Hank

[PH1905]

Hi,

PG = Privatgelehrter (not sure) = scholar

stud. rer. pol. = studiosus rerum politicum (Latin) = student of political science

Regards

Ralf

[StuGIII]

Hans Loew

Hi Hank, Ralf,

Thanks Hank for the translation of the card. Ralf, I thought the Pg abbreviation meant the soldier was a member of the Nazi Party. Of course I'm not sure on this either. Any ideas on the Hitler Youth patches on the jackets of Hans' younger siblings?

[StuGIII]

Hans

It would seem that at some point during his service, that Hans was transferred from his motor transport unit to a Panzergrenadier regiment.
I believe Spahtrupp meant a patrol. That's the translation I found in my copy of the German Military Dictionary. So it would seem that Hans lost his life leading a patrol of his fellow Panzergrenadiers.

[Hank C.]

Hi Hank, Ralf,

Thanks Hank for the translation of the card. Ralf, I thought the Pg abbreviation meant the soldier was a member of the Nazi Party. Of course I'm not sure on this either. Any ideas on the Hitler Youth patches on the jackets of Hans' younger siblings?

I see Sud ...... something; if you find Goeggingen on the map, you can probably figure out what Gau (or whatever) it is in, the patch is from that area.

I'm not up on HJ stuff....

best
Hank

[Gerdan]

PG means "Parteigenosse" - he was indeed a member of the

Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiter Partei (NSDAP).

Often in German obituary notices in these years you will find that the

deceased was member of the NSDAP. The family was proud of that.


Gerdan

[Gerdan]

The phrase "Möge ihm die fremde Erde leicht sein" means that the foreig soil

should be light on his grave.

Till nowadays in Germy obituaries you will find this phrase - but without the

additional word "foreign" because Loew was buried in the east and not at

home cemetery in Göggingen.

Göggingen ist situated in the south of Germany in the Ostalbkreis in Baden -

Württemberg and there is still today a brewery in the town!

Gerdan

[jmehner]

The patch indeed says "Süd-Baden" which jives with Göggingen in today's Baden-Württemberg (which was created post war).

A "Spähtrupp" is a scout or reconnaissance patrol, close to or behind enemy lines.

Cheers,

JM

[StuGIII]

Hans Loew

Hi Gerdan, JM,

Thanks for your very interesting replies. According to his death card, Hans spent some of his leave time working at his parents brewery. It'd be interesting if the brewery that is in that town today, was the Loew's brewery. Is Ostalbkreis the state that this town is presently located? Thanks for all your help, it's much appreciated.

[jmehner]

Actually,

we may have run into a little location problem here... The town of Göggingen in Baden-Württemberg does indeed have a brewery, but I cannot find any references to a Loew family owning it. However, the suburb of Göggingen which belongs to Augsburg in Bavaria did indeed have a brewery that was owned by a family Loew during the time in question.

Augsburg would also make more sense in regards to his service with the RAD in Munich, since it is closer than the Baden-Wüttembergian Göggingen is. Which brings us back to the BDM-patch, if it indeed says "Süd Baden", it may be a visiting relative, but then I do not know enough of the old Gaue to say which area "Süd Baden" encompasses- or it could indeed say something else and I cannot read it right, which would be no big surprise for me, as my eyes seem to get worse.

FWIW,

JM

[HPL2008]

Is Ostalbkreis the state that this town is presently located?

The Ostalbkreis is not a state, but a county within the state of Wurttemberg.

Göggingen ist indeed located in this county:

http://www.ostalbkreis.de/sixcms/det...72&bild_id=170

[jmehner]

I am still quite sure it is Augsburg-Göggingen, there was a brewery owner named Loew there and it would be much closer to Munich where he joined the Kraftfahrabteilung. If it had been the Göggingen in the Ostalbkreis, Schwäbisch Gmünd, Aalen, Ulm or even Stuttgart would have been more likely places to enlist.

Also, after having had a closer look at the map, Süd-Baden would actually be further to the west, the Ostalb is very much Swabian.

Good thing he was not an American from Portland, the possibilities would have been almost endless... ;-)

Cheers,

JM