Looking for any helpful info on my Grandfather.

I am a newbie to most military language/jargon so bear with me. My Grandfather is from Bremen, Germany and on a trip with a cousin to Dallas, Texas he met my Grandmother, an American citizen, they fell in love and she went to Bremen and they married. Then he was drafted into the German Army. I have a couple of pictures, and a small amt. of a paper trail but we know his last letter was from what he called the, H.K.L. Hauptkampflinie. the end of the letter is signed, Private W. Heckmann, APO no.59693D He mentions he is in a small bunker, and after 4 days of rest at the rear his feet are somewhat better, but he is sick of it all. My Grandma also said his feet were frozen. The top of the letter is dated 16th day of February, 1945 and Kurland before the date. I am trying to scan the 3 docs that I have. His full name is: Wilhelm Heckmann Lehde
BD. 31 Dec. 1908
Any info would be very much appreciated! Holly View attachment 14762

 

I hope someone can help you. I was able to get help with 4 relatives from the nice people here and found out about all there was available about them, I'm sure someone will offer some knowledge.

 

Welcome, Holly. Hope to hear more about your parents. I am curious about your grandmother being American and married to a German soldier in WWII. A difficult situation, I would imagine.

Good luck with your searching.

 

Thanks Krystal.

 

I hope they can, I scanned the document and couldn't bring the original home, so its all I have for now. thanks

 

thanks Clementine, the story has always fascinated me and the older I get the more incredible it becomes, not only did she fall in love with a German gentleman but after they married my Mom was born on Aug.22, 1939 which is a terrible time in Germany! Her brothers back in America were soldiers as well and one of them actually had to fly over and bomb the very town in Germany they were in....my Grandmother just passed away last week and I finally got a few documents, the older she got the less she would talk about this. thanks for wishing me success!

 

In what way can we be of assistance?

 

Hi did he die during the war? if yes you may be able to find out from German files as the germans were notorious at keeping records, i can't remember the name but their is in Germany a place where if the death reported, you may have some luck.

good luck,

 

Here is some information I found about German service records:

German WWII Miltiary Personnel Records

The personnel records of the Wehrmacht are not yet available online. The good news is that the personnel records that have survived World War II are
are kept by two central archives: The "Zentralnachweisstelle des Bundesarchives" (Central Reference Office of the Federal Archive), and the "Deutsche Dienststelle für die Benachrichtigung der nächsten Angehörigen von Gefallenen der ehemaligen deutschen Wehrmacht" (German Agency for Information of Next-of-Kins of Soldiers of the former Wehrmacht killed in Action). Despite its official name, the latter
authority does not only keep records of those killed in action, but of all members of the armed forces.



-- The Zentralnachweisstelle des Bundesarchivs --

The Zentralnachweisstelle keeps about 15 kilometers of personnel files
of the former Wehrmacht.

The Zentralnachweisstelle is bound to the strict regulations of the
Federal Archives Law; information on former Wehrmacht soldiers is only
provided:
- with approval of that person, should he still be alive
- with approval of his next-of-kins, should he be dead for less than 30 years
- without restrictions, should he be dead for 30 or more years

Requests for personal data are the more likely to be successful the
more of the following information on the former soldier can be
provided by the applicant:
- Family Name
- First Name
- Place of Birth
- Date of Birth
- Last Service Grade
- Last Service Unit

The archive's services are subject to fees. Here is full contact information:

Bundesarchiv
Zentralnachweisstelle
Abteigarten 6
52076 Aachen
Germany
--
Phone: +49(0)2408-147-0
Fax: +49(0)2408-147-37
E-Mail: zns@barch.bund.de
Website: http://www.bundesarchiv.de/aufgaben_organisation/abteilungen...




-- The Deutsche Dienststelle --

The Deutsche Dienststelle (formerly Wehrmachtsauskunftstelle für
Kriegerverluste und Kriegsgefangene) keeps about 300 million personal
data records of all kinds.

Unlike the Zentralnachweisstelle, they are not bound to the
regulations of the Federal Archives Law. Therefore, they will provide
personal information:
- with approval of the former soldier
- without restrictions if the person is dead for more than 10 years

The services are subject to fees. An English version of their website
is available, online requests are possible. Here is full contact
information:

Deutsche Dienststelle (WASt)
Eichborndamm 179
13403 Berlin
Germany
--
Phone: +49(0)30-41904-0
Fax: +49(0)30-41904-100
E-Mail: St.Ihlenburg@dd-wast.de
Website: http://com-de.com/wast/

 

I would like to fill in the blanks such as what he did in the German Army, what was his title, anything really, no one discussed this in my family except to clarify that he wasn't considered a Nazi and was so sick of the war, just wanted to get home. We don't really understand or know much about his experience. Also his death is a bit of a mystery. Any books to read, or a certain direction.

 

Thanks I will look into these websites. I believe I need to begin with understanding his unit, rank, etc. I don't understand the APO No. or what it means that he is a Private (only that he is a basic soldier?) Kind of embarrassed to admit I am pretty ignorant on military things. But I can learn thanks for reading.

 

Thank you, I believe the Red Cross letter to my Grandmother labeled him as MIA, but she thinks he was captured by the Russians and froze to death.

 

Looking on the card with his name, he must have been a gefreiter. That's a corporal.
But I can't find any information regarding to the units numbers that are mentioned. Any help anybody?

 

Hi Holly,

great story your Grandpa had.

I´m not so good in the old Suetterlin typo but with your OK, i can send the letter to some good friends which can translate it. It only needs a bit of time.

If you like to get more official informations on him. please try it at the WASt ( Wehrmachtsauskunftstelle) if there is a official record of your Grandpa, they will send it to you. It only costs a few Dollars but it will last some months because their stock with datas is more than giant!

Here´s a link to it

DEUTSCHE DIENSTSTELLE (WASt)

 

Forgot to mention, the FP.Nr. 59693D is the postal number for the 3rd Company of the Landesschuetzen-Batallion 307. Later renamed into Sicherungsbatallion 307. After seeing action with heavy losses at the beginning of 1945 at the Kurland aera ´it was renewed and subordinated to the 24.th Infantery-Division. This Division surrendered in May 1945 at Aizupe in the Kurland region.

 

Yes please, any help, I am reading and researching, and just 20 min. ago discovered the old Suetterlin style myself. I am patient, I have respected my Grandma by not asking for a long time, she who passed away last week at 93 yrs. of age, i flew to Houston and got a few documents to get me started, just need to convince my Mom to save all of this, I have longed to seek out this info for over 30 yrs. so I definitely have patience. thanks!

 

OK, Holly i´ll pass it to the guys to translate it. And Thanks for the Likes! Can you PM it to me in a higher resolution?

 

Holly Ulrich will get the job done translating for you no problem, let me again confirm that WAsT is whom you need to contact and be prepared to identify yourself as kin of the relative lost, I ahd to do the same with a cousin in the Luftwaffe and they exceeded my expectations some years ago with the info sent. Also somehow to transfer some monies to them would be of help as they are continually understaffed and please not it may take up to 6 months before you receive your initial reply.

if you are interested in the Kurland battleground let me share that one of our members PaulE has been there several times and may be a good contact to reach through PM. also the book called : Bridgehead Kurland written by Franz Kurowski. Overviews of the 6 major engagements on this insane battlefield. probably a good look at amazon.com for a cheaper copy.

alles Gut and incidently the 24th Infantire Div was situated with the Waffen SS 19th Latvian Division in March of 1945 the 24th being commanded by Generalmajor Schultz. The letter dated in your first posting was after the terrible 4th battel but right before the start of the 5th Battle of Kurland.

 

Don´t know if you have any skills in German language, here is a website with letters from soldiers of the 2nd. Company, 307 Sicherungs Bataillon and from the 24th Infanterie Division out of the Kurlandkessel.

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