Search for information of Josef Giglberger, a 17 year old Fallschirmjäger.

After a few hours spending my free time on the internet reading about various ww2 articles regarding the aftermath of the Bulge. I stumbled upon this ww2 death card of a 17 year old, (young)... Fallschirmjäger who died on the 1st of March 1945 in a small town near the town of Prüm. I didn't hesitated for a second and bought the death card from a seller in the USA, and after a few days it was here, in the Netherlands.



Josef Giglberger was recruited from the RAD and assigned to the 5th Fallschirmjäger Division which was during the period of Feb / March redouced to a small 1000 combat ready troops after having lost heavy casualties during the battle of the Bulge where the division fought south of Bastogne and through Luxembourg and back.
Its task was to take defensive positions along the Prüm river and hold off the US 4th Infantry division who tried to cross the river early March. The 5th FJD was no match against the strong US troops in that region and again had to pull back very soon with heavy casulties and could only delay the US troops by fighting in the villages, but mostly by destroying roads, bridges and placing anti tank mines.
After 2 days the remnants of the division reached the Kyll river and took positions overthere, only to be overrun in a few days and the retreat further into Germany began.

After recieving the death card a few weeks ago I visited the Eifel last weekend and some German wargrave's in the region of Prüm and after a while I found him.


Lost but not forgotten.






I always find it very interesting put a face by the story, now I hope to locate some family or someone who can help me to track this story further down. If somebody here has any advise, I'm all ears.

- Don't know if this topic is posted in the right forum board, if not I apologize.

 

That is good work. An excellent example of how the acquisition of a seemingly 'minor' piece of militaria can lead to deeper research and understanding.

 

Excellent work. Hope we´ll hear more of this.

 

Thank you both for the replies.
Currently I have a few other death cards in my sight who were killed during the bulge or after. Hopefully I can locate the graves of them as well.
I just laminated a copie of the death card of Josef Giglberger and I'm planning to put it near his grave the next time I visit the Eifel.

 

Good work! Give the name a face. My Grandpa served in the 1st and 2nd Fallschirmjägerdivision, he survived.

 

Thats very interesting. Where did he fought? On the East?
Till know I'm only been reading about the 3rd and 5th FJD as they fought in the Bulge.

 

He fought on different Places. Like Russia, Crete, Africa, Sicilly, Italy, Brest, Normandy, Netherlands and ended up in the Ruhrpocket.

 

As always good work Gentlemen. Ulrich, wasn't he in the same unit as your grandfather ?

 

Hi Skipper, no my Grandpa´s last unit was in the 6.Abt./II.Batterie/2.Fallschirmjägerregiment. And before he was in the FJR. Ramcke and the 1.Fallschirmjägerregiment.