GreyC

Hi, the man on the front was a Bavarian officer and sculptor. Maximilian Hippolyt Joseph, Graf von Courten * München, 02.01.1892 † München, 22.04.1939 this photo was probably given to a nurse or a doctor after the death of the gentleman on the front. it is dedicated by the sister of Graf Max The text transscribes as: Zur Erinnerung an Ihre selbstlose - aufopfernde - verständnisvolle Pflege. Die dankbare Schwester Elisabeth Courten Graf Max von Courten gestorben 22. April 1939 in seinem 47. Lebensjahr Translation: As a reminder/recognition to your unselfish - devotional sympathetic care. The thankful sister Elisabeth Courten Graf Max von Courten died 22nd April 1939 in his 47th year. GreyC PS: The uniform does not seem to be the usual Luftwaffen-Uniform. It doesn´t seem to be the uniform of the predecessor Deutscher Luftsportverband. Some specialist should know more. If this were the usual Luftwaffen uiform the collar rank insignia would make him an Obergefreite.

Hi, a new one to my collection: Marineschule Kiel. Founded in 1913 it was responsible for the education of naval engineers (officers) . During the time of the Wehrmacht up to 4000 pupils at the same time were stationed for courses at this school.

Hi, the guy opposite the one with a light meter has a small mechanical film camera. Note the crank on the side to wind up the spring mechanism that allows for about 15m of film to run through in one go. GreyC

Hi, a nice photo for sure. In WW1 Admiral von Hipper also had a vessel named after him, but it was called Admiral von Hipper. A fishing trawler which saw service as a Vorposten-Boot (I think). During WW2 it was requisitioned for Unternehmen Seelöwe after having been returned to civil fishing during the inter war period. GreyC

Hi Tony, not propaganda in the stricter sense, but humour. Both texts are rhymed and deal with music as a feel good stimulant and the telephone to keep in touch with the ladies at home. GreyC

Hi, as far as I know the numbering system for the Schiffstammabteilungen worked like this: Even numbers under the command of Admiral der Nordsee uneven numbers under the command of Admiral der Ostsee. For 5.SSA see: http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gliederungen/SchiffsStammAbt/SSA5.htm GreyC

Hi Larry, the notation clearly is of a much later date. As the naming and renaming of Wesermünde, Geestemünde, Lehe and Bremerhaven is quite complex, I wouldn´t give much for the correctness of the caption/inscription. Actually, the Kaserne called Wesermünde-Bremerhaven was situated on the border of the harbour which belonged to Bremen and was still called Bremerhaven whereas the living quarters of the former Bremer Bremerhaven belonged to Prussia (Wesermünde) in exchange for territories bordering on the town of Bremen which doubled it´s size, among these cities and villages was Vegesack e.g. But... anyway. Unless you compare the building structures carefully with reference material, wich is scarce, I wouldn´t want to say for sure where the photos were taken. All three barracks come from the mid thirities and look frustratingly similiar, at least the ones in Wsmd-Brhv and Wsmd-Lehe. GreyC Actually, I am now quite certain it´s Wesermünde Lehe, the Barracks in Wsmd-Brhv did not, to my knowledge, have so much free space around it, on two sides the harbour, the others lined with civil housing. Compare 3rd photo and 4th in particular. Not the pointed roof to the far right of the modern photo and the open space to the right. https://www.google.de/search?q=Stadthaus+Bremerhaven&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjz3YaOh4nWAhVMZlAKHT3jCNsQ_AUIDCgD&biw=1440&bih=759&dpr=1.33#imgrc=Z2B4zSEbfPRDQM: http://mapio.net/pic/p-17088206/ GreyC

Hi, during the time in question there were three Marine-Kasernen in Wesermünde. This one shows either the one in Bremerhaven but more likely the one in Lehe with the III. Schiffstammabteilung Nordsee (until 1937) or the 10th Schiffstammabteilung (after that), depending on the date the photo was taken. Today the latter barracks house the city administration of Bremerhaven whereas the former is occupied by a language school and commercial offices. The third one will probably not have seen oath-taking ceremonies, as it was a naval school. From 1935-1940 it was home to the 2nd Unteroffizier-Lehrabteilung. It later became a school for the engine room personnel of the Kriegsmarine. Today it is still a school for the German Navy. GreyC

Hi, nice photos! Could the last gentleman be King Ludwig III of Bavaria? GreyC

Hi, very interesting! Thanks for posting. GreyC

Hi Martin, I second that. Nice photo! And yes, I too, think he flew the Ju 52 with the eye catiching ring. GreyC

Thank you for your comments Morten and Larry, unfortunately I don´t know anything more about the photo, would agree with Larry´s analysis. GreyC

Hi, so, good that you enlarged it after all. Llanelly Barracks it is. (see #7) GreyC

Hi, here one of mine, in a not sooo often combination of Minensucher- and Beobachterabzeichen. The Feldwebel seems to have been a soldier for some time (Dienstauszeichnung) and must have seen some action as he was also awarded the EKI. GreyC

Hi, a high resolution scan of the writing on hte wall might be helpful. GreyC

Hi Farkas, thanks for the scan of the reverse of he card. It was indeed mailed, but in an envelope. This is a rough translation of what was written: Save this card for me and keep it, it shows the grave of our NCO-medic (Sanitäts-Unteroffizier), a soul of a man who died in hospital of his illness on the 30th of March this year. Soldier Rub seems not to be listed either. There are two Emil Rub listed, but not with corresponding dates. He must have been from the XIII. AK, Landsturm Bataillon Gießen. GreyC

Hi Farkas, quite a collection. Some are more readiliy available than others. I find the grave of Hermann Lebmann interesting. He is not listed as KIA or having died of an illness in the official German Verlustlisten. To the right in the background is another grave. Does it say Emil Rub on it? Can you give more details to what is written on the marker? An Emil Rub is liosted as missing in the VL, no Emil Rub as dead. GreyC

Hi, a) confirmed gestorben= gest. gesehen= ges. b) read #6 please. GreyC

Good morning gentlemen, I second that. GreyC

Hi Chris, that´s what I think, too. Thank you both for your comments! GreyC

Hi, this weekend I was able to obtain a plain looking document, that the seller wasn´t able to decipher for little money. As I hadn´t seen this before and as it might interest fellow collectors of Iron Cross documents I post this here. It shows one reason, why some people got their IC /EK after the war. I didn´t know that there was something like a Kriegsgefangenen Liste for IC´s for soldiers later to be awarded the IC/EK. Comments welcome. GreyC Bielefeld, 2. April 1920 Unteroffizier Traugott Rahn gehörte im Felde der 1. Komp. des Res. Inf. Rgt 39 an. Während der harten Steinbruchkämpfe in Nähe der Haudromont Ferme vor Verdun im Mai des Jahres 1916 geriet er auf weit vorgeschobenem Unteroffizierposten mit dem überlebenden Teile seiner Gruppe nach tapferer Gegenwehr in französische Gefangenschaft. Wegen seiner Tapferkeit vor dem Feind wurde er auf die vom Korpskommandeur bestätigte Gefangenen EKII Liste gesetzt. Dieckmann, Lt. d. R. ehemaliger Regimentsadjutant des Res. Inf. Rgt 39 Bielefeld, 2nd April 1920 NCO Traugott (trustGod) Rahn belonged to 1/RIR39 during the war. While engaged in fierce fighting at the quarry near Haudromont Ferme close to Verdun in May 1916 he became a POW of the French after valiant resistance while on far advanced NCO post with the surviving men of his group. Because of valiant action in the face of the enemy he was put on the POW Iron Cross List for the ICII as approved by the Corps Commander. Dieckmann Lt. d.R. former regimental adjutant RIR 39

Hi, I am afraid still difficult to read because some of it is obscured by blot and printed letters. Seems that he wrote to Mr Stein that it was the fault of the train (if I read it correctly, can´t decipher what was wrong with it, though.) GreyC

Hi, the writer of the card had gotten a "care parcel" from the Vereinigte Schlauch- und Gummiwaren Fabrik for wich he says thank you. Why the address is made illegible (well, almost ) I don´t know. I guess they were producing firefighting equipment (hoses) and maybe baloon equipment. With regards to "ges." I tend to agree with my esteemed colleague from Germany. GreyC

Hi, it´s an excuse for not having fullfiled a promise the night before. What that promise was I can´t make out as it would need a decent scan to be able to decipher more (at least for me). GreyC