Post your death notices

[Clunkiest Olives]

This is a pretty interesting one, he was a veteran of WWI but he died in 1936 in Munich. I wonder why? Perhaps disease.

It reads something along the lines of

Pious memory in salvation.
Prayers to loved ones resting in God.
Dear son and brother, honourable man.

[Witt]

That is a death card that has many interesting facets. First that he was already 40-years-old when he died but they used a portrait of him from the Great War. Who knows how he died although it could have been from an illness. He died in München on 12 November 1936. Hitler had been in the city days earlier for the 13th anniversary of the Beer Hall Putsch.

I could not find any information about him anywhere. The card states that he was an honorary citizen of Altusried so he had a greater status in that area, yet I still could not locate anything.

Also looked into the printing service that made of all these cards for his memorial, Xaver Diet of Altusried. They are still in business and for over a hundred years now. The name really has not changed either as it is the ‘Druckerei X. Diet e.K.’

[Clunkiest Olives]

This may be a bit of a long shot, but I did a bit more digging and I did find this individual who shares the same surname and was born in Legau , which is a short way from Altusried.

Anton Kiechle (1906-1945) - Find a Grave Memorial

Perhaps its some relation?

[Witt]

The respective dates and locations of birth could place them as cousins, that is a possibility. I looked on Ancestry and there is information there for both individuals. A casualty card for Anton Kiechle that could be his albeit the information was blurred to me so it might be for someone else. The WW1 records for Philipp are also on there so you could possibly find out units and service dates through that. Finally, there may be some family trees that would say if the two were related or not. I no longer have my membership, but I bring it up so someone in the Old World with access may be able to check these for you.

Regards, Ben

[Willmore]

This is a pretty interesting one, he was a veteran of WWI but he died in 1936 in Munich. I wonder why? Perhaps disease.

It reads something along the lines of

Pious memory in salvation.
Prayers to loved ones resting in God.
Dear son and brother, honourable man.

Hi there.

I found the following information, which I think refers to your man -

Phillipp Kiechle in the Bavaria, Germany, World War I Personnel Rosters, 1914-1918

Name: Phillipp Kiechle
Birth Date: 29 Sep 1894
Birth Place: Altusried B/A Kempten
Combat Arm: Infanterie
Type of Unit: Jäger und Radfahrer
Unit: bayer. Radfahr-Bataillon No. 03
Volume: 11908

It is hard to read but it looks like he may have been wounded on 1.4.1917 (lung, head and right lower leg), then spent time as a POW. Maybe the wounds he received contributed to his early death?



Further research also points to him being wounded, then taken prisoner.

Name: Philipp Kiechle
Residence Year: 1914
Residence Country: Deutschland (Germany)
List Date: 2 Jan 1918)
List Number: 1764
Volume: 1918_XVI



Kiechle, Philipp - 29.9 Altusried, Schwaben - nicht gefallen.
(Verluste Listen 352), sonder verwundet in Gefangenschaft.

Kiechle, Philipp - 29.9 Altusried, Schwaben - not killed in action.
(Loss List 352), but wounded in captivity.


Kind regards,

Will.

[Clunkiest Olives]

Thanks Will!

That’s really great, it’s always so interesting to get more of a back story - makes them all the more human. What’s the date to the right of the page referring to by the way? It states 26.6.17 I think but I can’t read the writing.

Is that from Ancestry?

[Willmore]

Thanks Will!

That’s really great, it’s always so interesting to get more of a back story - makes them all the more human. What’s the date to the right of the page referring to by the way? It states 26.6.17 I think but I can’t read the writing.

Is that from Ancestry?

My pleasure and I totally agree with what you say about making them more human.

I would read it as Heimaturlaub (Home leave).

You are right, I found this information on Ancestry.

Kind regards,

Will.

[Bob Lyons]

Gefreiter Helmut Schmelzer...

[Bob Lyons]

And a couple more of Gefreiter Schmelzer, including a shot of his grave (last one on the right)....

Bob

[Willmore]

Hi Bob.

I found a casualty card for Helmut.

Name: Helmut Schmelzer
Rank Gefreiter
Birth Date: 12 Jan 1917
Birth Place: Neugersdorf-Löbau
Military Unit: 9./Kompanie Infanterie Regiment 103
Death Date: 10 Jun 1940
Death Place: Foret-de-Compiegne

His cause of death is noted as Gefallen: Infanterie Geschuß Kopf (Killed in action: Infantry shot head)

Helmut Schmelzer is buried in the military cemetery in Beauvais, France.
Endgrablage: Block 3 Reihe 17 Grab 706



Kind regards,

Will.