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KC Soldbuch - six times WIA

Peter U

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Staff member
This Soldbuch set recently became a part of my collection, the Soldbuch has been in his pocket for almost eight years, in this time he was wounded six times and was awarded the Knights Cross in November 1944, so we can say that Willi Rosin experienced combat action in WW2.

Willi Rosin born on Christmas day 1907 was a customs officer from Schlawe, in the the 1920’s-’30’s he attended training courses with the “Reichswehr” and when the German army mobilized for war he was attached to the second company of IR478 (258ID) as a Feldwebel, with this unit he participates in the campaign against Poland.
In 1940 his division is positioned against the famous Maginot line, in June they attack it and it is here that he distinguishes himself for the first time, he is awarded the EKII & ISA and in September 1940 he gets his officers commission and is transferred to the ninth company.
In 1941 his unit invades the Soviet Union, in October 1941, while fighting with the sixth company he receives the first of his six combat related wounds, he is shot while they fight in Wjasma with the 4th Panzergruppe; the bullet wound keeps him in hospital until late January 1942, he also is awarded the EKI.
The bullet wound seems to be rather serious it keeps him in his reserve units training company (as an instructor?) until January 1944.
In early 1944 he is as an Oberleutenant, transferred to the sixth company of GR328 of the 227ID, this division is heavily engaged on the Narwa front.
At the end of March 1944 he is shot a second time, he is in hospital until early May 1944 after which he returns to his company on the Narwa front again, in September 1944 he is shot again, when they do the administration they add up two minor wounds for which he wasn’t admitted to hospital and he is awarded the wounded badge in gold.
In October 1944 he is at the front again now as a Hauptmann in Kurland, here he distinguishes himself as the company commander of the sixth company GR328 and is awarded the KC on November 18 1944.
In March 1945 he gets wounded for the sixth time! He is hit by shrapnel in the head.
He is evacuated out of the Kurland pocket and while he recuperates from his wound he is awarded both first and second grades of the close combat clasp.
After the capitulation he becomes a company commander of a road repair and construction unit under control of the western allies.
What is remarkable is that he keeps on continuing his wartime Soldbuch and it isn’t even denazified, the swastika is still on the cover.
 
His Soldbuch.
 

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The telegram that annouced that he was being awarded the KC and a picture of him wearing his KC.
 

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His temporarily award document for the KC.
This late in the war the ornate big award documents weren’t issued anymore, his small one came in a selfmade cover which was signed by the CO of Armeegruppe Nord Generaloberst Schörner, the document itself is signed by Generalleutenant Linnartz.
 

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What a combat veteran. An to earn the KC. And to survive the war after all that. Great find to have that paper work from this veteran .

SVW1945
 
Thanks fellows!

The sad thing is despite the KC being the highest bravery award of the German army in WW2, I have no details about the citation that it came with.
 
Thanks for sharing! The citation might be found in the relevant unit Kriegstagebuch - sometimes they were part of a Meldung to the division as a whole. Worth a look, if you can!

And a Schörner signature, to boot...! Was für ein Arschloch...
 
thanks

Do you have the other documents besides the Soldbuch? I wonder what happened to him after the war. :thumbsup:
 
Thanks for sharing! The citation might be found in the relevant unit Kriegstagebuch - sometimes they were part of a Meldung to the division as a whole. Worth a look, if you can!

And a Schörner signature, to boot...! Was für ein Arschloch...


I have a copy of the divisional daily orders but that too doesn't give any details about the reason for his KC award.

Schörner, a known (war)criminal?
 
Do you have the other documents besides the Soldbuch? I wonder what happened to him after the war. :thumbsup:


Thanks Jack!

Yes, everything shown in this thread including the KC preliminary award document and its small "trench art" folder are in my collection.
 

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