well decorated Bavarian Feldwebel-Leutnant

[Naxos]

I have a hard with his name - any help is appreciated

Eislinger?

Hardy

Edited March 25, 2008 by Naxos

[Bernhard H.Holst]

Hello Hardy.

I read the name as "Eichinger". If this , my reading is correct it would be Fw.Lt. Eichinger, Josef of 3./bay. Res.Inf.Rgt.16. Born 24.Mar.1879 . Peacetime occupation Gendamerie -Sergeant.

He distinguished himself on the Western Front on 30.May 1918 and on other occasions and was the recipient of the Bay. Silberne Tapferkeitsmedaille.

Source: "Bayerns Goldenes Ehrenbuch,

gewidmet den Inhabern der hoechsten bayrischen Kriegsauszeichnungen aus dem Weltkrieg 1914-1918 Published 1928 in Munich

Bernhard H. Holst

[Naxos]

Thank you Bernhard - you have been a great help

Regards, Hardy

[Schießplatzmeister]

Hello Naxos:

Here is the "rest of the story":

"Eichinger, Josef

Feldw.Ltn. der 3. Komp. b. Res.Inf.Rgts. 16. Im Frieden Gendarmerie=Sergeant in Oberg?nzburg. Geb. 24. 3. 1879 zu Uttenhofen in Scwaben.

Feldwltn. Eichinger der 3. Komp. b. Res.Inf.Rgts. 16 ?bernahm nach dem Tode des Kompagnief?hrers sofort die F?hrung der Kompanie und zeichnete sich in den Versolgungsk?mpfen zwischen Oise und Aisne, besonders beim Sturm auf Montecouve und aus die Schlucht bei Bagneux am 30. 5. 1918 aus. Durch r?cksichtslosen Einsatz seiner Person und gro?e Unerschrockenheit trug er mit zum Gelingen der beiden St?rme bei. Einen feindlichen Gegensto? starker Massen wehrte Eichinger mit nur 2 Gruppen Infanterie durch seine Entschlossenheit und ausgezeichnete Tapferkeit ab."

Congratulations on owning this nice card!

Best regards,

"SPM"

[Naxos]

Hello Naxos:

Here is the "rest of the story":

"Eichinger, Josef

Feldw.Ltn. der 3. Komp. b. Res.Inf.Rgts. 16. Im Frieden Gendarmerie=Sergeant in Oberg?nzburg. Geb. 24. 3. 1879 zu Uttenhofen in Scwaben.

Feldwltn. Eichinger der 3. Komp. b. Res.Inf.Rgts. 16 ?bernahm nach dem Tode des Kompagnief?hrers sofort die F?hrung der Kompanie und zeichnete sich in den Versolgungsk?mpfen zwischen Oise und Aisne, besonders beim Sturm auf Montecouve und aus die Schlucht bei Bagneux am 30. 5. 1918 aus. Durch r?cksichtslosen Einsatz seiner Person und gro?e Unerschrockenheit trug er mit zum Gelingen der beiden St?rme bei. Einen feindlichen Gegensto? starker Massen wehrte Eichinger mit nur 2 Gruppen Infanterie durch seine Entschlossenheit und ausgezeichnete Tapferkeit ab."

Congratulations on owning this nice card!

Best regards,

"SPM"

You are the Best thank you!

Hardy

[Schießplatzmeister]

Hello again:

In 1955 he was a member of the "Orden der Bayerischen Tapferkeitsmedaille, Ortsgruppe Freilassing". His address was listed as "Bayr. Gmain". So, he survived both wars and lived to at least 75 years of age!

Best regards,

"SPM"

[Naxos]

It is proof that Eichinger on the postcard is the same as the one in the book - Schiessplatzmeister's source says that Eichinger was born in Uttenhofen - the postcard written by Eichinger on Jan. 1 1919 is signed: Eichinger F.Leutnant at the time on leave in Uttenhofen

Hardy

[christerd]

Great Card and Great story behind it !

"A photo can tell you more than a tousand words"

Christer

[Naxos]

The card reveals an interesting detail of Eichingers career after the war!

Addressed to: Andreas F?ger in Meiningen, dated January 1st 1919

Dear F?ger:

Heartfelt wishes to your.......... After my holidays I will join the Border guards in the Baltic. With me it's always dangerous.

Greetings, Eichinger F.-Leutnant at the time on holudays in Uttenhofen near Dinkelschwaben.

Lieber F?ger;

Herzlichen Gl?ckwunsch zu seiner.... Nach meinem Urlaub gehe ich zum Grenzschutz ins Baltenland. Bei mir ist es immer gef?hrlich zugegangen. Herzlichen Gruss, Eichinger F.-Leutnant zur Zeit Urlaub in Uttenhofen bei Dinkelschwaben.

Regards, Hardy

Edited May 2, 2008 by Naxos

[Schießplatzmeister]

Hello Everyone:

So it appears as though Feldwebelleutnant Eichinger didn't have enough fun during the war! Off to the Baltic to join the Border Guards and fight with the White Russians against the Bolsheviks. I guess anything else would have made him bored!

A true soldier!

Best regards,

"SPM"

[Ulsterman]

He was also one Gefreiter Hitler's commander for a short while I think.

[Schießplatzmeister]

Hello Ulsterman:

Was the "little corporal" in the 3. Kompanie (I apologize for not knowing the details of his Weltkrieg service)?

Best regards,

"SPM"

He was also one Gefreiter Hitler's commander for a short while I think.

[Ulsterman]

According to Meyer's book and his own recollections he was attached to the regimental staff as a runner, but it also states that he was at one point attached to all the regiment's companies. After 1916 and again in 1918, the regiment was down to @200 effectives, so they certainly knew each other, especially as there were probably fewer than 100 men in the regiment who survived from 1914.

Regiment List took enormous casualties.

Edited August 15, 2008 by Ulsterman

[Stogieman]

I always enjoy it when a name & story can be attached to an image. Looking at the photo though, I have a hard time seeing that first ribbon as the Bavarian bravery medal ribbon??

[Schießplatzmeister]

Hello everyone:

I agree with Stogieman!

The first position ribbon does not look like a TKM ribbon as there is no black to be seen in it. The photo is of rather poor quality though and the photographic process sometimes does strange things with ribbon colors (three of the ribbons look "bleached-out").

I still believe though that he is the TKM recipient as:

1) He has the same name.

2) He has the same rank.

3) He if from the same town.

The odds are that this is him in my opinion.

The field ribbon bar IS a mystery though!

Best regards,

"SPM"

[Schießplatzmeister]

Hello again everyone:

Eichinger was on leave at Uttenhofen bei Dinkelscherben in Schwaben. Looking at a map, this place is so small that I doubt that they even have a traffic light. It is a mostly rural farming area approximately 31.5 km from Augsburg. I think that the population of the area was probably rather small before and during the time of the Weltkrieg. I believe that this also increases the odds that the TKM recipient is the same fellow.

Best regards,

"SPM"

[Ulsterman]

Oh It MUST be him-same rank, Bavarian, same town, same unusual name. Maybe he had a brother/cousin of about the same age/rank-but I doubt it. In my opinion it's 99.9% certain positively identified. Of course, if anyone has the B.RIR16 history book, he'd probably be in there.

[Naxos]

Hello again everyone:

Eichinger was on leave at Uttenhofen bei Dinkelscherben in Schwaben. Looking at a map, this place is so small that I doubt that they even have a traffic light. It is a mostly rural farming area approximately 31.5 km from Augsburg. I think that the population of the area was probably rather small before and during the time of the Weltkrieg. I believe that this also increases the odds that the TKM recipient is the same fellow.

Best regards,

"SPM"

Hi SPM,

Uttenhofen is indeed a small village (around 3000). The Eichinger family is still living there. I contacted the Village office and asked if they have a picture of FLtn Josef Eichinger in their Ortschronik (village history). If they find one they will send a scan.

Regards, Hardy

[Schießplatzmeister]

Hello Ulsterman:

Good thinking!

OK then. Does anyone out there have a regimental history for the k.b. 16. RIR during WWI? I wonder if there is a photo of the TKM recipient Eichinger in it?

Best regards,

"SPM"

[Schießplatzmeister]

Hello Hardy:

Thank you! It will be interesting to see what they come up with.

I never thought that a little postcard could be so interesting!

"SPM"

Hi SPM,

Uttenhofen is indeed a small village (around 3000). The Eichinger family is still living there. I contacted the Village office and asked if they have a picture of FLtn Josef Eichinger in their Ortschronik (village history). If they find one they will send a scan.

Regards, Hardy

[Naxos]

Hello Hardy:

Thank you! It will be interesting to see what they come up with.

I never thought that a little postcard could be so interesting!

"SPM"

SPM;

I bought the photo for the interesting Rank of FLtn

- when I got it I noticed the writing on the back and realized, with the help of Bernhard Holst, yourself and this forum, who it portrayed and that it was Eichinger himself who wrote the card.

Without the writing it would have remained anonymous and rather uninteresting.

Regards, Hardy

Edited May 2, 2008 by Naxos

[Ulsterman]

Yes-

Thanks to Bernard!