Kriegsmarine Translation and Who is this?

[JSlavick]

Hello al:

Just got a new photo and I am trying to assign names to everyone in the picture. I can already see I screwed up with translating name correctly!! Can someone provide a solid spelling? And does anybody recognize the guy with the armband?

Thanks!

Joe

[Gordon Williamson]

Joe,

I'd say the name was Stoewesand.

[JSlavick]

Gordon: Thanks! You're correct! And now that you've told me...it becomes plainly obvious to me...geez, Sometimes I wonder where my brain goes at times.

Some more good info to add into my data base.

I currently have 2555 individual names and data points---- and that accounts for the majority of the crews as a lot of the men (as you know) served on more than one HSK.

It is a coup for me when I find a new name. Unfortunately the caption only tells me he was an Oblnt z.S. and on the ship. It doesn't tell me what he did!

Thanks again.

Joe

[JSlavick]

Urrghh...Gordon: Any chance the name is actually Stoeweiand instead of Stoewesand? Stoeweiand does appear as a Ltn.z.S. in the 1939 Offizier-Wohnungs und Geburstagsanzeiger der Kriegsmarine book. No listing for Stoewasand.

Joe

[Gordon Williamson]

Well, we don't know his exact rank as we can't see his sleeve rings but his visor cap seems to have the narrow braid of Leutnant-Kaleut. and I do have a match in the September 44 rank list. Kapitänleutnant Martin Stoewesand (promoted to that rank 1943) who is designated as a Funkoffizier.

Signature definitely looks like Stoewesand to me.

Could well be that Stoewesand was comissioned after the date of your list and promoted a couple of grades by 1943.

[Bernhard H.Holst]

Hello Joe:

In addition to Gordon's valuable and correct reading of the officer's name as "Stoevesand", ( first name Martin) it may be of some interest that the named officers were of the officers complement of the Auxiliary Cruiser "Thor" (also known as Schiff 10), commanded by Kptn.z.S.Otto Kaehler (later Konteradmiral)from Mar.1940 until Jun.1942. He received the Knights Cross on Dec. 22 1940. As Gordon pointed out Martin Stoevesand was a signals officer. Perhaps the ship's signal officer, a very important position on bord of an aux.cruiser.

The identity of the person wearing a party uniform is unknown to me but could be connected with shipping matters as was the Gauleiter of Hamburg , Kaufmann. Decorations seen on the picture appear to indicate prior military service.

Perhaps the above adds some information.

Bernhard H. Holst

[JSlavick]

Thanks Bernhard!

The complete name is extremely valuable to me. I am trying to compile a complete listing of all HSK crewmen with as much biographical information on each man as I can find. Righ now I currently have 2555 individual names and data points---- and that accounts for the majority of the crews as a lot of the men served on more than one HSK.

Yes I was very pleased to find the photo of some of Thor's officers. Thank you for the wonderful information!

Joe