Volksbund vs Dienststelle

German SS and Waffen-SS 1923-1945.
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Carlos47
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Volksbund vs Dienststelle

Post by Carlos47 »

Several years ago I came upon the Volksbund website, and inquired about the burial place of my uncle, who had been killed in Russia while serving with the Waffen-SS. They provided me with information provided to them by the Deutsche Dienststelle. They said he had been killed in Zolochev in June of 1943, while serving with the 6th SS Panzergrenadier Regiment. I subsequently sent a query to the Dienststelle asking for help in deciphering my uncle's Erkennungsmarke. His Erkennungsmarke read: SS.VT 4./K.E.SS.D.
The Dienststelle told me my uncle was a member of the 2nd SS Panzer Regiment, Das Reich. I regarded that information to be in error, and disregarded it.

Can you possibly help me determine which information is correct. I have a postcard written by my uncle, dated May, 1942, from Truppenuebungsplatz Bergen, if that helps any.

My thanks for any light you may be able to shed.
Carlos
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John W. Howard
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Re: Volksbund vs Dienststelle

Post by John W. Howard »

Hello Carlos:
I am not so sure that the two sets of information you have is mutually exclusive; they might both be correct. There are people on this site with more knowledge on the Waffen SS than I, but SS.VT.4/K.E.SS.D indicates to me that he might have been a long term member of the Waffen SS, when they were referred to the SS-Verfügungstruppe. Out of the SS-VT came The Das Reich Division. Let me search further for you, and hopefully a Waffen SS expert will help us out. Best wishes.
John W. Howard
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John W. Howard
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Re: Volksbund vs Dienststelle

Post by John W. Howard »

Hello Carlos:
I can understand your frustration with the information you were given. Your uncle's Erkennungsmarke information before the slash looks to me as if he was a member of the 4th Kompanie of the Verfügungstruppe. After the slash I have no idea. This does not seem odd to me because the SS-VT was to become Das Reich eventually. The 6th SS Panzergrenadier Regiment was part of Totenkopf, however. Both Totenkopf and Das Reich were in the vicinity of Kharkov, Zolochev, and Bjelograd at the time of your uncle's death, so that checks out. I cannot explain the discrepancy other than by a transfer. As I said hopefully a waffen SS expert can shed more light on the rest of his Erkennungsmarke. Best wishes.
John W. Howard
Carlos47
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Re: Volksbund vs Dienststelle

Post by Carlos47 »

Thank you for your response, John.
I'm in complete agreement with your take on the matter. When I received the initial response from the Dienststelle back in 2006, I blew it off as not being credible. Reading I have done since that time has caused me to reassess, particularly as I've become a little more familiar with the Verfuegungstruppe. My uncle was not a longtime member of the SS as he was only 20 when he died. He came to the SS by way of the NSDAP Arbeitsdienst. This would seem to bolster the case for Totenkopf, as the Arbeitsdienst was a major source of personell during that unit's reconstitution in late 1942. It would also be consistent with my uncle's service entry time also.

Thanks again for your assistance.
Carlos
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John W. Howard
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Re: Volksbund vs Dienststelle

Post by John W. Howard »

You are very welcome Carlos!! Keep us posted.
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Carlos47
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Re: Volksbund vs Dienststelle

Post by Carlos47 »

Hello John,
I just wanted to let you know the mystery has been solved. My uncle entered service as a member of SS-Standarte "Deutschland", of the Verfuegungstruppe, which soon became "Das Reich". He served as a member of the 4. SS-Panzergrenadierregiment, "Der Fuehrer. A follow-up letter to the Dienststelle led to a clarification. It appears the Volksbund info I had been given initially was in error.

Thanks for your help.

Regards,
Carlos
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John W. Howard
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Re: Volksbund vs Dienststelle

Post by John W. Howard »

Hello Carlos: Outstanding!! Any idea of the burial place of your uncle??
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Carlos47
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Re: Volksbund vs Dienststelle

Post by Carlos47 »

My uncle is buried in the large German military cemetery just outside of Kharkov. My wife and I went there to visit four or five years ago. The Volksbund provided us with the burial information. The cemetery was still relatively new when we visited. My understanding is that approximately 30,000 German soldiers will ultimately be laid to rest there.

Regards,
Carlos
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John W. Howard
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Re: Volksbund vs Dienststelle

Post by John W. Howard »

I am delighted your uncle has a resting place. I cannot imagine the agony of the family members of those that are never found.
John W. Howard
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