[Ger-Poland-Volhynia] WWII German Soldier Cemeteries in the formerSoviet Union

[Ed S]

I received similar information for my grandfather and great uncles that died
somewhere
in Bessarabia.  They were Grenadiers.  I also received a package from the
Information Agency
concerning the German soldiers.   Although there may have been intentional
destruction of
 soldier cemeteries the notes say that some burial areas may never be found
since towns
and cities have grown and cemeteries were long forgotten.   We have a
picture of my grandfather's
burial plot.  The pic was taken by a fellow soldier.  When this soldier
returned he brought back the bible
and other paperwork my grandfather was carrying.   The booklet was
bloodstained.  My mother now
has it.  Every soldier was given a New Testament before going to the Front.
A wooden cross with his name and other info on it was placed on the grave..
Flowers were planted.
Where that exactly is no one knows now.  It's nice that we do have that
rememberance of him.
He was killed on my birthday, but 12 years earlier.

Many German soldiers are mentioned at their web pages, although my relatives
weren't.  Now
that I asked for the info they may have added their names.  Maybe some of
you here may find
a relative at these pages
http://www.volksbund.de/graebersuche/content_suche.asp  The pages
are in German. If anyone needs help you can ask me.

The long term plan is to move all remains of German soldiers to several
large burial areas with
at least 500 remains per cemetery.  But this costs money.   They are looking
for millions of Euros to finish
this work.  I believe the Russians have agreed to upkeep these cemeteries.


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bloch, Ray" <rebloch at sharptech.net>
To: <ger-poland-volhynia at eclipse.sggee.org>
Sent: Friday, January 07, 2005 11:55 AM
Subject: [Ger-Poland-Volhynia] WWII German Soldier Cemeteries in the
formerSoviet Union


> After trying for several years to get information regarding my maternal
> grandfather's burial location, I received a communiqui from the Deutsche
> Dienststelle (WASt) Die Auskunftsstelle fuer Wehrmachtsnachweise (German
> Information Agency for the Armed Forces) that provided the following
> information:
>
>
>
> Otto Grapentin
>
> Died:  May 27, 1943 in Privolnoye, Russia
>
> Buried:  Heldenfriedhof Zolotarevka, Grab 11, Russland  (Hero's Cemetery,
> Zolotarevka, Grave 11, Russia)
>
> Rank:  Unteroffizer (Sergeant)
>
> Unit:  38th Infantry Division, Stab I. Battalion-Grenadier-Regiment 108
>
>
>
> Regarding the condition of the grave, it states:
>
>
>
> Ueber den heutigen Zustand der Grabstelle koennen von uns keine Angaben
> gemacht werden.
>
> We have no information regarding the present condition of the grave.
>
>
>
> This location is in the northern Caucauses, north of Georgia and Chechnya.
> The major Russian city in this region is Stavropol.
>
>
>
> Does anyone have any history in determining the status of German
cemeteries
> on Russian soil?
>
> >From talking to relatives, they have led me to believe that the Russians
> following the war erased any signs of German cemeteries on their soil.
>
>
>
> Any help would be appreciated.
>
>
>
> Thanks,
>
> Ray Bloch
>
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