Hptm. Siegfried Gnass, 12./NJG 6

[Heuser]

Gentlemen,

maybe someone can help me in this case:

is Hptm. Siegfried Gnass, 12./NJG 6, KIA on 22./23.12.44 identical with the last Staffelkapitän of 2./KG 1 "Hindenburg", also a Hptm. Siegfried Gnass?

Thanks in advance

Heuser

[Matti Salonen]

When Hptm Siegfried Gnass was shot down on 22/23.12.44 he had an EKM number given by Stabsstaffel KG 1.

Matti

[Larry deZeng]

This is a good example of the mess that can ensue from working with both primary and secondary material in attempting to put together a career profile for Luftwaffe officers. My guess is that this is the same person who used both Siegfried and Werner. Or are they really two different officers with their career entries intermixed? Would anyone like to take a shot at straightening this out?

GNASS, Siegfried. 01.07.42 promo to Hptm. 02.06.43 Hptm. in Offiziere z.b.V./Ob.d.L. (Sch.Etat), trf to IV./KG 1. 22/23.12.44 Hptm.in 12./NJG 6, KIA - crashed near Dachsenhausen/Taunus following combat with an enemy night fighter.

GNASS, Werner. (DOB: 27.03.10). 01.05.43 in IV./KG 1, promo to Hptm. 1943 Hptm., appt Staka 12./KG 1 (to 31.08.43). 01.10.44 Hptm., appt Staka 3./Erg.KGr. 177 (to 05.11.44). 06.11.44 Hptm., appt Staka 11./KG (J) 40 (to 11.44). † 22.12.44.]

[Matti Salonen]

They are not the same person. Siegfried Gnass was born in 1913 and killed 22.12.1944. He was possibly already in 1939 with Stabsstaffel/KG 1, because I have a note, that a person named Gnass was a Beobachter in He 111, V4+EA (Notlandung infolge Flakbeschuß. Bruch 50 %. Flugzeugführer Olt Buddenhagen, Heinz).

Matti

[Heuser]

Thank you very much for your replies!

Siegfried Gnass was born on 12.02.1913 in Schloßberg/Angerburg, today Węgorzewo.

I found some infos in G. Baekers book about KG 1:

S. Gnass / Gnaß is first mentioned as Beobachter in 1938 of the Stabstaffel/KG 152 (rank: Lt.), from 07.07.38 as "Beob.-Bildoffz.".

He is next mentioned as Staffelkapitän/Staffelführer of 4./KG 1 (23.07.43 - 23.08.1943) and then as Staffelkäpitan of 2./KG 1 from 01.09.43 until 13.07.1944.

In the same source Hptm. Werner Gnass is listed as Ia (without date) and officer for "Waffen- und Bombenwesen" of IV./KG 1 from 1941 onwards.

Later he is listed as Ia of I./KG 1 until 20.02.1944 and as NO of the same Gruppe from this day onwards.

A little bit confusing, maybe it helps...

Bets regards

Alexander Heuser

[Larry deZeng]

Thank you, Matti and Alexander! A puzzle is solved. We have quite a few like this in our data base of 36,000 Luftwaffe officers, mostly because of missing dates of birth. It gets really bad with the Beckers, Müllers, Schmidts and a few other common names. Thanks again.

L.