Help with script on back of Luftwaffe portrait
 

Hi,
I recently bought this portriat of a flier with script on the back.

With very limited german and the ability to unpick the script I noticed it stated "fliegertod" but that's all I could translate.

I have put a link to the back of the portrait below and wondered if anyone could help translate the rest of the wording to see if we could discover what happened to this young flier - possibly only 19!

Many thanks

Rick

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/-W4AA...7/s-l1600.webp

Re: Help with script on back of Luftwaffe portrait
 

Hello Rick,

Among the few words I could read, the location 'Parduwitz' is perhaps the most valuable clue when combined with the date of early July 1944. Because of the young age, I looked into the Luftwaffe loss lists for Schools and other units.

Please look at RL 2-III/779_0306, there is a Si 204 loss 'near Pardubitz' (Czechoslowakia) with 7 killed airmen. It is likely that your victim is one of these.

Good luck! Marcel

Re: Help with script on back of Luftwaffe portrait
 

Hello Rick,

The postcard was sent to a family Köbel, which identifies the flyer as Flieger Johann Köbel. In the written text you will see 'mit 6 Kameraden' which matches perfectly the total number of 7 casualties.

Best regards, Marcel

Re: Help with script on back of Luftwaffe portrait
 

Dear Marcel,

Magnificient!

Thank you very much for your research and information. I am indebted to you.

A very sad story.

Rick

Re: Help with script on back of Luftwaffe portrait
 

Marcel, I am impressed by your knowledge
Carsten

Re: Help with script on back of Luftwaffe portrait
 

Hello Carsten,

In this case I can solemny swear that no knowledge was involved :D
I saw/recognized a few bits of info and it was a wild guess to look in the Luftwaffe losses for 'Schulen und sonstige Einheiten', hoping to find a reference 'Pardubitz' and there is was.

Nevertheless thank you for a brief moment of fame ! :) Have a nice weekend !

Marcel

Re: Help with script on back of Luftwaffe portrait
 

That was interesting to read. And quickly solved! Sometimes pieces fit exactly, sometimes we are left in doubt.

Regards,
Timon

Re: Help with script on back of Luftwaffe portrait
 

Hello Rick,

this is a card with the portrait of "Hansi", which was written by the parents-in-law (Schwiegereltern in German) of Hans, the parents of his wife, named Hans and Erna Kölbl and sent to Kurt, probably a friend or a relative of the family Kölbl. So the surname of the son-in-law Hans was certainly not Kölbl.

Regards
Leo

Re: Help with script on back of Luftwaffe portrait
 

It was a Si 204 of FFS B 33 there were two members with the correct age (19 years and 4 months)

Gefr. Erwin Gregg, geb. 27.03.1925
Flg. Johann Kölbl, geb. 22.03.1925

Looks to me that Kölbl should be the guy, although I understand Leo's argument...

Re: Help with script on back of Luftwaffe portrait
 

Hello John,

you are right, Kölbl should be the guy.
Hans and Erna Kölbl were not the parents-in-law, this connection is wrong. Actually the parents-in-law had written this card to the parents of Johann Kölbl. The card was adressed to Kurt as a last memory of Johann Kölbl, called Hansi.

Regards
Leo

Re: Help with script on back of Luftwaffe portrait
 

Hi

"Unserem lieben Kurt ein letztes Andenken von unserem unvergeßlichen lieben Hans welcher mit 6 Kameraden bei Pardubitz den Fliegertod fand mit 19 Jahren, 4 Monaten am 4 Juli 1944.

Von seinen traurigen Schwiedereltern Hans und Erna Kölbl
Kriegsjahr 1944"

best wishes
JoMe

Re: Help with script on back of Luftwaffe portrait
 

4. 7. 1944
FFS B 33
Si 204D-1 (321521)
crash around 16.00 hrs due to engine failure near Hostovice near Pardubice
Fw. Hans Eberhard
Uffz. Helmuth Busossu
Uffz. Erwin Richter
Flg. Christian Jansen
Flg. Johann Köbel
Flg. Günther Schlüter
Gefr. Erwin Greck
all killed

Re: Help with script on back of Luftwaffe portrait
 

Ancestry says 16.40h, 3km SO Parbubitz
Greck = Gregg
Johann Kölbel = Johann Kölbl
Günther Schlüter = Günter Schlüter

Helmuth Busossu is not registered with Ancestry.