Heer "I.M."...on gravestone.

[Dave B]

Hi all,

I was down at the Deutscher Soldatenfriedhof at Cannock Chase yesterday and came across this grave.

[attachmentid=26539]

Does anyone know what the "I.M." stands for?

Cheers

Dave

[Hendrik]

Hi all,

Does anyone know what the "I.M." stands for?

Not sure at all but what about "In Memoriam" (in memory of) ... Do correct me if I'm wrong !

[Dave B]

Not sure at all but what about "In Memoriam" (in memory of) ... Do correct me if I'm wrong !

Hmm,not sure about that one.The grave above was the only one I could find with the "I.M." on.

[attachmentid=26567]

[Johnny]

I too have seen IM on German grave stones at La Cambe in France. It was only on an isolated few which would make me think its not 'In memory of....'

Also from collecting death cards it would seem that the traditional 'In memorium' type phrase used in Germany is 'Gebets Andenken' which literally translated means Prayer memory.

I would also be very keen to find out what it means!

Johnny

[Johnny]

In an effort to resolve this I've sent an email to the German war graves organisation asking if they can clarify. I'll update you as soon as i get a reply!!

Johnny

[Johnny]

I still haven't heard from the German War Graves. If I haven't heard anything in a few days I'll send off a chaser!!

Johnny

[J Temple-West]

I still haven't heard from the German War Graves. If I haven't heard anything in a few days I'll send off a chaser!!

Johnny

That's very good of you, Johnny. Keep us updated.

[stephen]

HI,

Just came upon this thread I have looked in the various dictionaries and asked the wife and we think it can only be In Memoriam.

below are included all the abbreviations/abkuerzungen. we could come up with.

acronym Meaning

I.M. Ihre Majest?t

i.M. im Massstab

i.m. im memoriam

IM Imperia Italian region and licence plate code

IM Imst Austrian licence plate code

IM Informeller Mitarbeiter

I.M. Innere Mission help organisation of the protestantic church

IM Internationaler Meister

im. intramuskul?r

Don't think it is definitive but the best I could come up with. I have excluded all the obviously modern ones.

Edited April 3, 2006 by stephen

[Johnny]

I still haven't heard from the German war graves. I have sent another email and this time I took the liberty of attaching the original picture to assist with making the point. (My German isn't the best even with the aid of a translation website.) I hope you don't mind Dave!!

Having said all that 'In Memoriam' would appear to be hot favourite after seeing Stephens post.

I shall update the thread as soon as I get the definitive answer from the 'horses mouth'.

Johnny

[Ed_Haynes]

Just a guess - Could this be a "memorial" (only) stone for situations where no remains are buried?

Probably wrong.

[Dave B]

I still haven't heard from the German war graves. I have sent another email and this time I took the liberty of attaching the original picture to assist with making the point. (My German isn't the best even with the aid of a translation website.) I hope you don't mind Dave!!

Having said all that 'In Memoriam' would appear to be hot favourite after seeing Stephens post.

I shall update the thread as soon as I get the definitive answer from the 'horses mouth'.

Johnny

Of course I don't mind Johnny ...and many thanks for taking the time to find out what I.M. actually means!

Cheers

Dave

[Richard Gordon]

Just a guess - Could this be a "memorial" (only) stone for situations where no remains are buried?

Probably wrong.

Ed, might be but I don't know. Based on the fact that I know of one HE-111 crew shot down over the south of England where 1 of the bodies was never recovered. No headstone was erected for this flier and he is listed on the German War graves site as having a 'sailors grave'.

I would have thought if all the other crew are buried there then he would be also but this is not the case.

Unless in somecases where the family requested a headstone be erected? Therefore the 'I.M.' ???

Rich

[Johnny]

Guys,

I still haven't received any reply from the German war graves people so it doesn't look like I'm going to. My final hope is an email to a work colleague who is a fluent German speaker and is married to a German. He's ex military himself with an interest in similar matters so I'm hoping he may be able to help.

Hope to have something constructive to add soon.

Johnny

[David Gregory]

Hi Guys,

IM can still be seen used as an abbreviation for In Memoriam on ordinary German gravestones.

Don't be surprised if it takes the Volksbund a long time to reply, if at all.

David

[Guest Rick Research]

I've been watching this one waiting for some final answer...

in absence of same, two thoughts--

the quoted "I.M.' might indicate a stone with no body...

OR

that somebody has paid for "perpetual care" upkeep.

Might be easiest to simply ask the CEMETERY if there is anybody BURIED under those stones.

[Dave B]

Might be easiest to simply ask the CEMETERY if there is anybody BURIED under those stones.

Good idea Rick,I'll nip down next week and see if I can find anything out.

Dave

[Johnny]

Hi guys,

Finally I have the answer from German war graves. I must tip my hat to Stephen who initially said I M was In memorium. They have confirmed that that is the case. They said in there reply that these were the remains of air crew and no complete body had been found. Due to their inseperable condition they were buried together near the crash site at Hurn farm, Thorney, Peterborough and moved to Cannock Chase in 1979.

Their unit is given as 4/N.J.G.2. I don't know much about the luftwaffe so if anybody can elaborate on the unit details I'd be very interested.

Cheers

Johnny

[Michael Johnson]

Hi guys,

Finally I have the answer from German war graves. I must tip my hat to Stephen who initially said I M was In memorium. They have confirmed that that is the case. They said in there reply that these were the remains of air crew and no complete body had been found. Due to their inseperable condition they were buried together near the crash site at Hurn farm, Thorney, Peterborough and moved to Cannock Chase in 1979.

Their unit is given as 4/N.J.G.2. I don't know much about the luftwaffe so if anybody can elaborate on the unit details I'd be very interested.

Cheers

Johnny

It's a nightfighter (nachtsjager) squadron, but can't say more than that.