Rare KIA Wehrpass

[hucks216]

I have had this grouping that revolves around the father & son of the Fein family for about a year now. For the father (Wilhelm Fein) it contained his KvK citation, a photo & his 1965 Memorial card but it was for the items of the son (Hans-Jorg) that I was pleased to get the group. The main item of the group was the son's Wehrpass and it shows that he was killed during the Invasion of Yugoslavia in April 1941. When you consider that only 151 German troops were killed during the invasion it is, in its own way, a very rare WP due to there only being another 150 such related WP's, but also shows that 'rare' doesn't have to mean expensive as I got the whole group for less than $150.

[hucks216]

Hans-Jorg Fein, born in 1918, joined MG Btl 3 in November 1937 and remained with it and its successor unit for the rest of his life. After the Western Campaign in 1940, MG Btl 3 was used to form Kradschutzen Btl 165 of the 16 Infantry Division (mot.) - which would itself later go on to be the 116 'Windhund' Panzer Division later in the war.

[hucks216]

During the Polish Campaign he was stationed in the West so saw no action but during Fall Gelb, Fein was with his unit during the push through Luxembourg and took part in the breakthrough at Sedan before driving for Abbeville as shown in the campaign pages of the WP.

After 16 Infantry Division was used to form two new divisions - 16 Pz.Div & 16 Inf.Div(mot.) - after the Western Campaign, Fein became a member of Kradschutzen Btl 165 of the latter unit in August 1940.

For the Yugoslavian Campign (Directive 25) 16 ID(mot.) was assigned to XXXXVI Armeekorps and was to invade Yugoslavia from Hungarian soil, originally heading for Belgrade but at the small valley loaction of Zvornik 16 ID(mot.) was assigned Sarajevo as an objective. It was at Zvornik on 14th April 1941 that Hans-Jorg Fein's life came to an end.

(The signature seen at the bottom of Page 33 is that of Karl-Heinz Voigtmann who won the Deutsche Kreuz in Gold on 14th February 1942 with 2./Kradschützen Btl 165)

[hucks216]

Translated from the Battle Report of 2./Kradschtzen Btl 165, Fein's very Kompanie...

"....Without a big loss in time the spearhead Platoon had reached the target at Zvornik. The narrow valley expanded on the west bank of the Drina to a marshy lowlands with scattered groups of trees. From the enemy nothing could be seen and heard. Only on the curves the spearhead Platoon reduced its speed a short time, when suddenly the vehicles wrapped in the heavy clouds of dust, fell under well-aimed artillery fire. The whole length of the column was wrapped in the high spraying of the impacts. The company drove through the direct fire of enemy anti-aircraft batteries deployed in front of Zvornik on the west bank of the Drina. A halt meant certain death. With increased speed the motorcycles went ahead, wrapped in dense clouds of dust between the incoming shells. Due to this short but heavy bombardment some of the vehicles of the IG and PAK trains were in flames. The motor-cycles proceeded, up the very narrow valley about 600-700m before Zvornik. A shell striking among the machines brought the movement to a halt.

Apart from the vehicles of the leading group, under Uffz Trippler which reached the first houses at top speed in front of the destroyed bridge, large parts of the company took cover in the ditch, while some of the motorcycles went up steep slopes into the forest. After one & a half hours, suddenly a Serbian officer with a white flag appeared by the river bank and asked for a truce. The company took advantage of this time to rescue the large number of wounded, while the leading group advanced towards the bridge. The bridge was blown up.

The assault by Loznica to Zvornik resulted in the following losses:

9 KIA
31 WIA,
Three motor-cycles with sidecar and 3 single motor-cycles destroyed by the bombardment."

It was during this shellfire that Fein was killed.

[hucks216]

And lastly, there were also a couple of photos showing Fein's resting place.

The main item relating to Hans-Jorg's father Wilhelm was his KvK citation received while a Hauptmann. Wilhelm Fein's final rank would be Major d.R.

(The signature on the KvK citation belongs to Generalleutnant Franz von Roques who was awarded the DKiS on 30th April 1943.)

[Paul D]

Interesting group Hucks.

[Franz1944]

I like it a lot hucks, the invasions leading up to Operation Barbarossa should have more value i would think. It is just astounding that south east Europe fell so fast.
I would pay that for the grouping

[Bill T]

Missed this one the first time around, but I like it alot. You've provided Nice research and presentation as well, which made it all the more interesting. Sad, but nice to have a photo in memory of his resting place too! Another one to add the your outstanding collection of docs/groupings

[Witt]

Unteroffizier Hans-Jörg Fein of 2./Kradschützen Bataillon 165.



Name: Hans-Jörg Fein
Date of birth: 14.11.1918
Place of birth: Mornshausen
Death/missing date: 14.4.1941
Death/missing place: Zwornick

Originally buried on the Straße Laznika-Zwornik 400m nordlich Zwornik nach Ehrenfriedhof Sabac.


Zwornik is still known as Zvornik in Bosnia and Herzegovina while Laznika is known as Loznica in Serbia. It is 19km away after crossing the Drina River.

[BlackCat1982]

Thank you Witt for bumping this very nice group from Hucks216, which I had previously missed.