Generalmajor Hans Bessel

[Westland]

I’ve some new conclusions after some further research, and it supports the “Hans Bessel” case.

“Higher Pioneer Officer 2”, is somewhat a strange notation, but the original document from 1944 are using the same shortcuts, so it is not a kind of translation failure. But the info not useful because it’s only telling us he was a high ranking officer but reveals nothing about his posts or assignment (not even his rank). But because of the addition of the number “2”, I guess we can relate this to the “Festungs-Pionierstab 2”.

The “Festungs-Pionierstab 2” was active into “Wehrkreis XII”, that also includes the city Cologne (Köln). So it’s the same region were the tunic is made. Because this is only a hypothesis, this is not very sure, and it’s research in the opposite direction.

But we have the following info about Hans Bessel, the period from 03.03.1943, after his assignment as “Hoh.Pio.Offz. II”, he was attached to “Heeresgruppe F” on the Balkans, we know because the documents are telling us (see also the previous posts into this threat). Because the high command of “Festungs-Pionierstab 2” was placed under control of “Festungs-Pionier-Kommandeur II”, that was also part of “Heeresgruppe E” (“Heeresgruppe E” was sub-ordered to “Heeresgruppe F”), so this is a perfect match!

Therefore it’s very plausible he was also attached to the “Festungs-Pionierstab 2” in the period between 15.06.1942 and 03.03.1943 when he was a “Ho.Pio.Offz.”, also the same period this tunic was made. On the end it’s very implicated, but it's fear enough to conclude that it’s a very plausible that this tunic belongs to Generalmajor Hans Bessel.

[jcsanche]

Hi

Research is great and addictive. There are many pieces of information I need to fill. General Hans Bessel was in Italy under the command of Von von vittinghoff. Somewere are photos of General Bessel and von vittinghoff. I need to fill the blanks on his carrer

Kesselring memories about the constuction of the Gustav Live

The Memoirs of Field-Marshal Kesselring - Google Books

Look at middle of page 3

http://www.lulu.com/items/volume_4/1...ngPreview2.pdf


another mention of Hans Bessel
Under the effect of the American landing in the Salerno area, the OKW, on 12 September, ordered the counterattack but also, regardless of whether it was successful or not, the withdrawal of the 10th Army to the line Grosseto-Ancona, i. e. north of Rome. In view of his so far successful conduct of operations, however, Kesselring was of course in no hurry with this withdrawal to the north. On the evening of 12 September, he discussed with the Commander-in-Chief of the 10th Army the possibility of erecting a fortified line south of Rome, which was later called Gustav Line. In the strict sense of the word, this could not be a line, but rather a system of fortified landmarks, echeloned in depth, at the narrowest point of the Italian peninsula. The line followed the course of the rivers Garigliano, Liri and Rapido, continued via Venato and the Maiella Mountains and reached the Adriatic coast at Tossacesia, a few kilometre! s north of the Sangro. In the weeks that followed, Kesselring had this system of positions developed at full speed by Engineer General Bessel. In the long run, Hitler could not withhold his recognition of Kesselring's vigorous style of command. Unlike the generals on the Eastern Front, Kesselring did not deliver pessimistic estimates of the situation, he demanded that his troops hold their ground, fight and not withdraw, just the kind of language that Hitler liked to hear. Moreover, the Gustav Line, with a length of 135 km, could be defended with fewer forces than the Gothic Line in the Apennines, which was prepared by Rommel, and psychologically the Gustav Line had the great advantage that it covered Rome.



another excerpt from
Italy at War

On the evening of 12 September, he discussed with the Commander-in-Chief of the 10th Army the possibility of erecting a fortified line south of Rome, which was later called Gustav Line. In the strict sense of the word, this could not be a line, but rather a system of fortified landmarks, echeloned in depth, at the narrowest point of the Italian peninsula. The line followed the course of the rivers Garigliano, Liri and Rapido, continued via Venato and the Maiella Mountains and reached the Adriatic coast at Tossacesia, a few kilometres north of the Sangro. In the weeks that followed, Kesselring had this system of positions developed at full speed by Engineer General Bessel. In the long run, Hitler could not withhold his recognition of Kesselring's vigorous style of command. Unlike the generals on the Eastern Front, Kesselring did not deliver pessimistic estimates of the situation, he demanded that his troops hold their ground, fight and not withdraw, just the kind of language that Hitler liked to hear. Moreover, the Gustav Line, with a length of 135 km, could be defended with fewer forces than the Gothic Line in the Apennines, which was prepared by Rommel, and psychologically the Gustav Line had the great advantage that it covered Rome.

[Westland]

I meant to say he doesn’t went to Italy after his period as “Higher Pioneer Officer 2”. It was not before 23.09.1943 placed in Italy.. But you were talking about he went to Italy after that, and that’s destroys the hole hypothesis in my previous post, if you know what I mean?

I was only saying that after that period he went to the Balkans on 04.03.1943, because this perfectly supports the fact he was into “Wehrkreis XII” before that period. We must stayed focused on your previous question, because that’s the only period what matters for the tunic.