turtle

Does anybody else own a Wehrpass with traning entries for captured weapons (e.g. french rifles, dutch pistols, russian smg ....)

Very impressive and beautiful medal bar! I suppose he also got both classes of the KVK during WWII?

Impressive medal bar with a nice array of campaign medals!!

Very interesting document! He seems to have flown many sorties, is it a golden Frontflugspange in the picture?

I second that!! He makes a 60 years old Volkssturmmann in 1945 look like a fountain of youth!

Nice group! Concerning his age, I suppose he was a war volunteer in 1914 and made up the ranks?!

I second that! But in my humble opinion it´s still better to lose a leg than your life. Of course getting out unscratched is always the way to prefer!!!!

I also have his medals:

Good question! His frontline service lasted for only around 4 weeks, then he was wounded and (most probably) send to some rear area hospital and stayed only on paper with his front line unit.

Unfortunately the clerk missed to specify the combat operation he was wounded in. Although Otto Fischer was scarred by the war, he was, most probably, still lucky, because Grenadier Regiment 572 was wiped out in August 1944 during the soviet summer offensive.

He was trained with Gewehr 98, Gewehr 301(f) (this is the former french Lebel M86/93), MG 26(t) and MG 34. For his serious wound he received the full "package" of awards and other recognitions: a promotion to Gefreiter effective 01.07.1943, the Verwundetenabzeichen in Silber on 14.07.1943, and an Eisernes Kreuz II. Klasse on 02.11.1943.

Otto Fischer was born on the 29.11.1906 in Neustein / Posen (german until 1918, then polish until 1939). He was a railway worker. In February 1943 he was called up for service and posted to the eastern front, where he was wounded after only a few weeks of service, after recovering from his wound he was released in May 1944. His units: 06.02.1943: Stammkompanie Landes–Schützen–Ersatz–Bataillon 2 18.02.1943: 2./ Landes–Schützen–Ausbildungs–Bataillon 2 31.03.1943: Stammkompanie Landes–Schützen–Ersatz–Bataillon 2 03.04.1943: Marsch–Kompanie Grenadier–Ersatz–Bataillon 368 24.04.1943: Marsch–Bataillon 302/1 05.05.1943: 2./ Feld–Ersatz–Bataillon 302 04.06.1943: 1./ Grenadier–Regiment 572 01.10.1943: Genesenden–Kompanie Grenadier–Ersatz–Bataillon 373 15.05.1944: Heeresentlassungsstelle 1/XXI Posen

Were you able to acquire the lists from NARA?

If he was wounded or taken POW you maybe will find him here: http://des.genealogy.net/eingabe-verlustlisten/search/index But the list is only 70% completed at the moment.

Thanks for those nice pictures!

A little bit off topic: Does anybody own a nicely filled out Volkssturm Soldbuch? Especially with awards / promotions listed?

Do you know, if he served during WWII?

Thanks! Yes, only a few more days would´ve been sufficient .... I wonder what he thought, being called up in late 1944 at the age of 59, receiving (probably) a captured french / italian / russian rifle with a few rounds of ammunition and maybe a Panzerfaust?!?

The combat actions he participated in: 04.05.1916–29.05.1916: Schlacht um Verdun 25.07.1916–04.08.1916: Schlacht an der Somme 09.08.1916–10.10.1916: Stellungskrieg in der Champagne 25.10.1916–22.12.1916: Stellungskrieg vor Verdun 28.02.1917–13.04.1917: Grenzschutz an der Schweizer Grenze 17.04.1917–30.04.1917: Doppelschlacht Aisne–Champagne 02.11.1917–19.12.1917: Stellungskämpfe vor Verdun 15.01.1918–30.03.1918: Stellungskämpfe vor Verdun 12.04.1918–15.04.1918: Stellungskrieg in Flandern 16.04.1918–20.04.1918: Kämpfe im Ypernbogen 21.04.1918–29.04.1918: Schlacht um den Kemmel 30.04.1918–04.05.1918: Stellungskrieg in Flandern 11.05.1918–14.07.1918: Stellungskrieg bei Reims 15.07.1918–17.07.1918: Angriffsschlacht an der Marne & in der Champagne 18.07.1918–31.08.1918: Stellungskämpfe bei Reims 31.08.1918–04.09.1918: Abwehrschlacht zwischen Oise und Aisne 05.09.1918–08.09.1918: Kämpfe vor der Siegfriedfront 09.09.1918–27.09.1918: Kämpfe in der Siegfriedstellung 28.09.1918–09.10.1918: Stellungskämpfe nördlich der Ailette 10.10.1918–12.10.1918: Kämpfe vor der Hunding– & Brunhildfront 13.10.1918–20.10.1918: Kämpfe in der Hundingstellung 21.10.1918–04.11.1918: Kämpfe vor und in der Hermannstellung

His WWII Wehrpaß has only a few entries but is in near perfect condition. The only other entries are his weapon profiencies with Gewehr 98 and MG 08/15 and his WWI service. I also own his Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer citation. It´s a very good example for the manpower shortages and desperation of Germany during the last year of WWII: Being almost 60 years old and listed "partially fit for combat" ........ He had an interesting trade: telephone-assembler / telephone-technician If his EK2 and VWA award document or even his Volkssturm Soldbuch would show up anywhere, please contact me!!

Friedrich Robert Konrad Prasse was born on 13.07.1885 und called up for service on the 10.11.1915. He was married and had three children at this time. His further service: 10.11.1915: 1./ Rekruten–Depot Jäger–Ersatz–Bataillon 3 23.02.1916: 3./ Jäger–Ersatz–Bataillon 3 24.03.1916: 4./ Jäger–Bataillon 3 25.07.1916: 10./ Grenadier–Regiment Nr. 12 15.01.1917: Etappenlazarett Mühlhausen 28.02.1917: 10./ Grenadier–Regiment Nr. 12 07.05.1917: Festungs–Lazarett Mainz 08.06.1917: Lazarett Eltville 08.08.1917: 4./ I. Ersatz–Bataillon Grenadier–Regiment Nr. 12 02.11.1917: 7./ Reserve–Infanterie–Regiment Nr. 92 14.12.1918: released from service His medals: 24.05.1918: Verwundetenabzeichen in Schwarz 1918 03.07.1918: Eisernes Kreuz II. Klasse 1914 05.02.1935: Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer He was wounded by shell splinters on 30.04.1917 He was remustered for WWII service in 1944 and (most probably) called up for Volkssturm service and was KIA 26.04.1945 in the Berlin area. A sad ending, having survived the onslaught of WWI .... Please have a look at the impressive combat calendar on the last picture!

Nice group! Would you show more of the Militärpaß?

The picture of the Feldwebel with the WWI Kampfwagen-Erinnerungsabzeichen and the WWII Panzerkampfabzeichen is just amazing!! I´ve always wondered if such a combination ever existed, now I know .........

Nice group, would be great to know how he earned his Military Medal!

My little medal bar with the 1870/71 Kriegdenkmünze and the 1866 Armeedenkzeichen.