Eastern Front, Russia pics, 1941-42

[cassarnold]

Hi, Here are some pics I found in my deceased mother's archives of her uncle who was killed in Russia 1942. My family was from East Prussia.

Mainly sharing for interest, but comments and insights are welcome. thanks,

Cassandra

[tigre]

Hello Cassandra ; thanks for sharing those pictures with us . Do you know where your mother's uncle fought in the Russian front?. Cheers. Raúl M .

[sebastian]

thanks for sharing the pictures

Cheers
se

[cassarnold]

Hello,
Sorry for the absurdly delayed response. Between summer gardening and waiting to hear from the German entities, I have fallen behind on my research, but am back into it.

Finally heard from WASt (!) and got great information about my great-uncle. He was in Infanterie-Division 206, which I have found out (wikipedia--ugh) was also known as the "Ace of Spades" based on military insignia for the division. He was stationed first with Reserve battalion 312 in Gumbinnen, then Goldap, which are just east of Konigsberg (Kaliningrad). He then joined unit 206 (oberleutnant) and was in Dunaburg (Daugavpils, southern Latvia) in July 1941. He was shot in the neck/jaw and seriously wounded on July 13, 1941, then left for treatment in nearby field hospitals.

I was most distressed to find out that July 1941 was a terrible time in Daugavpils, when the Nazis massacred many Jews in the city. The city fell to the Germans on June 26, 1941, but there was still fighting for several days. On June 28, the Germans started gathering up the Jews for killing, many, 1,000+ were killed by July 11. A "Ghetto" was established on July 18th to gather the Jews together in one spot. I wonder why my great-uncle was shot then on July 13-? He supposedly was not a Nazi, so I guess (hope?) he was not in the city proper at that time and taking part in the atrocities? Maybe he was out in the field near the city and shot by the Russians.? Otherwise, he should not have been wounded there on that day, as it was after the city was captured.

The 206 unit was also in Kalinin (Tver) nov/dec 1941, that was the time of the Battle of Moscow, but Tver is north of Moscow.

He later died in Rshew (northwest of Moscow) in June 1942, unclear of how, he went "missing". But I read that the entire 206 unit was wiped out by Russians in June 1944, so he would only have lived another 2 years of misery.

anyway, am still trying to sort it out. Thanks much for your interest!!!
cassandra

[sniper1shot]

Thanks for the pics and update on your relative. Always interesting to read.