Germany – Third Reich: An Eastern Front Casualty’s Posthumous award of the Iron Cross 2nd Class, Death Commemorative Certificate and other documents group to Gefreiter Franz Kuhne, 2nd Company, 235th Engineer Battalion, 198th Infantry Division, who died o
Germany – Third Reich: An Eastern Front Casualty’s Posthumous award of the Iron Cross 2nd Class, Death Commemorative Certificate and other documents group to Gefreiter Franz Kuhne, 2nd Company, 235th Engineer Battalion, 198th Infantry Division, who died of wounds on 9th August 1941 during his units advance through the Ukraine as part of Army Group South.
A scarce group of documents consisting of an award certificate, a Wehrpass, a work book (Arbeitsbuch), 1 pre-WW2, 54 WW2, and 6 post WW2 letters/documents and 7 photos belonging to a Gefreiter who died of wounds in Russia on 9th August 1941.
Award Certificate:
The Iron Cross 2nd Class awarded by Divisional HQ on 26th August 1941 as a Gefreiter, 2/235th Engineer Battalion. Signed by Roettig as Generalleutnant and General Officer Commanding 198th Infantry Division.
Death Commemorative Certificate:
Named to Franz Kuhne, Gefreiter, 2nd Company, 235th Engineer Battalion, who died the Hero’s Death for Fuhrer, Nation and Fatherland in the Battle for Greater Germany.
Documents:
Karlsruhe, 18.10.1934 – An identity pass, signed by Franz Kuhne, which was issued to him by the Baden College of Technology in Karlsruhe. Franz was studying structural engineering at the time. There is also a good photo of Franz.
8.4.1936 – Work Book issued in Heidelberg
10.7.1936 – Wehrpass issued by the Military District HQ Heidelberg
29.4.1940 – Ludwigshafen. A receipt for the 142 RM 05 Rpfg in payment of the Employee Insurance for May 1940.
Mannheim, 28.5.1940 – A certificate of confirming about final payments from the account of Franz’s Employee Insurance Card No 3. The last stamp used was for April 1940.
Mannheim, 28.5.1940 – Franz Employee Insurance Card No.4 which covered the period from May 1940 to September 1941.
Mannheim, 15.6.1940 – A typed letter (with its original envelope) to Franz’s mother from the Mannheim Local Army Administration enclosing Insurance Card No 3 for Workforce Member Franz Kuhne (see serial 6)
Karlsruhe, 23.1.1941 – A formal letter from the Rector of the Karlsruhe Technical College to Franz’s mother in answer to her letter of 20.1.1941. It deals with the problem as to the acceptability of a special school leaving exam as a basis for studying at a Technical College.
Karlsruhe, 5.4.1941 – A formal letter (with its original envelope) from the Karlsruhe College of Technology to Franz’s mother that it has received 3 certificates belonging to her son. It appears that Franz must take an exam prior to Easter 1940 before he can have the certificates. The College therefore asks that Franz attends a short test on the following Monday or Tuesday.
Billets, 7.6.1941 – A letter to Franz’s mother from his Company Commander, Hauptmann Weber, saying her letter had gone to the wrong address. He suggests that the Baden College of Technology sends a definite date for the exam with the application.
1-6 August 1941 – An unfinished handwritten letter from Franz to his parents and sister Elisabeth from the Eastern Front – his last? It was probably returned to his parents with his personal effects after he had died on 9thAugust 1941.
An undated pencil drawing, done to scale, of an outline construction detail of a bridge to be built by Franz’s 2ndCompany.
10.8.1941 – A typed letters from a Dr Baumann (Chief Doctor of 3rdField Hospital 572 (Fd Post No 08 412) to Franz’s parents informing them of his death in the Field Hospital at 2330 hours on 9thAugust 1941 having been badly wounded by shrapnel on 6thAugust 1941. The Doctor states where Franz was buried – in the park of the former Russian Civil Hospital in Balta/Ukraine.
22.8.1941 – Billets - A handwritten letter from Padre Ludwig Theunissen (Fd Post No 18 985 = 1stWar Hospital, 610thWar Hospital Battalion) to Franz’s parents on the death of their son. He was with Franz when he died and the letter is full of words of comfort. He had given the last sacrament to Franz.
22.8.1941 – Leidolsheim - A handwritten postcard to the Kuhne family from the Oberacher family. They talk about their respective sons. It is evident that the Oberachers were not aware of young Franz’s death.
23.8.1941 – Heidelberg – An official receipt from Verlag Volksgemeinschaft for 19 RM 20 Pfg in payment for issue 233.
23.8.1941 – Heidelberg – An official receipt from the Heidelberger Neueste Nachricten for 16 RM 80 Pfg. This payment was probably for publishing the announcement of Franz Kuhne’s death (See serial 20).
24.8.1941 – Billets – A handwritten note from Franz’s Company Hauptfeldwebel (Fd Post No 23 524 = 2/235 Engineer Battalion) listing the personal possessions which were being returned to Germany in two small packages.
26.8.1941 – Heidelberg. A letter from the Oberburgermeister’s Welfare Office requesting the presence of Franz’s father on 1stSeptember 1941 between 8 and 12am to discuss his deceased son.
August 1941 – A newspaper cutting with Franze Kuhne’s death notice. The Requiem Mass was due to take place in St. Boniface Church at 0700 hours on 25thAugust.
14.9.1941, area of operations – a typed letter from a Dr Baumann (Chief Doctor of 3 Fd Hospital 572) to the Kuhne family stating that Franz was only wounded in both legs and nowhere else. He replies to queries as to the whereabouts of some of Franz’s belongings which appear to have gone missing. The letter also enclosed a film taken of Franz’s grave.
An undated pencil sketch of where Franz was buried giving details of its location in the town of Balta/Ukraine. His grave number was 24 on the western exit of the town buy the side of the road leading Yelenovka to the west of Balta.
16.9.1941 – Karlsruhe – A handwritten letter of condolences (with its original envelope) to the Kuhne family from a Professor Erich Schelling for whom Franz had worked for 6 months in 1938.
16.9.1941 – Karlsruhe – A letter of condolences (with its original envelope) to Franz’s father from the Director of the Baden College of Technology.
18.9.1941 – Company HQ 2/235thEngineer Battalion. A typed letter from Franz’s acting Company Commander which gives a fairly detailed account about what happened to Franz when he was wounded and afterwards in the Field Hospital.
19.9.1941 – A handwritten letter to the Kuhne Family from a Willi Oberacher – obviously from somewhere on the Eastern Front. It thanks the Kuhnes for their letter of 20thAugust received on 17thSeptember. Willi was one of Franz’s comrades and he talks about life at the Front and where they had been.
22.9.1941 – Wiesbaden. A card from the Wiesbaden Armed Forces Welfare Office to Franz’s parents stating – ‘The receipt of your application form on care of the bereaved family dated 1stSeptember 1941 is confirmed. The form in being processed. You will receive further notification in due course.’
24.9.1941 – area of operations – A typed letter from a Dr Baumann (Chief Doctor of 3 Fd Hospital 572) to Mrs Kuhne about a letter sent to a supposed hospital sister who does not exist. He states that only medical soldiers were in the hospital, indicates that her questions have already been answered in his letter of 14.9.1941 and that he cannot recall the name of the soldier who looked after Franz. He reassures her that a Padre did visit Franz and that his spiritual comfort had been cared for.
26.9.1941 – Mannheim – A typed letter from the Mannheim Army Administration (local pay office) to Frau Klara Kuhne asking her to come by in the course of the following weeks for the purpose of the application for death benefit. She was to bring Franz’s death certificate.
27.9.1941 – Company HQ, 2/235 Engineer Battalion. This short letter states that the possessions queried by the Kuhne Family were sent by comrades to the Hospital. The family are directed to the Field Hospital.
1.10.1941 – A letter from a Padre Knapp, who was stationed in the South West of France, to the Kuhne Family. It is a letter of condolences and is full of spiritual words. It looks as if the Padre was probably a local RC Priest who knew the family quite well. It ends with the words ‘that you will once again find Franz in a better, more peaceful life.’
7.10.1941 – A handwritten letter form a Gustav Pigges (one of Franz’s comrades) to the Kuhne Family from the Eastern Front. He thanks them for their letter of 13thSeptember and says that he cannot tell them more than they already know about Franz’s death.
7.10.1941 – Another handwritten letter from Willi Oberacher to the Kuhne Family. He thanks the Kuhnes for their letter of 13thSeptember and again writes about Franz.
11.10.1941 – Mannheim – A typed letter from the Mannheim Army Administration (local pay office) to Herr Franz Josef Kuhne enclosing an application form as well as an original letter from his son’s former unit. He is asked to sign the form immediately and return it.
15.10.1941, Company HQ, 2/235 Engineer Battalion – A letter to the Kuhne Family again stating what it knew about where Franz’s possessions were. The Company also said that it had advanced a further 600kms since Franz’s death and it was now impossible to deal with these queries anymore. Please contact the Field Hospital.
15.10.1941, Mannheim – A typed letter from the Mannheim Army Administration (local pay office) to Herr Franz Josef Kuhne requesting him to send a report which makes it clear that he is entitled to receive his son’s death benefit.
18.10.1941, Heidelberg – A formal typed letter to Mr and Mrs Kuhne from the Heidelberg Branch of the National Socialist League for the Disabled and Bereaved (NSKOV). It covers matters relating to the welfare of bereaved parents of those soldier killed in action.
23.10.1941 – A draft handwritten letter in pencil from Franz’s father to the Field Hospital where Franz died making inquiries as to where certain of Franz’s personal possessions were.
28.10.1941 – Mannheim – A typed letter form the Mannheim Army Administration (local pay office) to Herr Franz Josef Kuhne requesting him to send once more the letter from the hospital in which his son died.
15.11.1941 – Company HQ, 2/235thEngineer Battalion – A short Company letter regretting that the Iron Cross 2ndClass could not be personally presented to Franz. It briefly refers once more to Franz’s possessions being at the Field Hospital and directs the Kuhne Family to the Armed Forces Information Office for War Casualties and Prisoners of War in Berlin for information as to whether Franz’s body would ever be returned to Germany after the war for a proper civil burial.
18.11.1941 – Area Recruiting Office Karlsruhe. A letter of condolences from this Office enclosing Franz’s Wehrpass as a memento for the Kuhne Family.
19.11.1941 – Mannheim – A short note to Franz’s father from the Army Garrison Administration in Mannheim enclosing an original letter from the 3rdField Hospital 572.
26.11.1941 – Billets – A handwritten letter to the Kuhne Family from a Willy Motz who visited Franz in the Field Hospital – see serial 25 and the Company Commander’s letter which mentions Motz. It is a short note in response to a letter which Motz had received from Franz’s family.
4.12.1941 – area of operations – a short letter from the Administration of the 3rdField Hospital 572 to Franz’s father stating despite further queries no trace of Franz’s pocket or compass watches could be found. All possessions had been sent to the Kuhne family on 12thSeptember 1941 – there were none left in the hospital.
9.1.1942 – Wiesbaden – The official reply concerning the application form (receipt acknowledged on 22.9.1941 -see serial 27) dated 1stSeptember 1941 – The request for financial assistance was turned down.
9.3.1942 – Heidelberg – A round robbin letter from the Archiepiscopal Office at St. Boniface to all Relatives of the Fallen announcing that there will be a service in St Boniface Church on Remembrance Day Sunday 15thMarch at 6pm to commemorate ‘all our fallen children of the Parish.’
15.3.1942 – Heidelberg – An Order of Service for the Remembrance Day – see serial 46 above.
12.3.1942 – Mannheim – A short typed letter (with its original envelope) to the Kuhne Family from the Mannheim Local Administration enclosing Franz’s Work Book (Arbeitsbuch)
2.4.1942 – Billets – Another handwritten letter to the Kuhne Family from Gustav Pigges. He is writing about general matters from the Southern Russian Front.
10.4.1942 – Billets – A handwritten letter of condolences to the Kuhne Family from one of Franz’s friends, Georg Jost.
25.4.1942 – Mannheim – A short letter from the Army Administration (local pay office) to Mr Franz Kuhne enclosing his deceased son’s employee insurance card No.4 which was initiated in Mannheim on 28thMay 1940 (see serial 6)
30.7.1942 – Heidelberg – An official letter from the Heidelberg Armed Forces Welfare Officer to Franz’s father enclosing 7 original letters from 2/235thEngineer Battalion and the 3rdField Hospital 572.
8.8.1942 – A handwritten letter (with its original envelope) from Unteroffizier Helmuth Ambacher to the Kuhne Family in reply to a letter which he had received on 7.8.1942. He looks back on the passed year and his good memories of Franz. The Company is now in the Kuban near Krasnodar in 40-45 degrees centigrade. He talks about Franz’s old comrades Pigges, Oberbacher and Unteroffizier Schilling.
20.9.1942- Billets – Another handwritten letter to the Kuhne Family from Gustav Pigges. This time he is writing from the Caucasus area to the south of Krasnodar. It is a chatty letter about life in general on the southern Front.
Monday 5.10.1942 – Heidelberg – a newspaper cutting taken from the ‘Heidelberg Latest News’ titled – War Graves Commission arrange photographs. Relatives Wreaths for our Soldier’s Graves.’
8.12.1942, Company HQ, 2/235thEngineer Battalion. A short letter of Christmas and New Year greetings to the Kuhne Family from the Company now in the Caucasus. The bereaved families of fallen members of the Company have not been forgotten.
1944 Remembrance Day – A fine and rather poignant A4 size fold document full of text and quotes with a colour picture in the middle of an Iron Cross grave headstone by a battered tree stump in a barren landscape but with a sun shining through the dark clouds. On the last page this document is dedicated as follows. To the Mothers and Wives of our Fallen for the Remembrance Day 1944.’ The lead page has a quote from Hitler ‘From the Sacrifices of the Dead and the Ruins of our cities and Villages, a new Life will bloom.’ There are three pieces of text by different pieces as follows: ‘Th Dead lead us into the Light’ by Dr Goebbels, ‘A Victory is born with Pain’ by Keo Player (killed in action in the East in 1942) and Words of a German Mother ‘Let your eyes brighten’
19.12.1951 – Heidelberg – An application form on granting of parents’ pension according to the law about care of victims of the war (Federal Welfare Law). The form is based on questions and answers which has been completed in handwriting by Franz’s father. It is a hand-written draft of the version which was sent to the Heidelberg Welfare Office. It provides much detail about the Kuhne Family including the income of the parents.
23.1.1952 – Karlsruhe – An official letter from the Heidelberg Welfare Office acknowledging the receipt of the application form concerning parents’ pension (see serial 58). It requests further financial information as well as details about Franz’s sister Elisabeth such as whether she was single or married.
23.4.1952 – Karlsruhe – A formal response from the Heidelberg Welfare Office in reply to the application form concerning parents’ pension (see serial 58). It acknowledges the receipt of the form dated 19.12.1951 and states that a parents pension can not be granted and proceeds to detail the reasons behind this decision.
7.2.1969 – Kassel. A formal letter (with original envelope) from the German War Graves Commission in reply to a letter dated 30.1.1969 from Franz’s sister Elisabeth. It confirms the receipt of her letter asking for information about her brother’s grave in Russia. It states that the query has been passed on to the office in Berlin dealing with the Next of Kin of the Fallen of the former German Armed Forces. When a reply is received they will be in contact. It also asks for details about her brother such as his date of birth, rank, Army unit, unit Field Post Number etc.
8.2.1969 – Heidelberg – A handwritten letter from Franz’s sister to the German War Graves Commission in response to its letter dated 7.2.1969 giving the information about her brother as requested by the German War Graves Commission. (see serial 61)
26.3.1969 – Kassel – A formal letter (with original envelope) from the German War Graves Commission in reply to a letter dated 8.2.1969 from Franz’s sister Elisabeth (see serial 62). It confirms the service details of her brother and gives additional information about the date of his death, where he died and was buried including the Grave Number 24. No further information is available since there is no cooperation with the Soviet Union on matters concerning German War Graves in Russia.
Photographs:
A fine head and shoulders post card sized photo of Franz – the same that was used in his Wehrpass – reduced size)
A fine family photo of the Kuhne family, mother and father sitting down with Franz in uniform and his sister, Elisabeth, standing behind
Two photos of Franz at the time of his confirmation
A photo of Franz working at his drawing board – as a Student?
A photo of Franz in uniform with two of his comrades taken in Roskilde in 1940
A photo of what appears to be a young Franz in shorts looking out from a bell tower overlooking the spire of a large church – perhaps somewhere in Heidelberg.
Franz Kuhne was born on 2ndMay 1915 in Heidelberg, the son of Franz Josef Kuhne who was a post office assistant, he was catholic and single and had a sister called Elisabeth, and before joining the Armed Forces had trained successfully as a Civil Engineer.
Kuhne was called up on 29th August 1939, just before the German invasion of Poland, although he did not see action during this campaign. He was however to take part in the occupation of Denmark in April 1940, and then in the invasion of France which began on 10th May seeing fighting in the east of the country behind the Maginot line defences towards the end of that campaign.
The Division remained on occupation duty in France throughout the bulk of the winter of 1940-41 until in April it moved east to Romania in preparation for Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of Russia which was to begin on 22nd June 1941. As part of Army Group South, 198th Infantry Division to which Kuhne’s unit belonged, was stationed in Jassy on the Romania/Russia border, and it was from here that the Division began its offensive.
Of all the routes of advance, Army Group South was to meet the most resistance, facing the largest number of Russian troops who were attempting to defend the economically vital area of the Ukraine. Compared to Army Groups Centre and North, the progress over the first two months was slow, and during one of many assaults during the advance across south-western Ukraine, Kuhne suffered severe shrapnel wounds to both legs on 6th August 1941, before dying of his wounds in afield hospital in Balta, southern Ukraine on 9th August. He was to receive the posthumous award of the Iron Cross 2nd Class, most likely for an act of gallantry during the fighting in which he received his wounds.
This archive contains a large amount of correspondence between Kuhne’s family, comrades of their son who were still fighting in the east, and then subsequently the family and the authorities regarding Franz’s possessions initially, the circumstances of his death and the location of his grave.
A complete archive to an early East Front casualty
