Sterbebild, Casualty card and Volksbund anomaly

[Willmore]

Hello everyone.

Anyone who researches German soldiers will know that there are often anomalies with the various record resources.

I have a Sterbebild to a Gebirgsjäger and it states he died on 16.5.1943, but when I researched the soldier what I found didn't add up.


Volksbund information -

Xaver Schröck
Date of birth: 11.8.1921
Place of birth: Ramsdorfer-Einöde
Death/missing date: 16.3.1943
Death/missing place: Höhe 1122 bei Berane
Service rank: Jäger
Xaver Schröck is buried in the military cemetery in Podgorica (Montenegro)
Endgrablage: Block 2 Reihe 1 Grab 11


Casuatly card information -

Xaver Schröck
Birth date: 11.8.1921
Birth Place: Ramsdorfer-Einöde/Ndb
Military Rank: Jäger
Military Unit: 3./Kompanie Gebirgsjäger Regiment 99
Death date: 8.3.1942
Death Place: ubgegeben - Hauptverbandplatz. 3km nordlich Bessabotowka (Russland)

Erfrierg : 2 gr. b. Füsse = Erfrierung : 2 Grad bei Füße.
Frostbite : 2 (second) Grade/degree in the feet


Normally Casualty cards are straight forward, but in this case I think it states an injury and not a cause of death. My question is, has anyone seen this on a Casualty card before?

What I can say is that I'm sure it is the same soldier, having the same name, date and place of birth.

Any and all options are most welcome!

Kind regards,

Will

[BlackCat1982]

There is quite a distance between the location he died and the location he was injured though.

[Willmore]

Hi BlackCat.

Thank you for the comment.

From looking at the Volksbund and Casualty card information, it seems that members of the Stab, 1./ and 3./GJR99 who fell in or near Bessabatowka are buried or mentioned in the memorial book of the War Cemetary located in Charkiw, Ukraine. I am beginning to think that the Sterbebild for Xaver has the correct date of death, the Volksbund date is incorrect but the burial infomation is correct and the Casualty card shows a frostbite injury that he seems to have recovered from.

I found a few Casualty cards and Volksbund entries for other members of 3./Kompanie Gebirgsjäger Regiment 99 who fell in May 1943 in or near the Berane area in Montenegro. For example, Albert Bietsch is buried in the same cemetery in Block 2 Reihe 1 Grab 4 and Wilhelm Landermann is buried in Block 2 Reihe 1 Grab 10. (Xaver Schröck is buried in Block 2 Reihe 1 Grab 11). That hints to me that they died in the same area around the same time.

Volksbund information for the two soldiers mentioned above -

Albert Bietsch
Date of birth: 4.5.1916
Place of birth: Westerhofen
Death date: 15.5.1943
Death place: Zari/Berane
Service rank: Obergefreiter
Unit: 3./Kompanie Gebirgsjäger Regiment 99
Albert Bietsch is buried in the military cemetery in Podgorica (Montenegro)
Endgrablage: Block 2 Reihe 1 Grab 4

Wilhelm Landermann
Date of birth: 15.11.1923
Place of birth: Hidessen
Death date: 15.5.1943
Death Place: Zari (Berane) Montenegro
Service rank: Gefreiter
Unit: 3./Kompanie Gebirgsjäger Regiment 99
Wilhelm Landermann is buried in the military cemetery in Podgorica (Montenegro)
Endgrablage: Block 2 Reihe 1 Grab 10

What bothers me is that I have only seen injuries that caused a death on the Casualty cards before.


Kind regards,

Will

[BlackCat1982]

It's strange for sure. Can't say I've come across anything like that before. Could it be that the casualty card is filled in when the individual is injured/hospitalised and then gets annotated if/when they later succumb to injuries?

[Willmore]

It is a strange one.

I really like your theory BlackCat and to me that would make perfect sense. I have seen a lot of cards that have been updated to reflect a change in circumstances, often in a totally different handwriting style.

[Willmore]

Hello everyone.

After additional research the theory about a mistake with the casualty card was correct.

Here is another casualty card for Xaver that shows his actual death date. As BlackCat suggested, it appears to show that these casualty cards were filled out for injuries and hospitalisations, not just for deaths.




Kind regards,

Will.