dante Posted January 18, 2013 Posted January 18, 2013 Just going through my collection to database items not yet researched and came across this photo....named on the back Albert Gonsenheimer 1918..... The Gonsenheimers were a Jewish family who lived at Helmstedter Strasse, Belin-Wilmersdorf, Albert was born 17/10/1899, They appear to have emigrated to Brussels/Monte Carlo in the 1930's. In 1935 his German nationality was annulled by the Nazi regime. In 1940 he was deported to camp Saint-Cyprien in France, released then re-arrested in 1942 he was Deported from Drancy on the 18th transport to Auschwitz and on the 22/01/1945 transported to Buchenwald where he died on the 28/02/1945. He is remembered on the Shoah Memorial in Paris Where the photo came from, who wrote the name I do not know, ..........Rest In Peace
Chris Boonzaier Posted January 19, 2013 Posted January 19, 2013 That is a fantastic bit of history. A couple of my German friends hate it, but I Germany they have a thing called "Stolpersteine" or "stumbling blocks"... In some towns they have small brass cobblestones, each with the names of family members who were sent to and dies in Concentration camps. These are set in the ground in front of the front door of their old house.... So you can be bimbling down a back alley, and suddenly you are walking over 4 Brass cobblestones, maybe 10 by 10 cm each, and you see this was Joe, Henreietta and their 2 daughters, arrersted in may 42, bead November 42...
The Prussian Posted January 19, 2013 Posted January 19, 2013 Hello Dante! According to his uniform, I assume, he served with the Garde-Jäger. He wears a Tshako with a guard-star. Because he has old-style ammunition pouches and missing Litzen at the cuffs, I think, here we see the Garde-Reserve-Jäger-Bataillon
Chris Boonzaier Posted January 19, 2013 Posted January 19, 2013 Hi, It is Possible that he was till at the Ersatz Battalion back in Germany... you see some strange uniform combinations with Ersatz battalions. I wonder if he ever hade it to the front?
The Prussian Posted January 19, 2013 Posted January 19, 2013 Hello Chris! When the photo was dated, he was 18-19 years old, so it could be sure, he was sent to the front.
Chris Boonzaier Posted January 20, 2013 Posted January 20, 2013 Hello Chris! When the photo was dated, he was 18-19 years old, so it could be sure, he was sent to the front. Hi, Probable, but were they still wearing Tschkos anywhere outside of Germany? All Jäger photos I have in 1918 they have either Soft hats or steel helmets, I assume the Tschakos ending up at home. Of course, may be possible that the Battalion stores had them, but this looks like one of those Pics made "Am leaving for France in the morning, here is a alast photo" to me...
The Prussian Posted January 20, 2013 Posted January 20, 2013 Hi Chris! That´s right so far. Because of the introduction of the steel helmet, since 19.10.1916 (KM Nr.1363/10) the were no more Tshakos ordered. But this photo is from 118. Maybe january? So he will be still in the training (not the old-style ammo pouches). Maybe one month later he came into fire. For a "last photo", it´s written very less...
Chris Boonzaier Posted January 20, 2013 Posted January 20, 2013 Its a nice conditioned tunic, I have a photo of the men of the 2nd Bavarian Jäger ersatz Batln, they have the old prewar Blue tunics, with patches all over on the shoulders, chest area... they must have looked like tramps during basic training.
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