Article about: That depends really Dagon, i can read the printed words on the death cards but actual handwritting can be a totally different matter, it can be quite difficult sometimes but i could try
This is a pretty interesting one, the likes of which I have never come across.
Stabsgefreiter Franz Haas, a 45-year-old wound badge in silver recipient, KIA 27.4.45 in Leer, Ostfriesland. He was a member of a Kriegsmarine grenadier regiment.
Late in the war, as the Kriegsmarine ran out of ships for its personnel to crew, the Wehrmacht formed two Kriegsmarine naval infantry divisions, with three grenadier regiments each. These divisions were completed with typical support battalions such as engineer, reconnaissance, artillery, etc. Both of them saw action against the Allies in northwestern Germany.
Unteroffizier Rudolf Beutlhauser, a 24-year-old Stuka pilot KIA on January 9th, 1940.
This one came with multiple newspaper clippings with detailed funeral information. I think that the time frame of his death, when German casualties were quite low, plus the fact that he was a pilot, probably caused the German newspapers in his hometown to go off the deep end with reporting it.
Obergefreiter Bernhard Weichinger, radioman in a bomber group. He was killed in an accident 12 kilometers south of Kirovograd on April 26th, 1942, at the age of 23.
Luftwaffe Feldwebel Josef Schidrich, killed in a "terror attack" on April 5th, 1944.
Although he was killed by partisans, cards like this go to show that the word "terrorist" has been used for decades to mean 'enemies of the state'.
Beg to differ, Mo. "Terrorangriff" refers to an Allied bomber raid.
By the way, the Beutelhauser grouping mentions the mayor of Straubing, Josef Reiter, taking part in the funeral, also acting as the head of the SS delegation. We actually have a thread on him: Sta 31 Niederbayern portrait.
I'll take the liberty to add the photo of your grouping to that.
A sad reminder of the tragic loss of intelligentsia throughout the war:
Schuetze Georg Hessenhofer, a doctorate student of philosophy, KIA 5.6.40 while leading a heavy mortar team in Saint Riquier, France, at the age of 28.
He is buried at the German war cemetery in Bourdon, at Block 27 Reihe 9 Grab 349.
Three Kaltenbacher brothers, all killed in the East Front.
Unteroffizier Johann Kaltenbacher, funk-meldereiter (I think a horseback radioman???) in an artillery regiment. He died on 21.9.41 at the age of 26 at Feldlazarett 239 in Tschernoboj, and is buried at the war cemetery in Kiev, at Block 4 Reihe 25 Grab 2136.
Obergefreiter Thomas Kaltenbacher, EKII, Ostmedaille, Infanteriesturmabzeichen, and Verwundetenabzeichen holder, and member of a grenadier regiment, KIA 5.8.43 in the East at the age of 24.
Feldwebel Georg Kaltenbacher, platoon leader in a grenadier regiment, KIA 7.7.44 in heavy defensive fighting in the East at the age of 27.
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