Germany – Imperial and Third Reich: An interesting document group awarded to Great War veteran and Police Superintendent Albert Behnert, Police District Gera who had seen Great War service with various Infantry and Artillery units during the conflict most notably with the 33rd Reserve Field Artillery Regiment with whom he would be awarded the Iron Cross 1914 2nd Class on 24th December 1916 for his part in the fighting in the Central Vosges. He would also take part in the fighting on the Somme and at Verdun where he fought in the Souville Gorge. Later joining the police he would end up a Major in Police District Gera and see service during the Second World War.
Award Certificates:
Iron Cross 1914 2nd Class awarded on 24th December 1916 whilst serving with the 33rd Reserve Field Artillery Regiment. Signed by Major Kurt von der Sode who received the Knights Cross of the Royal Prussian House Order of Hohenzollern with swords in 1917.
Honour Cross 1914-1918 awarded on 23rd November 1934 with original signature of the Police President of Gera Dr. Walter Rohde, an SS Obersturmfuhrer.
Documents:
Service record from 2nd Kompanie, Infantry Regiment Nr. 12 giving a list of all the battles that the recipient was present at during the Great War including the Somme from 14th July to 17th August 1916, Verdun from 17th August until 31st October 1916, the Central Vosges from 15th November 1916 until 22nd February 1917, the double battles of Aisne-Champagne between 23rd April and 25th May 1917, the defensive battles around Verdun from 28th September to 7th December 1917 , the fighting around Reims from 21st February to 26th May 1918, then Soissons and Reims from 27th May to 13th June 1918, in Champagne from 30th June to 24th July 1918, fortress fighting around Verdun from 29th July to 20th August 1918, and amongst other defensive battles, the retreat around Antwerp from 5th to 11th November 1918.
Identity Card dated 28th December 1920.
An official letter dated 30th January 1937 appointing him a Polizeioberinspektor
An official letter dated 29th April 1937 asking him to attend a Military Medical examination.
Official letter dated 25th May 1937 – Introduction to the Reich salary regulations on his appointment to Polizeioberinspektor
Character certificate dated Dresden 25th February 1926 and stamped 5th June 1937 by the Police President of Thuringen.
An administrative letter dated 20th November 1937 from the Examination Office for Police Administrative Officers. Signed by Hellmuth Gommlich who committed suicide in Meiningen on 3rd April 1945 having served as an SS.-Sturmbannfuhrer and commander of the Gestapo in Weimar.
An official letter dated 22nd September 1938 asking Behnert to return his Wehrpass immediately so that his promotion can be registered.
An official letter dated 1st April 1940 informing him that he was now a direct Reich official with the Police Budget having been taken over.
Official letter dated 19th November 1942 relating to his promotion to Polizeirat (Major) with a stamped signature of Kurt Daulege, SS-Oberstgruppenfuhrer and Generaloberst der Polizei who was Chief of the Ordnungs Police and deputy Reich Protector in Bohemia and Moravia.
Official Promotion Document to the rank of Polizeirat with effect from 9th November 1942 and stamped Gera 4.7.1943
Albert Behnert was born in Zittau, Saxony on 6th December 1886 and would go on to serve in the German Army from 1907 until 1919 including during the Great War where he would see action in the Battle of the Somme, during the fighting in the central Vosges for which he would be awarded the Iron Cross 2nd Class on 24th December 1916, during a large part of the fighting at Verdun including in the Souville Gorge. During 1918 he would take part in the fighting around Reims and in the Champagne region.
After the war he would transfer to the Police where he served in Police District Gera, being promoted to Lieutenant on 16th February 1926, Police Inspector 1st Class on 1st February 1937, Paymaster 1st Class of the Territorial Army on 14th September 1938 and Police Superintendent 9th November 1942
