Graffiti June 1944 (need translation)

[Felddivision]

Hello,
This graffiti was recently found in a castle in France where was members of 11. Panzer-Division.

Can you help me to translate the first sentence please ?

Is it « Nier kaẞen im bau » ? And what is the meaning ?



Thanks in advance

[S Ballantyne]

Answer

Hi,

I think it says

"Hier saßen im Bau"

So something along the lines of "here we sat in build-up"

Cheers
Steve

[Felddivision]

Hi,

I think it says

"Hier saßen im Bau"

So something along the lines of "here we sat in build-up"

Cheers
Steve

I think you are right !
Thanks a lot for your help Steve

[Gerdan]

" Bau " often means - in connection with prisoners - prision.

The names and the dates seem to indicate in this case that the meaning is "prison"

Gerdan

[Felddivision]

" Bau " often means - in connection with prisoners - prision.

The names and the dates seem to indicate in this case that the meaning is "prison"

Gerdan

Thanks for your answer.

In fact this graffiti was written in a small room that looks like a cell with bars on the windows.

What could be the meaning of the sentence if this is a prison ?

[Gerdan]

I think the tree soldier had to stay for a few days "in prison" in that location.

Gerdan

[Gerdan]

Here you will find a lot of inscriptions from inside a prison cell:

https://www.google.de/search?q=insch...=1568039256597

Gerdan

[Felddivision]

I think the tree soldier had to stay for a few days "in prison" in that location.

Gerdan

Hello,

Do you know what could be the reason to send 3 soldiers in « prison » at this date ?
And why these soldiers were sent one right after the other ?

That is strange because at this moment they need everyone to fight (I think)

[Archi]

Hello !

I agree with Gerdans assumption, that these soldiers likely were imprisoned there.
(I assume for disciplinary reasons.)
At this time, 11. Pz.Div. was still in process of rest and refit near Bordeaux, so there was time enough.

There is an interesting thread on this topic, also explaining the differences on some
of these punishments :
https://www.forum-der-wehrmacht.de/i...z%C3%B6gerung/

There were various degrees of "Arrest" :
Stubenarrest, gelinder Arrest, geschärfter Arrest etc. ...
I don't think that there was an exact "catalogue", which "failure" results in which punishment.
I think it depended largely on the superior (e.g. Kp.-Chef).

I'll attach a scan from a Wehrstammbuch, which shows one example (and also a possible reason,
why the 3 soldiers were sent there one after the other) :
In this case the soldier came 24h late to service after a granted leave, because he made a detour
to visit his family at home.
This resulted in : 3 Tage geschärfter Arrest (geschärft probably means : no warm meals, only water and bread,
maybe someone knows this in more detail ?!)

Normally, the arrest had to start immediately, but in this case it was delayed, because there were
no prison cells free !!

Of course, this is only an example and there could be many other reasons ...

Best regards,

Archi

[Felddivision]

Hello !

I agree with Gerdans assumption, that these soldiers likely were imprisoned there.
(I assume for disciplinary reasons.)
At this time, 11. Pz.Div. was still in process of rest and refit near Bordeaux, so there was time enough.

There is an interesting thread on this topic, also explaining the differences on some
of these punishments :
https://www.forum-der-wehrmacht.de/i...z%C3%B6gerung/

There were various degrees of "Arrest" :
Stubenarrest, gelinder Arrest, geschärfter Arrest etc. ...
I don't think that there was an exact "catalogue", which "failure" results in which punishment.
I think it depended largely on the superior (e.g. Kp.-Chef).

I'll attach a scan from a Wehrstammbuch, which shows one example (and also a possible reason,
why the 3 soldiers were sent there one after the other) :
In this case the soldier came 24h late to service after a granted leave, because he made a detour
to visit his family at home.
This resulted in : 3 Tage geschärfter Arrest (geschärft probably means : no warm meals, only water and bread,
maybe someone knows this in more detail ?!)

Normally, the arrest had to start immediately, but in this case it was delayed, because there were
no prison cells free !!

Of course, this is only an example and there could be many other reasons ...

Best regards,

Archi

Thanks a lot Archi for your help and these interesting informations