Hauptmann

A stamp inside the waitband:

Okay, just did some quick ones of the pants as well as a few of the cap by itself and a couple closeups of the shoulderboards. Note on those that there was a difference in the lighting and there is no fading or other color difference between the boards... they're a match and original.

Here's a shot of the lower back:

As is that on the collar insignia...

The metal embroidery on the spools is first rate!

The tunic is rather on the small side and "just" fits on the torso, although as you see I cannot close the collar... just too small.

Re: the awards, as I'm sure most of you will note, the HSU, the Nevsky and the Order of Lenin are copies. I chose one of my two WW2 medal bars and to add the Lenin I cut out a piece of stiff card stock in a long rectangle, ran it through behind the ribbons which gives it more than enough support for a static display such as this and of course does no harm to the medal bar.

Sadly, the belt is a DDR Officers belt. I didn't want to remove the belt on my other WWII tunic display and that's all I could come up with for it for the pics. And as the tunic is so small as is the waist on the torso I can't even display it with the belt as to take the photos I had to stuff a towel in the back to make it stay up. My goal is to put on one of the belts with the brass open star buckle. I have the buckle but not the belt so hoping to get one down the road or even the complete set.

Been waiting for this one since July of last year. My deepest thanks to the seller for making this possible! The set includes the tunic and cap as pictured as well as the proper blue riding breeches, although I've not had time to take pics of those yet.

It's a full Colonel of Artillery. I wanted something I could display with a bit of glitz and this fit the bill. I've tried to make the awards logical and not go overboard. I literally spent all those months studying all the pics I could get including placement of Orders, etc., and hoping I did well. I've shown pics to Doug and a few other knowledgeable friends and they feel I did well. I hope you all agree.

Anyhow, without further ado here's the star of the show:

And the edge:

I love the way it's toned dark and light which gives such a great contrast. Again not a pristine gem but a "been there done that" jewel to me all the same.

Dan

Hi all. Finally got my package from Perce... it's been an adventure in the postal system to say the least. Sent, resent, damaged, sent again on 12/16, arrived in the U.S. on 12/22 and then... SAT THERE! ARRRRRRRRRGH! Here it is 02/15 and it arrives. It even had tracking and yet nothing showed up after arrival in the U.S. The efficiency of both the PO's and customs of the world never ceases to amaze me. Needless to say I'm just so thankful that it wasn't lost in postal limbo somewhere never to be seen again. It's now safe and sound once more.

My deepest thanks to Perce for the latest batch of goodie! One of the pieces is this one... a Baltic medal. So without further ado...

As always I'm very grateful for any help.

Many thanks!

Dan

Hi all. Need opinions on this one. It measures 36 mm.

I agree that that they are both good - however the above statement doesnt ring true every time. More and more common items are being faked everyday now, and you just need to take a trip on ebay to see how many fakes of really commin items there are.

I have been stung too many times now to take even the most general or common medal, badge or bar at face value - it always pays to take a second look of ask for advice

Dan

I totally agree with Dan on this... he beat me to saying just that. When it comes to TR I'm just about afraid to make a call unless it's a piece I've owned or at least handled many examples and know it well enough to speak with some authority. I too felt these bars were okay but wanted to let others more in the know jump in. But it's so true... I've seen fakes of the Russian Front medal, West Wall medal... even the War Merit medal and back in the day when I started in TR those were like the lowest of low... you could pick them up for less than dirt. Alot of this stuff is put out for reenactors as well in order that they don't have to risk wearing original items out in the field which I totally understand. But one definitely has to be careful. Never hesitate to come on and ask as it's always better to get several opinions on a piece before you jump than find out bad news afterwards.

Dan

Fantastic pics guys! This is also a treasure trove for any model/diorama makers out there dealing in this subject matter. Every pic is much appreciated. But more so than that, the service each and every one of you have performed/are performing over there... your sacrifices, time away from homes and family is DEEPLY APPRECIATED!!!! All you guys and gals in the military are the best bar none!

Thanks!

Dan

Great pics guys! Thanks so much for sharing. Please keep em' coming if you've got more!

I did wonder... are they bringing any back to the Proving Grounds, etc., like they used to in past wars? Would be nice to see some of these trophies come back over here.

Dan

Dan

Hi Windu. Hope this helps.

This is an awesome grouping and a truly terrific thing you did in letting it go to the original family for what you paid. It's something they can truly be proud of and will, I trust, be passed down in their family now as a physical reminder of the deeds performed by this brave soldier.

I know how hard it must be to let go of such a group with the terrific history but you know what goes around comes around and I pray you'll receive blessings from on high and that more great groups will come your way.

A good deed indeed!

Dan

Interesting comments, but with regards Wiki, I however tend to believe there is a lot of

information on Wikipedia that needs to be taken with a grain of salt due to the ease

of posting and the ease with which information can be added and detracted from items.

Kevin in Deva.

Kev, thanks for jumping in on this. I totally agree and actually as soon as I hit send I thought I should go back and add just that... but was far too tired this morning after work and just let it go. But yes, as with any facts online and even many other places they should be cross checked to be sure. Even reference books can be incorrect and can't be taken as absolute.

Always best to proceed with caution in such matters just to be sure.

Thanks!

Dan

Interesting - thanks

SHould have clicked through on wikipedia (normally i am a wikipedia click on and on and on addict)

No problem! I know just what you mean... I'm the same way. Each article seems to have a gazillion other interesting links and before you know it you've got a ton of articles under your belt and you've also gotten an education on any number of new subjects. Great stuff!

Dan

Around 430,000 women were awarded this title during its existence. The only man to be awarded the title was Veniamin Petrovich Makarov () from Orenburg, who raised 12 adopted boys.

http://www.ireference.ca/search/Mother%20Hero/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother_Hero

It's mentioned in several such sources.

Dan

Haupti!

Sorry I did not get around to this earlier...

Very interesting letter indeed! And interesting to see what a Nazi Buttkisser he was... I was going to say the political cuddling in the letter may have made the allies dislike him... then saw he was sentenced to life.

Nice find!!!!!

Many thanks Chris! Was hoping it was something good.

Dan

Here's a translation... completed with the very kind and able assistance of Nick (Obergefreiter). Many thanks Nick!

The Commanding General and Commander-in Luftgau VI

Munich

28 December 1941.

My dear Herr Gauleiter!

I send you and the Luftgau my heartiest wishes for the New Year. I would like to express how happy I am that the Fuhrer has entrusted you with the management of Gau Westfalen-Sud, where you personally came from and experienced the struggle.

According to the word of the Fuhrer, the freedom fight of the German People goes towards its conclusion. Beginning next year – under the personal order of the Fuhrer – we’ll have the complete suppression of Russia, and begin the final subjugation of England. In cooperation between the Party, the State and the Wehrmacht we want to give our best effort to gain victory.

As a sign of the solidarity between your Gau and my department I have taken the liberty of presenting to you a copy of a picture taken from our “Art of the Front” exhibition. I created this exhibit last summer. It shows pictures and other art of our soldiers during their free time or in (can’t read) front activities (can’t read). This picture was painted by an Airman Busch, who is on duty with the Staff Company of the Aerial Region Command. It shows a winter scene painted with a lot of talent.

I hope that you enjoy the picture, and I would be happy if you took this gift from Luftgaue 6 as a memento of your first wartime Christmas in the Gau.

I am, Sir Gauleiter

Heil Hitler!

Yours very truly,

(Followed by the handwritten portion.)

This is the info on the Luftwaffe General commanding Luft Gau VI at that time:

General der Flakartillerie (Lieutenant General) August Schmidt, in 1944 commander of Luftgau VI, which provided the mobile troops to combat Allied airborne landings at Nijmegen and Arnhem.

General der Flakartillerie August SCHMIDT

- Ritterkreuz (1598): am 13.02.1945 als General der Flakartillerie und Kommandierender General und Befehlshaber im Luftgau VI. (Münster)

- Deutsches Kreuz in Gold: am 06.03.1944 als General der Flakartillerie und Kommandierender General und Befehlshaber im Luftgau VI. (Münster)

- Ritterkreuz des Kgl. Preuss. Hausordens von Hohenzollern mit Schwertern: 12.04.1917

- EK I: 14.03.1917

- EK II: 17.09.1914

- Grossherzoglich Mecklenburg-Schwerinsches Militär-Verdienstkreuz II. Klasse: 16.12.1914

- Schaumburg-Lippisches Kreuz für treue Dienste 1914: 10.06.1915

- Fürstl. Hohenzollernsches Ehrenkreuz III. Klasse mit Schwertern: 30.03.1917

- Ritterkreuz II. Klasse des Grossherzoglich Badischer Orden vom Zähringer Löwen mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern: 08.09.1917

- Verwundetenabzeichen, 1918 in Schwarz

- Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer 1914/1918: 01.11.1935

- Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung IV. bis II. Klasse: 02.10.1936

- Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung I. Klasse

- Ehrendegen des Generalobersten Göring: 18.01.1938

- Spange zum EK I: 21.05.1940

- Spange zum EK II: 01.10.1939

- Finn. Freiheitskreuz II. Klasse mit Schwertern: 25.03.1942

General August SCHMIDT:

Ex-commandant of Luftgau VI. Sentenced to life imprisonment by a British military court in November, 1947, in connection with the transmission of orders for the killing of Allied airmen.

http://reocities.com/Pentagon/Bunker/7729/WEHRMACHT/LUFTWAFFE/General/SCHMIDT_AUGUST.html

Reocities

General der Flakartillerie August Schmidt

Born: 01 Feb 1883 in Hildesheim

Died: 23 Nov 1955 in Rotenburg, Hannover

Promotions:

Fahnrnjunker-Unteroffizier (27 Jan 1902); Fähnrich (17 May 1902); Leutnant (27 Jan 1903); Oberleutnant (27 Jan 1911); Hauptmann (08 Oct 1914); Charakter als Major (30 Jun 1922); Oberst (01 Mar 1935); Generalmajor (01 Jan 1938); Generalleutnant (01 Jan 1940); General der Flakartillerie (01 Jul 1941)

Career:

Entered the Army as an Fahnenjunker and Battery-Officer in the 75th Field-Artillery-Regiment (16 Oct 1901-19 Feb 1909)

Detached to Instruction-Course at the Field-Artillery-Firing-School (05 Feb 1905-25 May 1905)

Detached to the Artillery-Workshop Spandau (01 Dec 1908-31 Jan 1909)

Battery-Officer in the 10th Field-Artillery-Regiment (20 Feb 1909-30 Sep 1909)

Battalion-Adjutant in the 10th Field-Artillery-Regiment (01 Oct 1909-24 Jun 1912)

Battery-Officer in the 10th Field-Artillery-Regiment (25 Jun 1912-30 Sep 1912)

Detached to the War Academy (01 Oct 1912-01 Aug 1914)

Battery-Leader in the 10th Reserve-Field-Artillery-Regiment (02 Aug 1914-00 Sep 1914)

Battalion-Leader in the 46th Reserve-Field-Artillery-Regiment (00 Sep 1914-00 Jan 1915)

Adjutant of the 19th Reserve-Infantry-Brigade (00 Jan 1915-19 Dec 1915)

With the Staff of Staging-Inspection 4 (20 Dec 1915-02 Sep 1916)

At the same time, Acting-Chief Of Operations of the 46th Reserve-Division (27 Jan 1916-03 Mar 1916)

In the General-Staff of the VII. Army-Corps (03 Sep 1916-20 Nov 1916)

Chief Of Operations (Ia) in the Staff of the 28th Infantry-Division (21 Nov 1916-26 Aug 1918)

In the General-Staff of the X. Reserve-Corps (27 Aug 1918-03 Jan 1919)

In the 10th Field-Artillery-Regiment (04 Jan 1919-22 Jan 1919)

In the Staff of the 86th Infantry-Division (23 Jan 1919-10 Mar 1919)

Advisor in the Army General Staff (11 Mar 1919-30 Sep 1919)

Advisor in the RWM (01 Oct 1919-28 Feb 1922)

With the Staff of Group-Command 1 (01 Mar 1922-30 Jun 1922)

Retired (30 Jun 1922)

Employed by the Army with the RWM (24 Jun 1934-28 Feb 1935)

Reactivated to Army Service as an Oberst in the RWM (01 Mar 1935-30 Apr 1936)

Managing Director of the Reichs-Defence-Committee, Berlin, RLM (24 Jun 1934-30 Apr 1936)

Instructor at the Air War Academy (01 Apr 1936-31 Mar 1937)

Transferred into the Luftwaffe (01 May 1936)

Course with Bomber-Group 157, Langenhagen (01 Sep 1936-14 Sep 1936)

Course with Flying-Group (S), Hildesheim (15 Sep 1936-29 Sep 1936)

Higher Flak-Artillery Commander I (01 Apr 1937-31 Oct 1937)

Commanding General and Commander in Air-Region VI (01 Nov 1937-01 Apr 1945)

Commanding General of the Special-Purpose-Flak-Corps (02 Apr 1945-08 May 1945)

In British Captivity (08 May 1945-00 Nov 1950)

Condemned by a British Military Court in Hamburg to Life Imprisonment because of Alleged War Crimes, on Appeal Judgement was reduced to 10 Years (14 Oct 1947)

Released Early for Health Reasons (00 Nov 1950)

Decorations & Awards:

- Ritterkreuz (1598): am 13.02.1945 als General der Flakartillerie und Kommandierender General und Befehlshaber im Luftgau VI. (Münster)

- Deutsches Kreuz in Gold: am 06.03.1944 als General der Flakartillerie und Kommandierender General und Befehlshaber im Luftgau VI. (Münster)

- Ritterkreuz des Kgl. Preuss. Hausordens von Hohenzollern mit Schwertern: 12.04.1917

- EK I: 14.03.1917

- EK II: 17.09.1914

- Grossherzoglich Mecklenburg-Schwerinsches Militär-Verdienstkreuz II. Klasse: 16.12.1914

- Schaumburg-Lippisches Kreuz für treue Dienste 1914: 10.06.1915

- Fürstl. Hohenzollernsches Ehrenkreuz III. Klasse mit Schwertern: 30.03.1917

- Ritterkreuz II. Klasse des Grossherzoglich Badischer Orden vom Zähringer Löwen mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern: 08.09.1917

- Verwundetenabzeichen, 1918 in Schwarz

- Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer 1914/1918: 01.11.1935

- Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung IV. bis II. Klasse: 02.10.1936

- Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung I. Klasse

- Ehrendegen des Generalobersten Göring: 18.01.1938

- Spange zum EK I: 21.05.1940

- Spange zum EK II: 01.10.1939

- Finn. Freiheitskreuz II. Klasse mit Schwertern: 25.03.1942

Back to ABR Homepage

General of the anti-aircraft artillery

Schmidt, August

* 01.02.1883 Hildesheim

+ 11/23/1955 Rotenburg ad Wümme

Knights Cross of the Order: 13.02.1945

as: General of the anti-aircraft artillery

Function: Commanding General and Commander-Luftgau VI (Münster)

Bes. Notes: According Biblio RK on 2/11/1945.

And the Gauleiter the letter was too was:

Paul Giesler (15 June 1895, Siegen, Westphalia – 8 May 1945) was a member of the NSDAP, from 1941 NSDAP Gauleiter of Westphalia-South (Westfalen-Süd) and as of 1942 also acting Gauleiter of the Gau Munich-Upper Bavaria (Gau München-Oberbayern). He was from 2 November 1942 to 28 April 1945 the Premier (Ministerpräsident) of Bavaria.

The trained architect was from 1924 a Party speaker, an SA leader, and leader of an NSDAP local (Ortsgruppenleiter). During the Night of the Long Knives he only narrowly missed being arrested and murdered. He served in the Poland and France campaigns. Only from August 1941 did Giesler once again take up important Party functions, at Martin Bormann's instigation, first becoming NSDAP Gauleiter of Westphalia-South in 1941, and then as of April 1942 Adolf Wagner's successor as acting Gauleiter of Munich-Upper Bavaria. After Ludwig Siebert's death on 1 November 1942, he was also appointed acting Ministerpräsident of Bavaria. As the war continued, he took up more and more ministerial posts, especially after Wagner's death.

In Munich, Giesler was known for speaking out against higher education for women, provoking student walk-outs of his speeches. He was also known for the capture and defeat of the White Rose (Weiße Rose) student resistance movement. In April 1945, he was appointed Reich Defence Commissar-South and with help from SS units brutally quelled the "Freedom Action Bavaria" ("Freiheitsaktion Bayern") uprising under Captain Dr. Rupprecht Gerngroß in Munich. In Adolf Hitler's will of 29 April 1945, Giesler was made Reich Minister for the Interior. He never had the chance to assume this latest post, though.

As American troops approached, Giesler was reported to be planning the murder of the surviving inmates at Dachau concentration camp in March 1945. Karl von Eberstein claimed he was ordered to 'use my influence with the commander of Dachau' to have 25,000 prisoners shot when the US approached. Eberstein refused. Geisler said he would poison the prisoners. Eberstein claimed he stopped Geisler by getting an order from Himmler to simply surrender the camps. Gieseler then fired Eberstein on April 20, on orders of Martin Bormann, for 'defeatism'. ^[1][2] On 8 May 1945, Nazi capitulation day, Giesler and his wife committed suicide, fearing capture by American troops as they fled Berchtesgaden.

Giesler was an unquestioning follower of Hitler, ruling efficiently and with almost unlimited power in the last war years in Bavaria^[3].

Paul Giesler with his deputy Heinrich Vetter Hagen Germany 17 May 1942

Dan

Hoping someone can read the handwritten portion including the signature: