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Thread: A uniform with a curious past: this 1974 dated uniform jacket belonged to an Oberstleutnant of the Sanitätsdienst (Medical Service) in the Bundeswehr. What’s very interesting, however, is the medal ribbon...
The owner of this jacket was a veteran of the Second World War more specifically a veteran of the Eastern Front. The awards are the denazified [19]’57er’ reissues. They are: Iron Cross 1st class, Iron Cross 2nd class, Infantry Assault Badge, Eastern Front medal, and Sports badge.
![The owner of this jacket was a veteran of the Second World War more specifically a veteran of the Eastern Front. The awards are the denazified [19]’57er’ reissues. They are: Iron Cross 1st class, Iron Cross 2nd class, Infantry Assault Badge, Eastern Front medal, and Sports badge.](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EoBAxrQXUAAEk8c.jpg "The owner of this jacket was a veteran of the Second World War more specifically a veteran of the Eastern Front. The awards are the denazified [19]’57er’ reissues. They are: Iron Cross 1st class, Iron Cross 2nd class, Infantry Assault Badge, Eastern Front medal, and Sports badge.")
The owner of this jacket served in the USSR during the winter of 1941-42, hence the Eastern Medal. The Infantry Badge means he took part in at least three infantry assaults in as many days, at least. He was also highly decorated for ‘bravery in the field’.
This issue, however, is that at least one of these awards were given for fighting the ‘war of annihilation’ against the Soviet Union whilst in the service of the Third Reich. In 1974, he was still wearing them.
Now, this throws up many issues which are too large to discuss properly on a Twitter thread. So, instead of going down the rabbit hole of speculation, let’s look at his post war service using evidence on (and in) the uniform.
This patch denotes the Territorialkommando of Schleswig-Holstein, used between 1969 and 1994. This gives us a location for his service.
With old uniforms, it’s always good to check the pockets- you never know what the previous owners have left in there...
With old uniforms, it’s always good to check the pockets- you never know what the previous owners have left in there...
In the top right-hand pocket was this ‘Brusttaschenanhänger’! The symbol denotes the Commander of Allied Land Forces Schleswig Holstein and Jutland (COMLANDJUT) that was based in Rendsburg. (Continued...)
... This was part of the Allied Forces Baltic Approaches (BALTAP), a Principal Subordinate Command (PSC) of the NATO Military Command Structure. Headed by a Danish Lt General or Vice Admiral, they would have been responsible for NATO forces assigned to them in a time of war.
In the bottom left pocket was this slip of paper- it seems to be a speech and is written in English! I couldn’t believe it when I found it! This could be the key to discovering who the jacket belonged to. I can’t find anything about the content so far, but I’ll keep trying!
The other side of the paper.
Internal markings for general interest. (Trevira GmbH still exists)
The AOC in the speech could possibly refer to the Combined Air Operations Centre (CAOC) Finderup, the HQ of BALTAP (reference by the badge) built in 1977 on the Jutland Peninsula, 20km west of Viborg.
I have just found this on Reddit, of all places. It gives the name of an Oberstleutnant Horst Richter of H.Q. BALTAP on a 1967 dated invitation... I imagine, however, that there were several officers of this rank there, plus staff turnover.
https://www.reddit.com/r/MilitaryHistory/comments/c8orvh/so_i_as_amateur_historian_stumbled_upon_a_old/
https://www.reddit.com/r/MilitaryHistory/comments/c8orvh/so_i_as_amateur_historian_stumbled_upon_a_old/
Subthread: I thought I'd do a subthread of other German Second World War veterans that served in BALTAP, either earlier or at the same time as the owner of the above uniform.
Generalleutnant Cord von Hobe (1909-1991) first served in the Reichswehr, but by 1942 he was the Erster Generalstabsoffizier in the Infanteriedivision Großdeutschland (mot.). He joined the Bundewehr in 1956 and was deputy commander of BALTAP from 1965-1968.
