hucks216

Generalleutnant Friedrich Olbricht Born: 4th Oct 1888 Died: 21st Jul 1944 - Executed in the Bendlerblock courtyard for his role in the 'Valkyrie' Plot to kill Hitler. Highest rank reached: General der Infanterie Kommandeur of 24.Division Chef of the Allgemeine Heeresamt (OKW) Ritterkreuz - 27th Oct 1939 DKiS - 1st Aug 1943 Image: EK II citation to an officer in 24 Division

Fregattenkapitan Kurt Weyher Born: 30th Aug 1901 Died: 17 Dec 1991 Highest rank reached: Konteradmiral Commanding Officer of Auxiliary Cruiser 'Orion' (HSK 1) Kapitän zur See und Chef des Deutschen Marinekommandos Konstanza und zugleich Chef der 10. Sicherungs-Division Ritterkreuz - 21st Aug 1941 DKiG - 18th May 1944 Image: Aux.Cruiser Citation

Admiral Günther Lütjens Born: 25th May 1889 Died: 27th May 1941 onboard the Bismarck Highest rank reached: Admiral Befehlshaber der Aufklärungsstreitkräfte Flottenchef Seebefehlshaber West Befehlshabers der Sicherung West Ritterkreuz - 14th Jun 1940 Image: EK II citation to crewmember of 'Hans Lody'

Oberleutnant Johannes 'Macki' Steinhoff Born: 15th Sept 1913 Died: 21st Feb 1994 Highest rank reached: Oberst JG 26 (JG 2 ?) JG 52 JG 77 Kdo Nowotny JG 7 JV 44 Aerial Victories: 176 Ritterkreuz - 30th Aug 1941 / Eichenlaub - 2nd Sept 1942 / Schwertern - 28th Jul 1944 Image: Soldbuch of 10./JG 2 & NJG 1 ground crew

Oberleutnant Walter Krupinski Born: 11th Nov 1920 Died: 7th Oct 2000 Highest rank reached: Hauptmann JG 52 JG 5 JG 11 JG 26 JV 44 Aerial Victories: 197 Ritterkreuz - 29th Oct 1942 / Eichenlaub - 2nd Mar 1944 DKiG - 27 Oct 1942 Ehrenpokal - 13 Sep 1942 Image: Soldbuch of 7./JG 52 pilot

Dr. Joseph Goebbels Born: 29th Oct 1897 Died: 1st May 1945 (Suicide) Reichminister of Public Enlightenment And Propaganda Gauleiter of Berlin Images: Citation

General der Panzertruppe Heinz Guderian Born: 17th Jun 1888 Died: 14 May 1954 Highest rank reached: Generaloberst Commanding General of XIX. Army-Korps Commander of Panzergruppe Guderian Commanding General of XIX. Army-Korps Commander of Panzergruppe 2 Commander of Armeegruppe Guderian Commander-in-Chief 2 Panzerarmee Assigned to the Staff of the Replacement General Command of the III. Army-Corps, Berlin General-Inspector of Panzer Troops Ritterkreuz - 27 Oct 1939 / Eichenlaub - 17th Jul 1941

Generaloberst Erich von Manstein Born: 24th Nov 1887 Died: 10th Jun 1973 Highest Rank Reached: Generalfeldmarschall Chef des Stabes of Heeresgruppe Süd. Chef des Stabes of Heeresgruppe A Kommandierender General XXXVIII.Armee-Korps. Kommandierender General LVI.Armee-Korps. Oberbefehlshaber of 11.Armee. Oberbefehlshaber of Heersgruppe Don. Oberbefehlshaber Heeresgruppe Süd. Ritterkreuz - 19th Jul 1940 / Eichenlaub - 14th Mar 1943 / Schwertern - 30th Mar 1944

SS-Gruppenführer Reinhard Heydrich Born: 7th Mar 1904 Died: 4th Jun 1942 - as a result of wounds received during an assassination attempt by Czech Agents. Highest Rank: SS-Obergruppenführer und General der Polizei Chef SD-Hauptamt / RSHA Stellv. Reichsprotektor, Bohmen und Mahren Chaired the Wannsee Conference in 1942 Image: Letter to a Gestapo member

Oberst Hyazinth Graf Strachwitz von Groß-Zauche und Camminetz Born: 30 July 1893 Died: 25 Apr 1968 Highest Rank: Generalleutnant Kommandeur I./PzRgt 2 Kommandeur PzRgt Großdeutschland Kommandeur PzKampfgruppe b.d. HG Nord Ritterkreuz - 25th Aug 1941 / Eichenlaub - 13th Nov 1942 / Schwertern - 28th Mar 1943 / Brillanten - 15th Apr 1944 Image: PAB Silber Citation

SS-Obersturmführer Walter Mattern Born: 27th Feb 1920 Died: 7th Oct 1974 Kompanie Führer 7./SS-Pz.Rgt 3 Ritterkreuz - 20th Oct 1944 Image: Soldbuch

SS-Gruppenführer Paul Hausser Born: 7th Oct 1880 Died: 21 Dec 1972 Highest Rank: SS-Oberstgruppenfuhrer und Generaloberst der Waffen-SS Kommandeur of SS-Verfügungstruppen Division (mot) / SS-Division "Reich" Kommandierender General of II.SS-Panzer-Korps Oberbefehlshaber of 7.Armee Oberbefehlshaber of Heeresgruppe "B" Oberbefehlshaber of Heeresgruppe "Oberrhein" Oberbefehlshaber of Heeresgruppe "G" Ritterkreuz - 8th August 1941 / Eichenlaub - 28th July 1943 / RK Schwertern - 26th August 1944 Image: EK II Citation

Welcome to a new project for GMIC. Being a paperwork collector one of the reasons I collect the citations is for the signatures on them and as such have to trawl through books, websites, personally compiled files & trade emails to find examples to provide a comparison.With that in mind the aim of this new project is to provide a great resource for those who either collect paperwork from the Imperial German &/or Third Reich period or have an interest in just collecting signatures The signatures could be members of all the various military, paramilitary & civil organisations from the Imperial German & Third Reich period, well known personalities or Kompanie Commanders - basically an all encompassing database. We have all types of collectors here: Imperial Germany, TN, Polizei, Feldgendarmerie, OT, HV etc so the potential for building up a great database covering all such signatures is there. Signatures could be from award citations, soldbucher, wehrpasse, ausweis, war time letters, photos, dedicated books etc. Basically if you have a signature on some paperwork and know who it belongs to then please feel free to post it with some amplifying information on the signer, however basic, to build up a comprehensive database that has the potential to be a great resource. If you have a signature from a different timeframe of someone that has already been added to the database feel free to add it to that particular thread. Stipulations For Posting Images 1. The person posting the signature must be the owner of the item. 2. Items published are NOT up for discussion in the thread - the idea is to build up a database rather than a discussion. If members have doubts about any that are posted then a PM to the Moderator with their views can be passed and regulated that way. 3. Photos are to be attached to the post – i.e. not via an image hosting site so there are no ‘dead posts’ in the future. 4. Post War signed items of Imperial & Third Reich individuals must be clearly marked as being Post-War. Viewing the section in alphabetical order: Just select the SORT BY option on the upper right and then select TITLE. Thank you and I hope that our contributions can put this project on the map. KEViN / Hucks (hucks216)

Hello Bob and welcome to GMIC. I can't say I know much about the NSV being more a collector of military related paperwork. Care to shed any light on what they were responsible for? The images seem to be a bit too small - any chance of seeing an enlarged version of the second image?

Well the way I was proposing was that the database is compiled of known signatures, so for instance I have a citation signed by General X and I know it is General X so the image of his signature (along with either the whole document or at least with the unit stamp and date) is posted with a little amplifying information along the lines of 'General X - RK 19/12/1942 - Commanding Officer 123 Div Jan to Feb 1943 / Commanding Officer AG Mitte Feb to Mar 1943 etc - KIA 01/01/1945' or something like that. So the search of the database is kept simple and done by name. Including the unit in the amplifying information in the post will also help people search if they locate another citation to that unit and within that timeframe and wish to compare what they have to what is in the database. If it is possible then there is always an option of also having a thread for people that have a signature but can't decipher it to post it asking for help. If it is deciphered by a member and it isn't already in the database then it can be added (with the owners permission of course). In the last few days since my first post the viewing figure for the signature database on the World War Militaria forum has increased from 10,470 to 10,813 - an increase of 343 which is some going considering that it isn't a well known forum. Viewing figures for the signature thread on AHF is currently at 49,139 so the very few signature databases out there do seem to be a well used resource.

You might wish to post your question on the 12 O'Clock High forum as there are members there that have databases of LW officers - providing that Theo Weber was an officer obviously.

I'd be happy to help in any way I can but when it comes to Allied or Imperial German signatures I wouldn't know what is a forged signature and what isn't, but I'd certainly be happy to write an introduction - and if a similar section is set up in the TR Document section then links to the other signature section(s) could be added in the introductory posts. I agree that a 'cross boundaries' section/thread would be a great idea but how many British collectors visit the TR Doc section and likewise for the TR collectors visiting the British section hence a signature section in each relevant Document section with a link to the other, unless such a signature database was set up in an all encompassing section of GMIC - GMIC Projects for example with seperate threads within that 'Signature Database' Project to cover each of the British, Allied, TR German etc arenas. Just a thought.

Irish Gunner - that is the beauty of such a database. Whether you have 1 or 100 contributions to make you could have signatures that other collectors might also have on a document but have drawn a blank trying to identify, Recently I saw a Totenkopf soldbuch that has a signature of a Kompanie Cdr called Franz Fillerbock. Now in terms of awards won he didn't win anything major that I can find out but he was KIA in 1944 and no doubt his signature appears in other soldbucher which other collectors might own but might not of been able to identify for one reason or another, and Wehrpasse & Soldbucher are great places to find the signatures of DKiG & RK winners. Mervyn - I was unsure whether to post this question in a blog or in the actual forum but seeing as I hadn't started a blog before I thought I'd stick it here so to speak. As you say it could be an idea to start such signature databases in each relevant area, i.e. British Documents, Imperial German Documents, but as my area of collecting interest is Third Reich paperwork it isn't really my place to suggest something for someone elses area as I wouldn't want to tread on someone elses toes. But if that were to happen then it could be a great way to make GMIC the 'one stop shop' for signature databases in the world of forums. Again, if others have a view of such databases in other sections then please add your views - but again, when it comes to non-TR signature databases I don't wish to step on anyones toes as it would be others regulating them.

Being a paperwork collector one of the reasons I collect the citations is for the signatures on them and as such have to trawl through books, websites and personally compiled files to find examples to provide a comparison. From what I know there are currently 3 dedicated threads/sections to signatures on the web, those being the one on Axis History, one on Dokumentenforum and the third on World War Militaria. Unfortunately the last one is a quiet forum and as such has a very limited number of people adding their examples (but has still been viewed over 10,000 times) while the one on AHF does have a tendency to stagnate and as good as it is it isn't all encompassing. With such things in mind what are the views of members here to setting up a Pinned thread in the German Third Reich Document Section for the posting of recognised German signatures to build up and provide a database of such like for current and future collectors and not just restricted to Divisional Commanders or Luftwaffe Aces, or just military for that matter? The signatures could be members of all the various paramilitary & civil organisations, members of the 'Valkyrie' plot, as well as officers down to the Kompanie level - basically an all encompassing thread. We have all types of collectors here: TN, Polizei, Feldgendarmerie, OT, HV etc so the potential for building up a great database covering all such signatures is there. Signatures could be from award citations, soldbucher, wehrpasse, ausweis, war time letters etc although I would shy away from post-war letters and photos due to the change of signatures due to age and the difficulty in corroborating them - but that is just a personal opinion and if the majority view it differently then so be it. All I would stipulate are threefold: 1) the person posting the signature must be the owner of the item and definitely no scans from books. 2) the signature should be shown in context (i.e. an image of the whole document is shown or at least partially shown to enable a date, location &/or authorising unit to be seen, with the owner's watermark on it somewhere obviously) 3) items published are NOT up for discussion in the thread - the idea is to build up a database rather then a discussion. If members have doubts about any that are posted then a PM to the Moderator with their views can be passed and regulated that way (or maybe an entry via this blog). Basically if you have a signature on some paperwork and know who it belongs to then post it with some amplifying information on the signer, however basic, to build up a comprehensive database. So with that in mind, please let me have your views and opinions.

I am sure that there will be plenty of information on SMS Derfflinger on the web and in books as she was a well known ship for her raids on the British coast in the years prior to Jutland. As for the others if you try a Google search (using SMS before the ships name) then you will obtain at least some basic details of them (Charlotte was a support vessel for SMS König Wilhelm). Wiki has some information on at least König Wilhelm, Von der Tann & Victoria Louise.

Hildebrand & Lohmann Vol III does not list any 'Friese' with the forename of Hermann. The closest match is a Heinz Friese who was born on 24th June 1902 in Wilhelmshaven and he was an engineer. He held various posts in WW2 to do with construction and repair including two in Marinegruppenkdo West with his final posting being Techn. Beschaffungsamt der KM from August 1944 to wars end.

You could try the WASt but if you are not a relative the chances are they will not give you any information. There is no Theo Weber listed in the Ordenstrager so he didn't win any high awards such as the RK, DKiG or Ehrenpokal and what information you have is very basic (no rank, units, place of birth etc) so it will be hard to track down any information on him. He isn't listed in the Volksbund KIA/MIA database either.

If it is someone from 'Immelman' and he won it while with them then maybe he is listed on this site. Just expand the search, select Luftwaffe and in the box labelled Einheit put Immelman - unfortunately they don't all have pictures... http://www.das-ritterkreuz.de

I think it is just two 13's and a 36. Code 13 is for VD!

Nice wehrpass Gordon. It is a pity that the SB was split from this but at least you have the scans that allow you to see why he was busted.