Admiral Graf Spee related Soldbuch

**hucks216** · 11-29-2013, 06:15 PM

Here is a Soldbuch (and extras) that belonged to Kurt Meusemann who rose to the rank of Kapitän zur See. What attracted me to this Soldbuch was that as a Korvettenkapitän, Meusemann served as the Third Gunnery Officer aboard the pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee and was present during her, initially, successful war cruise and so was at the first major Naval engagement of the war, The Battle Of The River Plate, and was in command of the medium sized guns of 150mm (5.9").

The story of the battle & the scuttling of the ship is well known and Meusemann's guns would of played a major part.
After the ship was scuttled the crew were interned but Meusemann escaped internment and returned to Germany in 1940.

As the Kriegsmarine didn't start issuing Soldbucher until 1941 there is no mention of the Graf Spee in Meusemann's example but he was awarded the EK II for the war cruise & battle and was eventually awarded the High Seas Fleet Badge for his service on the ship.
After returning to Germany Meusemann never served at sea again and kept a number of appointments at OKM, mainly as Abt-Chef of Abteilung für Ballistik, Munition, Rohre, Panzerung, Luftsperrgerät, Gas, Gasschutz und Nebel (AWa A II) from August 1943 to 8th May 1945 as well as holding the position of Chef der Amstgruppe Artillerieentwicklung from April 1945 to wars end.

He was captured at wars end and released from captivity in 1947.

I am a little unsure as to the originiality of the two KvK entries but they have an OKM authorising stamp and in his position he could well of won such awards so at the moment I am 75:25 in favour of them.

The signature on Page 20 is that of Konteradmiral Eberhard von Goetze while the signature at the bottom of Page 2 is that of Konteradmiral Heinrich Hanke.

As well as the Soldbuch the set also contains Meusemann's wartime passport (dated from 1941), an early Seefahrtsbuch and a copy of a nautical physics book that Meusemann co-authored in 1936.
On Page 8 of the Seefahrtsbuch there is a signature beginning with T that I am sure I have seen before but can not pin it down to be 100% certain. I believe it is that of future Vizeadmiral August Thiele but his signature dated from 1945 differs a little bit.

**Espenlaub Militaria** · 11-29-2013 06:15 PM

We also buy and trade your items and full collections!

**bigmacglenn** · 11-29-2013, 06:22 PM

Lovely grouping, friend! I see he was indeed awarded the KvK 1st Class w/swords and 2nd Class w/swords in '44...
Congratulations on a fine score!
cheers, Glenn