Kriegsmarine Rare Tirpitz EKI grouping

[Simon Orchard]

Just arrived today. This is a grouping to a career NCO which includes an EKI whilst onboard TIRPITZ. Any award higher than an EKI to either of Germany's largest battleships you could of course count on the fingers of one hand and the EKI was only ever awarded in small numbers. Bismarck due to her rather short career and Tirpitz due to her lack of action, with the exception of air attacks that is. So a Tirpitz EKI is a rare thing indeed unlike the EKII which whilst not being an everyday site on the collectors market were handed out quite liberally onboard that ship.

From the award date and looking up other Tirpitz award groups around this time it seems Finselberger was awarded his EKI for actions during the Fleet Air Arm attack of the 9th of March 1942 West of the Lofoten Islands by carrier launched Albacore torpedo bombers. The Germans believed they had shot down 3 of the attacking aircraft however British records show 2 were brought down. The Germans also misidentified the aircraft as Swordfish.

Signed by August Thiele one of the very few surface fleet oakleaves winners and at the time Chief of staff at fleet command.

Going back in time a little, he received his EKII during the invasion of Norway, at that time he was onboard the ill fated heavy cruiser Bl?cher.

This one signed by Rolf Carls

His HSF signed by Schniewind, an old shipmate of Finselberger's. He served onboard the light cruiser K?ln for much of his pre-war career including the period Schniewind was captain and during her time in Spain

[Simon Orchard]

As he served during the Spanish civil war he of course qualified for the Spanish cross. By the time he finally got his award he was on shore duty with MAA 501 based in the Oslo area...well his ship was at the bottom of a fjord so they had to give hime something to do.

By the way, on the top of the EKII doc you can just make out a pencil note, it reads Stabs Kp. MAA 304, Horten (a large Norwegian navy base near Oslo). That was the original name of MAA 501

Not as nice as the formal doc it is nevertheless interesting as it's typed on Norwegian watermarked paper.

A number of other useful papers to do with his career came along with the group, including this testimonial which gives us the probable reason behind his EKI, he was a flak battery officer amongst other things.

[Gordon Williamson]

Superb set Simon, congratulations

[Guest Rick Research]

Several noteworthy personnel discoveries here, for me:

1) he was INVOLUNTARILY held over after completion of his 12 years career enlistment. In most cases, in the army anyway, such NCOs were induced (not FORCED) to stay on by immediate promotions to Oberleutnant and accelerated promotion to Hauptmann in order to meet the shortage of "instant" officers the gigantic new Wehrmacht needed. Only those without even passing educational levels in the army seem not to have been so promoted, and many documented groups turn up for NCOs in the army released to civil service entitlement jobs, 1936-38.

2) that he WAS discharged-- and at what would have seemed and even MORE dire time, is amazing. Any paperwork to explain how he managed to sit out the last 18 months of the war??????

Illuminating documentation!!!

[Simon Orchard]

I'll post the rest of what i have this evening, one of the papers refers to the beamte branch. It does seem odd that they'd release such an experienced and decorated senior NCO just when they needed them most.

[Simon Orchard]

Here we go, both are post-war. A letter from the wast detailing his days at sea onboard the K?ln, the other i'm struggling with but gather it's to do with accommodation.

[Bob Hunter]

Remarkable combination of items. Congratulations!

[Guest Rick Research]

It would appear from these that he was still alive in 1956 and was entitled to--but had not received--a "civil service for life" position that his career enlistment would normally have provided for him when his 12 years were first up.

Under the Imperial and Third Reich systems, it was

a) either a government job or

b) a lump cash out sum in lieu thereof

But unless all that legal paragraph gobblydeegook says to the contrary, it looks here like

yeah, now you're entitled, but now you're too old and there aren't any spots for you.

I don't see anything saying

and here's your pile of cash in compensation to start up your own business.

He was SCREWED.

[VtwinVince]

Simon, that's a great group. I just recently got a large group of naval photos from a collection in Germany, with quite a bit of August Thiele material, including his Visitenkarte as Fregattenkapitaen and CO of SSS Gorch Fock.