robert39

https://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/forums/forum/community-forums/groupings-and-individual-soldier-s-history-archive-forum/320938-deutschland-deutschland-über-alles

Hi,

On pages 1-2-3-4 of the Koopmann family story, I’ve added over 80 new pictures and documents, I have also revised or corrected all the written texts.

Cheers,

Robert

The pictures are part of a Heer Officer "grouping", he was Bezirksführer as Headmaster of Postschutzschule (Postal protection school) Besenhorst when the General visited the school.

 In August 1939, Erwin Koopmann was commissioned a Leutnant der Reserve with I.R. 90 of the Hamburg 20th Motorized Infantry Division. He did not participate in the invasion of Poland in September, but remained behind as an instructor with I.R.90's Ersatz battalion. 

After being promoted to Oberleutnant with 2./ I.R.90 on January 1st 1940, Erwin Koopmann was transferred in March 1940 to the operation area of the Western Front in preparation for the upcoming invasion of the Lowlands and France.

 KIA near Kiev in 1943.

1 hour ago, Simius Rex said:

There is also some resemblance to this person... Paul Gurran.

A web search says that Gurran won the KC as Oberst in 1941, my pictures show a prewar General.

Thank you,

Robert

Thank you for your opinion.

Cheers,

Robert

Yes, but I think that the studio portrait has be "cleaned"...in reference to another Google picture.

Friedrich Fromm?

Friedrich Wilhelm Waldemar Fromm (8 October 1888 – 12 March 1945) was a German Army officer. In World War II, Fromm was Commander in Chief of the Replacement Army (Ersatzheer), in charge of training and personnel replacement for combat divisions of the German Army, a position he occupied for most of the war.^[1] A recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, he was executed for failing to act against the plot of 20 July 1944 to assassinate Hitler.

Hi,

Could someone please identify this German General on the pre-war pictures?

Thank you,
Robert

Picture....

Hi,

Could someone please tell if the 1919 service record entries: 1.Ostpr. Jager-Btl and Marinesturmkompanie in der 2. Garde Res.Division are Freikorps units?

The soldier was awarded a Baltic cross (1919 Kurland).

Thank you,
Robert

Both versions of the Baltic Cross (breast pin and from a white ribbon) are shown here and are probably from the same manufacturer!!!!

Robert

Robert - here's a ref to von Holwede in Sippenhaft custody with many other family members of July 20 conspirators. He may have been held as a relation (many of the officers were related to multiple conspirators) or he may have been held as a soft suspect with the family members.

Colin

http://www.moz.de/index.php/Moz/Article/ca...eelow/id/186793

Colin,

Thank you very much for the link.

Here is von Holwede's autograph;

Cheers,

_______

Robert

Colin,

I was doing some research on Holwede and I stumbled on this web site;http://www.lot-tissimo.com/de/cmd/d/o/222.21001-462/auk/21/, it seems that Himmler forced him to retire from the Wehrmacht.

"20. Juli 1944". Nachlass des General Wolfgang von Holwede.

Silberner Erinnerungsbecher des Offiziers-Corps des III. Bataillons 7./(Preuss.) Infanterie-Regiment an den Hptm. v. Holwede 1921 - 1927 mit schauseitiger Widmungsgravur und Chiffre des ehemaligen Grenadier-Regiments K?nig Friedrich III. (2.Schlesisches) Nr.11 Breslau. Im Boden Hersteller- und Silberpunze, Gewicht 227 g, H. 14 cm; Silberner Erinnerungsteller des Infanterie-Regiments 448 an den Anschluss ?sterreichs 1938. Geschwungener, leicht hochgestellter Rand, im Spiegel graviertes Einheitswappen und Einsatzr?ume der einzelnen Kompanien in der Region Stift Zwettl, der Rand mit Hersteller- und Silberpunze, ? 23 cm, Gewicht 262 g. Dazu Mappe mit vielen Dokumenten aus seiner Dienstzeit bis 1945: Annahmeschein als Fahnenjunker 1910, Zeugnis der Reife zum F?hnrich, Patent als Leutnant 1913, Befehle, amtliche Schreiben, Feldpostbriefe, Fotos, z.T. beschriftet, viele Visitenkarten von Offizieren mit Einheitsangaben, Belobigungsschreiben der Rgts.-Chefin Charlotte Herzogin von Sachsen-Meiningen 1916. Urkunden wie Besitzzeugnis und Schreiben zum Verwundetenabzeichen 1918 in Schwarz und Besitzzeugnisse zum Schlesischen Adler 1. und 2. Stufe 1920. Schallplatte mit dem Parademarsch des GR 11 aus dem Jahre 1959. Schreiben der Wehrmachtsfestungshaftanstalt K?strin vom 10. April 1945 ?ber die Inhaftierung und Aussto?ung des Generals von Holwede aus dem Heer am 31.12.1944 im Zusammenhang mit den Ereignissen des 20. Juli 1944 auf Befehl Reichsf?hrer SS Himmler. Stich des Kadettenhauses zu Wahlstatt mit Beschriftung "Generalleutnant von Holwede. Kommandant der Kadettenanstalt in Potsdam 1879 - 1884"

Thank you very much for your time.

Kind regards,

_______

Robert

Colin,

Generalmajor Wolfgang von Holwede was dicharged from the Wehrmacht in Dec. 1944 and Generalmajor Norbert Holm was arrested and degraded in Oct. 1944. Do you know if they were both related to the July 20th plot?

Thank you,

________

Robert

@ Bernhard,

Thank you for the nice comments and your notes on E. Koopmann.

@ Ulsterman,

This picture of Erwin K. at the cemetery means a lot to me, it emcompasses the whole relation between the two brothers and their bonding beyond death... I can feel his deep sadness.

Regards,

___________

Robert

Lost comrades

These images reside untouched in the back of my mind;

My comrades, laid to rest in foreign soil,

Baptized by blood and tears of sorrow,

Never to return to their unpredicted, unfinished lives.

They sacrificed themselves willingly,

Unable to see their family and loved ones,

They bravely marched through the dark gate,

Never to return as mere mortals, but as wandering souls.

Onward through the mists of time,

They will struggle to perceive the light

Of the candles softly flickering in the darkness,

As they are forgotten, seeping into the earth,

Never to hear, see, and feel again.

__________

Robert T.

The cemetery grounds are punctuated by several large oak trees which cast an oppressive shade on the scene.

Hermann?s grave location is circled in red.

Fantastic! what a research victory!!

Thank you Chris,

A victory with the help of quite a few people and incredible good fortune. I won?t use the word luck, because I always felt that there was a ?presence? guiding me?.

Cheers,

_______

Robert

The first two photographs that Filip Debergh had sent me did not illustrate a stone wall near Hermann?s grave site and could not be compared with the grouping?s original picture that showed a wooden cross decorated with flowers. I then asked Filip if he would be kind enough to take one more photo while facing the nearest surrounding wall, he replied that I would get it within ten days.

Shortly afterwards, I got an email from "Wehrmacht Awards Forum" member ?rijke88? telling me that he had found by chance a photo of Ritterktreuztr?ger Erwin Koopmann (Hermann?s brother) on eBay, I got all exited when I positively recognized Erwin resting on a large chair. Roger (rijke88) then proceeded to deal with the seller and managed to buy the picture along with the rest of the desecrated 2./IR90 album.

Roger subsequently sent me an additional scan featuring Erwin koopmann; he was at the Langemarck cemetery, paying respects to his fallen brother!!! For a moment, time stood still? I was astounded and tears came to my eyes.

I received Fillip Debergh?s new photo two days later and was able to assemble this miraculous ?THEN AND NOW?.

________________

Robert Tremblay

The Soldatenfriedhof monumental entrance building is constructed with red Weser sandstone and can only be described as cold and dreary. Behind the fretwork screens of a cast iron gate is a chapel memorializing the students and some of the reservists slain here in 1914. The official register notes that there are 6,313 names on the Oakwood panels of that sombre room.

If you look around in the dark chapel you will ultimately find Hermann?s name ? another small trace of him...

Filip Debergh, an author and renowned World War 1 tour guide from Belgium, has kindly provided me with several wonderful photographs depicting Hermann?s burial site. He contacted me after reading the article on Chris Boonzaier?s superb web site.

The total number of German soldiers who died in Flanders during the Great War has never been confirmed, the bodies of 126,168 known soldiers are buried in the four main collecting cemeteries of Langemarck, Vladslo, Hooglede and Menen. Of these, about 120,000 were killed within the province of Flanders, however many others just disappeared without trace in the abysmal mud, 90,000 soldiers are still considered "missing? and consequently one comes to a sum of about 210,000 dead.

Many German fallen were concentrated and buried in the Military Cemetery at Langemarck, not all soldiers ended up in a mass-grave; Hermann Koopmann got a semi-individual burial place (No.A/3936) and a gravestone with seven other names on it. Those brave men are guarded by towering oak trees whose roots are now intertwined with their remains, creating a bond between the Dead and the Living.

Langemarck nowadays is a place of peace and quiet. The sound of the guns of two World Wars has long since faded away. People of many different nations individually or on guided excursions are visiting what remains of the Western front. Some come to Langemarck just as curious tourists, others for historical research. Filip D. assured me that he will certainly tell Hermann?s story to his tour participants.

:Cat-Scratch:

The cat salute!!

Colin seriously, I am BEGGING you to do an article.

The BDOS would LOVE this stuff too!

An article? I was thinking about an encyclopedia....

Amazing thread!!!

_________

Robert

Absolutely astonishing thread and collection...

Your research should be published and escape the boundaries of a discussion forum.

Regards,

_________

Robert

An enjoyable and very informative reading, thanks for sharing.

Regards,

__________

Robert

My uncle had several photos showing destroyed buildings but I don?t know if they were all taken in Berlin, one of those is surely a church or cathedral. Can they be identified?

___________

Robert

My uncle Joseph Langevin was in Berlin with the ?Fusiliers Mont-Royal? (Sixth Canadian Infantry Brigade) from July 4th to July 27th 1945 as part of the occupation forces. On July 21st, he participated in the Victory Parade in front of Prime Minister Winston Churchill and General Montgomery. He wrote about it in this letter to his family.