SS Oberscharführer Keller 6./II./ LAH

Michael C · Post by **Michael C** » Mon Aug 13, 2007 4:01 am

Here are some pictures of my Opa that passed away last October shortly before his 87th birthday. He was a member of the 6. Kompanie, II Bataillon, Leibstandarte „Adolf Hitler" starting in 1939. He survived the war, being wounded 6 times, with one bullet going through his head and one bullet that stopped just outside his heart, which remained to the day he died. Some notable people in his early chain of command were SS Untersturmführer (later Haupsturmführer?) Rolf Möbius and SS Untersturmführer (later Sturmbannführer) Ralf Tiemann as Zugführer, SS Hauptsturmführer (later Obersturmbannführer) Rudolf Sandig as Kompaniechef and SS Hauptsturmführer (later Brigageführer und Generalmajor der Waffen SS) Wilhelm Mohnke as Bataillon commander.

The pictures are as an SS Unterscharführer in 1943, which was the last time he was home until the end of the war. Most of his pictures and documents showing his membership in the Leibstandarte were mostly burned, cut up or hidden away to protect my family after the his capture through the Americans taking his father hostage and his subsequent escape from the American camp he was interned in (which many did not survive). He had to spend 5 years in hiding until the Waffen SS no longer had 'criminal' status.

This one is the one I carried with me all the time, while I was in the service.

This next picture is a Hochzeitsfoto:

This last picture as an SS Unterscharführer is with my Oma:

As I was going through my pictures, I did not realise that one was already in my computer. This picture was during 1940 when my Opa and two of his brothers all had leave at the same time. His youngest brother also became a soldier at the age of 15 in 1945.

His oldest brother on the left died during the invasion in Normandie.

Hope you enjoyed a little of my family's history.

Cheers,
Michael

Massimiliano Afiero · Mon Aug 13, 2007 11:09 am

Dear Michel, i'm A Director of history magazine dedicated to waffen SS in italian language (VOLONTARI: http://www.marvia.it). I can use this photos for an article about your grandson? if you can send me other informatiin about your military career?

waffen

Michael C · Post by **Michael C** » Fri Aug 24, 2007 6:21 am

Here is another picture. This is the Ordenkissen (awards pillow) with his decorations that he passed on to me.

Panzerass · Post by **Panzerass** » Sat Sep 15, 2007 1:00 pm

There is no Keller listed as knight's cross holder of the Waffen-SS.

Doktor Krollspell · Post by **Doktor Krollspell** » Sat Sep 15, 2007 2:01 pm

Hello Michael!

Thanks for sharing these great photographs of your Opa and also about his service in WWII. It's good that they (photos and decorations) survived both the war and that your family held on to them.

And Panzerass, the decoration which I think you're referring to in Michael's last photograph is the Iron Cross, 2nd Class, the one with the ring and the ribbon. And yes, no RKT in the Waffen-SS by the name of Keller...

Regards,

Krollspell

Mansal D · Post by **Mansal D** » Wed Oct 03, 2007 8:31 pm

Michael,

This is quite the amazing story. I would like to talk to you more in depth about him and his brothers. If you would my email is:

[email protected]

You can choose to PM me if you would rather do that.

Thanks,
Mansal

Mike Higgins · Post by **Mike Higgins** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 8:33 pm

Wow

Wouldn't mind hearing more myself!

Waleed Y. Majeed · Post by **Waleed Y. Majeed** » Sat Oct 06, 2007 10:44 am

What is really impressive here are the black/silver/gold wound badges

Also noticed hie two brothers were Heer soldiers. Do you know of any
quarrels between the brothers on this issue?

waleed

kuschnereit · Post by **kuschnereit** » Sun Oct 07, 2007 12:21 am

I hope these pictures and medals will always stay in your family and NEVER end up sold on a website or some darn thing. I know how important family history is. Amazing. Thanks for posting!

Björn · Post by **Björn** » Sun Oct 07, 2007 7:23 am

Hello!
The pictures of the awards does in my opinion show a EK II, and not a RK. Besides is a EK I.
What is really strange, is the brown collar patches. I have never seen this colour before. A few items there are post 1945 veteran memorabilia as well.

B.

Mansal D · Post by **Mansal D** » Sun Oct 07, 2007 7:34 am

Björn wrote:Hello!
The pictures of the awards does in my opinion show a EK II, and not a RK. Besides is a EK I.
What is really strange, is the brown collar patches. I have never seen this colour before. A few items there are post 1945 veteran memorabilia as well.

B.

I think they may be brown because of the lighting when the picture was taken.

Vpatrick · Post by **Vpatrick** » Thu Oct 18, 2007 8:54 pm

Why did your OPA's friends others not survive an American Camp? Im just asking. One thing I have thought about is how much we respect and revere our US vets, its almost sad that young German men are forgotten about who were fighting for thier country too but because of politics and the evil of Hitler they are forgotten, maybe Im wrong does Germany honor ww2 vets? As far as I know they dont.

Your Opa looks like a young kid, time flys.

VP

Hans Knospler · Post by **Hans Knospler** » Sun Oct 21, 2007 8:47 am

Why would he have an uncut BeVo flatwire sleeve eagle? If he did have one, wouldn't it be already folded and removed from the uniform? Also, can you provide some photos of the back of the decorations?

Thanks

Hans Knospler · Post by **Hans Knospler** » Sun Oct 21, 2007 1:37 pm

I'm not liking that black wound badge, because in the period photo, it looks much more worn than it is now.

The sleeve eagle looks like an early 70's fake, you can tell by the fact that the wire. It's woven from an actually poorly plated copper ... look and you'll see the brown of the copper showing through.

Can we see some close ups of the collar tabs and the cuff title?

Thanks

Hans Knospler · Post by **Hans Knospler** » Sun Oct 21, 2007 1:41 pm

It also looks like in the period photos he's wearing the earlier 'pointed' version of the shoulderboards, but then the pair displayed in this modern photo are the more common 'rounded' version.

Just my observations...