Bernhard H.Holst

Hello Tim.

He was born in 1879 in Wachenheim. He was married and had one child. So this establishes his family ties with this location ( Wachenheim ).

This soldier was decorated with the Iron Cross 2nd. cl.. At one time he was with the telephone detachment of the regimental commander.

The cause of  death was through aerial bomb fragment which hit him in the right thigh at 2:00 PM.

Per the German War Grave Administration ( Volksbund ) N. Schwinn is buried the German War Cemetery Thiaucourt-Regnierville, Section 17 and Grave 294

Bernhard H. Holst

Hello Tim.

It seems a postcard to a  young nephew of Nikolaus Schwinn. The writer asks about a railroad whether it is still whole ( probably a toy ), about school, with whom he is seated and other routine matters.

Bernhard H. Holst

Hello Jock.

Interesting document.

Apparently the old tendency to leave the countryside for the urban centers still was on the authorities' mind and efforts were to be made to prevent "Landflucht" ( flight from the countryside ).

Also the possible loss of personnel documentation was addressed and how to counteract such losses.

All and all a contemporary snapshot of late war education administration.

Thanks for showing it.

Bernhard H. Holst

Hello readers.

The Royal Saxon Military Saint Henry Order was instituted on the 7. October 1736 by August III. King of Poland and Elector of Saxon and he choose as  the protector ( Schutzherr )of the order the last Emperor from the Saxon reigning family , the Wettin, Henry II. This military order is considered the oldest German order.

This order was meant to reward Saxon officers for individual deeds and military merits though officers from other German states and allied nations were also awarded with it. During its existence it was awarded in its several levels more than 3,500 times.

The reference book pertaining to this order including a listing of those officers who received this order during WW I was published in 1936 . Essential biographical data and a short description of the circumstances which led to the award..

This writer some years ago had posted a short list of several names of officers who received this order and were not included in the original listing. Also the book published during the National-Socialist regime excluded the names of undesirable former officers i.e. of Jewish faith  and others.

Bernhard H. Holst

Hello Jock.

Thank you for showing this document. Content seems reasonable enough.

Bernhard H. Holst

Hello Jock.

Interesting document without any attempt to throw the now party weight around.

Bernhard H. Holst

Hello Jock.

Only guessing here but I believe these badges are originating to Queen Louise of Prussia associations. Queen Louise still is popular to this ( or recently anyway) date.

Bad Pyrmont, the  resort she visited when alive ( died at an early age during the Napoleon era) has a statue which until the 1990's had a rose deposited every day as my wife observed when staying there.

Bernhard H. Holst

Hello readers.

To nudge memories with the following:

The very noteworthy uprising against the communist regime in power in Hungary following WW II started in October 1956 and was not put down until November 1956.

Only the intervention of Soviet forces caused the defeat of Hungarian freedom fighters with the subsequent trials and execution of most of the leaders.

As a little aside I wish to tell the following:

being stationed at the then Headquarters of the French Foreign Legion I shared a room with another N.C.O. who was of Hungarian origin. He listened to news on his short wave radio until the early hours and related them to me later.

The department I was assigned to ( aptitude testing of new and reassigned personnel ) processed two Hungarian legionnaires at the time who had taken the opportunity to flee Hungary for Vienna where they reported at the French Embassy. They had been captured in Indochina by communist forces and through the " leniency " of Uncle Ho were sent back to their homeland which was part of the peace camp. They had to report to the police each week and took the route out of there. I do not know the further events with these two but wished them well.

Bernhard H. Holst

former member of the French Foreign Legion

Hello Chris.

Others who come to mind are:
Lt. E. Juenger;

Lt. F. Schoerner,

There should be a few more but I cannot get to my reference book just now.

Bernhard H. Holst

Hello Jock.

Thanks for showing this what looks like a complete set of training and service records for this lady.

The testimony of the lady of the house under whom she absolved her training was a lot better than her final official grades.

Indeed a likeness between the photo and the drawing.

Bernhard H. Holst

hello readers.

I do not want to steal Jock's thunder but if this was found in Jock's present residence area it could well be left during the last several days of combat actions in Northern Germany just before the capitulation in early May, 1945.

Near my home area Rotenburg old earth works could still be seen in the 1960's.

Bernhard H. Holst

Hello Dante.

The Kriegsstammrolle shown here, contains a soldiers complete history while under arms and is in a very detailed set-up. Unfortunately I am unable to enlarge the pages however he served in a Schlachtfluzeugstaffel ( close-support unit) and continued after the cease-fire to serve in the eastern portion of then Germany in the protection of the border region.

It certainly seems like a very interesting document. Thank you for showing it.

Bernhard H. Holst

Hello Jock.

I happen to remember when these were passed out after sizing. However I could not have needed a large one yet.

The next gas mask tried on was in 1960 in US Army trial with use of teargas during basic training.

Bernhard H. Holst

Hello Chris.

I believe so.

Bernhard H. Holst

Hello Chris.

The word is " Kupferstecher ".

Bernhard H. Holst

Hello Justin.

A very pretty heraldry.

A reminder to our readers:

the "Prinz Eugen " was known as the " glueckhafte Schiff"' or the lucky ship. Came through all engagements until sunk at the nuclear trials post WW ii.

Thanks for showing us.

Bernhard H. Holst

Hello Jock.

I am more inclined to consider this as notification of the family of a fallen soldier. I believe this to have been the official path of such notification.

 I should check the Bomber Command War Diaries.

BTW: I was hunkered down in March, 1945 in the underground shelter of Hildesheim Main Railroad Staitom while under daylight air attack on the the way home from evacuation.

Bernhard H. Holst

Hello Jock.

Thanks for showing this.

Something similar must have reached my mother-in-law towards the end of 1943 concerning the death of her husband. Of note is the ending phrase : und Ihr habt doch gesiegt! ( and you triumphed after all!)

The often used slogan celebrating the fallen members of the party and its subordinated formations ( H.J., SA etc).

Bernhard H. Holst

Hello Jock.

I can see your reasoning.

Bernhard H. Holst

Hello.

This lady may have been dead by the following month.

Bernhard H. Holst

Hello Kevin.

Thanks for showing this.

Also the photo of General Wlassow is of interest who is now much forgotten, a  prominent leader of the anti-soviet forces on the German side.

The nature of the those pictures taken at the front are quite apparent.

Bernhard H. Holst

Hello readers.

I remember the times when as a youngster growing up in Germany in the 1930's/40's accounts of the events ( military operations ) against the rebels in then German South-West Africa were avidly read and traded among us. The German troops were defending the German settlers against marauding natives and had to apply severe measures against these lawless elements.

Only slowly after the end of the pre-1945 regime did the true history of the German colonial efforts come to light, including the military campaigns to to suppress any efforts by native peoples to resist. This is also applicable to the other German colonies with the possible exception of Togo.

This writer believes that an apology was indeed necessary and even overdue.

Bernhard H. Holst

Hello Jock.

Of note is the inscription:

Presented by the Ministry for State Security ( Stasi ). But who was the recipient/ Some associated member serving in the Defense Ministry, Interior?

Bernhard H. Holst

2 hours ago, Chris Boonzaier said:

I wonder if they were buried at Frejus because it was no longer possible to identify remains? is it a mass grave or individual ones?

 

All the best

Chris

Hello Chris.

The French official web site indicates that Leg.Naundorf and Zimmermann are buried in individual graves and give locations. As shown in some pictures some time ago the graves in Vietnam were marked with crosses or stone markers ( Muslims and others) bearing the particulars of the soldier. As far as I know these were not destroyed so that identifications were possible later. Also I.D. tags should have been still present though the wear of these was not strictly enforced. 

Bernhard H. Holst

Hello readers.

This month, June of 1956 the last French troops left Vietnam. At that time the French military left about 90,000 personnel who died for France. Of these 11,600 belonged to the French Foreign Legion but not including the several thousand of Indochinese troops who fell while serving in the Legion's formations.

During the 1980's France was able to negotiate a treaty with Vietnam to recover remains of their fallen as possible and transfer those remains to a central national cemetery in France near Frejus.

This writer wishes to place here the particulars of three legionnaires with whom he was close and who lost their lives on the battlefield:

- Leg. Naundorf, Erhard, Mle. ( service number) 55842. During his second deployment in Vietnam he died for France from wounds on Sep. 5, 1952. He had survived the severe combats at Hoa Binh in February 1952 during which his company, the 12./13.DBLE lost a third of its strength. His final resting place is at Frejus.

-Leg. Zimmermann, Joachim, Mle. 81158. Lost his life for France February 11, 1952 while serving with the 8. Escadron of the 1.REC ( 1.Foreign Cavalry Regiment ). his final resting place is also at Frejus.

- Leg.1. cl.  Armbrecht, Kurt ( Bob ), Mle. 82815. Missing in action during the battle of Dien Bien Phu while serving with the 1.BEP ( 1.Foreign Parachute Battalion ) and declared having died in action for France with date of end of combat actions, the 8.May, 1954. He was a childhood friend and neighbor .

Placed here also with fond and respectful remembrance of all the comrades of all branches of the French military with whom the undersigned served during his time in Vietnam and this does include the many  Vietnamese personnel serving with him.

Bernhard H. Holst

ex- 1.REC, Mle.80921