ian jewison

and Major Günther Freiherr von Maltzahn EL

General der Infanterie Ferdinand Neuling

Erik, Likewise I missed this for some reason.....excellent group! I do like Auxilliary Cruiser groups. You mention the Soldbuch has no photo unfortunately, was there never a photo or has it been removed? Also is it possible to show his units/transfers on pages 23-26? Thanks! Ian

When I saw this I knew Gordon would be interested in it. I have one example my self but I do not recall ever seeing any others! /Ian

Interesting it appears to be signed by Hellmuth Günkel /Ian

Very nice again Gordon and great the original seller is keeping you informed when new items crop up.....when will you stop, when he offers you his uniform To your post #32 A travel pass issued to Lösel, authorising him to travel on public transport when out of uniform. Issued by the Kommando der Schutzpolizei in 1942. If would appear to be signed by the Kdr.d.Schupo. Obstlt.d.Schupo Wolff. According to the list of Polizeipräsidium...unfortunately no idea of his forename! /Ian

Kevin, A very nice and desirable Wehrpaß! I remember seeing this when it came up for sale and of course we had a chat about it... What I did like about it is the stamp on the cover! Giving details of him being missing in action in action due to sinking of the Bismark! Also, your's is still open! An example I have confirmed he was killed in action six weeks later. The MiA entry is signed off by the same officer, Oblt. M.A. Kubler. Additionally, although there are no awards mentioned in your Wehrpaß he would at least be entitled to one award: In recognition of the heroic commitment of the men of this ship to sacrifice their life for the Führer, people and country the whole crew is awarded the High Seas Fleet War Badge. /Ian

Interesting thread, I have a few penal units dotted around somewhere but it's a case of finding them at the moment as my filing system is...which box is it in? Anyway, this one I found particularly interesting although I have very little to the person! Here is a press pass to a member of the VVN - Vereinigung der Verfolgten des Naziregimes or the Union of Victims of the Nazi Regime. His name was Karl Ibach and it is signed by Peter Lütsches. Karl Ibach was born 3.4.1915 in Elberfeld. By the age of sixteen he was a member of the Communist Youth League (KJVD) and the Communist Party (KPD). For this in the spring of 1933 as the youngest inmate he was deported to the Wuppertal Concentration Camp Kemna and not released until end of 1933. He continued his struggle against the Nazi regime continually and fled to the Netherlands, He was arrested shortly after his return and soon sentenced to eight years’ penitentiary in Hamm for alleged preparation for high treason. He was held in concentration camps and penitentiaries – including Esterwegen, Börgermoor, and Waldheim – until 1943. On his release, he was forced to join one of the „Bewährungseinheit“ 999 (probation unit). He was drilled at Heuberg camp to defend the regime he despised on the front serving with Bataillonen XIX and VII in Greece and Bulgaria. He was taken prisoner of war by the Soviets in 1944, and was not released until 1947. Post war he was co-founder, CEO and from 1950 to 1971 managing director of the Union of Victims of the Nazi regime. In 1948 he wrote a book about his time in Wuppertal Concentration Camp, I believe this was used as evidence in convicting some of the guards post war! It was reprinted in 1981 with a forward by Johannes Rau, member of the SPD in Wuppertal and former President of Germany . His Biography was written in 1990, unfortunately he was ill at the time and died shortly before it's publication. Karl Ibach died 3.5.1990 in Wuppertal. During the early 1950's "Der Spiegel" ran articles about „Bewährungseinheit“ 999 of which Herr Ibach contributed to. I have copies of these also somewhere! Regards, Ian

Nice to see the full documents Gordon and what a bonus his Ausweis turned up a well!!! What will turn up next week I wonder!?!?!? Here's a scan of what we thought was Lösel's signature to a former member of Schutzmannschafts Bataillon 63 who later served for 3 weeks with SS Feld.Kp. 17.....there are some similarities in the signature but not sure now!?!?! /Ian

Is that correct? As a Leutnant I would have expected Zug Kdr. or Kp. Fhr. rather than Schütze or Rifelman? /Ian

Some of his units: Grenzwacht-Abschnitt (Regiment) 132 Formed 26.8.1939 through the Ausbildungsleiter Saarlautern, Wehrkreis XII. The Wachkompanien became independant on 25.10.1939 and on 1.10.1940 (orders from 15.9.) formed Landesschützen-Bataillon 778, the rest on 7.11.1939 Festungs-Stamm-Bataillone 1 and 2; Settling in Kreuznach. Structure: I. 1-5, II. 6-10, III. (Flak) 1-2, IV. Stellungsbatterie 1-2 und Stellungsgeschütze 1-6, added to it Pionier-Sperrkompanie 1-4/132 Under: Generalkommando Saarpfalz Replacemement unit: 107 Kreuznach, Wehrkreis XII Panzerabwehr-Abteilung (motorisiert) 645 Formed 26.8.1939 as Army Troops (Heerestruppe); Renamed December to Festungs-Panzerabwehr-Abteilung 645 with 6 Companies under acquisition of units from Grenzwacht-Abschnittes I./132 (Saarlautern); 1.6.1940 disbanded. Under: Army Troops, later Festungstruppe: Saarpfalz Replacemement unit: From WK XIII Ortskommandantur 272 Formed 28.7.1941 in Wehrkreis XII; Used in Heeresgebiet Süd; 9.7.1942 Wehrmachtbefehlshaber Ukraine in Nikopol; 1943 again with Heeresgebiet Süd; 1944 6. Armee and lastly in Hungary; 1945 disbanded. Replacement unit: 437 Darmstadt, Wehrkreis XII Infanterie-Ersatz-Bataillon 437 Formed 5.12.1940 in Darmstadt, Wehrkreis XII;...... 14.11.1943 in Saarburg, WK XII; September 1944 (in Pfalzburg) with Abschn.Kommando Nagl then disbanded. /Ian

Gordon, I will have to start charging for my services then . That was quick! However must have arrived this morning then? Which reminds me, I still need to go through items for you.....as Kevin knows, my room is a mess at the moment! What are the pencil entries to the right of page 12/13, his role within that unit? Can you make them out if this is the case? /Ian

Yes, definately Rudolf Muhlbauer......he received his RK whilst serving aboard U-170. I have copies of these photos also but mine are more crisp! There is a very good book about him and U-170: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Feindfahrt-U-170-Ritterkreuztr%C3%A4ger-Rudolf-M%C3%BChlbauer/dp/3831141355 /Ian

Kevin, So this is the one you mentioned......very nice! Shame the Balthasar signature is a facsimile! I have a group to the same unit who also had one kill but not sure when at the moment ...1942 he was with JG5. However, he was a Jaboflieger (Jagdbomber) or a fighter-bomber pilot. An Me109 with a bomb underneath!!!......Thinking about it now I have one from JG26 for the same period and again got both EK's for BoB with one probable! Will have a look through my references when I get my filing and room sorted out......which hopefully will be this weekend!!! /Ian

Chris, That's what I thought but never seen anything written down until now...well had the book over a year ....but..... Ergänzungsgruppe für Fallschirmjägerkampfbeobachter (Erg.Gr.f.FKB) The observers were used as a dispatchers for dropping paratroopers and loads in transport units. The experience of the Transport formations in the western campaign showed that the dispatchers had a poor training. The training of the dispatchers was conducted internally within the group. On 8.61941 the Luftwaffe Command Staff ordered the change to the term "Absetzer" (dispatcher) to "Fallschirmjägerkampfbeobachter" (Paratroopers Combat Observer). It was only on 14.10.1942, that the training was summed up in the Erg.Gr.f.FKB that emerged from the Fliegerschule der Lw. (Schlepp) 2. The training of the Combat Observers consisted of dispatching of paratroopers in the target jump, low-altitude flight guidance, dead reckoning navigation and radio navigation. The Ergänzungsgruppe were temporarily during 1942/44 for holding of training courses for paratroopers, the operational airfields of Enzehiem, Reichnebach and Großelfingen were available. In order to improve cooperation between paratroopers and dispatchers, came in November 1943 when they transferred to Fallschirmjägerschule IV in Freiburg. (taken from Die Flugzeugführer - Ausbildung der Deutschen Luftwaffe. 1935-1945. Band II). That would also explain why I have examples of Absetzer in 1940 but others who did their training later were Fallschirmjägerkampfbeobachter!!! /Ian