Crew XII/39

[alwinlowdham]

Hello! Sorry that I don't speak German (I'm working on it ). I've been on the hunt for information regarding the officer Crew XII/39 for a project I'm working on. I've found a few documents on Crew X/39 and Crew V/41, but very little for December 1939 unfortunately.

Much of the information that I need I've already gleaned from the documents on other Crews, but there are still a few missing pieces. Mostly dates, especially the date the recuits swore the oath and were inducted. I like to think it might have been around Christmas haha.

Any information on specifically Crew XII/39 (but also information from any Crew with details like the training schedule, daily plans etc.) would be much appreciated!

Thanks,
Alwin

[bettika61]

Hello Alwin,
Do you know this book
https://www.abebooks.de/Latten-Molchen-Erinnerungen-Schiffbauer-Crew-XII/30356122396/bd ?

[ufo]

Hej Alwin,

Well – for starters: welcome. Nice to have you here.

As for your questions: there could be a hundred answers, but it might be easier to respond if you could let us know in a bit more detail what you are working on. But let me try to start with some of the hundred answers:

Unlucky choice. Many Kriegsmarine Crewen did issue often quite detailed books, journals, letters or the like to document crew life. Crew XII/39 did not.

To the best of my knowledge none of the libraries or personal collectors I know, who usually hold well assorted collection of crew memorabilia, have any run of crew letters from Crew XII/39.
 
The Crew never managed to produce a crewbook.
But the Engineers of the Crew of the construction branch did produce their own book of memories, stories and events. See the link above to the book 'Von Latten und Molchen'.

There does exist a run of small booklets that largely cover address lists and short reports on annual crew gatherings. But these do not normally look back on the crew's experiences during training and war. I shall have a look if the booklet issued in 1989 for the 50th anniversary provides any more detail, but I think not.


If you are interested in the training schedule or in daily plans than the 'Lehrordnung fuer den Offiziernachwuchs der Kriegsmarine' might be your friend. Published in 1939 that provides in 5 booklets (Naval branch, Engineer, Gunnery, Mines, Admin) detailed plans with weekly hours and learning content and all that.

Here:
https://forum-marinearchiv.de/smf/index.php?topic=36489.msg408951#msg408951
... you get an idea what those booklets are about.

The Marineschule Muerwik copied my issue.
I think Straussberg has one and then I think there is another one somewhere in Australia.


In a more informal way the Kriegsmarine training schedule is described well in a series of crew letters from Crew X/39. From early 1941 to mid 1942 they issued quarterly journals detailing the training of the submariners, airmen, fleet officers and engineers.

I think I digitized most of these at some point. They are also sometimes popping up in antiquarian sales.


The training pathway of the medics is described in good detail in 'Anker und Aeskulabstab' by Crew X/43.


So – yes, some hints and clues but there is a wealth of crewbooks and other papers available. Knowing what exactly you are looking for might allow more detailed answers.
Ufo 

[alwinlowdham]

Thank you! I will definitely look into these. I'm actually writing a story, or more like a series of vignettes, so there is not really anything 'particular' that I'm looking for: just enough things to get a good enough picture to write confidently that I'm not mis-representing history.

[Urs Heßling]

hi,

just two examples who wrote books about their experiences : Hardtke  and Werner

Gruß, Urs

[ufo]

Thank you! I will definitely look into these. I'm actually writing a story, or more like a series of vignettes, so there is not really anything 'particular' that I'm looking for: just enough things to get a good enough picture to write confidently that I'm not mis-representing history.

Sounds fun!
Right ... I guess then it is not so important if the young midshipmen had to own one or two sharpened pencils and what size sketchbook to use. 

I have had a look through my library. How good is your German reading wise?
I do have a scan of an address list from Crew XII/39. That one has narrative of their training experience over eight pages. Happy to share.

And if you are after colourful narrative - the crew letters from Crew X/39 that I mentioned are full of stories, anecdotes, events and experiences from their training. Published through 1941, they are wonderfully unfiltered by hindsight or regret.
I have the first four as scans. 

Ufo

[alwinlowdham]

I can read German pretty well as long as I can type the words I don't know into a machine translator   The old Gothic fonts don't bother me, and I can sort of decipher Kurrentschrift if I stare at it for long enough. Please do send the scans along as soon as you are able! I'll take a look at Latten und Molchen, the Lehrordnung, and the books by Hardtke and Werner as well.

Vielen Dank,
Alwin