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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Marcin FELEDZIAK Infantry Regiment 171


Martin Feledziak

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I honestly am not sure where this photo was taken, nor when. If I were a betting man I would guess this might be from 1915 when he was recovering from being shot in the leg, but it could be earlier when he was recovering from Typhus. When he was gassed in 1916, I don't believe he did a stint in any hospital per se. I need to go back to the Soldbuch and reread it again, as the place names are eluding me so early in the morning.

I should probably park a copy of this in Emanuel's thread as I don't wish to derail Martin's brilliant thread on his family research with stuff that is only tangentially relevant.

-Daniel

Daniel -

I go along with 1915 and treatment for the leg wound - I know it sounds obvious and stupid to say it but he does have them raised up and supported - this would be appropriate

for that condition.

It really is a great photo.

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I have also considered the paradox that my Grandfather could have killed my Grandfather. Even My Great Uncle could have killed My Great uncle or Grandfather. Or my wife's great Grandfather killed in Belgium in 1918 - South Staffordshire Regiment.

I consider myself English, born in Staffordshire in 1961, and looking at all these documents is very strange because every childhood comic depicted the Germans as "Evil Hun".

For the most part all country men of whatever nation had no option and were dished out a uniform and gun and off to the Western front with you.

One of my favourite films is Crocodile Dundee, and there is a classic quote where Dundee is in the outback and wilderness and says something like :-

" You know, it is like two fleas arguing over who owns the dog they live on "

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Egbert,

You are good with Google Earth, have you ever looked to find the Posen barracks, are they still there, or even the spot where they used to be ?

Oh dear which of them?

I have also considered the paradox that my Grandfather could have killed my Grandfather. Even My Great Uncle could have killed My Great uncle or Grandfather. Or my wife's great Grandfather killed in Belgium in 1918 - South Staffordshire Regiment.

I consider myself English, born in Staffordshire in 1961, and looking at all these documents is very strange because every childhood comic depicted the Germans as "Evil Hun".

Martin now it is time to shake of your English paranoid indoctrination from the 1960s..........

For the most part all country men of whatever nation had no option and were dished out a uniform and gun and off to the Western front with you.

One of my favourite films is Crocodile Dundee, and there is a classic quote where Dundee is in the outback and wilderness and says something like :-

" You know, it is like two fleas arguing over who owns the dog they live on "

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I had no idea that there were quite so many Military buildings in Posen - (Poznan).

I have had a good look round using street view and I think this is a good contender for Johann's Pioneer 29 Battalion.

It matches up very close to the postcard earlier in this thread.

It has the large building in the background and this fancy looking and distinctive construction centre screen

post-103138-0-59195900-1394288485_thumb.

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Now how on earth did that lot survive WWII? Or is this the result of the highly commendable late 20th century Polish attitude to their destroyed heritage - rebuild as it was? See, for example, Warsaw or Gdynia. Quite unlike the UK, where, in the 1950's-1970's whole areas were re-blitzed (including destroying standing medieval buildings!) to provide monstrosities, e.g. Coventry, Bristol...

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It looks like most of the original buildings are still present. This is another from the front section of buildings further down to the right.

It is in much better order - or at least it was when street view were there last year.

post-103138-0-26588700-1394294177_thumb.

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I thought I would have a look at the base for Johann (Killed 1917)

He was with 37th Fusilier Regiment "Von Steinmetz" (1st West Prussian)

The Füsilier-Regt. von Steinmetz (1.Westpreußisches) Nr.37 was formed on 26th January 1818 as the 38. Infanterie-Regiment, which was changed to the 37. Infanterie-Regiment in 1820. The title Fusilier was added in 1860.

In 1914 they were garrisoned at Krotoschin (modern Krotoszyn in Poland) as part of the V Army Corps. During the First World War they served on the Western Front notably at the Battles of Verdun and the Somme.

I know Johann was with the 37th and I suspect that Marcin would logically have started here too as it was the closest to his home. But I need to confirm this supposistion

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I just had a look with street view :-

post-103138-0-55884300-1394373903_thumb.

There is a nice cluster of buildings and in use if it is them.

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Now how on earth did that lot survive WWII?

Not impossible at all. The barracks of my great-grandfathers regiment (also) survived WWII - in the centre of Berlin...

Roel

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So, in rechecking Emanuel's hospital stays, he was not in Posen. Per his Soldbuch he was in the following locations:

Reserve Lazarett Bartenstein - 22.3.15 - Typhus

Reserve Lazarett Hochwasser - 20.V.15 - (ditto)

Reserve Lazarett Fraustadt - 23.9.15 - linken Unterschenkel schuss (gunshot, left lower leg)

Feld-Lazarett 11 VII 21.K - 17.10.16 (blank)

So, if this is a photo of his recovery from the GSW to the leg, it was taken in what is now called in the Reserve Hospital in Wschowa, Poland.

I found a wartime photo taken there, but the nurses are dressed very differently than in my photo:

RICHERT_1.png

(from http://www.dsm1918.de/SEITE_DOMINIQUE_RICHERT.html)

The presence of the gnomes in this photo makes it, well, AMAZING. :)

So, maybe it was not taken there after all?

-Daniel

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Daniel -

I have noticed a number of WW1 staged photographs and a good number of them have - mascot or character themed additions, like those Gnomes above. I think they are great.

You are very honoured to have Emanuel's service books to refer back to.

You should post a link, on this thread, to your web page.. which I think is top notch.

Then folk will know what these documents are about

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Perhaps the city archives (of Mokronos) still has documents of your grandfather? That's where I found documents about what happened to my German great-grandfather, including a description where he was buried on the battlefield.

Roel

Roel,

You were correct with this tip, The church stands and holds family history.

I made contact with a villager of my age who has done some digging for me.

We have traded e-mails and I have been given confirmatory items.

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attachicon.gifpostcardreverse.jpg

I can see Franz S? in the watermark then :-

The address is for his older brother Jacob Feledziak (1896) in Krotszyn .

I think it was sent from Gera (Germany) in September

and does it say a souvenir of 1919

Marcin

This also remains as a puzzle,

The 1919 photo was sent by Marcin - back to his brother, Jacob, in Krotszyn. How did it get to him with just his name and town, near Posen ?

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Roel,

You were correct with this tip, The church stands and holds family history.

I made contact with a villager of my age who has done some digging for me.

We have traded e-mails and I have been given confirmatory items.

Glad to hear this!

Roel

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The presence of the gnomes in this photo makes it, well, AMAZING. :)

Indeed! And also what a lovely mixture of uniforms and national armies!

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This might make me re-check the Poznan Project to see if they've digitized my family records yet. Glad to see so much discovery happening!

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The below images are church records listing the Marriage of Vincentius ( Born 1801 ) and Napromucena Feledziak in 1827.

They are Shown on the Right side tree image above.

The interesting feature of which is the indication that at the time of the Marriage Vincentius was a soldier in the Landwher.

He was 26 years of age and his wife 24.

post-103138-0-89992400-1394528873_thumb.

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just as an aside this period of time is contemporary with Von Steinmetz - It is even possible that Vincentius may have bumped into him at some time !!

( The name was later adopted by the regiment with which his Great Grand Son Johann, born 1897 would serve, and loose his life )

37th Fusilier Regiment "Von Steinmetz" (1st West Prussian)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_Friedrich_von_Steinmetz

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I Have scanned this photo of Marcin (Right) laying a wreath at the Tomb of the unknown Soldier in Paris.

The photograph is not dated but I would think it would be mid 60's. He died in 1968

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I would love to know what GF is thinking in the photo above.

A very sombre occasion

Paris looks very still and there are no cars blasting round the Arc.

I really like the expressions on the group of people to the left.

The two ladies look very perplexed.

Perhaps it is just because it is in black and white.

It looks just like a scene from the film "Day of the Jackal"

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