Volkssturm and decorations

[snafu947]

I'm looking for any photographic evidence of members of the German Volkssturm either being awarded or shown wearing military decorations (EKII, EKI, etc).

I have a couple photos thanks to a couple forum members, but if anyone has any in their collections, or can direct me to known photos of this, I would be most appreciative.

Thank you for your time.

Wm.T. Ripley

[Sebastian Bianchi]

Here's one that won the Knights Cross. I think I have others, I will look around.

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/iron.../auxiliary.htm

[D. Löwenhamn]

Sebastian, I hope you are aware of the fact that Günther Nowak in fact never existed. A commander made him up. It is true, however, that the Knight's cross was granted for this person but the commander's story was eventually uncovered.

Volkssturm is also misspelt, it's spelled with two s, same goes for the word Führer. <!--__DE_-->

Best regards/ Daniel

[Sebastian Bianchi]

Sebastian, I hope you are aware of the fact that Günther Nowak in fact never existed. A commander made him up. It is true, however, that the Knight's cross was granted for this person but the commander's story was eventually uncovered.

Volkssturm is also misspelt, it's spelled with two s, same goes for the word Führer. <!--__DE_-->

Best regards/ Daniel

Thanks. That whole section is long overdue for a revisit, but it's stale because a whole new section is coming out - so no updates to that page for a long time.

I got that story from a reference book, I will have to go back and look at which one. Thanks for the information, so the commander just made up a person? Interesting.

[James Clark]

Volkssturm tunic with EKII Spange (Imperial War Museum, London). There are also loops for a ribbon bar (which might just have shown his WW1 awards). But no attachments for combat badges etc.

[D. Löwenhamn]

Yes, the commander, Sachs, made him up in order to save his own skin. He had deserted from his Bataillon and was arrested. He then made up the story that he had destroyed five Soviet tanks and that there was another person, Nowak, who had destroyed many tanks in close combat. Sachs was awarded with the German Cross in Gold and Nowak with the Knight's cross. When eventually Nowak was nowhere to be found the lie was uncovered.

Best regards/ Daniel

[Sebastian Bianchi]

Yes, the commander, Sachs, made him up in order to save his own skin. He had deserted from his Bataillon and was arrested. He then made up the story that he had destroyed five Soviet tanks and that there was another person, Nowak, who had destroyed many tanks in close combat. Sachs was awarded with the German Cross in Gold and Nowak with the Knight's cross. When eventually Nowak was nowhere to be found the lie was uncovered.

Best regards/ Daniel

Now that story is as or more interesting than the original one! Where can I read up on it? I would like to include this story in the new section.

[Akira Takiguchi]

The story is told in the recent editions of Fellgiebel's RK-Tr&auml;ger book --- page 511 in my 1996 edition.

[erichcraciun]

This very intersting article about SA Hauptsturmführer Ernst Tiburzy comes from www.deutsche-stimme.de.

Erich

Panzerknacker Tiburzy

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=150 align=left border=0><TBODY><TR><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=3 width="100%" bgColor=#dddddd border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>Bataillonsführer Ernst Tiburzy</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>In der eingeschlossenen Festung Königsberg kämpfte der Volkssturm in der Stärke von acht Bataillonen. Die Volkssturmeinheiten waren auf die einzelnen Frontabschnitte aufgeteilt und den jeweiligen Kampfkommandanten des Heeres unterstellt. Der Führer des Volkssturms Königsberg war der NSDAP-Kreisleiter und Leutnant der Reserve Wagner.
Als ein Beispiel für alle tapferen Soldaten, vom 13-jährigen Freiwilligen des Jungvolks bis zum alten Mann, sei der Bataillonsführer im Königsberger Volkssturm genannt, der Hauptsturmführer der SA, Ernst Tiburzy. Dem damals 34-jährigen, bereits schwerkriegsbeschädigten Ostpreußen Tiburzy wurde das Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes am 10. Februar 1945 verliehen. Er war Führer des Volkssturmbataillons 25/82 in der Festung Königsberg. Bei einem russischen Panzerangriff knackte er einen sowjetischen T-34 Panzer mit der Panzerfaust. Als einer seiner Zugführer feige fliehen wollte, erschoß er ihn, nahm sich neue Panzerfäuste und vernichtete weitere vier T-34 Panzer. Dann warf er, an der Spitze seines Bataillons, im Gegenangriff die Bolschewiken aus ihrer Stellung und hielt befehlsgemäß an dieser Stelle die Front.
Im Wehrmachtsbericht vom 28. Februar 1945 hieß es: »(…) wird die Verleihung des Ritterkreuzes an den SA-Hauptsturmführer Tiburzy bei einem Königsberger Volkssturmbataillon für den Abschuß von fünf Panzern bekanntgegeben«. Tapfere Taten wie diese gab es in jenen Tagen ungezählte, denn die deutschen Kämpfer wußten, daß von ihnen und ihrem Widerstand das Leben ihrer Frauen und Kinder

[D. Löwenhamn]

Interesting post, Erich. It seems, however, that the last part is missing. Did you really get it all?


Best regards/ Daniel

[Dan E. Moe]

What kind of Collar patches is that?

Regards,Dan

[Ian Jewison]

the link.....

http://www.deutsche-stimme.com/Ausga...eschichte.html

[erichcraciun]

The collar tabs are the rank system of the Volkssturm.

Volkssturmmann: blank collar tabs
Gruppenfuehrer: one pip in the center of the collar tab
Zugfuehrer: two pips diagonally
Kompaniefuehrer: 3 pips diagonally like the SS collar tab for an Untersturmfuehrer
Bataillonsfuehrer: four pips (like an SS Sturmbannfuehrer)
Collar tabs were the same for both collars.

What kind of Collar patches is that?

Regards,Dan

[Craig W.C. Brown]

I have a Besitzzeugnis for a VS-mann who won a black wound badge...
I also have several VS tunics with EK 2 ribbons and some with both EK 2 ribbons and loops for decorations but there is no guarantee that the loops were for awards issued while in the Volkssturm; they could be there from previous use of the uniform. Volkssturm regs specified that only awards won while in Volkssturm service were to be worn on the Volkssturm uniform but I have grave doubts anybody adhered to that.

[snafu947]

Volkssturm decorations

I have a Besitzzeugnis for a VS-mann who won a black wound badge...
I also have several VS tunics with EK 2 ribbons and some with both EK 2 ribbons and loops for decorations but there is no guarantee that the loops were for awards issued while in the Volkssturm; they could be there from previous use of the uniform. Volkssturm regs specified that only awards won while in Volkssturm service were to be worn on the Volkssturm uniform but I have grave doubts anybody adhered to that.

Hi Craig.
Sorry I haven't kept in touch. Pretty busy around here getting our new gallery ready to open.

I think you sent me a copy of the wound badge award, and at least one photo of one of your tunics. What would my chances be of getting photos of your other tunics?

Wm.T.