Kriegsmarine Kriegsmarine Photo w/Newspaper Clippings

[John B]

Hello All,

I found this photo glued in the last page of an Army related photo album. Can anyone advise what the newspaper clippings say?

Many Thanks!

John

[Gordon Williamson]

Bit small to read properly but they are obituary notices. He held the Iron Cross 2nd Class and it mentions him dying a heroes death at the age of 20.

[John B]

Hello Gordon,

Thanks for looking. I attempted to make it larger but I couldn't get it posted. I was most interested in the reference made to the Bismark in the top notice and was curious if he might have been a member of that particular ship? A sad loss at 20 yrs. of age to be sure. Thanks and I'm looking forward to your new reference being published.

Best Regards,

John

[Guest Rick Research]

The upper obituary card is from his former HJ unit and the lower one from his family.

He went down with the "Bismarck" at age 22 as a Gefreiter, recipient of the EK2.

Per the HJ one, he joined them on 1 October 1933 and eventually received the rank of HJ-Scahrf?hrer. It then states that he went into the R.A.D. and was a "Truppf?hrer" which I do not believe could possibly have been correct since it goes on to say he volunteered for the navy at age 18 after attending the SA leadership School at Nuremburg.

[John B]

Hello Rick,

Thanks allot for that information, it's most appreciated. In the album there are quite a few Army related photos but also some RAD. This was the only Kriegsmarine related photo in the album. Could have been a family member, or a friend, not sure since the owner's name was not written in the album anywhere. At any rate it makes it more special since he went down with the Bismark and I will probably frame it and keep it in my Kriegsmarine collection.

All the Best,

John

[Guest Rick Research]

I forgot to mention that the family's version is worded that "after long uncertainty" they received the "painful news" confirming his death...

I wonder if this was the "Year And A Day Missing" standard or whether the International Red Cross after months of delay was able to confirm a FINAL list of the few survivors...

while they all waited, hoping he would be on it?

In any event, these cards were only printed long afterwards, when he was confirmed as a fatality.

Since the family's version doesn't mention the Bismarck at all, this is a case where it takes TWO pieces of paper to tell the complete story.

[John B]

Hi Rick,

I checked the website KBismark.com and Heinrich Neuschwander is listed. I didn't realize there were so many men on the Bismark and so many that didn't survive. I wonder now also how long the family had to wait for the information concerning the survivors. I would imagine that during wartime, especially in the T.R., information was very slow in coming. I will try to find out more concerning Heinrich and if sucessful will post it here.

Best Regards,

John

[John B]

Hello All,

Just a short follow up on this Kriegsmarine sailor. I corresponded with Malte Gaack who is currently writing a detailed history of the Bismark and the crew, He advised that Heinrich Neuschwander was one of the only two sailors ever recovered from the Bismark. His body was recovered by the Spanish cruiser Canaris and buried at sea. Mr. Gaack has a website at www.diebismark.de/eindex.html if interested.

Best to All,

John

[Guest Rick Research]

Isn't the internet amazing??????