German/English translation required please

[Melvin Brownless]

Hi guys,

Can someone help with translating the German text on the reverse of these two original photo. We are trying to identify a Luftwaffe guy.

Regards

Melvin

www.aircrewremembrancesociety.com

[ChristianK]

Hi Melvin,

The first one:

"To you, dear Hans,

in memory of
nice hours
at the Kommiss [slang for military]

Your comrade
Hannes

W(?)-Dievenow, April 41"

And the other reads

"Hänschen [diminutive of Hans] the sceptic. October 42"

Regards,
Christian

[Brian Bines]

Christian, was the Kommiss a shortened name for an off duty canteen,

Regards

Brian Bines

[ChristianK]

Hi Brian,

not that I know. There is a "Kommissbrot", frankly translated "soldier's bread". Perhaps this it what you mean?

It seems that the latin word "commissum" meant "military supplies" at some point in history, but during the Second World War the german word "Kommiss" described the military service or the military in general.

Regards,
Christian

[Brian Bines]

Hi Christian,

Thanks for the answer. I just had a memory of a German veteran saying the nearest thing to the British NAAFI in the Wehrmacht was canteens run by the Kommisserat (I have probaly spelt it wrong). But as I was told this in the 1960's I cannot be certain and my German was not too good,

Regards

Brian Bines

[Melvin Brownless]

Many thanks Christian, still no nearer identifying the airman though.

Kind regards,

Melvin

[Nick Beale]

My "German Military Dictionary" (facsimile of a US Army publication) gives "Kommiss" as "military service", so in this context I guess it would be "memories of our time in the service" (or in English English, "our time in the forces").