My grandfather.

[Kimbrian]

Gentlemen,

after my grandmother passed away last month I had to go from Austria back to Germany to assist my mother and aunt in administrating the heritage.
As you can imagine a long life (she was 87) brings along many photos and many other belongings.
To make it short: I found hundreds of photos, documents, books and other memorabilia from 1800 – 2011 and didn’t manage to sort it all, yet. Of course I need to go back to Austria for work and blabla but here are some of the most important photos, starting with the most important picture, the picture that started it all 16 years ago when my father saw it and commented: “Your grandfather was in the SS!”
I like to share them with you (and the other photos later, sry...) because my grandfather was more like a father to me then my "real" father was and I am very proud of what he taught me and his attitude towards life. Always "in action", working in the workshop, in the woods, on the house, garden etc. Never complaining about anything. "Why complain about something you can change? Just change it if you don´t like it!"

So, to honor him, the first photos of... many:

[Kimbrian]

My grandfather 1941. Just drafted and now serving in the 4. Kompanie, Panzer Ersatz-Abteilung 5 (hench the "5" on the shoulderboards).

Second photo shows him in the P.E. dress. (Now I know from whom I go the crazy hair)

[Hank C.]

Nice pictures, and looking forward to future updates of this thread, as you sort through all the family history.

[Kimbrian]

1943.

After receiving a shrapnell to the upper right arm (which made half of the muscles dissappear) on the 2nd of September 1942 he received the BWB. HJ Shooting badge from I can´t remember when.

Now serving in the 2. Kompanie Waffenmeisterschule I (henche the "WS" on the shoulderboards. Also note the Waffenrock.)

Last photo (for now) shows him as Hauptgefreiter before being promoted to Unteroffizier and Tank-commander of a Panther in 1944.

His tank was stopped by a russian anti-tank crew between the 27.01.1945 and the 22.02.1945 somewhere in Russia while being attached to the Pz.Sp.Kp "Hirschberg".
The men were forced to knee down lined up, then being beaten to death by the russians. He was the last survivor. As he had to knee down a russian commander and three russian tankcrewmen came, shouting angrily at the crewmen, sent them away and talked to grandfather: (quotation according to him) "I apologize but your people have done a lot of bad things to us. Can you ride this tank?" "Of course, I´m the commander!" "Ride this tank to this point on the map, these men will help you!" He drove the tank to Russia and was arrested. He never talked about the imprisonment except: "The russians were guarding us, armed to the teeth. We laughed at them for we had nothing but our clothes and wooden spoons to defend ourselfes."

May he and other men who saw this earth´s very battlefields rest in peace.

Have a nice weekend and enjoy the pictures,

Kimb.

He was released on the 13th of May 1949 on the behalf of the officer that once saved his life. Unfortunately, he couldn´t remember his name.

[rbminis]

Congratulations! A great find. You must be very proud. I also am looking forward to future updates.
Ralph.

[GOTZVONB]

My grandfather

Great photos of your grandfather. Nice panzer portrait!!! A lot of panzer troops, due to their black uniforms & skull collar tabs, were mistaken for SS soldiers during the war, and unfortunately, some of them were summarily shot on the spot by allied soldiers in a moment of battlefield rage. Thanks for posting these interesting photos.

Best regards,

Tom

[IchHattEinenKameraden]

My condolence about your grandmother. Ruhe in Frieden †

Thank you for showing these wonderful photos and his story, the one with the fieldcap is just fantastic and i am sure it hangs on one of your walls by now.

[merdock]

nice

[kirk]

Great photos of your Grandfather.Thanks for posting them.

[PZIV]

Nice photos. May your grandfather rest in peace.

By the way (just for research purposes), you say:

27.01.1945 and the 22.02.1945 somewhere in Russia

By this date it was most likely not in Russia anymore. He probably had to drive a long way to get to Russia! Best regards

[panzer1432]

Very Nice

I have been very fortunate to have met several German soldiers from WW 2. I have found them to be really good guys, articulate, educated. Couple of them very fine chess players.

[merdock]

Hi,
Years ago I played Chess on holiday with a bomber pilot that had bombed my home city.
Mark

[JUNGCO]

Glad you could learn about your grandfathers service. When I was staioned in Germany, I was a big hit with the Vets, as I was always willing to listen to the storys they wouldn't tell their own families. Unfortunately, they have all since passed.
Jeff

[JG 51]

May your grandfather rest in peace.

Wonderful photos, thanks for sharing your family history with us

[Kimbrian]

Nice photos. May your grandfather rest in peace.

By the way (just for research purposes), you say:

By this date it was most likely not in Russia anymore. He probably had to drive a long way to get to Russia! Best regards

I wrote Russia indeed. I´m sorry, of course you´re right. It should have been "somewhere in Germany/Europe" for the WAST couldn´t tell me the exact place where the remains of his unit fought. Thanks for the advice!

And, of course, thanks for all the great comments. It´s nice to read that family history is so much appreciated in these times

All the best from the gunsmith city,

Kimb.