Ambush at Poteau photo

German SS and Waffen-SS 1923-1945.
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RJH57
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Ambush at Poteau photo

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on the "Waffen SS History" page on facebook, the soldier in the well known "Ambush at Poteau" photo (see attached URL) supposedly "was Walter Ambrush", "is known as Hans Tragarsky" and is named "Heinz Maeger" in a History Channnel screen shot. Claims that he "fought from the first day until the last day of WWII". To survive as a Waffen SS "grunt" over that long period of time borders on the miraculous. Says he was born 1921 and joined the LAH when he was 17. That would have been in 1938. The LAH did not become a full division until 1940, after the Blitzkrieg. He claims to have surrendered to US Troops close to Vienna but that he and many of his comrades where given to the Russians. I do not believe there were any US troops close to Vienna. I did not know that some 1.SS "LAH" soldiers were turned over to the Russians, unlike the unfortunate 3.SS "Totenkopf" division men. The "Totenkopf" soldiers were forcibly turned over by American troops to the Russians north of the Danube at Linz.in Austria. Prior to the end of hostilites, the agreed upon demarcation line between US and Soviet trrops was the Enns river in central Austria. Everyone, soldiers & refugees tried to reach and cross to the western side of the Enns River to get away from the Russians and surrender to the Americans coming from the west. But some brave Waffen SS men sacrificed themselves and kept on fighting the Russians for 2 or 3 _AFTER_ the cessation of hostilities in order to give fleeing refugees a chance to escape from the bestial Russians.
Any ideas, opinions, facts on who the soldier is in "Ambush at Poteau" photo?

https://1drv.ms/i/s!AkGpC4yjaS1olA-l3nGMUqBOLJGM
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Simon H
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Re: Ambush at Poteau photo

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This photo has been discussed at length here and elsewhere:
It is not Heinz Maeger. Maeger didn't participate in the Bulge. He got wounded in late 1943 and after that he served in a medical unit, his book is still in print.
Simon Harrold

WW2 Battlefield Relics: German Erkennungsmarken decoded.
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RJH57
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Re: Ambush at Poteau photo

Post by RJH57 »

Simon H wrote:This photo has been discussed at length here and elsewhere:
It is not Heinz Maeger. Maeger didn't participate in the Bulge. He got wounded in late 1943 and after that he served in a medical unit, his book is still in print.
the book you're referring to was written by HERBERT Maeger, not the _Heinz_ Maeger in the History Channel screen shot. Thanks for your reply nevertheless.
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Simon H
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Re: Ambush at Poteau photo

Post by Simon H »

From what has been said elsewhere the man in the documentary named as Heinz Maeger is Herbert. The soldier in the Poteau film/photos remains unidentified although there was some spurious posts that his name was one Hans Tragarsky and he passed away on January 07, 2011. There is, as far as I know still no definitive answer to the soldiers ID. And yet the fascination appears to still hold good. Perhaps because of the visual evidence and the known location. If only every old soldier was given such attention.
Simon Harrold

WW2 Battlefield Relics: German Erkennungsmarken decoded.
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