Hauptmann Sieckenius, Nahaufklärerstaffel

[jmark]

Hi guys,

I'm trying to find the first name and unit of Hauptmann Sieckenius who belonged to a Nahaufklärerstaffel deployed on the Ostfront in September 1941. His first name is likely either Arndt-Erich or Johannes, but my Luftwaffe resources are failing me.

Many thanks!
Jason

[Andy Mitchell]

Jason

Could this be your man?

SIECKENIUS, Erich-Arndt. (DOB: 19.09.12 in Gnadenberg, Bunzlau/Preussen). 07.01.35 promo to Lt.
01.08.37 promo to Oblt. 1937-38 attended LKS Gatow. 01.07.39 Oblt., trf from Aufkl.St.(F) A/88 to
Aufkl.Gr. 22. 01.04.40 promo to Hptm. [Version #2: 05.05.40 appt Staka 5.(H)/Aufkl.Gr. 32 (to
25.01.41).] 05.08.40 trf to 2.(F)/Aufkl.Gr. 22. 13.08.40 Hptm., Staka, 5.(H)/Aufkl. Gr. 32 (and 02.42).
25.01.41 trf to 5.(H)/Aufkl.Gr. 32. 22.02.41 Hptm., Staka 5.(H)/Aufkl.Gr. 32. 04.05.42 Hptm., awarded
Ehrenpokal. 01.08.42 promo to Maj. 22.12.42 Maj., appt Führer of II./Jäger-Rgt. 31 (L) (16. Lw.-
Felddiv.). 08.05.43 Maj., ordered from 16. Lw.-Felddiv. to undertake a Gasschutz (gas defense) training
course (to 19.05.43). Postwar, moved to Porto Alegre/Brazil. Possibly later returned to Germany and served in the Bundeswehr? †2002. [Was younger brother of SIECKENIUS, Johannes. (DOB: 12.01.07
in Kattowitz).

Here is his brother

SIECKENIUS, Johannes. (DOB: 12.01.07 in Kattowitz). 01.04.27 entered the Polizei, began training with
Polizeischule Bonn (to 31.03.28). 01.10.27 promo to Wachtmeister. 28.04.28 assigned to
Polizeiberufschule Essen (to 15.04.29). 01.04.30 promo to Oberwachtmeister. 13.11.33 promo to Polizei
-Lt.(RDA 01.09.32) 01.04.34 promo to Polizei-Oblt. 01.10.34 trf to Techn.Kdo./Landespoliei-Schule
Berlin as an instructor. 01.02.35 trf from the Polizei to the Luftwaffe as Oblt. 04.35 Lt., with Fl.Ers.Abt.
16 (See) as Adj. des Leiters. (n.d.) trf to Fliegerschule Celle (to 30.04.37). 21.02.38 with LKS Wildpark-
Werder. 10.11.39 Hptm., trf from LKS Wildpark-Werder to Stab/Gen.d.Lw. beim OKH. 1939/40 with 2.
(F)/Aufkl.Gr. 22. 13.08.40 Hptm., Staka 3.(F)/Aufkl.Gr. 31. [Version #2: 13.08.40 Hptm., Staka 4.
(H)/Aufkl.Gr. 32.] 01.09.41 promo to Maj. 13.05.42 appt Kdr. of NAGr. 16 (to 26.10.42). 10.10.42 appt
Kdr. I./Nahaufkl.Schule (eins.) 2 (to 14.02.43). 20.10.42 with 5.(H)/Aufkl.Gr. 12(NAGr. 16). 15.02.43
appt Kdr. I./NAG 102 (to 29.04.43). 30.04.43 trf to Führerreserve Ob.d.L. 01.06.43 Maj. in
Führerreserve Ob.d.L., appt provisional then permanent Kdr. Fahnenjunkerlehrgang at LKS 5 (Breslau-
Schöngarten). 01.05.44 promo to Obstlt. 03.45 Obstlt., appt Kdr. LKS 3? †2002. Elder brother of
Erich-Arndt Sieckenius.

These are from the fantastic Luftwaffe Career Summaries by Larry de Zeng and available from Michael Holm's site - http://www.ww2.dk/lwoffz.html

[jmark]

Hi Andy,

Appreciate the comprehensive bios. I'm certain my man is one of them... but which one? I have some photos of him from 5 September 1941 taken near Kirovograd on the southern sector of the Ostfront.

After investigating their units, I suspect my man is Erich-Arndt as 5.(H)/32 was based in Talnoje in August 1941, just 150 km from where my photos were taken, while Johannes' 3.(F)/Aufkl.Gr. 31 was in Schatalowka-West, roughly 1000 km to the north.

Thanks again!
Jason

[Chris Goss]

I have a photo of Johannes taken in July 1940 so maybe we could compare photos if you PM me?

[Larry deZeng]

Originally Posted by jmark

Hi Andy,

Appreciate the comprehensive bios. I'm certain my man is one of them... but which one? I have some photos of him from 5 September 1941 taken near Kirovograd on the southern sector of the Ostfront.

After investigating their units, I suspect my man is Erich-Arndt as 5.(H)/32 was based in Talnoje in August 1941, just 150 km from where my photos were taken, while Johannes' 3.(F)/Aufkl.Gr. 31 was in Schatalowka-West, roughly 1000 km to the north.

Thanks again!
Jason

Hi Jason -

It's either Erich-Arndt or Johannes, but the weight of the circumstantial evidence points strongly toward Johannes now that we have a more comprehensive career summary for both. Erich-Arndt seems to have been reassigned to the 16. Lw.-Feld-Div. in Dec 42. NAGr. 16 and the informally named Aufkl.Gr. Sieckenius were closely related and the latter may have simply been an a.k.a. for the former or a spin-off of the former. Both were frequently mentioned as operating in the area SW and S of Stalingrad during the Oct 42 to Feb 43 period. See Andy Mitchell's website www.luftwaffedata.co.uk under Aufklärungsverbände.

[Chris Goss]

I would appear my photo shows Jason’s photo to be Erich-Arndt

[giglio]

Hi Jason,

I have some photos of Johannes and Arndt-Erich. My PM doesn't work so perhaps you can PM me.