Pedestrian for this forum . . .

[Guest Rick Research]

#s 27-29 are from his former NURSE, Paula (and she signs it Paula) Sch?ngr?en (maybe Sch?ngr?en) of Kriegslazarett 675 on 3 January 1917: she has had his latter and one from his mother, is glad he is back home with his parents, asks if he has married his fianc?e yet, thinks often of their "too soon" leavetaking and hopes to God that He will protect Schwartz until the eventual Peace.

#30 Major Sell of Bezirkskommando Neum?nster sends this along to Schwartz to paste in his military papers-- "I have promoted you" to supernumerary Gefreiter in commemoration of the anniversary of the war's beginning, and for his loyal service. This indicates a convalescent Schwartz must have worked there for a bit, but was already swept back elsewhere, and his temporary boss was TRYING (it didn't "stick" as will be seen) to give him a payraise up-- and a rank that spared a presumably BADLY wounded soldier from some of the worst heavy duties.

#31 Black Wound Badge calls Schwartz (born 1 June 1893 in Schwerin) "Pioneer" again, so his "supernumerary" didn't transfer permanently. Dated 1 November 1918 and signed by Oberst zD Duwall-- this issuing authority suggests that Schwartz was no longer in the army, and had been discharged back home. (Or, was BACK at District Command but the Big Boss had un-promoted him)

#32 calls him "Messenger" living in Neustadt, for his Hindenburg Cross.

Fate would not be kind to Richard. Guta would endure. Their daughter would suffer the loss (literal loss--like so many, he would never be FOUND) of her husband. A brave daughter and widowed mother would leave her widowed mother to search inside the Soviet Zone. And a little grandchild would grow up in a family without men, sundered by the Iron Curtain.

How's that for a teaser?

Wups. Ed's leapfrogged again. I think I'll wait for him to finish, though that would make keeping up with the Narrative Flow harder trying to remember so much all in one go!

[Ed_Haynes]

Page 2.

[Ed_Haynes]

Page 3.

[Ed_Haynes]

And from 1943.

[Ed_Haynes]

And a closeup on the stylist wartime ladies.

[Ed_Haynes]

Out of order, sorry.

[Ed_Haynes]

Page 1.

[David Gregory]

Hi Ed,

I am sure I posted this information before Christmas, but the thread seems to have been deleted.

I can't find any reference to 17. Reserve-Division, which had its own Pionier elements, namely 4. Kompagnie Pionier-Bataillon 9 and, later in the war, Pionier-Kompagnie 340 and Minenwerfer-Kompagnie 217, but Pionier-Kompagnie 268 was a part of IX. Reserve-Korps.

From some time in 1917, Pionier-Kompagnie 268 was part of 211. Infanterie-Division according to "Ruhmeshalle unserer alten Armee".

David

[Ed_Haynes]

Page 2.

[Ed_Haynes]

Thanks, Rick and David, for the running subtitles. It helps to bring life back into these "things". What we do is so much more than "things"! And groups like this remind us of that.

[Ed_Haynes]

The war ends and a new Germany comes into being.

[Ed_Haynes]

Page 2.

[Ed_Haynes]

And, finally, from 1956.

[Ed_Haynes]

And . . .

[Ed_Haynes]

Thanks for your patience.

[Guest Rick Research]

#35-36 undated (probably postwar) Christmas and New years greetings from unknown "Your Herbert and K?the."

#37-40 Richard Schwartz's son-in-law to-be Kurt Krumrei's report cards.

#41-42 Hauptwachtmeister (whether of police or artillery, only an identification of Feldpost number 35371-C will reveal-- but I'm sure from the ominous contents whichever it was, this is STALINGRAD) Kurt Krumrei addresses his still-living (or to his knowledge still-living) father- and mother-in-law on 8 Novmber 1942 with the sort of routine content so common in war letters... long time since I've written, quiet again here. What do you think about your new grand-daughter? He sees his Karin in her, but als he's only got photos to look at (not the real baby). You must be so proud to be a Gramma and Grampa.

#43-44 another dated 12 November 1942: Quiet enough to get mail out again. Chitchat about their daughter/his wife Friedel's joy at her new home (see following about THAT). "See you all next summer." In the winter it is too cold here. {{{Portents, omens, fate, darkness}}}

#45-48 AIR Field Post (which I've never encountered before) to his wife Frieda (Friedel n?e Schwartz) Krumrei at Kosten in the Warthegau-- see above. {{{So Frieda has been resettled into expropriated Polish property!}}} Dated 10 December 1942 and as noted on the envelope, received by her on Christmas Eve. Three weeks until War Chrsitmas 1942 and 2 that Daddy has been away. Quotes a character from a book that "this campaign is no express train" and notes that in the spring there will be much more to clear out these Bolshevik scum {{{"Spuck" is literally "spit"}}} and put them under the earth. {{{darkess, omens, portents}}} You'll be hearing about here on the evening radio news unless Grampa is still keeping the radio turned down {{{here we learn that ex-Pioneer Richard Schwartz does not, will not, REFUSES to listen to the war news. What nightmares was the 49 year old reliving?}}} But then you'll have heard from other places anyway. We're getting the OKH Report by telephone, dictated to a typewriter and copied out for us the next day. You are amazed. Jokes about his bunker "villa" and the fine "furnishings" taken from a Communist Party 'of course for such things' building, noting that the local Russians have NO furniture. Has Froedel got his film developed yet?

#49-50 Kurt's very last letter, written 20 December 1942: To mommy and Karin. Four days until Christmas and my thoughts are with you both. Very quiet Christmas here-- unbelievably cold, but we can't complain{{{portents, omens, darkness gathers}}}. No mail at all yesterday and today SIX from you. You asked if I got the photos but not yet...

[Guest Rick Research]

#52-53 Kurt's last letter finishs with him obsessing about his film being developed. Tell the little one next Christmas Papa will be there and addresses her about the things they will do together then, but he must do his duty and so must she. {{{the fates conceal all in darkness}}} How'd grampa's reunion go? How's our new house look, moppet? I'll close now because I have to go fetch my cooked laundry. So now you are right many thousands of times kissed and greeted from your loves-you-so-much Daddy PS also to little Karin many thousands of kisses and right hearty greetings to Gramma and Grampa.

Merry Christmas and a Happy, Lucky, and Healthy Life in the New Year. (Received 5 January 1943)

{{{ There would be no more mail from, as I suspect, Stalingrad.}}}

#54: an improvized photo ID with the rather tactless (but elegantly typed) statement that the "larger person" (HARUMPH!!!!) is the widow Auguste Schwartz n?e Babbe, born 24 February 1898 in Merkendorf, Oldenburg. She lives at Neustadt in Holstein, at Ziegelhof 18. For an

"unforeseen trip"

to Kosten in the Warthegau, she has been given this on 10 April 1943 as an identity document by the mayor of Neustadt as local police authority.

The unmentioned "smaller person" is doubtless Friedel-- herself now also a widow, after this happier ?1942 photo.

So ex-Pioneer Richard Schwartz, alive at Christmas 1942, has died before 10 April 1943. Badly wounded "Grampa," the old Last War soldier who couldn't bear to listen to Goebbel's war news and kept the sound off, the horror silent, the lies dimmed, has passed into the greatest silence, not yet 50. Was it Stalingrad that killed him, too--back "safe" at home?

#56-57 and 59 is a photo identity card (photo removed) issued to Frieda Berta Christine Krumrei n?e Schwartz, Richard and Auguste's daughter, Kurt's wife, little Karin-to-be's mother, identifying her as a postal employee. Issued in Hamburg July 1940 and valid until July 1945.

So, Gramma and Grampa were just visiting in Pole-free Kosten at Christmas of 1942. Their home remained in Neustadt. Richard's widow Gusta returned there--

luckily for young widow Frieda and small Karin!!!

What horrors did they experience as the outraged Poles returned to throw the German "resettlers" out of their country at war's end? Or did Kurt's MIA status mean they returned with Gramma in the spring of 1943 to the future safety of what would be the British Zone of Occupation?

Because

#61-62 Gives Frieda (and Karin! Little 7 year old Karin!!!!) permission to cross the border between the British and Soviet Zones to attend to "settlement of family matters" in Rostock, between the time limits of 10 September and 8 October, 1949. Frieda is described as jobless. Kreis-Resident Officer JB Hyde-Smith signed off. Did he wonder what could possibly induce a young woman to put herself AND her small fatherless daughter into the power of the Red Army, to voluntarily go from safety into the pitiless hands of Soviet State Security? In any event, they crossed on 15 September and returned safely on 7 October. Was this about Kurt's parents? Only little and now old Karin could tell us. What folly, what "now or never" might have doomed her to a life spent on the wrong side of the Iron Curtain for the next 40 years?

#63-64 ends our tale. Mrs (widow, but she won't believe it, won't accept it) Frieda Krumrei of Ziegelhof 18, Neustadt in Holstein has received notice from the German Red Cross, after filling out paperwork in re her husband "Krumrei, Kurt, born 30 April 1916"--

The Bundestag has authorized, on 27 October 1955, publication of volumes of missing and deported persons. ASAP send a photo in uniform of your missing family member with details neatly written on reverse of name, rank, Field Post number, and when last heard from. Do NOT send the only photo you have, if that is all that remains as a remembrance-- get it copied. The photos will be shown to all returning prisoners and deportees as they pass through re-entrance screening.

We hope that you will receive news of your family member.

We hope

[Ed_Haynes]

I am, unchacteristically, speechless. Thanks, Rick.

[Stogieman]

And to me......... this simple bar to a brave man, with all these seemingly dis-associated papers, is one of the most profoundly sad groups that have ever passed through my hands.

So, anybody still believe in the "Glory of our fighting man at the front" crap? Sorry, not trying to get political.... it's just the horror of this young woman and her daughter never knowing, never having any kind of understanding and closure...... that this husband and father has been just swallowed by the war.... it just really bangs my head.....

[Ed_Haynes]

Well put, Rick. I am still reeling over the story as it shapes up, really poignant history. And a perfect example of the nearly cinematic reality that lurks behind these "things" that, absent documents, just become disembodied medal groups. Makes you wonder about the other groups we have in our custody and, as you suggest, about the patriotic gloss that so often gets applied, then or now.

Edited January 10, 2006 by Ed_Haynes

[Ed_Haynes]

Here's a new one. Though already shown here, living at my house now. It settles in nicely, thank you.

Any attempts at reconstructing the career of the recipient, please?

[Ed_Haynes]

One more, shown before by previous custodian.

[Ed_Haynes]

And since you folks like seeing backsides (er, back sides?) . . . .

[Ed_Haynes]

And one more . . .

[Ed_Haynes]

And reverse . . . .