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