Detailed late-war injury document grouping

[ObKrieger]

Hi guys,

It has been a while since I have posted something. This is what I got for my birthday. It's a very interesting grouping, and you can decide at the end of it if you think this guy was lucky or not.

First up is his wound badge document. Stabsgefreiter Erich Eschler received the verwundetenabzeichen in silber for a nasty injury he took on February 27th, 1945.

The feldpostnummer appears to be 25362, and then a 6 after it. Can anyone look this up for me?

I find it very interesting that he was awarded the badge and the document on May 20th, while he was in the hospital. This was 12 days after the war was technically over.

[ObKrieger]

Next up is the biggest part of the grouping, which is his krankenblatt, or medical record.

This is the cover page. I can read most of this, but if someone could give me a complete translation of this cover page, I would really appreciate it. Am I correct in saying that he was in Grenadier-Regiment 184? If so, he would have been wounded near the Varka bridgehead by Warsaw.

(A good one for Andreas?)

- - Updated - -

Here is the second page. I would really appreciate a translation for this, too.

[ObKrieger]

The next row is the 3rd page.

[ObKrieger]

Next page. From what I gather, he suffered a pretty nasty head wound. I think his jaw was partially blown off. The wound sent him on a tratment spree all around Germany, and later I will post an interesting document that make me think that he might have been a bit lucky to be injured.

- - Updated - -

The last page, and one I cannot read. I really would like to know what this one reads as well!

[ObKrieger]

This is an interesting part of the grouping. It is a certificate, dated April 13th, 1946, that allows Erich Eschler to enter special treatment for 6 weeks. I love the denazified stamp on this document.

[ObKrieger]

The last document is this discharge certificate from what appears to have been a U.S.-occupied hospital. Erich Eschler must have survived and gone off to live a pretty decent life after the war.

The thing I find most interesting about this grouping is the fact that, if I am correct, and he was injured in Warsaw, he is a pretty lucky guy. G.R. 184 was destroyed in Berlin, and a Soviet POW camp was not a place where you wanted to end up back then. Instead, he was captured by Americans and quickly released. It did cost him a nasty wound, though.

What do you all think? Translations would be greatly appraciated.

[HPL2008]

Please forgive me if I don't attempt a full translation of all documents. Much of it is very hard to decypher and a substantial part of the text simply consists of detailed listings of medical procedures.

You are right that this man suffered a severe facial injury, with a fractured lower jaw and large soft-tissue wounds in his face. This instantly qualified him for the Wound Badge in Silver. Normally awarded after being wounded the third time, this grade could also be awarded for certain kinds of severe injuries, including facial disfigurements of a repulsive appearence. (officially described as: "abstoßend wirkende Entstellungen des Gesichtes")

The injury required lengthy treatment and a number of surgical procedures. Complications included abscesses.

The data from his Krankenblatt is as follows:

"Patient's Sheet
Reporting year 1945
Main patient register no. 4879


Base Hospital
(motorized) 936
Dental Department

Base Hospital 2/581 (motorized)

Surgical Hospital 3/582 (motorized)
Jaw Department


Description of injury: Projectile-induced fracture of the lower jaw with large soft-tissue wound to the face.
Disease code: 28 Feb. 45


Familiy name: Eschler
First name: Erich
Rank: Stabsgefreiter
Unit: 6th Company of Grenadier Regiment 184
Date of birth: 30 March 09
Place of birth: Bodenbach
District: Tetschen
Entered service on: 2 Sept. 40
Religion: Catholic
Civilian occupation: Motor vehicle driver, mechanic
Next of kin and address: Wife, Anni Eschler, South Bodenbach, Bismarckstr. 33

Admitted on: 9 March 45
From: Surgical Hospital 3/582

Referred/transferred on: 12 March 45 (by hospital ship)
To: Base Hospital 2/581 (motorized)

Referred/transferred on: 20 May 1945

[several entries illegible]

Referred on: 12 Oct. 45
To: Billet Hospital III Poppenbüttel

Transferred on: 15 Feb. 46
To: Auxiliary Hospital Hamburg-Rahlstedt

Did the injured claim an injury sustained in the line of duty? Yes."

[ObKrieger]

Thank you Andreas!

Is there any other info you can get from the other pages? I would be interested to know the first and last entries in the krankenblatt.

[Adrian Stevenson]

25362


(Mobilmachung-1.1.1940) 5. Kompanie Infanterie-Regiment 132,

(2.1.1940-27.4.1940) gestrichen, wurde Fp.Nr. 24409 B,

(25.9.1940-15.2.1941) Stabskompanie II Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 91,

(16.2.1941-18.7.1941) gestrichen,

(15.2.1942-30.7.1942) Sammelfeldpostnummer.

[HPL2008]

I would be interested to know the first and last entries in the krankenblatt.

Those from the Krankengeschichte [medical history] pages? The first one says...:

"3.3.45
Aufnahme Feldlaz. [= Feldlazarett] 3/582 Kieferabteilung.
Unterkieferschußbruch mit großer Weichteilwunde über dem
li. [= linken] horizontalen Ast.
Schienenverbände im Ober- u. [= und] Unterkiefer. Intermaxilläre
[...]schienung.
Rivanolverband.

[signed: illegible]

Stabsarzt u. [= und] Abteilungsarzt."

...meaning:

"3 March 45
Admitted to Surgical Hospital 3/582, Jaw Department.
Projectile-induced fracture of the lower jaw with large-sized soft-tissue wound over the
left mandibular horizontal ramus.
Splint dressings in the upper- and lower jaw. Intermaxillary
[...]splint.
Rivanol dressings.

[signed: illegible]

Stabsarzt and Departmental Physician."

(I am not a physician, so I cannot guarantee that I got all the tech terms 100% right.)


The last entry says:

"16.2.46
Aufgenommen in Hilfskrankenhaus Hamburg-Rahlstedt."

...i.e.:

"16 Feb. 46
Admitted to Auxilliary Hospital Hamburg-Rahlstedt."