Söderbaum

Very interesting photos indeed..! I especially liked these with aviation connection, like nr 41. I have problem reading the name of the pilot. Could it be Vfw Mohrenschultz or similar..? I do think that the observer is Lt Binkau. I do not have his first name but he was living in Leipzig after the War, so maybe he have a Saxon connection.. Gunnar

Hi Major Rudolf Hohl originally from IR 161 hold several high commands of German flying units throughout the entire War. On 20 Oct 15 as Stofl Gaede he received Knights Cross 2nd Class with swords of Baden Order of the Zähringen Lion. During 1916 he was the commander of the "half Saxon" KG 5, so he ought to have received some award also..? I am looking for date and place of birth for him..! Anyone out there who have this info..? Gunnar

Hi Hptm Hans Reisch (O) served within the German Air Force during the War. After the War he was commander of an flying unit in Kurland. His home Regiment is given as IR 128. Around 1920 he was living in Berlin. During WW2 it existed an Oberst Hans Reisch who might be the same man..? I am basically looking for the date and place of birth of the WW1 flyer. Anyone who can help..? Gunnar

Great news Marc I am aware of the problem to get help from archives sometimes. Partly the problem is that the material is unsorted and it hardly exist good find Bücher (Index). To get in contact with the right person is also vital as you point out. Ulsterman mentioned the remains of the Potsdam archive. The German re-union in 1989 became a catastrophe for researcher, as the archive in Potsdam was simply closed. In mid 90s the material was send over to the Militärarchive in Freiburg, but it is still lying there today unsorted in boxes and unavailable for studying. The personal files (maybe a million or more) were sent back to WasT in Berlin to prevent research. Back to business. The archive in Washington holds material which are vital for aviation researcher. Luckily some material have been copied the last 40 Years (to my knowledge). But as you indicate it might have been free to study all the time. But the American contacts I had 30 Years ago gave another version. And at last, the situation in Germany for aviation research has become much better the last Year. Maybe it is because it is only 8 months left for the 100 Year jubilee of the German Military Air Force... Gunnar

Hi The fact that the National archive in Washington have a huge amount of German original documents have been known at least for 50 Years or more, at least by those who study WWI aviation. The problem has been that no-one, except some high US militarian have been able to get access to it.. One other aspect is that no-one in US, except these foreigners who could read and interpret the material actually understand what kind of gold mine this is..! So the fact that "at last" some of this material have been re-leased for the public is very good news.. I tried for more then 20 Years ago to get some copies of from some US historian-Militarian who had been in the archive in Washington, but they refused to send me copies.. I dont agree with AOK 4, as the Germans archivirians has behaved as bad as the Americans.. I can argue more about this if interest.. Gunnar

Hi again Just a little further question. It seems that Roth identifies the Hptm Stein who received the Hohenzollern on 5 Jul 17 as the later General der Luftwaffe. I wonder if this other Hptm Erich Sten (P) "the older one" could be the Hptm Stein who received the Hohenzollern on 8 Dec 17..? Gunnar

Hi I am searching date and place of birth for Hptm Heinz (Heinrich) Vissing (O). His regiment is given as IR 174. In the last months of the War he took command of an aviation unit, so it seems he spent most of his War service within the Army... Gunnar

Hi again and Happy New Year..! I like Alex is still hunting date and place of birth for Hptm Hans Spranger who have a strong connection to the Saxon Army. Anyone who have any hints, or even the answer..? Gunnar

Hej Christer I am very interested if there some flyers, Luftschiffer or Flak people in this list..! Gunnar

Hi I have some copies from the manuscript about the book about Windisch K.A.Beck apparently used. The actual book about Windisch was stolen from the archive maybe 20 Years ago. Anyway the manuscript - material contains two signed extract about his awards, and there were only two Saxon awards. 1. 161016 Sächs. Militär St Heinrichs medaille in Silber 2. 041117 Ritterkreuz zweiter Kl des Sächs Albrechtsordens mit Schwerten Gunnar

Sorry I have already got the answer regarding his first name by Glenn several months ago, but forgotten to write it down in my files.. Anyway I only need his date and place of birth now. Gunnar

Hi again I re-checked the letters Hptm Winter wrote in 1920 when he wrote to the Reichwehrministerium for receiving the ErrAbz. According to this papers he apparently left FAR 46 on 1 Jul 14 and joined the Fliegertruppe. He did left Fliegertruppe on 24 Jun 18 apparently due serious sickness (Grippe). Anyway he was living at Celle near Hannover on Südwall 22, I in 1920. Does it exist telephon bücher for Hannover for this period..? They might give his first name. Did FAR 46 had any connection to the Hannover area..? Gunnar

Oops. I should be read FAR 46

Hi Actually the winter havent arrived yet to mid Sweden... Anyway I am interested in a Hptm x Winter who originally served in FAR 64. Later in the War he served within the Fliegertruppe as an observer. After the War he tried to receive the Erinnerungsabzeichen, but he failed. I have his promotion dates but are lacking first name and place and date of birth. Anyone who have added information on him..? Gunnar

Thanks again Glenn..! Your added info is valuable to come further with him. Gunnar

Great info Glenn In cases like this, any bit of small added info is vital to get further, which probably in the end leads to a decent record for an "unknown" soldier..! Due that you provided his firs name, I was able to find that he also served within the Military Force during WW2 as Oberst. One of the later sources gave his birth date as 14 Dec 88 in x. However birth date is vital to come further within some German institutions which still holds some archive material. Gunnar

Hi all I am interested to find more information on Hptm x Rosenbauer. At moment I dont have much. I knew that he served in IR 172 and later during the War in Fliegertruppe. Lt 290109 Oblt 220315 Hptm 220318 Anyone who have added information or clues to find more information on him..?? Gunnar

Hi One source gives von Malortie promoted Hptm on 270115, which might be patent date... Those promoted Lt in 1906 he "ought to" have been promoted Oblt in the autumn of 1914.. Anyway fast promotion from Oblt to Hptm. Gunnar

Thanks both I think he rather certain is the Karl Winter. The rank and address fits. Glenn if you found Südwall 22 I, then it is the exactly same address. He tried to receive the ErrAbz, but failed because the "circumstances" he left the Air Force. Now it is only to find date and place birth. Gunnar

Hi I am searching added info regarding Hptm x Winter from FAR 46. Already on 1 Jul 14 he joined the Fliegertruppe as observer. On 15 Jun 18 he was apparently "kicked out" of the Fliegertruppe and had to return to his regiment. Lt 201108, Oblt 220315, Hptm 220318 I knew that he after War was living in Celle near Hannover. Anyone knew his date and place of birth..? I am also looking for a first name..! Gunnar

Hi A late entry, but it follows the spirit of Neal O´Connor that this an ongoing research project.. Lt dR x Walther (spelled so from two other different sources) was posted to FAA 221 on 4 Feb 18. He stayed in the unit until EOW. Gunnar

Hi Marcin The photo is very poor quality when I look at it on my cpu. I cant see any awards around his neck... However, the older man sitting right have similarities to Gen Ernst von Hoeppner who was the commander of the German Air Force from late 1916 until EOW. Gunnar

Thanks Dave You nailed him. According to my sources he was still Lt when serving at Idflieg in 1916. so he must have been promoted to Oblt in the autumn of 1916. On 3 Jan 17 he took over the command of LFS Wilhelmshaven, a unit he led until 27 Oct 17 when transferred to II SFA. Then I lost the track of him... He ought to have served within an FFA etc before joining Idflieg but I have been unable to find the unit until now. I could not find his name in OC6, so apparently Neal missed him regarding this award. Gunnar

Hi German Marin sources announced this award to Oblt von Rohrscheidt on 1 Nov 17. I knew he was Army officer and at that time commander of an Marine aviation unit. I wonder if he is Oblt Werner von Rohrscheidt who eventually served at Idflieg stab in 1916.? He was an observer. Any basic info on Rohrscheidt is welcome as I only have the information mentioned above. Gunnar

Sorry for mis-spelling Kreuz... Heyer is mentioned in Ehrenrangliste for Marine officers, however the list that I have extract from do not give date of birth, first names etc for Army officers.. Anyway, I wonder of anyone have access to MWB for 1918..? He was promoted Oblt dR on 22.03.15 and probably his date for promotion to Hptm dR is 22.03.18..!? I assume that it does not exist a good history for IR 165. Gunnar