SS Ersatzkommandos Train Ticket to Posen

**sitges1990** · 01-02-2010, 09:39 PM

This is a train ticket for an SS soldier from Hoenstein to the Samter station of Posen I purchased several years ago. It is signed by an SS Obersturmfuhrer, but I have been unable to identify the signature. The date of the ticket is 03-12-44. The name on the back of the ticket is to SS Ostubaf Ain Mere. Does anyone have any idea of who was the Kommandeur of the Des SS-Ersatzkommandos - Estland on the above date? Thanks for any help you can give.

**Espenlaub Militaria** · 01-02-2010 09:39 PM

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**Paul D** · 01-03-2010, 05:20 PM

Ain-Ervin Mere was a very well known Estonian SS officer.

He commanded the the Estonian Sicherheitspolizei formed after the German occupation of Estonia during 1942-1943 , he later volunteered to join the Estonian legion and by early 1944 he was an SS Sturmbannfuhrer and Waffen SS Btl Commander , commanding the I Btl of SS Waffen Gren Regt 46 in the 20th Waffen Grenadier Div der SS ( Estnische no 1 ) .

He survived the war and died and is buried in England.

**Paul D** · 01-03-2010, 05:23 PM

Ain-Erwin Mere

**Paul D** · 01-03-2010, 06:18 PM

In Feb 1944 the Ersatzkommando Estland der Waffen SS was under the command of Waffen Oberfuhrer Johannes Soodla .

Whether Soodla was still in command in Dec 1944 i'm not sure.

**sitges1990** · 01-03-2010, 10:27 PM

Hi Paul, thank you very much for the info! I can't believe how much information you had. It's great to know what happened to him because the ticket is for Dec. 3, 1944 and Posen was encircled by the Russians on Feb. 2, 1945, falling on Feb. 23, 1945.
He was just a lucky guy I guess to get out before it was too late.

Interestingly enough, several years ago, I purchased a large grouping of documents for a very small expense, and this ticket was folded inside some other paperwork in the grouping. It was a very wonderful suprise indeed to find this ticket mixed in. I guess Ain Mere's luck rubbed off on me. Now maybe I can get lucky and find his ticket out of Posen back to Germany. Thanks again Paul you're a champ! Jay

**Paul D** · 01-03-2010, 10:41 PM

My pleasure Jay i'll see what else i can find for you

Did any of the other paperwork relate to the Estonian SS ?

**sitges1990** · 01-03-2010, 11:15 PM

No, all the rest of the paper work was Wehrmacht bills for food from vendors in and around Posen. There was also some factory orders where the Wehrmacht was buying stuff from local businesses. I am embarassed to tell you that I have not researched very much of the paperwork,and my German is not good, but I know there were no other SS related documents. I have no idea how this ticket got mixed in with it. I was just lucky I guess, and I'm rarely lucky. Thanks again! Jay

**sitges1990** · 01-03-2010, 11:35 PM

Since he was in the Waffen SS that means he was in an fighting battalion then, right? I was under the impression that most of the Estonian SS was either in the camps or the more sinister Eizatzgruppen killer squads.

**Paul D** · 01-03-2010, 11:47 PM

Hi Jay,

The History of the Estonian SS units is quite complex but suffice to say the majority of them were Waffen SS combat units.

They were formed originaly as the Estonian Legion in early 1943 , then becoming the 3rd Estonian SS Freiwillegen Briagade and then in early1944 they were formed into the 20th Estonian SS Divison where they fought in defence of their homeland at the Narwa Front and also as Kampfgruppe in southern estonia in august / sept 1944.

Ain Mere commanded his unit in combat during the early fighting at the Narwa front.

He had previously been a Major in the Estonian Air force until he took command of the Estonian Sicherheitspolizei , he was later accused of war crimes whilst commanding the Sicherheitspolizei whcih were involved in the Concentration / labour camp system which the Germans established in Estonia.