SS / Polizei Heldentod Document

[TobyR]

Here's a Heldentod document (Polizei / SS version) from a grouping I recently acquired.

As you'll see from the death notice, the recipient was with Polizei Bat'l. 106 from 1939 through 1942 or thereabouts (if my reseach is correct), operating in Poland. Again if my research is correct, he would have been involved with the Krakau Ghetto.

After a spell back in the Reich proper, he returned to the east as a member of an SS-Polizei Regiment, specifically Hungary, where he was shot in 1944.

On the subject of his death, take a look at the cigarette case and wallet. These items were sent to his widow upon his death!

Out of interest how often were Heldentod documents awarded? In a letter (not shown here) from SS-Brigadefuehrer Flade, the widow is informed that her husband's name will be entered in the Honour Book of the German Police.

I presume the Himmler signature is a facsimile. Correct?

Thanks for looking.

Best,
Toby.

[TobyR]

2

[TobyR]

3

[TobyR]

4

[TobyR]

5

[TobyR]

6

[JoeW]

A very nice piece. I cannot tell in the photo, but I assume the document has some reassuring foxing to it. I have one with Flade letter for a policeman killed in an air raid on New Year's Eve. Tough luck. Lower rank like yours and facsimile Himmler signature. So I think they were commonly issued, though the survival rate might have insured that they are not commonly seen.

Some years back some death notices appeared in the US issued for deceased members of the 4 SS Police Division. They were unusual in that they were signed on the command level of the particular unit and featured an applied unit adminstrative ink stamp. The documents were reported to have come from some archival sources in the Czech Republic.

[Larry deZeng]

Hmmm......... Hungary in summer and early fall 1944 smells like he may have been involved in round up the Hungarian Jews and shipping them to Auschwitz. Another possibility is that his unit may have withdrawn into eastern Hungary along the Carpathians or into southern Hungary from Transylvania or northwestern Romania. In that case, he may have been killed fighting the forward elements of the Red Army as they advanced into Hungary. These SS-Polizei-Regimenter were usually used to round up Jews or as anti-partisan troops, but there were no partisans in Hungary in early October 1944. They were almost never used as frontline combat troops, but occasionally they got caught up in combat when they could not get out of the way fast enough or were press-ganged into some sort of emergency unit used to defend a key town or rail junction deep in the rear area as Russian tanks approached.

--Larry

[TobyR]

Joe, Larry - Thank you both for taking the time to reply and also for the added information.

Interestingly, the place he is noted as being buried at (according to the death notice), Szalard, is actually in Romania. Szalard is the Hungarian name for Salard.

Through a search on Google, I found this info about Salard in 1944:

"In May 1944 , the Jews [of Salard] were gathered in the Oradea* ghetto and on May 23, 25, 28-30, and June 1-5, 27 were deported to Auschwitz. The unlandmarked Orthodox cemetery was established in second half of 19th century. Last known burial was inter-war period."

*Salard is 22km from Oradea.

Could he have been connected with this activity?

@ Joe, you asked about foxing to the doc. My photos were taken with a flash: in hand it does show expected signs of age.

Actually, the grouping contains quite a quantity of paperwork to Witte. When I get a moment, I will photograph the rest and post it here.

Thanks again.

Best,
Toby.

[Larry deZeng]

Could he have been connected with this activity?

It seems very possible that his regiment was involved in the summer-fall 1944 round up of Jews in Hungary, but you will need some very comprehensive studies of the Holocaust in Hungary to be able to know for sure. But most importantly, you will need to know which Bataillon of which SS-Pol.-Rgt. he belonged to at that time.

But I can tell you that the Oradea - Salard sector was the scene of fierce fighting during the last week of September and the first 10 days of October as the Germans and Hungarians threw everyone they could lay their hands on into the defenses there. Oradea was the key road junction leading to Debrecen and central Hungary and had to be held at all costs. Oradea changed hands of 26 September and again on 28 September. The final Russian attack began on 6 October and by 10 October they had crushed and annihilated the defenses in and on both sides of Oradea and were driving rapidly toward Debrecen. Your man was probably killed in this fighting.

--Larry

[Simon O.]

I'll take a wild guess at him being in either Pol.Rgt.1 or 6. What do you guys think, any other possibilities?

[TobyR]

Hi Larry,

Thank you again for taking the time to reply. Given the date he was killed (9 October), your suggestion seems very likely.

Unfortunately, there is no documentation in the grouping, from which to ascertain which SS-Pol.-Rgt. he served with.

Although, I now see that Simon has offered some suggestions (Thank you Simon ).

Best,
Toby.

[Ian Jewison]

Interesting....never noticed this until it was put up for sale........

The clipping relating to his death has him in a Polizei Regiment (K-Staffel).

K-Staffel is Kraftfahr Staffel - Motor/Transport Squadron.....no doubt he was a driver.......

His driving license states he has 3 and 1....car and motorcycle.

Just noted that the clipping states Geschäftszimmerdienst with the K-Staffel which is orderly room service!

/Ian

[Ian Jewison]

Nachname: Witt
Vorname: Ludwig
Dienstgrad: Zugwachtmeister
Geburtsdatum: 14.02.1914
Geburtsort: Neumünster
Todes-/Vermisstendatum: 09.10.1944
Todes-/Vermisstenort: Darbos

Ludwig Witt With the available information Ludwig Witt's grave at present is still at the following place: Salard, Rumania.

He was not one of those transferred to the Volkesbund cemetry or has not been found/save yet.

[TobyR]

Thanks for the info Ian.