Panzer items?

[Simon O.]

I can see how something like this came into the hands of an American soldier. The contents fit together for both the period and the unit, ie. a senior NCO with the Stab of a battalion.

What's surprising is that the contents are still all together, i hope that whatever happens it all stays together!

You are aware i take it that the contents are worth far, far more than the case? the 50 PAB in silver award doc alone is very rare and is likely worth more than everything else together (unless there's something very special in the diary)

[Simon O.]

Hucks, i'd say the PAB doc is there because of the date of the award. His last award of the war and tucked away with these other papers, a bit more practical than keeping it with his SB as some did.

Judging by the maps and the little i can make out in the diary pages i wonder if this feldwebel was either working as the battalion's intelligence officer or assitant to an intelligence officer, tasked with keeping up to date with the war situation generally, rather than specific local intelligence.

[hucks216]

Simon, with regards to coming into the hands of a US soldier (or any Allied soldier come to that) what do you make of the hand drawn maps? Would a German frontline soldier/officer have the sort of information at hand to be able to draw those sort of maps with the level of details showing Allied troop and surrounded pocket movements on both the Eastern & Western Fronts? I'm just thinking that they could be postwar drawn by the mapcase owner when such details could be at hand, maybe illustrate diary entries, or for some other unknown reason.

EDIT: You answered my query before I'd even finished typing the question!!

[RUHL13]

Hi Guys, Thanks so much for the kind remarks, i can't explain why all this was in the map case, i got a call on my ad, and this is what the guy's Grandfather brought back from the war.
The only info i could get, he was a medic who landed after D-Day, he didn't know his Grandfathers unit or anything, sorry, i did ask
Here are some more items, looks like he kept a list who was killed in action?
And the tin that has all the colored pencils, looks like it's possibly Russian, or a Baltic region?
In the diaries, he does mention T-34's, so maybe thats how he got his 50 Assault mission badge?...Kursk?
Again, Thanks for any more info....Thanks Jason, i will look for the Hauptmans name
Regards,
Gary

[RUHL13]

[jmark]

Here are some more items, looks like he kept a list who was killed in action?

First list of names is holders of the Diamonds to the Oak Leaves, second one is Generalobersten. Neither are related to 16.Pz.Div.

To me, the maps look like they might have been drawn post-war, but if the map-case was souvenired by a US soldier, then my supposition will go down in flames!

It should be fairly easy to find out if the diary belonged to Eich or Christophel. Post some scans of March 1945 and we can see if it says something like "I took command of a panzer battalion today." I reckon it's far more likely to belong to Eich than Christophel.

Can't wait to see more of the treasures!

Jason

[RUHL13]

Forgot...Yes Simon, i would never break this up, so much history here, just wish i could read more on the diaries, plus some negatives, alot of graves, can they be developed safely?
Thanks again Guys
Regards,
Gary

[hucks216]

Lexikon has a long entry for Pz.Rgt 2, including the actions of II/Pz.Rgt 2 from August 1944 to War's End which is probably where he racked up the final days for his PAB 50 award, although how far back his other PAB Days go hopefully the diaries can shed some light on...
http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/...menter/PR2.htm

[jmark]

plus some negatives, alot of graves, can they be developed safely?

Scanning them might be easier.

[Simon O.]

One list is of diamonds holder (you can clearly read Rommel, Gollob, Galland etc.)
the other is of Generalobersten of the wehrmacht, Jodl, Dietl, Guderian etc.


Negatives of graves you say? could be he was also tasked with recording the graves of comrades for records\families etc. Those could be of importance to the German wargraves commision if it's also noted where they are.

You can safely scan them in, if you don't have the equipment then a photo shop will be able to do it.

It'd be worth trying to put you in touch with someone who researches the 16 Pz.Div.

Oh, and the pencils are Polish

[RUHL13]

Thanks again, i will definately look into the negative scanning
Here are some enties of late March '45, HG division is mentioned...26th i believe?

[bsmith56]

So awesome! This thing is almost like a time capsule from 1945!

[Simon O.]

The HG entry is actually an easy one to decipher.

It records the awarding of the oakleaves, as the 761st recipient, for oberstleutnant Bern von Baer, Chef des stabes of panzerkorps Hermann Göring. Why? because Baer was formerly with the 16 panzer division and won his RK as the division's Ia.

[jmark]

The diary entries are mainly high-level detail, although the one dated 26.03.45 reads: "Von 0500 - 0900 Verladen der Kompanien. 0920 Abfahrt, 1300 in Pasewalk. 1600 in Angermünde."

Jason

[jmark]

It'd be worth trying to put you in touch with someone who researches the 16 Pz.Div.

I have loads of information about 16. Panzer-Division. I'm mainly interested in their activities in 1941-42, but in the course of researching this time period, I have gathered quite a bit about the later part of the war.

Steve Androsko (aka Panzerpionier) is a member here and has quite a bit of info about the division, too.

OK, time to hit the hay now.
Jason