WW2 German Death Card for Mother and 3 children killed during Aerial Bombing.

[Heartfeltzero]

The card was made by a husband who lost his wife and three children all in the same day.

The Wife/Mother:
Mrs Helene Hufnagl, born on July 23rd 1920, aged 24.

The three children:
Hermann Hufnagl, born on June 21st 1940, aged 4

Helga Hufnagl, born on September 7th 1941, aged 3

Edith Hufnagl, born on November 19th 1942, aged 2

The card states that all 4 were killed in the “Terrorist Attack” on Mühldorf on March 19th 1945.

I found some photos online of a B-24M dropping bombs on Mühldorf on March 19th 1945, so it’s likely they were killed by the very bombs being dropped in the photo.


This is what the aerial view looks like today

[Willmore]

A very sad death card for sure and a perfect example of how civilians suffered appallingly during the war.

Name: Helene Hufnagl
Birth Date: 23 July 1920
Death Age: 24
Death Date: 19 March 1945
Residence: Martin Greif Straße 11 mühldorf
Death Place: Mühldorf, Bayern (Bavaria), Deutschland (Germany)
Mother: Anna Bauer [born Anna Demberger]
Certificate Number: 68
Reference Information: StB Mühldorf 18
Die Verstorbene war verheiratet mit dem Werk meister Ludwig Hufnagl, wohnhaft in Muhldorf
(The deceased was married to the foreman Ludwig Hufnagl, who lived in Muhldorf)
Eheschließung der Verstorbenen am 4 Oktober 1940
(Marriage of the deceased on 4th October 1940)

[Willmore]

I have circled the street where the Family lived in red on the photo and the modern map (The picture is orientated to the north). The railway yard straddles the top of the photo directly above Martin Greif Straße.

Martin Greif Straße -
Google Maps

[Willmore]

Mission No. 196

19 March 1945

Target: Muhldorf Marshalling Yard, Germany

One hundred pound general purpose bombs were used by the Group in attacking the marshalling yard at Muhldorf, Germany, on 19 March. A great deal of damage was done to the target, but the bomb pattern was scattered over a comparatively large area. Of the thirty-five planes led over the target by Captain Thackston, only one was hit by flak. Unfortunately, however, a man was injured in the damaged airplane. Colonel Lawhon, flying in the tail end position of the formation, finished his tour of combat duty with this mission.

March 1945 Missions

[Heartfeltzero]

Very sad all around. Thank you for the additional information. Very unique to be able to see their road right next to the bombed out areas.

[Willmore]

Anatomy of a Mission: Muhldorf, Germany - 19 March 1945

Kind regards,

Will.

Bill Neutzling's B-24 Liberator: Anatomy of a Mission

[BlackCat1982]

Cause and effect, right there. Sadly mankind still hasn't learned from such lessons.

[toot]

it is indeed a very sad card. it is the first one of mutter und kinder, being killed, that I have ever seen. didn't know that there were ones for family's?.

[Milcollector1914]

it is indeed a very sad card. it is the first one of mutter und kinder, being killed, that I have ever seen. didn't know that there were ones for family's?.

Cards would occasionally be made for multiple victims of the same event, but they are rare. In addition to families, I have seen a handful of group cards for flight crews who all died in the same plane, as well as a very rare card commemorating the one-year anniversary for several civilians from Altotting who were executed by the SS after attempting to negotiate the towns surrender to US forces.

Burgermorde von Altotting – Wikipedia

[Heartfeltzero]

I actually have one of the Altotting cards