Erich Löwe with His Sons

Major Erich Löwe with three of his five children. The photo is privately owned by the family. Erich Löwe (24 September 1906 – 23 December 1943) rose to the rank of Major and was posthumously promoted to Oberstleutnant, earning both the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes and the Eichenlaub as a highly experienced panzer commander, particularly noted for his leadership of schwere Panzer-Abteilung 501 equipped with Tiger I tanks on the Eastern Front. Born in Mühlhausen, he joined the Reichswehr in 1923 initially as a Kraftfahrer, was commissioned Leutnant in 1935, and served as Hauptmann and Chef 3./Panzer-Abteilung 65 during the 1940 French campaign where his Ritterkreuz was awarded on 4 September 1940 for decisive actions as vanguard leader of a reinforced Kampfgruppe, including securing intact river and canal bridges over the Oise after bitter street fighting on 17 May, playing a key role in capturing the staff of the French 9th Army at Le Catelet the next day, and later forcing a path through the heavily defended village of Doullens with his Kompanie on 20 May to enable continued advances. He subsequently commanded I. Abteilung/Panzer-Regiment 11, receiving the Deutsches Kreuz in Gold in March 1943, before taking over schwere Panzer-Abteilung 501 in September 1943; in December 1943 near Witebsk his Abteilung supported the 14. Infanterie-Division (mot.) in fierce defensive and counterattack operations, notably during the fighting around Losovka on 20 December where despite harsh winter conditions and infantry struggling to keep pace, the Tigers destroyed numerous Soviet tanks and guns, with Löwe personally leading assaults by transferring from tank to tank after his own Tiger received two hits, maintaining command momentum until he was mortally wounded by enemy artillery fire on 23 December 1943. For his sustained exemplary leadership, personal bravery under fire, and the battalion's critical impact in staving off Soviet thrusts along the Rollbahn to Welisch, he was posthumously awarded the 385th Eichenlaub on 8 February 1944.

Source :
Ltn Rackow photo collection
https://www.facebook.com/groups/222855636020791/posts/1325973089042368/?__cft__[0]=AZbNz9H5y8KP0BUUhiHvUxftlkGY6NHOEGoNTf5LoX_Nd3A_SSm7VpnXYiygtu3t6A81NI9IkzTUCYIx2TUYk0R_8QSTWc1FXxd63R_5Ened9HNVdvfqg9qQwi91dcEdPveW0NvV8yfko8YuCLOVVChWU7jbZ1MGf_UwS_iOMBTdaQ&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R

Erwin Rommel Visits Goebbels Children

 

Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel visits Magda Goebbels, wife of Nazi Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels, and her children on the Goebbels estate in 1943, during a break in assignments, September 1942. Mrs. Goebbels and Marshal Rommel pose in her garden. She holds the family dog while she and Rommel hold the hands of her youngest daughter, Heidrun. Magda, Rommel and Alfred-Ingemar Berndt watch as one of the Rommel military aides plays on a slide with the older Goebbels children. The Goebbels daughter, Helga, and the son, Helmut, both go down the slide. A photographer moves to a better vantage point in background. Marshal Rommel and Magda Goebbels both help Heidrun go down the slide. Rommel smiles and lifts up one of the daughters. He joins in a bit as the children play.

After a discussion with Benito Mussolini in Rome on 24 September 1942, Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel (Oberbefehlshaber Panzerarmee "Afrika") flew to Germany in the afternoon. Rommel was then a celebrity guest of the Goebbels family in their retreat villa at Bogensee, located in Berlin, Isle of Schwanenwerder, Inselstraße nr 8. After the war only ruins remained there and the villa was was ransacked first by Soviet, then by American soldiers. It was demolished and replaced by Aspen Institute.

On 26 September 1942 Rommel drove to the Führerhauptquartier Wolfsschanze in Rastenburg, East Prussia, where Hitler presented him his Field Marshal' s baton.

Source :
https://www.buyoutfootage.com/pages/titles/pd_dc_568.php#bottom_synopsis
https://www.criticalpast.com/video/65675066074_Field-Marshal-Rommel_Rommels-wife_Nazi-officer-slides_sliding-down-a-ramp
https://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=98884&hilit=rommel+goebbels+children
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cj6fOIWL8E0

Waffen-SS Reunion in Verden (1952)

Former members of the Waffen-SS march through the streets of Verden, Niedersachsen, while being watched by the watchful eyes of British Military Police officer at left. They came to the post-war reunion of former members of the Waffen-SS (Nachkriegstreffen der Waffen-SS) which was held in Verden on 27 October 1952. Most likely this photo was taken just before the laying of wreaths in memory of their comrades in arms who have fallen during World War II. Second row after the wreath bearers are their leaders, from left to right: Hermann-Bernhard Ramcke, Felix Steiner and Herbert Otto Gille. Ramcke was a former general of the Fallschirmjäger (Paratroopers), while Steiner and Gille were both former commanders of the SS "Wiking" Division. Ramcke and Gille were both the recipients of Brillanten zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, while Steiner "only" received the Schwerter for his Ritterkreuz (one level lower than Brillanten).

Front row, from left to right: Hermann-Bernhard Ramcke (former Fallschirmjäger General), Felix Steiner (former Waffen-SS General), and Herbert Otto Gille (former Waffen-SS General). This picture was taken during post-war reunion of former members of the Waffen-SS (Nachkriegstreffen der Waffen-SS) which was held in Verden, Niedersachsen, on 27 October 1952.

These two pictures were taken during post-war reunion of former members of the Waffen-SS (Nachkriegstreffen der Waffen-SS) which was held in Verden, Niedersachsen, on 27 October 1952. Top picture shows Herbert Otto Gille (former General of the Waffen-SS) at the podium, while bottom picture shows notice boards which is showing photos of former members of the Waffen-SS whose fate is still unknown until that time

Source :
http://alifrafikkhan.blogspot.com/2014/03/album-foto-herbert-otto-gille.html
https://beeldbankwo2.nl/nl/beelden/detail/b017423e-0259-11e7-904b-d89d6717b464/media/e38e644a-29c9-763c-1c05-0fa626b2a23b?mode=detail&view=horizontal&q=gille&rows=1&page=3
https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/search/2/image?family=editorial&phrase=herbert%20gille
https://www.topfoto.co.uk/asset/1680249/

Theodor Tolsdorff being Congratulated after Receiving the Eichenlaub

Major Theodor Tolsdorff (Kommandeur I.Bataillon / Füsilier-Regiment 22 / 1.Infanterie-Division) being congratulated at home after awarded the Eichenlaub for his Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes. Tolsdorff received the Eichenlaub #302 on 15 September 1943 for his achievements during the Third Battle of Lake Ladoga (22 July - 23 August 1943), which taking place on both sides of the Kirov railway. Tolsdorff and his battalion were assigned a section of line to defend. They not only succeeding in holding their own positions for 14 days, but also managed to throw back Soviet forces that broke through in the neighbouring one. In all these battles Tolsdorff led from the front in both offense and defense.

Major Theodor Tolsdorff (Kommandeur I.Bataillon / Füsilier-Regiment 22 / 1.Infanterie-Division) being congratulated at home after awarded the Eichenlaub for his Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes.

Major Theodor Tolsdorff (Kommandeur I.Bataillon / Füsilier-Regiment 22 / 1.Infanterie-Division) being congratulated at home after awarded the Eichenlaub for his Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes.

Source :
http://www.1infanterie-division.de/hofmeisterir22album.htm
https://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=159818&p=1403236&hilit=tolsdorff#p1403236
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/1049/Tolsdorff-Theodor.htm

Bio of Kapitänleutnant Joachim Schepke (1912-1941)

Full name: Joachim Schepke
Nickname: Schepke Tonnage
Date of Birth: 8 March 1912 at Flensburg, Schleswig-Holstein (German Empire)
Date of Death: 17 March 1941 at Western Approaches, off British-occupied Iceland (North Atlantic)
NSDAP Number: unknown
SS Number: unknown
Academic Title: unknown
Family Member: unknown
Physical Feature: unknown

Beförderungen (Promotion):
01.04.1930 Offiziersanwärter
10.10.1930 Seekadett
01.01.1932 Fähnrich zur See
01.04.1934 Oberfähnrich zur See
01.10.1934 Leutnant zur See
01.06.1936 Oberleutnant zur See
01.06.1939 Kapitänleutnant

Karriere (Career):
29.10.1938 - 02.01.1940 Kommandant U-3 (3 patrols, 24 days)
03.01.1940 - 30.04.1940 Kommandant U-19 (5 patrols, 66 days)
30.05.1940 - 17.03.1941 Kommandant U-100 (6 patrols, 112 days)
 
Orden und Ehrenzeichen (Medals and Decorations):
00.00.1939 Eisernes Kreuz II.Klasse
00.00.1940 U-Boot-Kriegsabzeichen
27.02.1940 Eisernes Kreuz I.Klasse
29.08.1940 Mentioned in Wehrmachtbericht
22.09.1940 Mentioned in Wehrmachtbericht
24.09.1940 Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, as Kapitänleutnant and Kommandeur U-100
21.10.1940 Mentioned in Wehrmachtbericht
26.11.1940 Mentioned in Wehrmachtbericht
01.12.1940 Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub #7, as Kapitänleutnant and Kommandeur U-100
20.12.1940 Mentioned in Wehrmachtbericht
24.12.1941 Mentioned in Wehrmachtbericht

Successes
36 ships sunk, total tonnage 153,677 GRT
4 ships damaged, total tonnage 17,229 GRT
1 ship a total loss, total tonnage 2,205 GRT

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Joachim Schepke began his naval career in April 1930. He spent two years on the 'pocket battleship' Deutschland before, as Günther Prien also had, transferring to the U-boat force in October 1935. Later he spent 18 months as an instructor at the Torpedo School at Flensburg, but in 1938 he became commander of the training U-boat U-3. His time commanding U-3 saw him achieve his first successes, leaving her in January 1940.

He then took over command of U-19 (Müller-Arnecke) and sank nine ships with a total of 15,715 tons.

In May 1940 he commissioned the larger type VIIB U-boat U-100. On his first patrol from Kiel to Lorient in August 1940, he sank six ships with a total of 25,812 tons and damaged one more.

But it wasn't until her second patrol during September 1940 that Kapitänleutnant Schepke became famous as commander of U-100. In only two days he sank seven ships with a total of 50,340 tons. Two days later he received the Knights Cross.

23 November 1940 was another memorable day, on which Schepke sank seven ships totaling 24,601 tons. One week later he was awarded the Oak Leaves to his Knights Cross.

In 1940 he published a book, U-Boot Fahrer von heute (U-boat men of today), describing life on a U-boat in simple terms. This book is illustrated with his own paintings.

Schepke was nicknamed Ihrer Majestät bestaussehender Offizier (Her Majesty's best-looking officer. The expression Ihrer Majestät is used to indicate the country's leader, and is not referring to royalty in this case!).

Joachim Schepke died when U-100 was sunk at 0318hrs on 17 March 1941 SE of Iceland in approximate position 61N, 12W, after being rammed and depth charged by the British destroyers HMS Walker and HMS Vanoc (Niestlé, 1998). Vanoc located U-100 with her early radar in heavy fog and chased the contact. Schepke is said to have been caught on the bridge when the boat was rammed. Six men survived and 38 were lost.

Source :
https://uboat.net/men/schepke.htm
http://www.ubootarchiv.de/ubootwiki/index.php/Joachim_Schepke
https://ww2colorfarbe.blogspot.com/2022/02/bio-of-u-boat-ace-joachim-schepke.html

U-boat Ace Joachim Schepke with U-Boat Miniature

 

 

U-boat ace Joachim Schepke (Kapitänleutnant and commander of U-100) shows a German submarine toy to his son, 1941. U-29 was a celebrated vessel, responsible for sinking the British aircraft carrier HMS Courageous on 17 September 1939. This little boy smiles pensively - his father, a German officer, has just given him this miniature submarine. It is true that the Nazi regime did not attach great importance to toys, which the German youth only "softened over". Nevertheless, the propaganda potential of war toys was recognised: "Playing with soldiers and military equipment awakens enthusiasm for military achievements and plants the germ of military detention in the hearts of young people at an early stage," wrote art teacher Lorenz Postner in 1939. Source: Signal magazine cover.

Source :
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=660998631835631&set=gm.1942078655977548

Christmas Celebration at Home

This picture is a personal collection of ravrick, and he bought the photo many years ago at a flea market in Hannover, Niedersachsen, Germany. There is no information about what's going on in the picture - maybe Christmas celebration - or the identity of these two member of the Wehrmacht. There is at least two version about the ID of the Ritterkreuzträger from Luftwaffe who sat at left: Helmut Kahle or Werner Stein. The strongest option is for Werner Stein, because he have a very similar facial fixture with the man in the picture, and also lived in Bochum, Nordrhein-Westfalen, not far from Hannover. Stein received the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 19 August 1943 as Feldwebel and Bordschütze in 1.Staffel / I.Gruppe / Stukageschwader 2 "Immelmann". He flew a total of 727 sorties (of which around 150 were during the battle of Stalingrad) as a Ju 87 radio operator, mostly with Stuka pilot and fellow Ritterkreuzträger Armin Thiede.

Source ;
https://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=231309
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/27067/Stein-Werner.htm
https://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/forums/forum/wehrmacht-era-militaria/photos-and-paper-items-forum/492360-luftwaffe-rk-holder-id-help