Fallschirmjäger Pioneer

 

 

Amiens (France), May-June 1943. Erprobung.Kommando from XI. Fliegerkorps. Judging by what is visible, this container is destined to engineers: smoke grenades, smoke canisters, explosive loads, fuzes, etc. Details in these photos are fantastic! All of the content seem to be smoke generating munitions (the fact that this packing is prior to a field exercise following a jump, lots of smoke ammo sounds logical). The bending lad is holding a 3 kg demolition slab with three types of fuzes.

Source :
ECPAD Archives, courtesy of Blanluet Christophe
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10158975562398308&set=gm.2742198149380746

1. Skijäger-Brigade Patrol

 

1. Skijäger-Brigade patrol armed with MP 43/1, led by an officer. Bug area (Pripet) February-March 1944. The leading Skijäger has his LW gravity knife dangling at its belt. These men were clever enough to adapt their camouflage to their surroundings (wearing a white top would have outlined them against the forest of dark tree trunks behind!). The men were well supplied with MP 43s. Which is an excellent weapon for that terrain. The sub machine gun look identical to the MP44 but there are a few slight differences, mainly the muzzle nut is longer then the one used on the MP44.

Source :
ECPAD Archives, courtesy of Blanluet Christophe
https://www.facebook.com/groups/2360048380929060/permalink/2740822902851604/?__cft__[0]=AZWuNFyXPGqbnTji8wcpcT7RyNUsAwMnU8qEFBc0ptTZpYietWzLFlxotJ_jGZ8kwaaYwYHv9c1_vRXv_G1MdNMxZtKq3bsS8-OoIw93gltw2QDdIWfCPm0x7b2m5iGy9JsFtGeF1COK79SuXN2qCq6I&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R

Bio of Generalmajor der Luftwaffe Rudolf Roesch

 Generalmajor Rudolf Roesch
Born: 11 May 1890 in Konradshofen
Died: 05 Sep 1952 in Munich (München)

Promotions:
Fahnenjunker-Unteroffizier (01 Dec 1909); Fähnrich (07 Mar 1910); Leutnant (26 Oct 1911); Oberleutnant (09 Jul 1915); Hauptmann (19 Aug 1919); Major (01 Oct 1933); Oberstleutnant (01 Sep 1936); Oberst (01 Jan 1939); Generalmajor (01 Dec 1941)

Career:
Entered the Army as a Fahnenjunker and Company-Officer in the 10th Bavarian Infantry-Regiment (19 Jul 1909-01 Aug 1914)
Pilot in the 2nd Bavarian Flying-Battalion (02 Aug 1914-05 Feb 1916)
Pilot in the 5th Bavarian Field-Flying-Battalion and with the Fokker-Training-Command IV (06 Feb 1916-11 Mar 1916)
Leader of the Single-Seated-Combat-Squadron of the 3rd Army (12 Mar 1916-28 May 1916)
Detached to the 3rd Flying-Replacement-Battalion (29 May 1916-31 Jul 1916)
Leader of Flying-School 3 (01 Aug 1916-03 Dec 1917)
With the Staff of the Commanding General of the Air Force (04 Dec 1917-08 Nov 1918)
Detached to the Bavarian Ministry for Military-Affairs (08 Nov 1918-25 May 1919)
Leader of the 124th Motor-Transport-Company and Temporary-Commander of the 24th Motor-Transport-Battalion (26 May 1919-30 Sep 1920)
Retired (30 Sep 1920)
Employed by the Army as a Civilian Administrator (Reactivated as a Territorial-Officer on 01 Oct 1933) for Flying-Affairs with Military-District-Command VII (L-Staff), Munich (01 Jul 1925-31 Mar 1934)
Transferred into Luftwaffe Service as a Supplemental-Officer (Active-Officer from 01 Aug 1940) and Advisor with the Staff of the Higher Air Office Munich (01 Apr 1934-31 Mar 1935)
Advisor with the Staff of Air-District-Command V, Munich (01 Apr 1935-31 Mar 1936)
Department-Leader Luftwaffe with Armaments-Inspection VII, Munich (01 Apr 1936-31 Oct 1938)
Administrator for Flight-Reporting-Service with Air-Region-Command V (01 Nov 1938-09 Jun 1940)
Detached to Armaments-Inspection VII, Munich (10 Jun 1940-11 Sep 1940)
Armaments-Inspector VII, Munich (12 Sep 1940-30 Apr 1945)
Retired (30 Apr 1945)
In US Captivity (08 May 1945-1947)
Released (1947)

Decorations & Awards:
- 1914 EK I
- 1914 EK II
- Kgl. Bayer. Flugzeugführer-Abzeichen
- Kgl. Bayer. Prinz-Regent-Luitpold Jubiläums-Medaille
- Kgl. Bayer. Militär-Verdienstorden IV. Klasse mit Schwertern
- Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer
- Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung IV. bis III. Klasse
- Kriegsverdienstkreuz II. bis I. Klasse mit Schwertern

 

Source :
https://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?p=1894028#p1894028
https://web.archive.org/web/20091027111810fw_/http://www.geocities.com/~orion47/WEHRMACHT/LUFTWAFFE/Generalmajor/ROESCH_RUDOLF.html

German Soldiers in Action in the Ostfront

Some "gung-ho" poses in Russia, but still provides great detail of their kit! 50mm mortar rounds ammo box carried on the left.

 

Source :
ECPAD Archives, courtesy of Blanluet Christophe
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10158920096493308&set=basw.AbpphY3aQP4rfiASDQNz1jol9qPEEmN16BxlB1uYebChBft0wNM2QGBidX9GAqF1cyw_E_ZpVoRTMJ_komz-F5iJnB8CERmhR6ZmrEZpp05e4Zm0IHwzhjFrlGZmZk67fAw&opaqueCursor=Abq2JyFvAHyrSVGL8HDWYFg52IwW3RCi6xSlZ7zBQgn9f6-gLzDPFaFZzfAC9C9GOCtGSuVtMHaW_Rj8cPykFLRvB6gqZreN_MtHSagZ1jZZtHLHg5sjB4KmI6_I0e5xvGM_IKEbQ-50u5u8U4JHjUqDBIm1Dom1HqazGygv1cR6x0FIPYEiiChNwHye7oEjdmDRg0IGU7kHerJSZPcS1uVKSSOmP46tHGx47_Z4DTCykhs_FyaJGtYHhKEO0ypXxHsMSn6nj3p0Ikhm8KuTGg93RpX6Xw-a2hjbYbwoyg3rfEV6A4Z3N5VrW5wGo6MHonI0bRHD027vghKTnz_Ix6v7-q3YrucfNlCdmUlzke1izOt_W6aDpc2DH8NSsJHlCe_LMKB-LcrU0H2ItvtWYeSn4LfcLS_DSMMxHlrXC7dpZgcOBMy44IGFNfoAAlqR35yGpP4IKv4A-S4DvVfo394OKQfdoBL4kIDfcFrRhKSxIg34Dk_0ofIOtvzB-sAi1CvxaaacN_bNxPr_khNyJ2fU-yDs7PUlOPqLau5RGYSEm24tWGonfDGDFXe5ytzZNADQ22_a_ee1W2ANIO3ZWywoVi29YTvaoDZFC2z6OzUaoo5fbYsH_yuuPQ4BHUPXLps-oj7bEtpxkpBh1MrLjCrfLyDmGZvJ7WDw3bvKac5XRTARerGzwnNLd0gZ7ZA9YvTLMW0SusET5jxkxDtgfuAo

Bio of Generalmajor (Luftwaffe) Severin Schroeder

Generalmajor Severin Schroeder
Born: 24 Dec 1880 in Dresden
Died: 15 Dec 1953 in Dresden

Promotions:
Fähnrich (18 Oct 1898); Leutnant (21 Aug 1899); Oberleutnant (21 May 1907); Hauptmann (01 Oct 1912); Charakter als Major (01 Jul 1921); Major (01 Sep 1921); Oberstleutnant (01 Feb 1928); Oberst (01 Feb 1931); Generalmajor (01 Apr 1941)

Career:
Entered the Army in the 106th Infantry-Regiment (05 Mar 1898-25 Mar 1903)
Educator in the Royal Saxon Cadet-Corps (26 Mar 1903-24 Mar 1907)
In the 106th Infantry-Regiment (25 Mar 1907-15 Jul 1908)
With the 19th MG-Detachment (16 Jul 1908-30 Sep 1912)
Detached to the Military Riding Institute Dresden (01 Oct 1910-31 Jul 1911)
With the Staff of the 103rd Infantry-Regiment (01 Oct 1912-12 Dec 1912)
Company-Chief in the 103rd Infantry-Regiment (13 Dec 1912-08 Sep 1914)
Wounded, in Hospital (08 Sep 1914-21 Mar 1915)
Battalion-Leader in the 103rd Infantry-Regiment (22 Mar 1915-30 May 1915)
Company-Chief in the 103rd Infantry-Regiment (31 May 1915-07 Jul 1915)
Battalion-Leader in the 103rd Infantry-Regiment (08 Jul 1915-20 Jul 1915)
Company-Chief in the 103rd Infantry-Regiment (21 Jul 1915-31 Jul 1915)
Company-Leader in the 242nd Infantry-Regiment (01 Aug 1915-07 Dec 1915)
Battalion-Leader in the 243rd Infantry-Regiment (08 Dec 1915-23 May 1918)
Adjutant with the General-Command of the XII. Reserve-Corps (24 May 1918-10 Nov 1918)
With the Staff of the 32nd Infantry-Division (11 Nov 1918-15 Jan 1919)
Battalion-Leader in the 177th Infantry-Regiment (16 Jan 1919-02 Feb 1919)
Instruction-Officer with the Lithuanian Army (03 Feb 1919-08 Apr 1919)
Battalion-Commander in the 1st Border-Jäger-Regiment (09 Apr 1919-20 Oct 1919)
With the Staff of the 24th Infantry-Regiment (21 Oct 1919-31 Dec 1920)
Staff-Officer with the Staff of the 11th Infantry-Regiment (01 Jan 1921-30 Sep 1921)
Company-Chief in the 11th Infantry-Regiment (01 Oct 1921-23 May 1922)
Location-Major of Leipzig (24 May 1922-31 Mar 1923)
With the Staff of the 4th Division (01 Apr 1923-30 Sep 1925)
Commander of the III. Battalion of the 8th Infantry-Regiment (01 Oct 1925-31 Mar 1928)
With the Staff of the 9th Mounted-Regiment (01 Apr 1928-30 Sep 1929)
With the Staff of the 16th Infantry-Regiment (01 Oct 1929-31 Mar 1931)
Retired (31 Mar 1931)
Auxiliary-Officer with the Upper-District-Command Leipzig (01 Apr 1931-30 Sep 1931)
Leader of the Upper-District-Command Leipzig (01 Oct 1931-30 Sep 1933)
Reactivated to Army Service as a Territorial-Officer (Supplemental-Officer from 01 Apr 1935) and Welfare-Officer with Military-District-Command Leipzig then with the Commander Leipzig (01 Oct 1933-30 Sep 1935)
Welfare-Officer with Military-Replacement-Inspection Leipzig (01 Oct 1935-31 May 1936)
Transferred into the Luftwaffe as a Supplemental-Officer and Welfare-Advisor with Air-District-Command III (01 Jun 1936-31 May 1938)
Leader of the Wehrmacht Welfare and Supply Office Dresden (01 Jun 1938-04 Feb 1940)
Detached to the Wehrmacht Welfare and Supply Department Danzig (05 Feb 1940-19 Feb 1940)
Leader of the Wehrmacht Welfare and Supply Office XX, Danzig (20 Feb 1940-28 Feb 1943)
Retired (28 Feb 1943)
Placed to the Disposal of Air-Region-Command III (01 Mar 1943-31 May 1943)
Retired (31 May 1943)
In Soviet Captivity (08 May 1945-1949)
Released (1949)

Decorations & Awards:
Ritterkreuz des königlich-sächsischen Militär-St. Heinrich-Ordens (19 Oct 1916)

Source :
Photo courtesy of Graveland
https://www.oocities.org/~orion47/WEHRMACHT/LUFTWAFFE/Generalmajor/SCHROEDER_SEVERIN.html

Bio of Generalmajor Felix Jacobi

 

Generalmajor Felix Jacobi
Born: 31 Mar 1880 in Tübingen
Died: 22 Jan 1960 in Bad Liebenzell

Promotions:
Fähnrich (22 Mar 1899); Leutnant (18 Aug 1900); Oberleutnant (27 Jan 1910); Hauptmann (20 May 1914); Major (04 Feb 1923); Oberstleutnant (01 Jun 1928); Charakter als Oberst (31 Mar 1930); Oberst (01 Aug 1935); Generalmajor (01 Dec 1941)

Career:
Entered Army Service (20 Mar 1899)
Fähnrich in the 126th Infantry-Regiment (20 Mar 1899-13 Sep 1911)
Transferred into the 3rd Airship-Battalion (13 Sep 1911-20 May 1914)
Company-Chief in the 4th Airship-Battalion (20 May 1914-01 Aug 1914)
Commandant of Airships Z 7, Z 34 and Z 1 then Commander of the 30th Airship-Battalion (01 Aug 1914-11 Oct 1919)
Transferred into the 5th Artillery-Regiment (11 Oct 1919-21 Dec 1922)
With the Staff of the 5th Division (21 Dec 1922-16 Mar 1925)
Commander of the 3rd Motor-Transport-Battalion (16 Mar 1925-31 Jan 1930)
Retired (31 Jan 1930)
Employed by the Army (01 Jul 1930)
With the Command-Office Ulm (01 Jul 1930-01 Oct 1933)
Entered Army Service as a Territorial-Officer (01 Oct 1933); Supplemental-Officer (05 Mar 1935); Active-Officer (01 Jun 1941)
With the Wehrmacht-Inspection Ulm (01 Oct 1933-06 Oct 1936)
Commander of Military-District-Command Darmstadt (06 Oct 1936-25 May 1940)
Field-Commandant 548 (25 May 1940-18 Jan 1941)
Field-Commandant 503 (18 Jan 1941-04 Apr 1943)
Führer-Reserve (04 Apr 1943-31 Mar 1944)
Retired (31 Mar 1944)

Awards & Decorations:
Erinnerungsabzeichen für Besatzungen der Marine-Luftschiffe

Source :
http://www.geocities.ws/orion47.geo/WEHRMACHT/HEER/Generalmajor2/JACOBI_FELIX.html
https://www.leo-bw.de/en_US/web/guest/detail-gis/-/Detail/details/DOKUMENT/labw_findmittel_06/labw-1-327227/Jacobi+Felix+Bild+1

Crossing the River

 

Soldiers from unidentified Heer unit crossing the river in the Eastern Front. No other informartion available.

Source :
ECPAD Archives, courtesy of Blanluet Christophe
https://www.facebook.com/groups/2360048380929060

German Funker (Radioman) in the Eastern Front

 

 

Ostfront. No date. He is wearing a Funktasche (telegraphist leather pouch), specially the Brustmikrofon 33 pouch. This Funker (radioman) is also wearing a Mückennetz, mosquito net, over his helmet. Note how the left Schulterklappe has torn loose!

Light casualty

Source :
ECPAD Archives, courtesy of Blanluet Christophe
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10158690381733308&set=gm.2640673829533179
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10158383440368308&set=gm.2554634734803756

Bio of Generalmajor Dr.phil.Dipl.Ing. Bernhard Heydenreich

 

Generalmajor Dr.phil.Dipl.Ing. Bernhard Heydenreich
Born: 03 Jul 1894 in Charlottenburg
Died: 28 Jan 1978 in Forchheim
Doctorate In Philosophy 1960
Diploma In Engineering: 17 Apr 1929

Promotions:
Fähnrich (01 Mar 1914); Leutnant (12 Aug 1914); Oberleutnant (18 May 1918); Hauptmann (01 Mar 1927); Major (01 Oct 1934); Oberstleutnant (01 Apr 1937); Oberst (01 Nov 1939); Generalmajor (01 Apr 1943)

Career:
Entered Army Service (01 Mar 1914)
Passed Out the Cadet-Corps as Fähnrich in the 32nd Field-Artillery-Regiment (01 Mar 1914-02 Aug 1914)
In the Field with the 32nd Field-Artillery-Regiment (02 Aug 1914-21 Sep 1916)
Detached to the Recruitment-Depot of the 40th Infantry-Division for Training in Infantry Service (08 Aug 1915-06 Sep 1915)
Detached to the 181st Infantry-Regiment (20 Sep 1915-17 Oct 1915)
Transferred into the 139th Infantry-Regiment (21 Sep 1916-01 Oct 1916)
Detached to Field War School Gent (12 Nov 1916-24 Dec 1916)
Company-Leader in the 139th Infantry-Regiment (01 Oct 1916-01 Feb 1917)
Transferred back into the 32nd Field-Artillery-Regiment (01 Feb 1917-10 Dec 1918)
Detached to Battery-Leader-Courses at the Field Artillery Firing School Beverloo (04 Mar 1917-12 May 1917)
Detached to Battery-Leader-Courses in Thimongies (03 Jul 1917-29 Jul 1917)
Detached to Course at the Mountain Artillery Firing School Sonthofen (11 May 1918-18 Jun 1918)
Transferred to the Volunteer-Unit of the 40th Division (10 Dec 1918-26 Feb 1919)
Leader of the 1st Munitions-Column of the 19th Reichswehr-Artillery-Regiment (26 Feb 1919-01 Oct 1920)
Transferred into the 12th Reichswehr-Artillery-Regiment (01 Oct 1920-01 Jan 1921)
Transferred into the 4th Artillery-Regiment (01 Jan 1921-15 Dec 1921)
Transferred into the 2nd Medical-Battalion & Detached to the 2nd Transport-Battalion (15 Dec 1921-01 May 1924)
Transferred into the 4th Transport-Battalion (01 May 1924-01 Oct 1924)
Detached to Firing Course for Artillery Officers in Jüterbog (24 Apr 1924-05 Jun 1924)
Transferred into the 4th Artillery-Regiment & Detached to the Technical College Dresden (01 Oct 1924-18 Apr 1929)
Transferred to the Staff of II. Battalion of the 4th Artillery-Regiment (18 Apr 1929-01 Apr 1930)
Detached to the RWM/WaA (01 Apr 1930-01 Apr 1931)
Transferred to 3rd Battery of the 4th Artillery-Regiment (01 Apr 1931-15 Nov 1933)
Detached to Firing-Course for Artillery-Officers in Jüterbog (02 Oct 1931-29 Oct 1931)
Transferred into the RWM/WaA (15 Nov 1933-21 May 1935)
With the RKM/WaA (21 May 1935-15 Oct 1935)
In the RKM/Wa Prw.1 (15 Oct 1935-10 Nov 1938)
Commander of II. Battalion of the 65th Artillery-Regiment (10 Nov 1938-01 Sep 1939)
Commander of the 677th Artillery-Regiment (01 Sep 1939-01 Feb 1940)
Chief of Munitions-Department 2 in the Army Weapons Office (Wa I Rü Mun 2/HWA) with the Chief of Army Armaments and Commander of the Replacement Army (01 Feb 1940-22 Apr 1941)
Commander of the 235th Artillery-Regiment (22 Apr 1941-30 Jun 1941)
Führer-Reserve OKH (30 Jun 1941-25 Aug 1941)
Commander of the 3rd Motorised-Artillery-Regiment (25 Aug 1941-17 May 1942)
Artillery-Commander 129 (17 May 1942-21 Jun 1942)
Führer-Reserve OKH (21 Jun 1942-07 Jan 1943)
Detached to OKH as Director of Familiarisatokn-Course in the Army Weapons Office (07 Jan 1943-10 Jun 1943)
Artillery-Commander 140 (10 Jan 1943-29 Dec 1943)
Detached to the Chief of Army Armaments/BdE (WaA) (29 Dec 1943-01 Apr 1944)
Office-Group-Chief with Special Duties in OKH/Wa Prüf. (01 Apr 1944-22 Jun 1944)
Representative of the Weapons-Office in the Staff of the Army Weapons Office (Special Representative for Detonator-Queries for the entire Wehrmacht) (22 Jun 1944-08 May 1945)
In Captivity (08 May 2945-1947)
Released (1947)

Awards & Decorations:
Ritter des königlich-sächsischen Militär-St.-Heinrich-Ordens (27 Dec 1916)

Source :
https://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?p=2200979#p2200979
http://www.geocities.ws/orion47.geo/WEHRMACHT/HEER/Generalmajor/HEYDENREICH_BERNHARD.html

SS-Feldlazarett 504 Photo Album

One of the more remarkable discoveries during the last decade was the photo album of "Nurse Ida," a Norwegian nurse who served as a Red Cross volunteer in SS Field Hospital (Feldlazarett) 104/504. Her photo album, portions of which are reproduced here courtesy of the Kriegsbilder.net archive, are amazing, showing Ida and her fellow nurses at work and at leisure while serving with the corps' field hospital in Belarus, Poland and Hungary, where Gille's corps arrived at the end of December 1944. She began her service as a voluntary Red Cross Nurse on 5 August 1943 with the SS Hospital in Minsk until 28 June 1944 before being transferred to the IV SS Panzer Corps' field hospital on 8 November 1944. Shown in this selection (there are many more on the website), are some of the Waffen-SS medical personnel with whom she worked alongside. Usually, up to a dozen civilian Red Cross nurses were attached to each field hospital, with the number varying from unit to unit.  An amazing find that illustrates that there were women who also served in Gille's corps during the war.

 

The official Photo of Nurse Ida in her German Red Cross "Verwendungs" identity book.

A photo of two of her fellow nurses and two patients in the SS field hospital 504 west of Modlin, Poland.

During the rail journey from Modlin to Komorn (Komarno) in Hungary, the Red Cross nurses had to ride in unheated rail cars like most everyoneelse.

This depicts the loading of SS Feldlaz. 504, most likely carried out in Modlin during the last week of December 1944.

Another photo of SS medical personnel from SS-FeldLaz. 504.

In this photo, taken either in Modlin in December 1944 or in Hungary between January and March 1945, show a staff car of SS-Lazarett 504,, stenciled in black letters on the left front fender.

One of the hospital's medical officers eating a meal in the cab of a staff car, most likely photographed by Nurse Ida in late December 1944 in Hungary when the IV SS Panzer Corps was moved from Poland to Hungary for the relief of Budapest.



One of the SS hospital's medical personnel. The leather strap slung over his shoulder is not for a submachine gun, but for Sister Ida's camera! This was most likely taken in eastern Austria in the spring of 1945, shortly before the war's end.



The same officer, but in this photo the tactical symbol of SS-Feldlaz. 504 can be seen on the left rear passenger door.



An alpine view. This was most like taken between the end of March/April 1945 when the IV SS Pz.Korps was withdrawing into the Styrian Alps east of Graz, Austria.



Portions of the staff, including doctros, of SS-Feldlaz. 504



Sister Ida with one of her favorite doctors (unnamed) posing in the front door of their hospital somewhere in Poland or Hungary.



Additional photos of the Nurse corps of SS-Feldlaz. 504, apparently shortly after arriving in Hungary.



Some of the nurses posting with a few of their Waffen-SS patients, location unknown.



A photo of an unknown SS unit "moving up to the front" was taken near Minsk in late 1943/early 1944 before Nurse Ida was transferred to SS-Feldlaz. 504.



Another image of senior SS medical personnel loading their equipment on a train, most likely taken by Nurse Ida in the area west of Modlin where SS-Feldlaz. 504 was located.



Additional medical personnel shown here. Interestingly, the highly decorated soldier in the center, who bears no rank, wears the insignia on his right jacket collar of the infamous Dirlewanger Brigade. This photo was taken near Minsk, where Dirlewanger's unit was operating at the time, so he could be one of the unit's doctors, sharing the same medical facility as other SS units.

Source :
"From the Realm of the Dying Sun" by Douglas E. Nash., Sr.
https://www.facebook.com/Latewareasternfront/posts/121003643159742?__cft__[0]=AZULNSrDCB4QyaOtdNOprVf4eCIP_kwOqPhZlo2Efx5_RQhE_A8LBTxleKB7a3aCIobCkfDlTZdDGDaCuqsBG_QpQqB4N9x9SG1fdnhDlhB09n2KP0_qlMjI7NLtV8fd4cQjkC1zUmYOTusceK8KQfiv&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R

Bio of Generalleutnant Karl Spang

Karl Spang
* 22.1.1886 Mergentheim (seit 1926 Bad Mergentheim)
† 29.08.1979 Ellwangen

21.08.1905 Fahnenjunker
21.05.1906 Fähnrich
27.01.1907 Leutnant ( Pat. v. 19.07.1905)
04.07.1914 Oberleutnant
00.00.19xx Hauptmann mit RDA vom 18.08.1915 (1)
01.04.1928 Major (2)
01.02.1933 Oberstleutnant (8)
01.02.1935 Oberst (2)
01.04.1938 Generalmajor (5)
01.04.1940 Generalleutnant (9)

Eltern: Oberstleutnant Karl Spang & Maria geb. Kucher
Bruder: Lw-Generalleutnant Willibald Spang (* 25.03.1887 Mergentheim, † 28.09.1978 Hamburg)

21.08.1905 Eintritt in das 3. Württembergische Feld-Artillerie-Regiment Nr. 49, Ulm
00.00.1905 Kriegsschule Metz
00.00.19xx Adjutant der I. Abteilung des 3. Württembergischen Feld-Artillerie-Regiments Nr. 49
18.11.1914 Adjutant des 3. Württembergischen Feld-Artillerie-Regiments Nr. 49
00.00.1915 Adjutant des Artillerie-Kommandeurs der (2. Kgl. Württemb.) 27. Division
09.05.1916 Chef der 6. Batterie des 3. Württembergischen Feld-Artillerie-Regiments Nr. 49
22.09.1916 im Stab des XVIII. Reserve-Korps und kommandiert zur Stabs-Gruppe Mudra (Angriffsgruppe Ost unter General der Infanterie Bruno Julius von Mudra)
12.01.1917 im Stab der 25. Division (Großherzoglich Hessische Division)
18.04.1917 in den Generalstab der Armee versetzt und kommandiert zum Generalstab des III. Armee-Korps
24.09.1917 im Generalstab des Garde-Korps
24.04.1918 Ia der 1. Landwehr-Division
28.09.1918 Ia der 2. Kgl. Württembergischen Landwehr-Division
14.02.1919 im Generalstab des Oberkommandos AOK Süd im Grenzschutz Ost, HQ Breslau [unter OB GdI Kurt von dem Borne und Stabschef GM Fritz von Loßberg]
15.08.1919 im Württembergischen Kriegsministerium
10.09.1919 im Generalstab des Wehrkreis-Kommandos V, Stuttgart
01.10.1920 Generalstab der 5. Division, Stuttgart
01.07.1925 im Stab der III. Abteilung des 5. (Hessisch-Württembergischen) Artillerie-Regiments, Ludwigsburg
01.11.1925 Chef der 9. (schweren) Batterie des 5. (Hessisch-Württembergischen) Artillerie-Regiments, Ludwigsburg
15.03.1930 im Stab der Kommandantur der Befestigungen bei Lötzen [heute: Giżycko/Polen]
01.05.1933 Kommandeur der II. Abteilung des 5. (Hessisch-Württembergischen) Artillerie-Regiments, Ulm
01.10.1934 Kommandeur des Artillerie-Regiments Hannover
01.10.1935 Kommandeur des Artillerieregiments 19 (Umbenennung), Hannover
06.10.1936 Kommandeur des Artillerie-Regiments 34, Koblenz
12.10.1937 Artilleriekommandeur 5 (Arko 5), Ulm
01.04.1939 Kommandant der Befestigungen bei Aachen
11.09.1939 - 26.10.1939 Kommandeur “Division Spang”
[Tessin, Georg: Verbände und Truppen der deutschen Wehrmacht und Waffen-SS im Zweiten Weltkrieg 1939-1945, Band 17 (Register der Namensverbände; ff), bearbeitet auf Grund der Unterlagen des Bundesarchiv-Militärarchivs von Brün Meyer, Biblio Verlag, Bissendorf 2002; Seite 239]
27.10.1939 Kommandant der Befestigungen am Niederrhein
31.05.1940 - 15.09.1940 Führerreserve
16.09.1940 - 15.11.1940 im Stab der 1. Armee
[Spang gilt als “schwieriger Mann”, dennoch beurteilt Witzleben ihn am 07.02.1941 positiv: “Charakterfeste, starke Persönlichkeit, die an sich höchste Anforderungen stellt und strenge Maßstäbe anlegt. Seine zeitweilige Neigung zur Nervosität, die auf einen schweren Unfall zurückzuführen ist, weiß er mit sichtbarem Erfolg zu bekämpfen.” Das Heerespersonalamt kann sich lange Zeit nicht dazu entschließen, Spang wieder das Kom-mando einer Division zu übertragen. Schließlich gibt man ihm 1943 eine bodenständige Division im Westen (266. Infanteriedivision). BA-MA, Pers 6/876.]
16.11.1940 Kommandeur der 337. Infanterie-Division (bodenständig), Kempten (unter Wehrkreis VII, München)
[Eine Beschwerde seines Ia, Major i. G. Carl-Friedrich Graf Pückler-Burghauß vom 02.04.1941, in der er Spang vorwirft, dass “er akut darunter leide, dass er als aktiver General eine Division [der] 14. Welle bekam, die Spange zum EK I nicht hat und sich gegenüber den wiederverwendeten Generälen zurückgesetzt fühlt”, führt offenbar dazu, dass er das Kommando über die 337. Infanterie-Division verliert.]
[Beurteilung Spangs durch seinen Vorgesetzten im WK VII, General Edmund Wachenfeld, im April 1941: “Sehr nervös, von fast krankhaftem Ehrgeiz”]
02.05.1941 Führerreserve
08.12.1941 - 30.12. 1941 Kommandant von Poltawa
30.12.1941 - 23.05.1942 Befehlshaber der Landengen der Halbinsel Krim
[Beurteilung durch Generaloberst Erich von Manstein vom 05.04.1942: “Ein Mann, der nichts anderes kennt als seine Pflicht”]
24.05.1942 - 05.10.1942 Kommandant des rückwärtigen Armeegebiets 585 (Korück 585) unter der 6. Armee
06.10.1942 - 12.01.1943 Kommandant des rückwärtigen Armeegebiets 593 (Korück 593)
21.11. - 30.12. 1942 zugleich Führer der “Kampfgruppe Spang” (“Gruppe General Spang”) mit GR 354 (Gruppe von Waldow) und Sicherungsregiment 210 (Gruppe Wandke) sowie Alarmeinheiten; am 30.11.1942 wird die Pz.Jg.Abt. 336 zugeführt
[source: Kehrig, Manfred “Stalingrad: Analyse und Dokumentation einer Schlacht”, DVA Stuttgart 1974, S. 235, 250, 272]
01.12.1942 - 12.01.1943 zugleich Stellv. Befehlshaber Heeresgruppengebiet Don (für GLt. Mieth)
12.01.1943 Führerreserve
01.06.1943 - 08.08.1944 Kommandeur der 266. Infanterie-Division (bodenständig) in der Bretagne
08.08.1944 bei Brest verwundet in amerikanische, später englische [London District Cage/Kensington Park] Gefangenschaft
16.05.1947 entlassen

Not married

Kgl. Preuß. Hausorden von Hohenzollern
Kgl. Sächsischer Albrechtsorden, Ritterkreuz 1.Klasse mit Schwertern
Kgl. Württembergischer Friedrichsorden, Ritterkreuz 1.Klasse mit Schwertern
Kgl. Württembergischer Militär-Verdienstorden, Ritterkreuz
Großherzogl. Hessisches Allgemeines Ehrenzeichen für Tapferkeit
Hanseatenkreuz Hamburg
Schlesischer Adler II. & I. Klasse
Spange zum EK I

Source :
https://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?p=2307207#p2307207
https://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?p=2027972#p2027972

Photo Album of Ernst Ufer, Kriegspfarrer of 251. Infanterie-Division

 

 

Source :
Denis Daum photo collection