Seeking Information on the Kaiserliche Kraftfahr Korps

[Vic Diehl]

I need help from the knowledgeable members of this forum. The Kaiser's High Cabinet established the uniform regulations of this organization. They wore the army uniform, army belt and buckle, shutz truppen helmet and black P08 holster and magazine pouches.

Were they actually a military unit or did they retain their para-military status during the final years of World War I?

[Chip]

Vic,

The volunteer automobile corps basically changed from a "club" to hired contract drivers upon mobilization in 1914. They were all taken into service as officers and kept this status until the summer of 1916, when their contracts were annulled and the corps was made a regular military formation as part of the Verkehrstruppen. This information is according to Kraus and is taken from his book "The German Army in the First World War". His dating for their status change from contract drivers to regular military differs from what Cron says.

Chip

Edited January 21, 2006 by Chip

[Vic Diehl]

Chip:

Thanks for your response. Will you recommend any reference books that may show their organizational structure with-in the army after 1916. Do you have any information on the rank and file all I ever see is officer information.

Do you know of any wartime pictures of the KKfK in action?

I am trying to nail down some hard documentation when they actually switched from a paramilitary club to an Army formation.

Any leads are appreciated. Full credit will be given to all that help in this endeavor.

Vic

Edited January 21, 2006 by Vic Diehl

[Chip]

Vic,

Unfortunately, I know of no organizational breakdown on the members of this unit. Since Prince Heinrich of Prussian was the head of the corps, perhaps his memoirs would include some information that might be useful. Cron also says that all club members became officers on August 10, 1914. Their mechanics were made Unteroffizier. Cron says that from May 30, 1915 both the members of the corps and their mechanics were taken on the nominal rolls of their service units. There are A.K.O.s associated with both of these dates. I would think that you might find something in wartime histories of the Kraftfahrtruppen. I don't know of any specific sources, but I am sure there is something to find out there (in German) if you are willing to look. Best of luck.

Chip

[Vic Diehl]

Chip-

Thanks again. I will continue to pursue this topic. I recently purchased a 1915 KFAC rank list as well as a copy of the official uniform regulations of the kKfK, so there is data out there it is just so rare.

Vic

[Chip]

Vic,

One more thing, I do own a photo postcard dated September 4, 1914 sent by "Lt. i/K.F.A.C., kommandiert z. Generalstab d. XV.A.K.". The name looks like Georg Siebert. It says that he has been in the field since August 8th. The photo shows Georg standing in front of his car, in uniform. There is also a batman, perhaps Georg's personal chauffeur in the photo wearing some sort of civilian uniform. Most of these club members were quite well-to-do, having their own cars.

Chip

[Vic Diehl]

Chip:

George Siebert is listed in the KFAC membership list.

Siebert, George. Hanau, Leipziger Str. 61 Cand.chem.,Beigetr 4.8.14

How does the Cand. chem. translate?

Will you post this pic?

Vic

[Gilles]

Chip:

George Siebert is listed in the KFAC membership list.

Siebert, George. Hanau, Leipziger Str. 61 Cand.chem.,Beigetr 4.8.14

How does the Cand. chem. translate?

Will you post this pic?

Vic

Vic,

a Candidatus refers to an advanced student, who is about to take his final exams or is taking them. Some universities already gave them this name when they were already as far as half of the studies.

chem. is for chemistry

Gilles

[Guest Rick Research]

In transcribing the Sachsen-Meiningen War Merit Cross rolls, I am finding quite a number of recipients from both the Imperial and Saxon Volunteer Automobile Corps. Half way through the roll, I am still not into the summer of 1916, but most say "Member of the..." (Mitglied), though as I've crossed from 1915 into 1916 I have noticed them being referred to as "Offizier " in.... Those with previous unrelated military ranks (mostly retired) also show that, though most have only their civil occupation back home. (But no street addresses like Vic's remarkable find! ) The abbreviation for them on this Roll is K.F.A.K. or K.S.A.K. "K.F.A.C." would have been the pre-1900 spelling--old habits died hard, I guess, Carl/Karl, C?ln/K?ln.

The vast majority of their awards are on the combatant ribbon for service at the front.

You've raised an interesting point because these eager "civilian" volunteers must have had COMBATANT status that would have been quite odd had any been captured. I wonder how a spontaneously patriotic organization like this got its status normalized by the Geneva Convention?

[Guest Rick Research]

I just realized I have a staff group photo with a Volunteer Automobile Corps member wearing the September 1914 model uniform- here he is with dark red collar patches, buttoned upper pockets, and SIX buttons front tunic with silver embroidered "zur See"-style Imperial crowns on his sleeves over 2 button cuffs

He's wearing a combatant "black white" EK2 ribbon, though I still can't imagine how the Geneva Convention would have applied to these odd characters.

No date or place on this, but from the Bavarian officer on left as cropped, must be 1916+. I've had this photo for 30 years and always thought he must have been a weirdly attired "Fieldgray navy" type.

But I've just been lent J?rgen Kraus's AMAZING "The German Army in the First World War" ( Militaria Verlag, Vienna 2004 ISBN 3-9501642-6-X) and it has a section on this Corps.

[Chris Boonzaier]

This may be of interest...

http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=14723