Heer A small world

[Chris Liontas]

It's amazing just how small a world this is. I was talking to Chris Boonzaier via the forum (PMs) the other day, long story short we started talking about my collecting field, German Chaplain's items. He mentioned the only thing he ever found was (besides some armbands -- another story) a German Chaplain's overseas cap, photo, prayer book, and collar tabs at the Weisbaden flea market. Chris said he sold those items a long time ago to Bill Shea, and honestly forgot a lot about them.

Well heck....I was at Bill Shea's house when he recieved word that a chaplain's overseas hat was coming in from Germany. I immedately spoke for the hat before it even arrived. At the time I didnt even know Chris.

Well here is is, about 7 years later, and I find out that my hat came from who I consider to be a good collecting friend. Its just amazing that one of my best pieces came from Chris, and I can now put some history behind the hat--rather than just have it sitting on the wall!

[Chris Liontas]

another shot, shows the violet piping really well

[Chris Boonzaier]

Indeed a small world :-)

I used to send lots of nice stuff to Bill, I hope all have found happy homes.

[Chris Boonzaier]

Did you get the tabs as well?

[Paul R]

That is a great story!! I did not know that you had this in your collection, Chris B! I would have loved to have seen your collection in all of it's past glory!

I cannot imagine this cap being in a better home. I can't get over how vivid the violet is on the soutache.

[nesredep]

Hi

Nice to hear.

Nesredep

[Chris Liontas]

Did you get the tabs as well?

Hi Chris!

Yup sure did! That, a prayerbook, and a small photo. I have the tabs displayed in an overall tab display. I'll snap a photo of it tomarrow

[Chris Liontas]

Here is a shot of my Heer insiniga display. The tabs and photo I got from Chris are in the top left corner as you look at the frame. The frame contains several different variations of Heerespfarrer collar tabs including Catholic, Protestant, dress insignia, and one set of Field Bishop tabs.

The armband is a named armband from Heerespfarrer Hans Bunkel who lived in a town in North Germany, Uelzen. Pfarrer Bunkel was a Protestant Heerespfarrer, but unfortunately that is all I know. He is not listed in the 1939 listings, so he must have been called to active service after the war began.

The crosses are for the visor cap, and the overseas cap respectivly. The smaller dull silver one was taken from a extreemly moth eaten hat, which was then thrown away by the vet (Arrgg). The larger one for the Schirmutze was from an older collection.

The tinnies are for a German Lutheran Day (the round one), A German Christian girls organization (the green one), and the kind of spear head looking one is a tinnie for the Deutches Christian Movement (which was a rabid organization that tried to make Jesus un-jewish and Nazify Christianity as much as possible...I have an account from a Cathoic Priest that was stunnned when a fellow Heerespfarrer gave a sermon that came entirely from the Nazi playbook rather than the Bible. The Catholic Priest was happy to get transferred to the front to get away from the DCM pastor)

The Field Bishops tabs are kind of a interesting point. They came from an advanced collection,and are really nice! They have been sewn on to a tunic.....but are they real? I can tell you I just dont know. Its possible these came from one of the field bishops tunics....but is is probable???.....I'm happy and that is all the counts

The green songbook came from Chris B with the tabs, overseas hat, and photo. The brown one is one I got a while ago. The green is Protestant, the brown is Catholic. Both are by M.Mittler and Sohn who seemed to be the major supplier of these books in the second world war. In the first world war, there were several companies that provided prayerbooks. In World War II, only M. Mittler and Sohn seems to have been able to supply the front in bulk. The company supplied prayerbooks before 1900 to the Imperial Army, and the publishing house is still in existance today (although is much smaller form)

The shoulderboards on the bottom are modern Protestant (cross) and Catholic (with the crown) shoulder boards

Edited September 29, 2007 by Chris Liontas

[Chris Liontas]

closer shot

[Leib Garde]

Here is a shot of my Heer insiniga display.

Chris,

I am envious, and even though it is a sin, I covet your collection.

I do not know if this is the right area to discus this, but I would like to get a discussion going about the Chaplaincy in the German Military during the Second World War.

To start off there were approximately 1,000 clergymen, both Protestant and Catholic who served as chaplains during the Second World War. The Wehrmacht fielded army strength of over 2,900,000 soldiers, not including SS units, reserve forces or Luftwaffe personnel.

Compare that figure to the number of active duty Protestant Chaplains and interim chaplains of 480, plus the same number for the Catholic Chaplains, and then we realize what dimensions we are talking about. Considering that there were over 2,000 Protestant Chaplains and 4,000 Catholic Chaplains in the First World War. No wonder why most of the soldiers hardly ever noticed the existence of the chaplain or received any ministry from them. It also explains why it is so difficult collecting these items.

Blessings,

Patrick

Edited March 20, 2009 by Leib Garde

[Ulsterman]

1,000!? That is fewer than I had supposed by far.

I thought the Wehrmacht fielded almost 8 million total in 1939-45.

Some of them, anti-Nazis are commemorated on the Harvard Memorial Church wall-just below FDR's name. I believe its the only monument to Wehrmacht dead in the USA.

[Naxos]

1,000!? That is fewer than I had supposed by far.

I thought the Wehrmacht fielded almost 8 million total in 1939-45.

Some of them, anti-Nazis are commemorated on the Harvard Memorial Church wall-just below FDR's name. I believe its the only monument to Wehrmacht dead in the USA.

The Wehrmacht fielded 2,75 million men in 1939 - over the duration of the war (1939 - 1945) the Wehrmacht personnel was over 17 million men.

Edited March 21, 2009 by Naxos