Need help translating German postcard.

[Jools mckenna]

The photo is of 8 germans in a Bar. I can read the date and the place(Berlin, January 1918) But the bit that interested me is that most of them are named with their ranks but 4 have what looks like Flieger written in front of their names, does that mean they are from the Luftstreitkräfte? or am I just reading it wrong? Can anyone translate what is said and what are the names? (some of the men pictured could be Luftstreitkräfte because of their uniform also)

[GreyC]

Zur Erinnerung an unseren Kneipabend ehemaliger Piloten

Berlin Juni 1918

Obere Reihe:

Flieger Müller, Heinz Müller, Flugobermatrose Georg Fricke.

untere Reihe:

Flieger Albert Meyer, Gefr[eiter] Heinz Müller, Gefr. Baumann, Flieger Lehmann

GreyC

[Jools mckenna]

3 minutes ago, GreyC said:

Zur Erinnerung an unseren Kneipabend ehemaliger Piloten

Berlin Juni 1918

Obere Reihe:

Flieger Müller, Heinz Müller, Flugobermatrose Georg Fricke.

untere Reihe:

Flieger Albert Meyer, Gefr[eiter] Heinz Müller, Gefr. Baumann, Flieger Lehmann

GreyC

Thanks Grey, so they are pilots. What does the Flugobermatrose rank mean?

Edited 11 February by Jools mckenna

[GreyC]

Hi,

they are not necessarily pilots, but may have served in a squadron either as ground crew or as pilots, but usually pilots were at least Unteroffiziere. Usually. They could have attended the merry get-together in both capacities, but it is indeed more likely that they may have been pilots. A Flugobermatrose served with the naval air force (planes) probably in Flanders or in one of the many Seeflug-Stationen on the coasts from the Mediteranean Sea to the Baltic Sea. He ranks one below the Unteroffizier. Why don´t you show us the photo?

GreyC

[Jools mckenna]

Sorry, I was waiting till I could scan it myself. this is the seller's scan.

Edited 11 February by Jools mckenna

[GreyC]

well, the Obermatrose is easy to spot -

Note that some of the army guys originated from other units than the Flugersatzabteilungen (FEA). That seems to strenghten the case that they really were pilots. The one sitting 1st row to the right is from a FEA, it seems.

GreyC

[Jools mckenna]

33 minutes ago, GreyC said:

well, the Obermatrose is easy to spot -

Note that some of the army guys originated from other units than the Flugersatzabteilungen (FEA). That seems to strenghten the case that they really were pilots. The one sitting 1st row to the right is from a FEA, it seems.

GreyC

Thanks Grey, this was indeed worth the £2 I spent on it! Shame the photo is damaged.

Edited 11 February by Jools mckenna

[GreyC]

Nevermind, well spent, I agree!

GreyC

[Jools mckenna]

1 hour ago, GreyC said:

Nevermind, well spent, I agree!

GreyC

Probably a stupid question but how uncommon are photos of 'pilots' like this one?

[GreyC]

Can´t really say. Don´t collect photos of pilots.

GreyC

[Jools mckenna]

6 minutes ago, GreyC said:

Can´t really say. Don´t collect photos of pilots.

GreyC

Thats alright, I was only wondering because photos of the RFC seem to be more common than their German counterparts but that's probably because I live in the Uk.

[David26]

Great photo.  Thanks Jools. 

 

Since the man on the right of the top row isn't named in the inscription, do you think he might have been the owner of the photo?

 

David.

[Jools mckenna]

3 minutes ago, David26 said:

Great photo.  Thanks Jools. 

 

Since the man on the right of the top row isn't named in the inscription, do you think he might have been the owner of the photo?

 

David.

 I did wonder that. Or he could be one of the owners friends but thats probably unlikely as one of the men is named without a rank or unit.

Edited 11 February by Jools mckenna