Hi Santi.
Here is the information for one of the soldiers.
Name: Joachim Fischbach
Rank: Leutnant der Reserve
Birth Date: 22 December 1913
Birth Place: Niesbaden-Bieberich
Military Unit: 9./Kompanie Infanterie Regiment 87
Death Date: 14 June 1940
Death Place: Straße Zwischen Bethincourt und Malancourt (road berween Bethincourt and Malancourt)
His cause of death is noted as Gefallen: Infanterie Geschuß Kopf (Killed in action: Infantry shot head)
Joachim Fischbach is buried in the military cemetery in Andilly, France.
Endgrablage: Block 15 Reihe 7 Grab 522.
It looks like Joachim may have been posthumously promoted to Oberleutnant according to his Volksbund entry.
Unfortunately I couldn't positively identify Obergefreiter Messner.
Kind regards
Will.
A sprawling cemetery......
Goldap was planned by the German staff as one of the strongholds guarding East Prussia from the Red Army. As a result of heavy fighting for the city and the regions directly east of it, in August and September 1944, 90% of the town was yet again destroyed. It was the first town of Germany to fall. However, in November 1944 the Wehrmacht reconquered Goldap and would be able to keep it until the end of December of the same year. In January, the German positions in far-eastern East Prussia broke down completely.
Obergefreiter Wilhelm Fasbender
7.3.21 - 4.11.44
Perhaps the photos are taken in November 1944
Hi Santi.
Here are the details of two of the soldiers from the photo in post #284.
Name: Paul Kramer
Rank: Schirrmeister
Birth Date: 14 June 1915
Birth Place: Weitendorf
Military Unit: 8./Kompanie Schtützen Regiment 25
Death Date: 20 July 1941
Death Place: Redkino
His cause of death is noted as Gefallen: Arrillerie Geschuß Kopf (killed in action: Artillery shot head)
Paul Kramer has not yet been transferred to a military cemetery set up by the Volksbund.
According to the information available to us, his grave is currently in the following place: Rudnja / Smolensk - Russland Place: Redkino.
Name: Werner Wietholtz
Rank: Gefreiter
Birth Date: 10 January 1911
Birth Place: Massow, Naugard
Military Unit: 8./Kompanie Schtützen Regiment 25
Death Date: 20 July 1941
Death Place: Redkino
His cause of death is noted as Gefallen: Artillerie Geschuß Bauch (killed in action: Artillery shot abdomen)
Werner Wietholtz has not yet been transferred to a military cemetery set up by the Volksbund.
According to the information available to us, his grave is currently in the following place: Rudnja / Smolensk - Russland.
There are five more casualty cards for members of 8./Kompanie Schtützen Regiment 25. They all appear to have been killed in the same incident. They are Gerhard-Eduard Schöfer, Hermann Hellwig, Erwin Wolter, Paul Finn and Wilhelm Richartz. I suspect the grave on the right of the photo belongs to Wilhelm Richartz. I say this because it looks like the first name on the cross is written as Wilh which is a shorter way of writing Wilhelm.
Last edited by Willmore; 06-02-2024 at 02:50 PM.
No casualty cards unfortunately, but here are the Volksbund entries for the soldiers I could identify.
Third photo -
Name: Otto Pries
Date of birth: 28.05.1926
Place of birth: Hänigsen
Death/missing date: 31.10.1944
Death/missing place: Goldap-Höhe
Service rank: Pionier
Otto Pries is buried in the military cemetery in Bartossen / Bartosze (Poland).
During the re-interment activities in his original burial location, it was not possible to identify him without any trace of doubt, so he has been buried
as an "unknown soldier" in the cemetery Bartossen / Bartosze.
Name:Fritz Brückner
Date of birth: 11.08.1916
Place of birth: Cummersdorf
Death/missing date: 23.10.1944
Death/missing place: Eckberg
Service rank: Leutnant
Fritz Brückner is buried in the military cemetery in Bartossen / Bartosze, Poland.
Endgrablage: Block 6 Reihe 30 Grab 1463.
Fifth photo -
Name: Wilhelm Faßbender
Date of birth: 07.03.1921
Place of birth: Jüchen
Death/missing date: 04.11.1944
Death/missing place: Goldap
Service rank: Obergefreiter
Wilhelm Faßbender is buried in the military cemetery in Bartossen / Bartosze, Poland.
Endgrablage: Block 6 Reihe 31 Grab 1538.
Kind regards,
Will.
Hi Will, as always you leave me speechless. Thanks a lot
Regards
Santi
My pleasure Santi.
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