Stalingrad Named Helmet

[Eike41]

I recently acquired this helmet that has some history.

Now that I have it I am trying to figure out how to give it proper respect in my collection.

Looks like a simple relic helmet at first.

Inside it has a name like so many.

[Eike41]

I was able l to track down the unit easy enough 12th company 3rd battalion Infantry Regiment 131:

Feldpostnummern ab der Mobilmachung: Die Einheiten wurden als Teile vom Infanterie-Regiment 131 in der Feldpostübersicht eingetragen. Anfang 1940 wurden die einzelnen Kompanien gestrichen und diese ab Mitte 1940 direkt beim jeweiligen Stab eingetragen. 1941 wurde die Kolonne zur 8. leichte Fahrkolonne der Infanterie-Divisions-Kolonne 44 umbenannt. 1943 wurde das I. Bataillon zum I. Bataillon vom Grenadier-Regiment 131 umbenannt. Ebenfalls 1943 wurden alle Einheiten mit dem Vermerk Stalingrad gestrichen, ohne vorher umbenannt worden zu sein.

Einheit Feldpostnummer Nummer ab Mitte 1940
Regimentsstab 10129 10129
Stab I. Bataillon 25669 25669 A
1. Kompanie 23957 25669 B
2. Kompanie 20086 25669 C
3. Kompanie 17463 25669 D
4. Kompanie 16771 25669 E
Stab II. Bataillon 18473 18473 A
5. Kompanie 06390 18473 B
6. Kompanie 14076 18473 C
7. Kompanie 27101 18473 D
8. Kompanie 20767 18473 E
Stab III. Bataillon 22343 22343 A
9. Kompanie 23856 22343 B
10. Kompanie 17662 22343 C
11. Kompanie 27574 22343 D
12. Kompanie 27089 22343 E
13. Kompanie 14648 14648
14. Kompanie 07187 07187
Kolonne 17663 17663 bis 1941

[Eike41]

But I had another piece of information we almost never have as collectors, I had his record:

Nachname: Jaksch
Vorname:Franz
Geburtsdatum:07.06.1920
Todes-/Vermisstendatum:01.01.1 943
Todes-/Vermisstenort: Stadt Stalingrad

Feldpostnummer 22343 E

(Mobilmachung-1.1.1940) Stab III Infanterie-Regiment 131,
(28.4.1940-14.9.1940) Stab III u. 9.-12. Kompanie Infanterie-Regiment 131,
(10.2.1943-23.8.1943) gestrichen (Stalingrad),

Surname: Jaksch
First name: Franz
Date of Birth: 07/06/1920
Death / Missing Date: 01.01.1 943
Place of death / death: City of Stalingrad

Fieldpost number 22343 E

(Mobilization-1.1.1940) Staff III Infantry Regiment 131,
(28.4.1940-14.9.1940) Staff III & 9.-12th Company Infantry Regiment 131,
(10.2.1943-23.8.1943) deleted (Stalingrad),

[BlackCat1982]

To anyone outside of this crazy hobby/obsession it would just be a German helmet, and a broken one at that. But add the name Stalingrad and it takes on new gravitas. Now if you could locate a Sterbebild for him and perhaps find out where he came from that would complete the exhibit. Nice item and a special one too.

[Composite]

I don't do German lids nowadays but that looks like an interesting piece.

...and it's nice to see that no one has jumped in (yet at least) with the often used and unhelpful "FAKE!" post. Lets see.....

I did read here somewhere recently an interesting exchange about the amount of info which they actually put in their helmets and how too much is being applied by fakers which is apparently a bit of a give-away. You're very lucky that those last 5 numbers were so clear - is that all you needed to obtain all that info? (except the name of course but presumably there could've been other "Jaksch"s) - sorry but I'm not familiar with the numbering system...

[BlackCat1982]

The German feldpostnummer system used 5 digits, and sometimes a letter to denote unit and kompanies within. He was lucky that the number was complete.

[real steel]

This is somewhat impressive, the helmet & the research. An attributed Stalingrad helmet ! Nice job scoring it & identifying it

[MAP]

For what it is worth.....I see not problems with the helmet itself. Enlarged photos get me comfortable.

Nice score.

[Glenn66]

How did you get the record?

I was under the impression records were only available to family members?

[hucks216]

How did you get the record?

I was under the impression records were only available to family members?

The Feldpost Numbers are online as are the Volksbund Database entries. The Volksbund doesn't give the unit details but if you have the Feldpost Number then you can use that to narrow down the unit for the required time period.
For what it is worth the DRK Missing in Action files are also online which contain photos of the MIA soldiers - but as with the Volksbund & Feldpost Numbers they are not complete and not every entry has a photo.

If you wish to obtain the detailed service history of an individual then you need to contact WASt and it is them that tend to only provide those details to the Next of Kin.

With the entry above, he wasn't actually killed on 1st January 1943 but Volksbund tend to use that as a generic Missing/Killed In Action date for those lost at Stalingrad where they don't have any further information.