Paul Fröhlich

[gilles collaveri]

hello everybody;

on 1943-01-14, Uffz Paul Fröhlich from 2./JGr. West was killed on Fw 190 A-2, 2074 at Saint-Féliu-d'Avall, 12 km nearPerpignan.

By chance, anyone has data about him ? picture ? where was he originating from ? can someone help me find his family if any still ?

A very long shot, indeed,

thanks for your help..

GC

[Adriano Baumgartner]

Bonjour mon ami.

https://www.fold3.com/image/692604140?terms=paul

Full name:
Fröhlich, Paul
Box Number:
GC471/0001-0285
Source Id:
604422
Certificate Number:
G-C 471/0228
Birth date:
7 Nov 1919
Birth Place:
Oberböhmsdorf Schleiz/Sa
Military Rank:
Uffz
Military Unit:
2 Staffel Jagdgrupp West
Death date:
14 Jan 1943
Death Place:
D Availl/Sudfrankr
Conflict Period:
World War II
Served for:
Germany

SEMPER FI,
Adriano

[Adriano Baumgartner]

Photo it gonna be hard....but maybe the Death Card you can find. There are several Collectors of those cards...maybe this exist...maybe not.

At least you do have the origin of the Family...it is a start, nevertheless.

"Kiss the Children" for us.
Adriano and Family

[Adriano Baumgartner]

GILLES was this airman buried nearby you?

Maybe you can check and obtain a photo of the grave...and maybe see if Family has come (registered) to put flowers, etc...If so, there is a chance that some relatives may have survived.

I remember visiting the grave of one of our Brazilians in the RFC...and I had to check-in and inform whom I was, before going to see (kind of a private graveyard). So it was registered that on that date I visited his grave. Do not know how it is in France....

A.

[John Manrho]

Adriano,

Not sure what you mean with "collectors" of Death Cards, but death cards can be downloaded from Fold 3 or Ancestry. I would expect any serious Lw-researcher would do that if he is interested in crashes & losses. There are 4 cards for Fröhlich. He was initially buried in Perpignan and now in restes in Dagneux.

[Adriano Baumgartner]

GILLES,

Do you have the WEATHER report for that particular day? I am curious to know if this was a "maintenance" problem (engine failure, or engine fire for instance) or if it was related to the weather....the guy flying into mist and loosing control (CFIT) in instrument flying (IFR) conditions...By that time (1943) they were not really well trained on IFR flying...so maybe a "path" to follow up...although, from your previous accounts and findings (Aerorecherche), the maintenance down South (around Toulouse) was the cause of a lot of accidents (engines in fire, engines breaking down, etc.). Was it the wather? Was it French mechanics sabotaging the LW engines? Or simply poor maintenance at Squadron level??

A.

[gilles collaveri]

Salut Adriano et thanks John,

the full story is as follows :
I interviewed yesterday at St Feliu d'avall (near Perpignan, South of France) a 91 year old gentleman who had seen the crash. He was then 12.
That's his description:
There were 3 FW190 in flight, in tight formation, and one come too close to another and sheered off the tail of the other. The later went up, jettisoned the canopy but (probably too low) crashed immediately on a house which - by chance - was empty, its occupants were elsewhere. So, nobody hurt on the ground.
The pilot Paul Frohlich was killed. The firemen came, the German army officers as well, (the Kids at that time were excited to see this event) and some pictures of the wreck were taken and they have been published on a local history book.

I went on the crash site yesterday but there are now houses, a school etc.. so no remains.

That's is why I was trying to get some information about Paul Frohlich..
If someone can help, I will be grateful.
All best and a nice week to everyone;

GC
.

[Adriano Baumgartner]

Dear John and chèr Gilles,

I may have expressed myself with the wrong words in English. I meant there are several collectors of the STERBEBILD, like this one (https://www.ebay.de/itm/255554215404...IAAOSwsaFifMb4), which for me is some kind of a "death card" as well. So, maybe one day that of Fröhlich may appear (someone may have it - or not!).

GILLES now the "reason" for the crash is pretty clear...you will notice that the time as 15:50hs on the "NVM-Dead Card".

Since this particular airman was a bit older (born in 1908), I believe that maybe he was on the Luftwaffe Reserve and "maybe" was a Flight Instructor. Not sure about those considerations, but it is a "guess". Since he was flying probably as a "Leader" and had his tail "cut off" by a "green student".

What happened to the other machine? The propellers were probably bent and totally damaged...so this "green pilot" may have had to cut down the engine and, probably being too low as well, he crash landed somewhere nearby (after the houses)?

Gilles - Email on its way!

Bonjour a tous!

Adriano