4thGordons Posted 28 November , 2017 Author Share Posted 28 November , 2017 Apologies for the hiatus Here is one from the recent batch to test the text readers! Location in image might suggest Eastern front (or perhaps Voges) no postmark present so I assume this was sent in an envelope Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trajan Posted 28 November , 2017 Share Posted 28 November , 2017 1 hour ago, 4thGordons said: ... Here is one from the recent batch to test the text readers! Location in image might suggest Eastern front (or perhaps Voges) no postmark present so I assume this was sent in an envelope ... Just looking at the writing gives me a headache... Addressed from "Bt.den 23.4.16", so could be "Bataillon"? To "Meine leibe (?)Werner". I am no expert - but I'll make some guesses as this way, when corrected, we all learn more! Chappies front right and front left have unteroffizier braiding (simple pattern appropriate for 1916 date, I reckon) on their collars, the one on the right with a large Waffenknopfe also and I think a troddel, not a Portepee, and so a Sergeant, the other an Unteroffizier or Fahrich as no collar button. Now over to the experts... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Prussian Posted 28 November , 2017 Share Posted 28 November , 2017 Br will be an abbr. for a town or region, maybe... Abbr. is the abbr. for abbr. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trajan Posted 28 November , 2017 Share Posted 28 November , 2017 Oh, and chap on the right and in the background have spurs on their boots! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Prussian Posted 28 November , 2017 Share Posted 28 November , 2017 Guy in the middle has a black cap-band, cavalry belt and swedish cuffs. So probably mounted fiel-artillery Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AliceF Posted 30 November , 2017 Share Posted 30 November , 2017 „Mein lieber Werner, sage dir vielen Dank für deinen lieben Brief über welchen ich mich sehr gefreut habe. Für die 4 Einzen, die du in deiner Klausur hast, laß dir von der lieben Mutter den versprochenen Betrag geben. Voraus– setzung, daß keine 4 abgehen.“ Maybe someone else can translate. Reminds me to my first years at school, my father did the same: to give me money for good marks at school. If I read it correctly, this is the first page about. The second describes the photo you can see, the “ Unterstand” and how it is covered to hide it from planes and that it would not withstand shelling - if I got it right. Christine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Prussian Posted 1 December , 2017 Share Posted 1 December , 2017 Hello! The german scool system numbers for good marks. 1 is the best, 6 is the worst. "4 Einzen" means in correctly german "4 Einsen" or "4 Einser", which means four times the best mark 1. "Voraussetzung, daß keine 4 abgehen", provided, that there is no number 4 Means: The writer is happy for the letter he recieved and said, the mother shoould give the adressee the promised money for the four times mark 1, provided that there are no mark 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyC Posted 1 December , 2017 Share Posted 1 December , 2017 (edited) Hi all, as the reverse is more interesting as maybe first thought I transcribed it as best I could, though there are a two words or so that escaped me. GreyC On the reverse you see our shelter for our searchlight. It is a square room made of strong European spruce logs which is covered with corrugated sheet iron. On top of the iron is a layer of five foot of earth. Into this shelter we drive (fahren?) the (can´t read) part of the searchlight (Scheinwerfer), the limber (?) "Protze". It holds the machine that generates the electricity for the searchlight. The whole position is situated on a high mountain with cannons... In order for the enemy planes not to find the entrance we stuck spruce logs into the ground. You see one of them stuck in the ground on the side. The trees are stuck into the earth into pipes (formerly Blindgänger/unexploded shells). So when we need to get in or out of the shelter [with the limber] we can take the logs out quickly. As I mentioned the ceiling of the shelter is only 5ft thick and would cave in under shelling. Edited 1 December , 2017 by GreyC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4thGordons Posted 1 December , 2017 Author Share Posted 1 December , 2017 Wow! Thanks very much, certainly adds to the picture. I had only managed to get the vaguest sense of this. I'll try and add a few scans this weekend - although the end of the semester and various other commitments keep getting in the way! Best, Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trajan Posted 1 December , 2017 Share Posted 1 December , 2017 16 hours ago, AliceF said: ... Für die 4 Einzen, die du in deiner Klausur hast, laß dir von der lieben Mutter den versprochenen Betrag geben. Voraus– setzung, daß keine 4 abgehen.“ What a lovely message from an absent father - and a hard working son! 11 hours ago, The Prussian said: ... "Voraussetzung, daß keine 4 abgehen", provided, that there is no number 4 ... Well done Willy! Thanks both for filling in blanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trajan Posted 1 December , 2017 Share Posted 1 December , 2017 4 hours ago, GreyC said: ... the reverse is more interesting as maybe first thought I transcribed it as best I could, though there are a two words or so that escaped me. ... Can't even find 'Scheinwerfer'... It will be mounted on a wheeled carriage of some kind, I suspect. 51 minutes ago, 4thGordons said: ... the end of the semester and various other commitments keep getting in the way! ... I know that feeling, but being in an Islamic country, three weeks to go and essays start coming in on Monday... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Prussian Posted 1 December , 2017 Share Posted 1 December , 2017 Hello! Here are a lot of german searchlights: http://firstwartechnik.free.fr/Dallprojecteurs.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AliceF Posted 1 December , 2017 Share Posted 1 December , 2017 9 hours ago, GreyC said: can´t read) part of the searchlight (Scheinwerfer) Well done! den vorderen Teil? Christine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyC Posted 2 December , 2017 Share Posted 2 December , 2017 5 hours ago, AliceF said: Well done! den vorderen Teil? Christine Hi Christine! Perfectly transliterated, I´d say. GreyC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4thGordons Posted 2 December , 2017 Author Share Posted 2 December , 2017 Most of the new set are unremarkable - some nice uniform variations (cuffs etc) but few have much in the way of distinguishing characteristics for units. Few have writing on either - but here are a couple. The first came with the card posted/translated above but I am not sure it is related The second is different - but does have a Unit stamp: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyC Posted 2 December , 2017 Share Posted 2 December , 2017 (edited) Hi Chris, to me it´s the same handwritimg on the 1st card- Front: In front of shelter in the Argonne forest November 1917. Back: Dear Miss Lorer! I send the photo promised to all young ladies while on leave as late as today, as I didn´t get the pictures any earlier from the photographer. I ask you to excuse my long silence due to this delay. I remain with best wishes, yours as always.... Grenadier Fix He seems to have been an accquaintance of her from the last leave at home, as he has written her surname incorrectly (Lorer instead of Lohrer). The 2nd letter is addresses to the same person, this time by her cousin, who should know her name better. He is in the picture showing a platoon of his company with the 123rd Grenadiers, 0th coy. GreyC Edited 2 December , 2017 by GreyC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trajan Posted 2 December , 2017 Share Posted 2 December , 2017 (edited) 10 hours ago, 4thGordons said: ... The first came with the card posted/translated above but I am not sure it is related ... The second is different - but does have a Unit stamp: 4 hours ago, GreyC said: ... to me it´s the same handwritimg on the 1st card In library, having a break.... That first one, those light-coloured cap bands?? But yes, handwriting does have that same heavy feel to it. Second one - what a mixture of uniforms, some with litzen, some without! This is (unit mark) Grenadier-Regiment König Karl (5. Württembergisches) Nr. 123, X Kompagnie), and on that date - according to wiki! : 1. Februar bis 20. März 1918: Bei der 2. Armee: Kämpfe in der Siegfriedstellung und Vorbereitungszeit für die große Schlacht in Frankreich. Yes, litzen correct... Quite a body of men... E.g., "Grenadier-Regiment Nr.123 is noteworthy in British and Australian military histories for it's involvement as part of 27. Infanterie-Division in successfully repelling the attacks at First Bullecourt. "See also for II/123 at same time - : https://www.flickr.com/photos/63734046@N02/12466913223 Edited 2 December , 2017 by trajan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AliceF Posted 4 December , 2017 Share Posted 4 December , 2017 The second card: Liebe Fine [?] sende dir hier ein Bild wo ich drauf bin, es ist nur ein Zug von der Komp. Sonst geht es mir gut, hoffe dasselbe von dir und von deinen Eltern. Gib Auskunft wenn du‘s erhalten hast. Es grüßt dich dein Kousin Karl The sender could be Karl Eisenhart listed as killed in action in the Verlustenliste 1919. http://des.genealogy.net/search/show/4860566 Christine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4thGordons Posted 4 December , 2017 Author Share Posted 4 December , 2017 Thanks Christine. That does look like a possibility for the sender. Neither of the following have anything much written on them. The first appears to be a group examining bomb damage - both this and another one showing similar have what appears to be 1917 written on the reverse but nothing to indicate location etc. What is going on in the next one I will leave up to the uniform experts! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyC Posted 5 December , 2017 Share Posted 5 December , 2017 (edited) Hi the last photo shows, in time for the 6th of December, St. Nic. and his right hand Knecht Ruprecht (with the faggot) who was the one to dish out the penalties for bad behviour on St. Nic´s day. In what context the photo was taken I am unable to say. In later times (ca. 16cent onwards) Knecht Rupprecht and St. Nic merged into one figur in some parts of the German speaking areas, especially in protestant ones. GreyC Edited 5 December , 2017 by GreyC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 5 December , 2017 Share Posted 5 December , 2017 Hi, I was just wondering if any of you could tell me if it is possible to tell the social ranking of these people by their outfit/hats, and if the hats that the two boys in the top centre are wearing are just normal hats, or have something to do with the military (they just looks like military uniform hats to me). I'm analysing this source for a modern history assignment, which is why I am interested in this info. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyC Posted 5 December , 2017 Share Posted 5 December , 2017 (edited) Hi, there is no military personnel present in this photo. It shows children and grown ups from workers families and others with comparable status in Berlin getting their warm food from the Verein für Volksküchen in cooperation with the city council. There might be a member of the catholic clergy on the upper hand side of the pic at tweleve o´clock. If you know German here is a text to tell you more about the organisation: https://de.wikisource.org/wiki/Die_Volksküchen_in_Berlin GreyC Edited 5 December , 2017 by GreyC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trajan Posted 5 December , 2017 Share Posted 5 December , 2017 On 12/2/2017 at 06:04, 4thGordons said: ... The second is different - but does have a Unit stamp: Coming back to this one of the Grenadier-Regiment König Karl (5. Württembergisches) Nr. 123, X Kompagnie), lots of stuff there... So, some with, some without litzen - part-explained by the date, 18/19 Feb 1918... A fair few EK II holders - seven or so in a group of 39. The Feldwebel with teh three stripes has some other ribbons instead... The guys with cuffs have Swedish style, as appropriate. Hat bands are 'red', also appropriate, except for the 'officer' chappie at the centre with a 'black' one - seconded? Some of the men have white monogrammed epaulettes, astounding this late in the GW. Those folded-down trousers, NCO third from the right front row: isn't that a characteristic of one region or another? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Prussian Posted 5 December , 2017 Share Posted 5 December , 2017 Hello Julian! The guys without Litzen could be from the Reserve-Regiment. That will be the men with a number instead of a monogramm. Swedish cuffs for infantry is not strange in Württemberg.. Here the 125 with all of their uniforms... (I know, I showed the photo before) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trajan Posted 5 December , 2017 Share Posted 5 December , 2017 (edited) On 12/5/2017 at 01:16, 4thGordons said: ...What is going on in the next one I will leave up to the uniform experts! What got me about this lot though is the Bavarian at the back - first from the right... LEFT! The rest (well, at least those with military headgear!) are emphatically not Bavarian from their State cockades - so why the interloper???... Edited 6 December , 2017 by trajan Correction to emphasise the 'odd' Bavarian - and change right to left! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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