Fregattenkapitän Louis Dombrowski

[Jeff Noll]

Does anyone know where or how I might get a photo (.jpg) of Fregattenkapitän Louis Dombrowski? He was a pretty significant line officer in the Kaiserlichemarine. He was either First Officer or Commading Officer on:

 

SMS YORK (until November 1914)

SMS BRAUNSCHWEIG (until November 1915)

SMS MARKGRAF (until May 1916)

SMS KAISERIN (until June 1916)

SMSPRINZREGENT-LUITPOLD (until January 1917)

SMS SCHAWBEN as Captain (May 1917 until October 1918)

 

He retired on August 3, 1920 as Kapitän zu See.

 

The USN would have "Cruise Books" which picture the crew and significant events the ship was involved in. I do not know if a similar book exists for the ships of the Kaiserlichemarine. The photo is of his Fregattenkapitän Frock Coat. The hat, belt, dagger, ribbon bar, and IC 1st, was not his.

 

Thanks in advance, Jeff

 

 

[Jeff Noll]

I am still looking for this guy. His name is spelled with a "y" vice "i". Louis Dombrowsky. The only data I have been able to find is his listing on the Naval Rank List and web page on SMS Schwaben.

[Dave Danner]

He was a sea cadet in the crew of 1893. These cadet classes put out a yearbook, usually on the 10th, 20th, 30th, etc. anniversary, called a Crew Chronik, which often has pictures and biographies of the crew members. I don't see one for 1893 among those digitized and available on Ancestry.com, but there might be a physical copy out there somewhere.

[Paul C]

Great navy uniform. Good imperial navy uniforms are rare!

[Jeff Noll]

Here is the Dombrowsky figure now. A more fitting face for a senior officer.

 

[ccj]

Super

[Jeff Noll]

Still looking for a photograph of Louis Dombrowsky/Dombrowski (I have found it spelled both ways). 

[ccj]

I wish you the best of luck. Some people are hard to find in photos.

[Jeff Noll]

I have still been unable to find a photograph of KLM officer.  Surely, someone has one.

[Jeff Noll]

Still looking........................

[Jeff Noll]

I am about to believe he never existed?  This guy was a first officer on 5 SMS Cruisers and Battleships and the commanding officer of Schwaben.   How did he  avoid getting his photo taken?

[Jeff Noll]

Well I just noticed this search is approaching the 10 year mark!  No joy for this collector.

[BlackcowboyBS]

Well sorry I couldn't help you with a photo, but just checked the award list of HdL orders, he never got an order from Brunswick from HdL, he might got a war merit cross from Brunswick, but I don't have the whole list of the awardees, so can't tell you. 

Maybe this little information might helps you a bit.

[Soderbaum]

Hi Jeff

 

Have you checked with BA Berlin-Lichterfelde ?. They have a file for him R 3901/102408.

If they have a photo it is probably post WW1.

 

As Dave Danner earlier said the chroniken for 1893 are still not digitized 

 

I assume the book for 1893 is very hard to find on Amazon.com and similar book sites.

 

Gunnar

[Jeff Noll]

Gunnar,  What wonderful news to read!  Now I just need to figure out who/how to contact BA Berlin-Lichterfelde to see if they can copy a photo.   As I said earlier Dombrowsky's frock coat is in my collection and it would be very fitting to see what he looked like.  My artist friend modified a display torso-head for this frock coat.  If I had a photo he could do a more realistic rendition of him.   His frock coat tag spells his name with as Dombrowsky.  The hat, belt, dagger & hangers and ribbon bar are not Dombrowsky's.  Jeff

 

 

Edited November 22, 2022 by Jeff Noll

[Jeff Noll]

Just an update.  I contacted Das Bundesarchive in Berlin.  After a very short time I received a response from Robert Luther.  Sadly, Louis Dombrowsky's file does not contain a photograph.   My quest continues........