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Anschriftenverzeichnis der Fallsch-Aufklärungs-Kompanie 1
A very interesting unit address book from a veteran of Fallschirm-Aufklärungs-Kompanie 1.
The address book was compiled by a veteran of the unit and given out in May 2000, the 55th anniversary of the war’s end. There are 14 pages that contain the names, addresses, and phone numbers for 190 veterans from the unit. Even those that passed away before 2000 are still listed in the same manner with the addition of their passing date. I would think this is the entirety of those that survived the war. The unit was said to have had 250-300 men but I would say it was 250 at the most. I have found six men killed during the war, five of which I could find a casualty card for. I know eight more names not found in the booklet but also cannot find proof of them being casualties without their first names.
Just a few points of interest I found within the contents. Of the 190 names, 185 were still living in Germany. One was living in an unkown location, one in Australia, two in the US, and one in Bolivia. That last one particularly caught my eye so I decided to look into it further. He had moved to Bolivia and was living in Cochabamba- the same city that Klaus Barbie was living in! Interesting that he chose to move to Bolivia but for what reason.
Fallschirm-Aufklärungs-Kompanie 1 of the 1. Fallschirmjäger Division was set up on 1 July 1944. It was comprised of transfers from the Fallschirm-MG-Bataillon and all of the veterans in the recently dissolved Fallsch-Kradschützen-Kompanie 1 and Fallsch-Sturmgeschütz-Abt 1. The kompanie was under command by Hauptmann Joachim Pagels until he was killed during the fall back to Rimini. Leadership then fell to Hauptmann Horst Rudolff. There were 5 zuge within the kompanie: Kradschützen, MG, Granatwerfer, Pionier, and Püppchen.
The kompanie was fighting on green line (S197) in August together with a kampfgruppe of Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 4 under Hauptmann Heinz Schmücker. In early September they led the retreat to green line II (S199). About two weeks later, the unit joined up with Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 1 at Rimini. The unit likely traveled with FJR1 during the slow retreat up Highway 9 to Bologna after abandoning Rimini. The 115km retreat to Bologna was very slow because the Fallschirmjäger stopped in every major city along the highway in order to ambush the advancing Allied forces. The chronicle of the unit once evacuating Bologna for positions further north until the war’s end is not known to me. They may have continued on to Verona with FJR1.
Like many of the Feld Divisions and smaller Fallschirmjäger units, there is almost no literary references to be found on this unit. The most comprehensive is a collection of personal accounts that was compiled by surviving veterans sometime after the war. This book, Rot scheint die Sonne - Eine Kompanie schreibt ihre Geschichte, was only published for the veterans and their families so very few exist. The second most comprehensive is Geschichte des FallschJgRegts 4 by RKT and Oberstleutnant Rudi Donth of FJR4. There is also a small amount of information found in Geschichte des Fsch.MG.Btl. und des Fsch.Gr.Werferbtl.1 written by Oberst Günther Klitzing of the MG Bataillon. All are very difficult books to find.
Not much physical value in this booklet but there is a lot of historical value. Not much interest in it because of that, I was the lone bidder. I have begun forming the unit roster using this booklet in the same manner as the FJR1 list.
Ben
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03-29-2023 09:55 PM
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That's impressive research on your part - well done...You might be able to locate some Feldpost Letters from that FP-Nummer as well...
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Hi Ben.
I can only echo Glenn, excellent research and a very interesting read, thank you for sharing this with us.
Kind regards,
Will.
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Hi Ben.
I found the below, which I hope helps.
(post #8 in below link) -
If several units were entered in an FPN (at different times), it is often the case that it is the same troop body, or has been renamed. It could be the case that the function was the same or related.
FPN 43112
3rd company Krad-Transport-Abteilung Flieger-Korps XI
26.7.1944 Column 3 1. Paratroopers-Division
28.10.1944 Parachute-reconnaissance company 1
Fallschirm-Aufklarungs-Kompanie 1 , April bis Mai 1945 - Einheiten der Luftwaffe - Forum der Wehrmacht
(post #11 in below link) -
On July 1, 1944, the parachute reconnaissance company 1 is set up
leadership, training, and formation of the company, Lieutenant Joachim Pagel is commissioned
to do the following Parts dissolved and subordinated to obl Pagel
Fsch Kradschützen Company 1
Fsch assault gun Abt 1
In addition replacement at the discretion of obl Pagels
gez Heidrich
obl pagel fell on September 1st, 1944 at Tomba du Pesaro
company formation
comp. Chief obl. pagels
comp. squad and reporting squadron object light
1st platoon Kradschützenzug ofhr.messner
2nd platoon Smg platoon Obj.zirbrecht
3rd platoon grenade launcher platoon feldw fleehler
4th platoon pioneer platoon ofw. Krassa, according to Lohr
5th train Dolly train according to Rudolph, the. Lotz
hptfw skorski
Fallschirm-Aufklarungs-Kompanie 1 , April bis Mai 1945 - Einheiten der Luftwaffe - Forum der Wehrmacht
It is interesting that the Kolonne and the Aufklarungs-Kompanie appear to share the same F.P.N at the same time. So if I am reading this right, these two units were either 'merged' because of their similar roles, or they are actually the same unit and simply renamed.
43112 (this is from the below link)
(30.7.1941-28.2.1942) 3. Kompanie Krad-Transport-Abteilung Flieger-Korps XI
(23.4.1944-24.11.1944) 26.7.1944 Kolonne 3 1. Fallschirmjager-Division
(23.4.1944-24.11.1944) 28.10.1944 Fallschirm-Aufklarungs-Kompanie
Feldpost numbers: 43000-43999
Kind regards,
Will.
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Ben,
I had seen Herbert Weese too on the DRK liste but had only excluded him due to the location of his death wasn't recorded as in Italien, although I would guess he died as a result of wounds received in action.
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Saw this anschriftenverzeichnis der Fallsch-Kradschützen-Kompanie 1. It was offered by the same contact as the one in the original post. I sat on it too long and now it is gone.
This address booklet from the Kradschützen Kompanie was released in 1975 for the 30th anniversary. It was printed 1 January 1975. Quite a few of the same names show up in both unit’s booklets, but some were not in the Aufklärungs group book. This further laments that many men were pulled from this unit to the next, but not all of them.
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