Help With a name on a EK Doc.

[Volksgrenadier 44]

Hi All,
Can any of our German Members help me,I was looking through my EK Docs and noticed that they all have "Good German" Surnames but one i noticed is to a Oberkanonier LEO CZAPP,Is this a "German" name from a particular area or town or a Foreigner fighting for the Fatherland?

Thanks a bunch,

Ross

[Simon O.]

Re: Help With a name on a EK Doc.

A great many 'Germans' in the wehrmacht were, prior to the various border changes, Polish, czech, french or any number of other nationalities. Overnight they suddenly found themselves to be german and consequently draughted.

[Volksgrenadier 44]

I Never thought of it like that Simon thanks,Any idea which country the name Czapp originates tho? I Guess Polish Or Czech seem most likely?

[bubble]

Czapp is not a classic/usual Czech surname.
Contemporary Czech language not used combinations of two letters C+Z. Here don't exist not even one czech word with conjunction "cz".. Czech lang. only used Č (hook over C):
Czech (english) - Czechy (polish) - Čechy (czech)
The connection of letters c+z (cz, sz, zs,.. etc.) is used primarily in Polish or Hungarian language.

But.. maybe this may be very old czech name and may (potentially) comes from very old Czech language (before 17-18 century) - at that time be "cz" still used here.. or from some other (Slavic?) language..
Czapp - Czap (old cz.) - Čáp (today cz.)? = Stork (eng.).

[Volksgrenadier 44]

Thanks Bubble So seems to be either Hungarian,Polish OR a 2/300 year old Polish Family name?...

[Gerdan]

In the recent German phone book you will find 42 enries "Czapp"

Gerdan

[Volksgrenadier 44]

Ahh Haa..Now thats what i needed,,Thanks Gerd and Thanks for your input lads

[jmark]

Czapp is not a classic/usual Czech surname.
Contemporary Czech language not used combinations of two letters C+Z. Here don't exist not even one czech word with conjunction "cz".. Czech lang. only used Č (hook over C):
Czech (english) - Czechy (polish) - Cechy (czech)
The connection of letters c+z (cz, sz, zs,.. etc.) is used primarily in Polish or Hungarian language.

But.. maybe this may be very old czech name and may (potentially) comes from very old Czech language (before 17-18 century) - at that time be "cz" still used here.. or from some other (Slavic?) language..
Czapp - Czap (old cz.) - Čáp (today cz.)? = Stork (eng.).

Could it be a Czech name like "Čapp" that has been germanicised? Eg. Čapp = Czapp.

Jason

[jmark]

In the recent German phone book you will find 42 enries "Czapp"

Gerdan

Ahh Haa..Now thats what i needed,,Thanks Gerd and Thanks for your input lads

Well, the fact that there are 42 in the German telephone directory does not mean much nowadays with immigration. The Australian phone book has 5 entries for Czapp, and there's over 100 in the US. Doesn't make it an Australian or American name.

Jason

[JBGracing]

His name appears on the Volksbund website. It doesn't have a birthplace or rank listed. I tried to copy and paste the link, but for some reason it will not work.


I'm not saying it is definately him, but he went MIA in Poland. Does the document have his unit listed?

Also, with the name and birthdate, the WASt might provide you with a very general outline of his career. Which may match the unit on the document.

Jared

[Volksgrenadier 44]

Hi Jared,Many thanks for your input
Here is what appears on his EKii Doc..

Oberkanonier Leo Czapp 2./schw.Art.Abt.(mot)604

Im felde den 5.Sept 1942

[Simon O.]

That's almost certainly him, given his unit and where he went missing.

Unusually there's a history of the unit on Lexikon


http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/...hwer/AA604.htm

[JBGracing]

I agree with Simon. Knowing his unit and where he went MIA, it is most likely him.

Jared