hucks216

There is one book on the 45 Infanterie Division that might provide information... http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?an=Rudolf+Gsch%F6pf&sts=t&x=68&y=6

That is a great photo in the SB. I can't say I know much about Hungarian awards but I believe that the Order Of The Holy Crown Of Hungary was meant to be awarded to foreigners for meritorious service so maybe he served alongside Hungarian units in some capacity. He is obviously an officer so maybe he could of acted as a German liaison officer in the HQ of a Hungarian battalion or regiment etc that was under the control of a Wehrmacht unit. As for the decorations it might just refer to any additions to the basic award level such as the addition of swords etc. But that is just an educated guess I'm afraid.

That arrived quickly! A very nice 'been there' looking soldbuch. Considering the date of issue I'd say his original one was lost or badly damaged during the fighting to break out of the Cherkassy pocket. And good to see that you have the information on his ultimate fate.

The Wehrpass was always kept in the home ships base port hence why the few examples of Bismarck WP's I have seen all bear the same signature of 'Kubler' in them who worked under the office of 2. Admiral der Ostsee.

The Wehrpass does not show any awards. Finally Karl Burichter is listed on the Volksbund Database with his name being on the Laboe Memorial in Germany and his name does appear on the crew list for Bismarck's war cruise...

The story of Bismarck's war cruise has been told many times and the engagement with HMS Hood & HMS Prince Of Wales is well known and that engagement is listed in the Wehrpass as is the sailor being listed as missing on the 27th May 1941 after the Bismarck was engaged by the battleships HMS King George V, HMS Rodney and torpedoes from HMS Dorsetshire, having been attacked by Swordfish aircraft from the Fleet Air Arm in the preceeding days. Here is a very good timeline for the life of the Bismarck.... http://www.kbismarck.com/histoperi.html

As would be expected for a sailor who only served in 2 units - his initial training Abteillung and then his first/only ship - the Wehrpass has minimal entries but it does show that he served on the Bismarck for a total of 290 days...

The latest item to join my collection and one that I am thrilled to get is this wehrpass to an original ships company member of the Bismarck who sailed with her on her first and final war cruise and went down with her. Karl Burichter joined the Kriegsmarine in April 1940 aged 19 and by June 1940 he was assigned to the newest ship, and pride of the German fleet, Bismarck. During this period the battleship was crewing up and was in drydock for her propellers to be attached.

Otto Dommeratzky: RK - 8./Schlacht-Geschwader 1 - 5th Jan 1943 EL - Staffelführer 6. / Schlachtgeschwader 2 - 25th Nov 1944 DKiG - 8.(Pz)/Schlacht-Geschwader 1 - 3rd Oct 1942 Ehrenpokal - 21st Sep 1942

Hauptmann Wilhelm Dormann Stab III./NJG 1 Staffelkapitän 9./NJG 1 14 Kills Seriously wounded and baled out 17/18th August 1943 following an attack by a 141 Sqn Beaufighter. DKiG - 17th Oct 1943 Ehrenpokal - 25th Jul 1943 Image: JG 2 & NJG 1 ground crew soldbuch

Kapitän zur See Siegfried Sorge Born: 10th Jul 1898 Died: 13 Sep 1989 Highest rank reached: Konteradmiral Navigating Officer 'Gneisenau' Chef des Stabes des 2. Admirals der Ostsee 2. Admiral der Ostsee Seekomdt. Westpreußen Festungskomdt. Gotenhafen/Hela Image: Letter to family of a ships company member of 'Pinguin'

Hauptmann Georg Baumunk II/Panzer Rgt 204 Kdr schwere Panzerjager Abt 653 Kdr III/Pz.Rgt GD DKiG - 12th Feb 1943 Image: Assault Badge citation.

Oberstleutnant Ernst Freiherr von Jungenfeld Kommandeur schwere Panzerjager Regiment 656 DKiG - 1st Nov 1943 Image: Ost Medal citation.

s.Art.Abt 711 (as opposed to Division which I don't think existed) and 62 Infanterie Division were both components of 6 Armee (Heeresgruppe Süd) in 1941 & 1942 so it is very possible/probable that the artillery unit was assigned to support 62 ID at some point.

Information on IR 133... http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gliederungen/Infanterieregimenter/IR133.htm

Here is some basic information on Pi.Btl 657 (taken from http://www.sturmvogel.orbat.com/pioniere.html ) Pionier-Bataillon 657 19 Jan 40 formed in WK XIII as "bespanntes Heeres-Pionier-Btl." 22 Jun 41 XXVIII Corps, Sixteenth Army, Army Group North 19 Jul 41 XXXVIII Corps, 18th Army, Army Group North 20 Aug 41 XXVIII Corps, Sixteenth Army, Army Group North Feb 42 Staraya Russa, X Corps, 16th Army, Army Group North 14 Mar, 4 Apr 42 X Corps, 16th Army, Army Group North 15 Jun 42 X Corps, Sixteenth Army, Army Group North 31 Aug 44 XXXVIII Corps, ? Army, Army Group North less 2 companies Lexikon entry... http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gliederungen/PionierBat/PiBat657.htm ) As you can see from the EK II citation, around September 1942 it was attached to 81 Infanterie Division.

With Rudolf Lackner being a 'lowly' soldier (i.e. he didn't win any high end awards and never made a name for himself) the chances are that there will be no information on him. You could try contacting WASt for his personnel files (if they still exist) but they don't usually pass such details to non-NoK. There is a Feldwebel Rudolf Lackner listed on the Volksbund as having being killed on the 19th November 1944 in Vitebsk but without knowing 'your' soldier's date of birth there is no real way of knowing if it is him, especially as he would of had to of received rapid promotions as he was still an Obergefreiter in August 1944.

SS-Hauptsturmführer Hermann Kimmel Born: 15th Feb 1907 Died: 13th Jul 1943 - Killed in action at Klintschi Chef 6,/SS-Totenkopf Infanterie Regiment 3 Chef 11./SS-Panzergrenadier Regiment 6 Image: Letter

The set keeps on getting better. It would appear that the only main pieces of paperwork you don't have (considering his personnel file was destroyed at Stettin) are the actual award citations, which he probably wouldn't of had on him when captured.

Generalmajor Werner Ehrig Born: 22nd Apr 1897 Died: 31st Jan 1981 Highest rank reached: Generalleutnant Bataillons-Kommandeur Infanterie Regiment 216 Ia im Generalstab 164 Infanterie Division Ia im Generalstab 15 Armee Chef des Generalsstabes LXXXVII Armeekorps Kommandeur 340 Infanterie Division Kommandeur 544 Sperr-Division bzw / Grenadier Division / Volksgrenadier Division Ritterkreuz - 26th May 1940 DKiG - 14th Jul 1944 Image: EK II citation

Generalmajor Wilhelm von Henning Born: 23rd Mar 1887 Died: 3rd Dec 1969 Kdr III./Infanterie Regiment 8 Kdr Infanterie Regiment 271 Kdr Wach Regiment Paris Kdr Sicherungs Regiment 1 Kdr Osttruppen z.b.V 710 Kdr Freiwilligen Stamm Division Kmdt Tr. Üb. Pl. Oxböll (Denmark) Kdr Russische Brigade 599 (Denmark) DKiG - 2nd Jan 1942 Image: Ostvolk Medal citation

Another example dated from October 1939 while commanding 4 Panzer Division. Image: EK I citation

Hauptmann Bernhard Müller Highest rank reached: Major Kompanie Chef 3./Pionier Btl 45 Image: Shooting Lanyard citation

Hauptmann Walter Heinrich Highest rank reached: Major Kommandeur Heeres Pionier Btl (mot.) 45 DKiG - 21st Feb 1944 Image: Eastern Front Medal citation (dated August 1942 - backdated)

Hauptmann Horst Drewitz Kommandeur Pionier Btl 45 Image: Assault Badge citation