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-   -   Memories of Claus von Stauffenberg (http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthread.php?t=48691)

Col Bruggy 21st July 2017 06:25

Memories of Claus von Stauffenberg
 
Hello,

Recently (10 May 2017), Ruth-Eva Esnouf, a relative of Claus von Stauffenberg passed away in Melbourne. Her obituary* was written up by a local journo (Mal Walden). In the obituary, it is mentioned that Eva's brother, Fritz, "a Stuka Pilot'' was shot down in France in 1942. It goes on to say that he survived this incident only to be killed 18 months later in the battle of Stalingrad!

Could someone help in positively identifying Ruth-Eva's maiden name, and provide any information on her brother, Fritz?

* http://www.smh.com.au/comment/obitua...12-gwpc3i.html

All help appreciated.

Col.

Eric Rader 3rd February 2018 21:15

Re: Memories of Claus von Stauffenberg
 
Not to disparage this posting, but wasn't the battle of Stalingrad in late Nov 1941-through March 1942. When in 1942 was this Luftwaffe pilot shot down over France? If this was the case, how does it tabulate that he was in the battle for Stalingrad. Did not the severe winter weather hamper the Luftwaffe in that TO? Just wondering. I am sure most of the free world would have wished that the briefcase bomb in July 1944 In Rastenburg would have killed Hitler-but history is history- n'ces pas mon amis??

VtwinVince 4th February 2018 21:59

Re: Memories of Claus von Stauffenberg
 
Stalingrad wrapped up early in 1943.

Nick Beale 4th February 2018 23:08

Re: Memories of Claus von Stauffenberg
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Eric Rader (Post 246962)
Not to disparage this posting, but wasn't the battle of Stalingrad in late Nov 1941-through March 1942.

No, it was late-August 1942 through to February 1943. There would still be trouble with those quoted dates unless they are very approximate. Whether there were any Stukas left in France in 1942 is another question. I’d guess most were in Russia or Africa by then.

Eric Rader 4th February 2018 23:47

Re: Memories of Claus von Stauffenberg
 
Thanks to both of you for this clarification. I study WW11 history (ETO) but there were so many campaigns that Germany carried out, and I am sure the dates overlap, depending somewhat on what factors determine the end of any one given campaign. Eric

Col Bruggy 5th February 2018 02:23

Re: Memories of Claus von Stauffenberg
 
Hello,

Thank you for your contributions, Gentlemen.

My question remains;

"Can someone help in positively identifying Ruth-Eva's maiden name, and provide any information on her brother, Fritz?"

Col.

Stig Jarlevik 5th February 2018 11:37

Re: Memories of Claus von Stauffenberg
 
What the journalist probably ment was that "Fritz" was shot down in 1941 (or even 1940) and not 1942.

When reading a newspaper of today each article is so full of mispellings, left out words and words that has been scrambled to make very little sense, no doubt due to haste and little or no time for control reading. So putting 1942 instead of 1941 is easily done....

Cheers
Stig

Laurent Rizzotti 5th February 2018 12:03

Re: Memories of Claus von Stauffenberg
 
What is almost certainly sure is that no Ju 87 was shot down over France in 1942. AFAIK the only Ju 87 in France at this date were training units that were not engaged by Allied aircraft.

So either he survived a non-combat related crash and was lost 18 months later (in late 1943-1944) on the Eastern Front. Or he was shot down during the campaign of 1940 and was shot down over the Eastern Front 18 months later (so in early 1942). But in both cases, the Eastern Front data is outside the time period where the battle of Stalingrad was fought...

So I think you can just ignore the dates given in the article. Having the maiden name of Ruth-Eva Esnouf will give a clue to the members of this forum who have extensive Luftwaffe loss lists, so you can try genealogy websites to find it.

Best regards

Edited: second though, I took a "Stuka pilot" to be a Ju 87 pilot, but he could also have been a fighter-bomber pilot. These operated from France in 1942 and in late 1943 and 1944 were far more common on the Eastern front than Ju 87 pilots. Still without name it will be difficult to identify him.

Laurent Rizzotti 5th February 2018 12:21

Re: Memories of Claus von Stauffenberg
 
Just checked a genealogy website, Claus von Stauffenberg had three brothers (one died on the day of his birth) and his wife has according to the website no siblings, so if Mrs Esnouf was his niece, according to this website she was born under the name of von Stauffenberg, and her brother too.

Or the family link is not so close.

I found in the Australian Archives a trace of her arrival in Australia with her husband and son in 1951:
https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/Sear...2699311&isAv=N
But her maiden name is not given.

By the way I wonder is what she said of the German part of her life could be believed.
"A life as an award-winning European film star before the war". Given that she was born in late 1919, she had little time to become a star, and is not on the list below of German movie stars of Third Reich area (or under a completely different name):
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...ich_(1933-1945)

And as mad and evil as Hitler and the nazi were, not all male members of von Stauffenberg family were executed: Claus and one of his brothers were, but another brother and Claus's two sons survived the war (and did not die in Soviet jail).

Eric Rader 6th February 2018 15:53

Re: Memories of Claus von Stauffenberg
 
Most informative indeed-- Colonel (Oberst) Claus Von Stauffenberg was a decorated officer, being wounded in Africa (loss of an eye and most of his right hand) he was injured trying to protect his men-- No greater distinction can be given to an Officer that he "put the safety of his men before his own"!! A true hero, and only by a "twist of fate" (the briefcase being moved under a table leg when he left the conference room at the Wolf's Lair) did the madman escape the death he deserved.


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