Flammenwerfer! Flames, skulls and stuff

[Sergeant 08]

Glass eye or strabismus, either from a wound or from birth.

http://en.wikipedia....wiki/Strabismus

Could a man with strabismus join the flamethrower regiment if he already had the condition? Or was he wounded and allowed to remain?

In my opinion wounded.

[Thomas W]

In my opinion wounded.

I think you're right...

Edited April 1, 2010 by Thomas W

[Robin Lumsden]

Sergeant 08:

I received the card I posted above. Not a black Totenkopf. Dark, but not black.

Thanks, Thomas!

The search continues................ :cheers:

[Chris Boonzaier]

The search continues................

Thank buddah that time is infinate......

;-)

[Sergeant 08]

Thank buddah that time is infinate......

;-)

Some collectors have staying power, others not.

Edited April 1, 2010 by Sergeant 08

[Sergeant 08]

Another "hero of the air" who used a skull! But it looks better on a busby.

Edited May 25, 2010 by Sergeant 08

[Robin Lumsden]

Nice photo, Stefan.

[Robin Lumsden]

Just to keep this thread alive.............

I found this little critter a couple of weeks back. Not an easy one to get.

Numbered illustration is from the Assmann Catalogue.

[Sergeant 08]

Not a lot of new skull related things during last weeks.

Here are my two favourites. Leibhusaren!

Edited May 25, 2010 by Sergeant 08

[Sergeant 08]

And back to the Flammenwerfer.....This is what I found today!

Edited May 25, 2010 by Sergeant 08

[Thomas W]

Nice! Did you buy that?

[Sergeant 08]

Nice! Did you buy that?

Yes!

[Thomas W]

I don't remember where I saw this. I was for sale for a crazy price, I think. I copied the image but didn't buy it.

Edited May 26, 2010 by Thomas W

[Thomas W]

This one, I begged the owner to sell it to me. He had it posted on his blog for years, but said he wanted to sell it or trade. He eventually traded it to some lucky stiff for a postcard of a man from Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 13. This card still haunts me in my dreams.

(I need to see a psychiatrist, I'm sure.)

Edited May 26, 2010 by Thomas W

[Sergeant 08]

1918! From the same source like the other photo that I posted!

[Thomas W]

That CDV was taken by Otto Hoeffke. I have four CDVs of flamethrower pioneers taken by Hoeffke, and they all have that same metal flower vase and the chair. He must have been the favorite photographer of the flamethrower regiment.

I already posted this image in this thread, I think, but it's worth mentioning again. I bought this CDV from a German eBay dealer who sent it to me by registered mail. It disappeared. Although it arrived in New York on July 27, 2009, the U.S. Post Office told me that they won't do an investigation to find out what happened to it. The Americans said that the German post office has to investigate, but the Germans won't investigate, either. The tracking number doesn't matter. The Americans told me that the package can't be lost, because everyone has to sign for it. If it's lost, someone will lose their job. The Germans, on the other hand, simply refuse to answer me or the U.S. Post Office.

Nobody cares. My money goes to support the people who work in both postal services, but they don't care enough about me to get off their fat rear ends and be professional. They take no pride in their work. Civil servants are often (not always, but often) horrible people.

It's a shame. I really wanted this card.

[Sergeant 08]

That CDV was taken by Otto Hoeffke. I have four CDVs of flamethrower pioneers taken by Hoeffke, and they all have that same metal flower vase and the chair. He must have been the favorite photographer of the flamethrower regiment.

I already posted this image in this thread, I think, but it's worth mentioning again. I bought this CDV from a German eBay dealer who sent it to me by registered mail. It disappeared. Although it arrived in New York on July 27, 2009, the U.S. Post Office told me that they won't do an investigation to find out what happened to it. The Americans said that the German post office has to investigate, but the Germans won't investigate, either. The tracking number doesn't matter. The Americans told me that the package can't be lost, because everyone has to sign for it. If it's lost, someone will lose their job. The Germans, on the other hand, simply refuse to answer me or the U.S. Post Office.

Nobody cares. My money goes to support the people who work in both postal services, but they don't care enough about me to get off their fat rear ends and be professional. They take no pride in their work. Civil servants are often (not always, but often) horrible people.

It's a shame. I really wanted this card.

The same atelier, the same chair and vase, but only one year later....

Edited May 26, 2010 by Sergeant 08

[Chip]

I already posted this image in this thread, I think, but it's worth mentioning again. I bought this CDV from a German eBay dealer who sent it to me by registered mail. It disappeared. Although it arrived in New York on July 27, 2009, the U.S. Post Office told me that they won't do an investigation to find out what happened to it. The Americans said that the German post office has to investigate, but the Germans won't investigate, either. The tracking number doesn't matter. The Americans told me that the package can't be lost, because everyone has to sign for it. If it's lost, someone will lose their job. The Germans, on the other hand, simply refuse to answer me or the U.S. Post Office.

Nobody cares. My money goes to support the people who work in both postal services, but they don't care enough about me to get off their fat rear ends and be professional. They take no pride in their work. Civil servants are often (not always, but often) horrible people.

It's a shame. I really wanted this card.

I have lost two registered packets in this identical manner. Both were traced as far as their entry into this country. Once they hit the States, poof! I now tell my contacts not to register things, as it appears to be a "steal me" flag for the thieves.

Chip

[Thomas W]

Boy, that's a tough call, Chip. If my stuff isn't sent by registered mail, there's no paper trail, but if it's sent registered, it's a "steal me" flag.

Why won't somebody invent a transporter, already?

[Robin Lumsden]

I agree...............registered post = "steal me" in the regular postal service.

Too many 'temporary staff' (esp.from abroad) these days.

If it's worth registering, send it by courier instead.

I have NEVER had anything sent unregistered go missing in all my time collecting.

[Chip]

Boy, that's a tough call, Chip. If my stuff isn't sent by registered mail, there's no paper trail, but if it's sent registered, it's a "steal me" flag.

Why won't somebody invent a transporter, already?

I hate to say it, but what good is the paper trail? When no one will take responsibility or help, it is just extra money poorly spent.

It's only a ten hour flight. It's much more fun bringing items back yourself!

Chip

[Taurus454]

I have a Soldbuch from a Flammenwerfer company soldier. I don't recall specifics about him but will copy it and post it if there is interest. It is pretty cool!

Tom

[Thomas W]

I hate to say it, but what good is the paper trail? When no one will take responsibility or help, it is just extra money poorly spent.

It's only a ten hour flight. It's much more fun bringing items back yourself!

Chip

I think about that all the time. Just hauling my carcass to Germany and Poland and spending a month at the flea markets.

Someday...

[Thomas W]

I have a Soldbuch from a Flammenwerfer company soldier. I don't recall specifics about him but will copy it and post it if there is interest. It is pretty cool!

Tom

I'd recommend starting a new thread, since a Soldbuch doesn't have images of skulls.

If you post it, I'll be sure to add pages from my own flamethrower pioneer Militärpass.

[bob lembke]

I have lost two registered packets in this identical manner. Both were traced as far as their entry into this country. Once they hit the States, poof! I now tell my contacts not to register things, as it appears to be a "steal me" flag for the thieves.

Chip

This situation is awful. I have not been active on e-Bay lately, but here are my scores. Often in German purchases a cash purchase makes sense. It costs Germans $12 or more to cash a US check, they wire money about for free, and many dealers don't take credit cards. My bank wants a $40 fee to wire $12 to Germany. (Some German dealers only want to use registered service, the naive dears.)

I have in the last several years sent small amounts of cash to Germany in envelopes, in double envelopes, securely sealed, but very ordinary looking, and of 80-90 mailings of cash by ordinary post every last one got through. Four times I sent larger amounts by registered mail, and two out of four got through. (I believe it is now illegal to send money out of the country in registered mail, to protect us from terrorism. If only terrorists were that dumb!) The statistics of this are clear, there certainly is something going on.

Going the other way, I have lost important material in registered mail. Also, I just received a book so rare that the Library of Congress, the world's largest library, does not have it. (My grand-father was one of the many authors.) Out of 110,000,000 books offered on abebooks, there were two copies, this one, the cheapest, and in better condition, was about $300 with postage. (The other one was much more expensive.) After almost 3 months I was in despair, but then it arrived, and from notations on the package it sat at my local post office for six weeks before they decided to deliver it. the customs statement indicated its value, and perhaps someone was figuring out how to get it out of the post office. The book is enormous, oversized and 1510 pages, and weighs about 10 lbs, otherwise I may never have gotten it.

A research partner has recently lost five registered letters from Europe, with extremely expensive photos in them. He is going to try to start a fire over this, but I am pessamistic, although the effort is laudable.

Years ago the registered mail was sacred, and extremely secure. Diamond merchants used it regularily for packets of diamonds. About 25 years ago I had a Roman coin worth about $500 sent to me at work, at a big corporation, and it was stolen in my company's mailroom. The workers signed for it and then stole it. Amazing! But I filed a loss report with the post office and they promptly paid me $500, although the recepient had signed for it. Now registered mail is only a target. When I have reported a loss of this sort recently if it is in writing there is no response and if in person the postal employees look at you as if you were crazy.

In 1968 Congress decided for public safety every gun sent through the mails had to have a large stamp on it saying: "Attention Postmaster! Gun enclosed." (for example, someone might be mailing a gun to the manufacturer for re-bluing.) In six months postal workers stole 8000 handguns out of the mail, before the requirement was dropped. I heard at that time that 67% of the postal workers had a criminal record.

My mailman, very good and reliable and a long-term employee, says that the material is being stolen within the service.

I and a couple of friends may start collecting material in Germany, at a friend or relative, and then every few months have a package sent via DHL or some other private service.

This is a sorry mess indeed.

Bob Lembke