Help with picture - Bavarian soldier

[Douglas Jr.]

Hi,

Sorry if this is the wrong forum, but I'm helping a friend to gather around as much as possible information about his ancestor, based on these photos that his family still has.

The name of the soldier was Josef Biermeier, and born in 1895 in Bad-Reichenhall, Bavaria. He served in WWI and was decorated with the Iron Cross 2nd Class and with the Bavarian Military Merit Cross 3rd Class with Swords and Crown. After the war he emigrated to Brazil, where he lived with his wife (alsa born in Germany) and rose a family. He passed away in 1966.

Together with his portraits, came five postcards showing casualties occurred in Fromelles in July, 1916. It made wonder if he was envolved in that fight. Was there any Bavarian unit fighting in that area in july, 1916?

I have no clue about his unit or rank (the awards' certicates are lost to time - only his weary home made medal bar survived), so any information about it would be nice.

Once more, thanks in advance.

Douglas.

[Douglas Jr.]

...

[Douglas Jr.]

..

[Douglas Jr.]

medals

[Douglas Jr.]

medals

last picture

[HeikoGrusdat]

Hi Douglas,

on the group picture the man sitting on the chair looks like Mr.Adolf Hitler......... make a google picture search with " Hitler als Soldat " ..... really really close maybe.... he was in a bavarian unit too....

greetings

Heiko

[Guest Rick Research]

He was an infantry Unteroffizier. The numbers on his shoulder straps should reveal his regiment-- appears to be two digits, ending in a 5 on his first portrait.

Perhaps these men may be easier to read, though one appears to be infantry and the other artillery, so NOT necessarily anuything but random men having a "cheap" group portrait--

Because you know his name and he was decorated twice by Bavaria-- first a BMVK3X and then the Crown to that (from his rank) it will be possible to find those award dates from the Bavarian

Personal Nachrichten

military gazette published during the war. Somebody with access to them can find him in the index.

I last had the Bavarian PN in my paws on loan from the Library of the U.S. Congress in the mid-1970s. :(

[Guest Rick Research]

PS The Chiemgau badge MIGHT have something to do with the 1919 Freikorps Chiemgau.....

[militaria0815]

He served in the Bavarian Reserve Infanterie Regiment 16 and the Bavarian Infanterie Regiment 2. His civil profession was baker.

Adolf Hitler also served in the RIR 16 and I guess he is on the photograph (1st from left). Very interesting!

Edited January 6, 2010 by militaria0815

[Guest Rick Research]

:Cat-Scratch:

That's what happenes looking at blurry shoulder straps instead of faces!

I'd say this needs to be moved over to Historic Photographs, eh? :catjava:

Edited January 6, 2010 by Rick Research

[dond]

What makes you think that is Hitler?

[militaria0815]

What makes you think that is Hitler?

His face.

[Chris Boonzaier]

His face.

Hitler is not in the pic. there are certain facial features that look a bit "hitlerish", but the important ones are not the same.

[Guest Rick Research]

I agree it could be Adolf.

Ancestry dot com is supposed to have Bavarian WW1 records online-- Herr Biermeier should be among the infantrymen online, so knowing more should be a matter of looking in there. Since he is standing behind Young Adolf in the group photo, as a Gefreiter but with no award ribbons, that should help date this photo from Biermeier's records.

Edited January 6, 2010 by Rick Research

[Chris Boonzaier]

Njet, nix Adi.

Our guy here was wounded earlier.... was back home with the ersatz Battalion when this pic was taken. hitler was still at tthe front and was only wounded in October 1916...

[Chris Boonzaier]

2

[Histaria]

PS The Chiemgau badge MIGHT have something to do with the 1919 Freikorps Chiemgau.....

Yes, the central, circular emblem with the eagle's head replicates the sleeve emblem of the Freikorps Chiemgau. It was a sub-unit of the well-known Freikorps von Epp. Led by Obergeometer Rudolf Kanzler, the unit participated in the fighting in Munich.

I have never seen this version of the emblem before. Would love to know what the reverse looks like. A "tinnie" attachment or pinback badge?

[Chip]

In my opinion, neither Biermeier or Hitler are in the group photo. It must be just a group of buddies.

Chip

[Douglas Jr.]

I have never seen this version of the emblem before. Would love to know what the reverse looks like. A "tinnie" attachment or pinback badge?

Firstly, Thanks a lot for all the information provided, specially the copy of his file found in the Bavarian Archives.

Can someone translete this stuff? Or, at least the units where he served? When and where he was wounded?

And here are some detailed pictures of the pin mentioned above. Any additional information is welcome!

Douglas.

Edited January 7, 2010 by Douglas Jr.

[Douglas Jr.]

here is the reverse of the Badge.

Douglas

[Guest Rick Research]

Combining visible data from both parts of the Stammrolle pages--

Iron Cross 2nd Class 25.05.17

War Volunteer 16.08.14 in Bavarian Inf Rgt 2, to Bavarian Reserve Inf Rgt 16 01.10.14. Wounded on 31.10.14 near (Gheluvelt?) by "infantry shot" in the right upper thigh and hospitalized in Bremen to 21.11.14, with recovery leave 24.11.-07.12.14.

Assigned to Machine Gun Company of Bavarian RIR 16 28.01.15.

Promoted supernumerary Gefreiter 21.08.15

Chest cold 19.11.15 and hospital care to 11.01.16, released, but back in hospital again for upper respiratory catarrh 16.03.16. The other entries on the first segment all refer to repeated hospitalizations for chest colds throughout the war.

Promoted to permanent Unteroffizier 25.05.17

The second segment shows part of his participation in battles.

Edited January 7, 2010 by Rick Research

[Douglas Jr.]

Rick,

Thanks a lot for you kind translation!

Douglas