Interesting EK1 ! - but HELP!

**zook** · 06-14-2021, 01:16 AM

Hello folks ...
I recently acquired an interesting award is attributed to an Oblt Herbert Trautmann. [/I]
I received it with a few other items, but very little other provenance. Here is what I know: ObLt Trautmann served as a pioneer ... in fact, it appears he served the war in the 655th pioneer battalion. He was awarded to GAB on 21 Sept 1941.
He was awarded the attached EK1 in Sept 1944. I know (from a DRL certificate that he was born in 1913 in Saxony region. I'd like to discover when he passed away, but how can I find that? (he did survive war, and his grand-daughter released these awards from family to a collector/friend in early 2000).

Please see attached. What is interesting is the back of the EK1 shows his etched name, and Pirna/Elbe (which I assume that is where he is actually from). I can't make out the bottom text in the etching …it seems like it is “ka /11” or “kan1” … then directly below it says “e/12c” I think ..

I am also trying to find more about his 655th Pioneer battalion. It seems like they were part of the 16th Army at the start of Barbarossa? ... then their location kind of dries up on me. I appreciate any info on the unit and the date Oblt Trautmann passed away, if you can point me to that data! Thanks for reading this! Dan

**Espenlaub Militaria** · 06-14-2021 01:16 AM

We also buy and trade your items and full collections!

**Willmore** · 06-14-2021, 01:50 AM

Hi Dan.

Here is some information on Pionier-Bataillon 655 (In German).

Pionier-Bataillon 655

As you say, they appear to have been part of the 16th Army (Page 2).

https://usacac.army.mil/sites/defaul...er/941GAAA.pdf

**Willmore** · 06-14-2021, 02:06 AM

It looks like award document was signed by General Hermann Foertsch (4 April 1895 – 27 December 1961).

Hermann Foertsch - Wikipedia

Photo for signature comparison courtesy of -

Wehrmacht-Awards.com Militaria Forums

**zook** · 06-14-2021, 04:07 AM

Thank you Gents! ...
and after I posted this EK1, I actually found him! ..and his obituary. He died in May 2005. I just needed to do some searches in German. It appears that he was a public servant in the town of Gifhorn, Germany. There is a Platz named after him, and apparently his war record made him the center of some controversy, but little details are given. There are several articles about his working with housing and development, but everything starts around 1956. I am thinking that because he is from Saxony, served on the eastern front AND settled (post-war) in the eastern part of Germany, he was most likely a POW for a term.