Lt. Albert Drangmeister, kia 22.7.1915 at Lingekopf

[egbert]

Some time ago forum pal Friedhelm provided me with a couple of Lingekopf battleground photos. One photo shows a certain Lt Albert Drangmeister in action. He was a platoon leader with 8.Kompanie Bayerisches Landwehr Infanterie Regiment 1 (8./BLIR 1). Please follow the evolving story and give this lost soul a face even if it is only for a short while here on the GWF.

This picture shows an alert platoon leader, Lt Drangmeister (foreground), who observes the French lignes together with his soldiers at Lingekopf mountain, Vosges battlegrounds. It is the 22 July 1915. The capture says:
"Leutnant Drangmeister, bevor he was hit by a grenade. Lingekopf 22.7.1915. Attack at noon."

[egbert]

Some few hours later -the same day the previously posted picture was taken- he was killed in action during the attack that started noon. He was buried at Lingekopf slope together with his fellow soldiers who were also killed the same day. The surviving comrades buried them after the battle and erected the crosses, marked with their names and day of death.

[egbert]

At this day the following soldiers from 8.Kompanie Bay. LIR 1 were buried at Lingekopf:

Single grave (left cross): Lt Albert Drangmeister +22.7.1915

Collective grave foreground:

• Lackerschmied, Balthasar

• Weinberger, Bern.

• Schenk, Josef

• Hanser, Josef

• Meyer, Johann Baptist

• Willer Franz

• Bartenschlager, Michael

all +22.7.1915

[egbert]

So far the 3 photos from 1915. I promised myself, whenever I visit the respective Vosges area, to look for the German military cemetery Bärenstall where I suspect Lt Drangmeister to be resting today and pay my respect and remember those soldiers.

Approaching Bärenstall high up in the Vosges mountains, I found a peaceful quiet cemetery

[egbert]

The Bärenstall cemetery (which is some 500 meters from Lingekopf battlegrounds) is the final resting place for 2438 German soldiers

[egbert]

So my special visit started to commemorate the brave soldiers headed by Lt Drangmeister.

When I searched for the grave of Lt Drangmeister in the registry, I was puzzled to read this:

[egbert]

Lt Drangmeister unexpectedly was not buried like these soldiers who were killed 22.7.1915 as well

[Marco]

Some of the same:

http://www.xs4all.nl/~aur/layout/frames.htm?Individuals/papsdorf.htm

Regards,

Marco

[egbert]

....but here in the mass grave, together with 941 other soldiers

[egbert]

...and incorrect date of death

[egbert]

His comrade from 8. Kompanie Michael Bartenschlager was reburied in the mass grave as well

[egbert]

This is the mass grave where they all were finally put to rest

[egbert]

See also these postings ff about the mass grave in Bärenstall cemetery

[egbert]

Last week I wrote an email to Volksbund Dt Kriegsgräberfürsorge (German CWGC-equivalent)asking them why the 1915 known grave of Lt Drangmeister was reburied into a mass grave and about the discrepancy about the date of death. The friendly VdK staff answered within 2 days....

[Robert Dunlop]

Thanks, egbert. There has been some comment about the Australian bodies at Fromelle having been 'dumped' into a mass grave. Your discovery of Lt. Drangmeister being buried in a mass grave is interesting. What was the German attitude towards the use of mass graves for their own men?

Robert

[Marco]

Robert,

I was under the impression that most (but not all) German mass graves were created by the French in the 1920's.

Regards,

Marco

[apwright]

From Ancestry:

Lt Albert Drangmeister

Born Endeholz, Kreis Celle, Hannover, on 28 January 1888, doctorate student (cand.phil.) resident in Endeholz. Unmarried.

Son of Johann Heinrich Drangmeister, pensioner, and Sophie (nee Felsmann) of Endeholz.

Killed in action on Lingekopf at 6:30pm on 22 July 1917 by artillery shell. Buried on Lingekopf.

Wehrmann II Balthasar Lackerschmid [sic]

Born Oberhausstätt [now part of Frasdorf?], Bezirksamt Rosenheim, on 31 March 1878, farmer's son resident in Greimelberg. Unmarried.

Son of Martin Lackerschmid and Maria (nee Richler) of Greimelberg.

Killed in action on Lingekopf at 7pm on 22 July 1915 by artillery shell.

Buried on Lingekopf.

"According to information from bay. Landwehr-Sanitätskompagnie Nr.1, his body was transferred to Waldfriedhof Drei Ähren".

Wehrmann II Bernhard Weinberger [forename transcribed Leonhard]

Born Aying, Bezirksamt München, on 9 March 1880, farmer resident in Aying. Married to Maria (nee Leserer), 3 children.

Parents deceased.

Killed in action on Lingekopf at 2pm on 22 July 1915 by artillery shell (right leg).

Buried on Lingekopf.

Wehrmann II Josef Schink [sic]

Born Wargoldshausen, Bezirksamt Neustadt an der Saale, on 5 November 1880, assistant postman resident in Munich (Ganghoferstr. 23/III). Married to Barbara, 1 child.

Parents deceased.

Killed in action on Lingekopf at 3pm on 22 July 1915 by a gunshot wound to the neck.

Buried on Lingekopf.

Wehrmann II Josef Hanser

Born Handzell, Bezirksamt Aichach, on 13 December 1876, bricklayer resident in Schnellmannskreuth near Aichach. Married to Therese (nee Kaiser), 3 children.

Father deceased. Mother Therese Hanser of Handzell.

Killed in action on Lingekopf at 8am on 22 July 1915 by artillery shell (head and chest).

Buried on Lingekopf.

Wehrmann I Johann Baptist Meyer

Born Griesbach, Bezirksamt Tirschenreuth, on 27 February 1884, bank cashier resident in Munich (Barerstr. 49/IV). Unmarried.

Son of Johann Baptist Meyer, deliveryman, of Griesbach.

Killed in action on Lingekopf at 12 midday on 22 July 1915 by artillery shell (head).

Buried on Lingekopf.

Ersatz-Reservist Franz Xaver Willer

Born Prienkofen, Bezirksamt Mallersdorf, on 23 October 1883, manservant resident in Ergoldsbach. Unmarried.

Son of Alois Willer, day labourer, and Walburga, of Ergoldsbach.

Killed in action on Lingekopf at 3pm on 22 July 1915 by a gunshot wound to the chest.

Buried on Lingekopf.

Ersatz-Reservist Michael Bartenschlager

Born Unteregg, Bezirksamt Mindelheim, on 24 April 1885, carpenter resident in Unteregg. Unmarried.

Son of Adalbert and Elise Bartenschlager of Unteregg.

Killed in action on Lingekopf at 7pm on 22 July 1915 by artillery shell (head).

Buried on Lingekopf.

Ruht in Frieden

Adrian

[apwright]

Lt Drangmeister unexpectedly was not buried like these soldiers who were killed 22.7.1915 as well

Wild and Kotter were in 5. Kompagnie and were buried at Bärenstall originally:

Unteroffizier der Landwehr II Johann Wild

Born Baumühle, Gemeinde Niederlindhart, Mallersdorf, on 4 May 1876, master baker resident in Munich (Agnes-Bernauer-Str. 15). Married to Elisabeth (nee Meier), 5 children.

Parents deceased.

Died on 22 July 1915 from a gunshot wound to the right shoulder sustained during the assault on Schratzmännele-

Combesattel.

Buried at Bärenstall.

Unteroffizier der Landwehr I Johann Kotter

Born Munich on 11 February 1881, butcher resident in Munich (Meindlstr. 6/I). Unmarried.

Son of Viktor (deceased) and Therese Kotter of Munich.

Died on 22 July 1915 from gunshot wounds to the head and chest sustained during the assault on Barrenkopf.

Buried at Bärenstall.

Adrian

[egbert]

Excellent Adrian! VdK pointed me to ancestry as well, but I am not a paying member.

It would be great to find next of kin to inform them about the pictures.

I know that the other soldiers are not from 8.Kompanie, wanted to say that they received individual graves in contrast to the buried soldiers from 8.Kompanie. Sorry for not expressing clear.

[egbert]

VdK kindly answered to my inquiry, that:

- the above posted photos with readable 1915 names of buried soldiers prove that the archives of VdK indeed file wrongly spelled surnames which will be corrected on the basis of the photos.

- for Lt Albert Drangmeister and Michael Bartenschlager they posses files from Bavarian State Archive which also will be complemented:

8./Bayer.Ldw.I.R.1

Leutnant der Reserve der Infanterie

Albert Drangmeister, * 28.1.1888 in Endeholz

Verlustliste Nr. 218, Seite 7779

21.07.1915 am Lingekopf gefallen (21.7. wurde nachträglich unterstrichen)

Barenstall M.n.n. (Massengrab nicht namentlich - n.n. wurde später

durchgestrichen)

Auf dieser Karteikarte ist oben rechts in der Ecke ein Kreuz mit dem Datum

22.7.15 (vermutlich das richtige Todesdatum)

8./Bayer.Ldw.I.R.1

Infanterist

Michael Bartenschlager, * 24.4.1885 in Unteregg

Verlustliste Nr. 218, Seite 7780

22.7.1915 bei Urbeis (Els.-F.) gefallen

Barenstall M.n.n. (Massengrab nicht namentlich - n.n. wurde auch hier

später durchgestrichen)

VdK further explains, as Marco already indicated, that the French burial service (I think they where called Etat Civile)was solely responsible for the reburials and ordered them in the 1920s (as Germany was not allowed to do so). The VdK assumes when the French reburied the kia, they copied the original names wrong. Reason for that might be the very poor condition of the original wooden crosses which certainly wheathered since war's end until the 1920s. The result of mixed names etc was that the French reburied them into the mass grave.

The VdK further sent examples from wrongly filed names in their data files for my information. They will be corrected due to my photos.

Here are the misspelled names:

(Left split reads the names as they appear on the original wooden crosses, right split reads what the VdK until now received from the French and filed)

Bartenschlager, Michael, Ers.R.--------- Bartinsahi

Drangmeister, Lt.--------- Wonomeister

Hanser, Josef, Ldw. ---------- Hauser, Jos.

Lackerschmied, Balt.,Ldw.---------- one of the unknown soldiers so far

Meyer, Joh. Bapt., Ldw.--------- Mayer, Joh.

Struckmeier (Struckmaier)Uffz.--------- Struckmeier

Schenk, Josef, Ldw.--------- Schinck, Jos.

Vilinger/Uilinger/Ailinger)Lorenz, Uffz.,--------- Illinger, L.

Weinberger, Bern., Ldw.--------- Weinberger, B.

Willer, Frz., Ers.R.--------- Wilcep, Fritz

In order to correct the names, the VdK additionally has asked the Bavarian State Archives for official investigation.

So I feel very satisfied to have a small share in the enlightment of the fate of some lost souls .

[egbert]

P.S. I have conveyed Adrian's ancestry information to VdK for their consideration

[SiegeGunner]

Thanks, egbert. There has been some comment about the Australian bodies at Fromelles having been 'dumped' into a mass grave. Your discovery of Lt. Drangmeister being buried in a mass grave is interesting. What was the German attitude towards the use of mass graves for their own men?

Mass graves only came into question when there were large numbers of bodies to be buried after a major action, and particularly in the summer months when the dead needed to buried as quickly as possible. The German order for the burial of enemy dead at Pheasant Wood also prescribed arrangements for the burial of the dead of RIR21 at Beaucamps and specifically ordered that the fallen of both sides be treated in the same way. The German dead were buried in four L-shaped mass graves forming a square, in the middle of which were buried the officers and senior NCOs.

[apwright]

Struckmeier (Struckmaier)Uffz.--------- Struckmeier

Vilinger/Uilinger/Ailinger)Lorenz, Uffz.,--------- Illinger, L.

Unteroffizier der Landwehr II Friedrich Struckmeier

Born Moorburg, Kreis Harburg near Hamburg, on 23 October 1881, merchant resident in Munich (Orffstr. 11/II). Married to Elsa, 2 children.

Son of August Struckmeier (assistant customs officer) and Katharina, of Frankfurt/Main.

Killed in action on Lingekopf at 9:30am on 22 July 1915 by artillery shell.

Buried on Lingekopf.

Unteroffizier der Landwehr I Lorenz Ullinger

(Not to be confused with Lorenz Allinger of 10. Kompagnie, who transferred to the Snowshoe Battalion in May 1915!)

Born Menning, Bezirksamt Ingolstadt, on 23 March 1885, railway worker resident in Munich (Guldeinstr. 39/II). Married to Franziska, no children.

Son of Max Ullinger (smallholder) and Anna (nee Weichenrieder), of Menning.

Killed in action on Lingekopf at 1pm on 22 July 1915 by hand grenade (head).

Buried on Lingekopf.

Adrian

[egbert]

Great results and thank you. The lost souls get their names back -phantastic!!!! I'll send it to VdK right away.....

[CROONAERT]

Egbert...slightly off topic (but there is a WW1 link), but I think it's a good demonstration of the French vs German Ossuaire/Kameradengrab 'thing' and how remains were treated. The following photos are of the French/German ossuary at Bazeilles near Sedan where some of the dead (mainly French marines and Bavarians) of the 1st September 1870 battle lay.

Basically, following the battle, the victorious Germans buried the dead (or, to be more accurate - 'had' the dead buried ) in a number of cemeteries and isolated graves. When possible , these graves were marked with individual detail (obviously, less care was taken in identifying the French dead) many - especially officers - having private headstones erected. In the months/years following the war, the graves (in this particular case) were exhumed and moved , by the French, into the ossuary at Bazeiilles - the bodies left on full view with the Germans on one side of the ossuary and the French on the other. Individual grave markers were piled up in a store room, but no note of names was made. In 1914, when the Germans returned to the area, it has been recorded that visiting soldiers were disgusted at how the remains of their forefathers had been treated and, so, buried the exposed remains in the floor of the ossuary and erected a stone sarcophagus over the graves marked by the ubiquitous Iron Cross.

The following photos show, firstly, part of the French section with remains exposed as were the Germans before 1914 (this has been much tidied up since my first visit - the first time I visited, bodies were laid out as complete bodies, still clothed in remnants of uniform - boots, spats, greatcoats, etc. One hand even had mummified skin and fingernails!)...

The second photo shows some of the original grave markers stored in one of the German 'cells', and the third shows a sarcophagus erected by German troops in 1914...

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