Sturmbrigade "Langemarck" Hauptsturmführer

German SS and Waffen-SS 1923-1945.
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John P. Moore
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Sturmbrigade "Langemarck" Hauptsturmführer

Post by John P. Moore »

The document below was found in the SS-RuSHA file of Ludwig Derison, an enlisted member of the 6.SS-Freiw. Sturmbrigade "Langemarck". From this document it would appear that Hstuf. Jan Uten was the commander of this unit (FPN 44 853C) in June 1944. In checking various sources to confirm Feldpost Number 44 853 I see in Kleitmann's book that 44 853 was the Brigade staff in July 1943 and the Division staff in November 1944 and the 2 company of SS-Freiw. Legion "Flandern" in October 1941. A period document of several hundred pages of SS Feldpost numbers lists 44 853C as the 2 Company of the SS-Freiw. Legion "Flandern" and 44 853 B - F are the 1 - 5 companies of the Sturmbrigade "Langemarck" after 1 November 1943. Uten's personalake only places him in the I Battalion of the Sturmbrigade "Langemarck" in June 1944. Any comments from the "Langemarck" experts?

John
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Stormman
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Re: Sturmbrigade "Langemarck" Hauptsturmführer

Post by Stormman »

After the Einsatz in the Ukraine, the SS-Freiw.-Sturmbrigade Langemarck was rebuild in May 1944. The Sturmbrigade was organised with a Btl.Stb., Stbs.Kp., I.Btl. (1.-5.Kp.), II.Btl. (6.-10.Kp.) and the Brig.-Einheiten (Fla.Kp., Flak.-Bttr., StuG.-Bttr., IG.-Kp.). In July 1944 the I.Btl., (including SS-Hstuf. Uten) was send to the front at Narwa as Kampfgruppe Rehmann. Uten probably had a function in the Btl.Stb., because all the names of the Kp.Fhr. are known to me.

I don’t know what Kp. is mentioned in this document. For all clarity, Uten is mentioned as Kp.Fhr.i.V. (in Vertretung), or deputy Kp.Fhr.
John P. Moore
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Re: Sturmbrigade "Langemarck" Hauptsturmführer

Post by John P. Moore »

This document in Uten's Personalakte reports that he was wounded on 29.7.1944 at Kinderheim between Narwa and Jewe as a member of the I. Battalion. His position in the unit is not stated on this report.
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Stormman
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Re: Sturmbrigade "Langemarck" Hauptsturmführer

Post by Stormman »

These are some very interesting documents, and thank you for showing them!
Maybe ‘FS’ is his position or unit within the I.Btl.? Maybe Funk-, Fernsprech-, Fürsorge-Stelle or Staffel?

Maybe a short background about Jan Uten. Uten was a former active officer of the Belgian army. In 1939 he got promoted to second lieutenant. After the campaign of May 1940, he became a prisoner of war. During his captivity he joined the LDWK (Luitenant de Winde-Kring), a New Order-organisation for Flemish officers (in active service) of the former Belgian army. Due this organisation he was released from captivity on the 19 August 1941, to join the Vlaamsche Wacht on the following day. The Vlaamsche Wacht was a Wehrmachtsgefolge-organisation, and was considered as the base of the future Flemish army. It was mainly occupied with guarding installations of the Wehrmacht. In the Vlaamsche Wacht, Uten was adopted with his Belgian army rank, and on 1 November 1942 he got promoted to Captain. On 10 October 1943 he joined the Waffen-SS, where he was send to the SS-Junkerschule Tölz to follow the 3. Lehrgang für germanische Offiziere. After this course he was appointed to SS-Frw.-Hstuf. The further career in the Waffen-SS is not very clear to me, I only know that he served in the 6.SS-Frw.Sturmbrig.Langemarck, where he saw action at the front near Narwa, and later served with the 27.SS-Frw.Gren.Div.Langemarck.
Stormman
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Re: Sturmbrigade "Langemarck" Hauptsturmführer

Post by Stormman »

Oh no, I've made a mistake, FS means Fernschreiben of the SS-Frw.Sturmbrig.Langemarck.
John P. Moore
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Re: Sturmbrigade "Langemarck" Hauptsturmführer

Post by John P. Moore »

I was looking through Uten's Personalakte again when I noticed this fitness report from Dececember 1944 by his brigade commander. It is a very bad report for an SS-Hauptsturmführer. Item II.2 contains remarks about his very poor performance and the need for additional training as a platoon leader!
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