6.1944 card from Polizei Freiwilligen Rgt. (Kroatien) to Samobor

 12.06.1944 Feldpost card from Fp.00691 - 'Regiments stab Polizei Freiwilligen Regiment (Kroatien)' (Rgt.3) to Ivan Sudnik in Samobor, Croatia. Nice unit, feldpost and green censor AS3 cancels. Text in German is inquiry about Fountain pen left for repair with watchmaker Ivan Sudnik and casual greetings.

Ivan (Ivica) Sudnik 1910-2002 was founder of local museum in Samobor, by profession he was watchmaker. He was at first a photographer later collector of old items and from his collection a Samobor museum was formed. He is still the only person named honorary Mayor of Samobor.

10.1943 - XVII ŽESTRA BOJNA

 12.10.1943 official letter from 2.Sat XVII. ŽESTRA BOJNA (2.company of 17.Railway protection battalion) stationed in Semizovac to Donja Stubica. Franked with a mix of Regular and Porto stamps canceled at Semizovac postal office, on the back is a round units cancel. HQ of XVII. ŽESTRA BOJNA was in Zenica, battalion had 5 rifle companies and was tasked with protection of railway from Brod N/S to Sarajevo. Semizovac is around 14km away from Sarajevo. Info about ŽESTRA units is very scarce, only data about XVII. ŽESTRA BOJNA is that in late 1944 it became part of 16. infantry brigade of  15.Croatian infantry division.

2.1917 Feldpost card from the Ottoman empire to Zagreb Croatia

 12.02.1917 feldpost card from Constantinople to an officer of K.u.K  23. Landwehrinfanterie regiment Zara, addressed to Zagreb Croatia, card was then rerouted to Fp.420. Card was mailed via German feldpost services in Ottoman empire. It was mailed by an Ottoman officer, text is a New Year greeting written in German. LIR-23 ZARA was then part of 5.Gebirgs Brigade and used Feldpost 420 of 58.Inf.division.

10.1943 Croat in Luftwaffe, Flugzeugführerschule A/B 123

 28.10.1943 postcard mailed from Croatian pilot in training from Flugzeugführerschule C 19 in Gleiwitz to his former instructor in Flugzeugführerschule A/B 123 (FFS A/B 123)  in Graz-Thalerhof airport.

Marked as feldpost, card was mailed via civilian post office Gleiwitz, text is in Croatian. Cadet writes that other Croats will arrive for further training in FFS C 19 but lessons haven't started because they are waiting for a translator to arrive.

FFS A/B 123 was first Luftwaffe pilot school formed in Croatia that trained German and Croatian pilots, Croat cadets formed a separate detachment and were trained by Croatian and German instructors. Receiver of this card Captain Pažameta was one of the Croatian instructors.

FFS A/B 123 was stationed on Borongaj airport, Zagreb from 10.05.1941 to 06.05.1943 when it  was transfered to Graz due to war conditions in Croatia. In this school many Croatian pilots were trained. 

FFS C 19 was located  13.9.41 - 26.6.44 in Ohlau with satellite airfields in  Woisselsdorf, Gleiwitz and Märzdorf. 

FFS A/B offered  basic pilot training

FFS C offered advanced pilot training  for multi-engine aircraft (bomber and reconnaissance airplanes)

Best book about Croatian airforce that also mentiones Captain Pažameta in FFS A/B 123 is

2.1944 - Croatian 'Flak' unit in Brod n/s to Osijek

 

17.02.1944 letter mailed from an pz. vodnik, 1. laka bitnica, 3.p.z skupina Brod n/s ( Antiaircraft(flak) Sergeant, 1.light battery of 3.anti-aircraft group(p.z skupina = flak abteilung) in Brod n/s, today Slavonski Brod).

  3.anti-aircraft group was formed in 1943 in Brod N/S. Each anti-aircraft group consisted of  three heavy and one light battery. 

In April 1944 heavy bombing of Brod n/s started, by the end of the war a greater part of the city was destroyed with 4000 tons of aircraft bombs.

Letter was correctly franked with 3,5kn stamp with 2 kuna war tax  paid. Arrival cancel Osijek is on the back side as well as red censor mark CENZURA Br.17 of Osijek censorship office. Letter content is present, text is usually greetings.

12.1916 - K.u.K 53.Inf.Rgt von Dankl to Zagreb

 22.12.1916 K.u.K feldpost card mailed to Zagreb by an officer, Major Edmund Von Mihalović (Feričanci, 1866. – Zagreb, 1950.), Mihalovićs were Slavonian nobility. Sender writes that he was transferred from 53.Inf.Regt von Dankl (mostly croatian) to 5.Inf.Rtg but still names Fp.44 as his address. Fp.44 was used by 36.Inf.Division, and 53.Inf.Rgt was part of it during the whole war. Feldpost cancel is unreadable probably Tabori Postahivatal 44. Text is written in German and interestingly a charity stamp for invalides, widows and orphans of 53.Inf Rgt Von Dankl was added.

3.1944 letter from 3.Staffel Kampf-Geschwader 40 in Norway to Croatia

 21.03.1944 feldpost letter from Fp. L30872 to Semlin, Kroatien (Zemun, Croatia). Fp.L30872  was used by Luftwaffe unit, 3.Staffel Kampf-Geschwader 40.  This unit moved to Trondheim - Vaernes airfield in Norway in 11.1943 with Focke-Wulf 200C airplanes. It stayed in Norway until 10.1944. This is a rare Wehrmacht feldpost from Norway to Croatia. Present are clear feldpost, unit and multiple censorship cancels. Written by and mailed to Croatian Volksdeutsche.

8.1943 letter to Zrakoplovna školska pukovnija in Petrovaradin

 24.08.1943 registered express letter mailed from Zagreb to a member of  "Đački sat zrakoplovne školske pukovnije" or student company of air force training regiment in Petrovaradin. This air force training regiment was formed in September 1941 , it was made of HQ and 2 battalions each with several companies. Regiment trained non flying  air force personnel, reserve officers, NCOs  and recruits. Also courses for active air force personnel were occasionally organised by regiment, such as aerial photography , mechanical and meteorological courses. In September 1944 larger part of regiment deserted with commanding officer to partisans and remains of the regiment were added to 1.pilotska škola Borovo(1.pilot school in Borovo).

1.1917 K.u.K Seeflugstation Sebenico to Knin, Croatia.

 01.01.1917 K.u.K Marinefeldpost, photocard mailed from K.u.K Seeflugstation Sebenico( Šibenik) to Knin in  Croatia. Red cancel reads K.u.K Küstenflugstation Sebenico. Card was mailed via civilian post office Šibenik, but in top right corner is hand written KuK Marinefeldpost and card was mailed free of charge.

03.1944 - 369.(Kroat.) Infanterie Division to Zagreb

20.03.1944 feldpost letter from Fp.13549 E  or  12.company, III.batallion, Grenadier Regiment 369. of 369.(Kroatische) Infanterie Division to Zagreb, Croatia. Soldier writes that he is stationed on the seaside and managed to obtain some sea salt and oil(olive) and he will send it to Zagreb. He notes that unlike in Bosnia there are no Bandits(Partisans) here, but air raids are far more common. 369.(Kroat.)division moved in 3.1944 from Bosnia to Herzegovina and southern Dalmatia with southernmost units stationed in Cavtat(south of Dubrovnik). As usual  feldpost and censor cancels are present on the cover and content.

10.1942 official Army(Domobranstvo) letter from Osijek to Vinkovci

 20.10.1942 official military cover sent from "DOMOBRANSKI POVJERENIK u I. Osječkom mlinu na valjke"  or "Army representative in 1. Osijek roller mill" to "Posadno obskrbno skladište" Vinkovci or "Garisson supply depot" in Vinkovci. Cancels on the cover are : Official purple cancel, letter was franked with official stamp of 3 kuna value canceled in Osijek , on the back is arrival cancel Vinkovci 21.10.42.

1.Osijek steam roller mill produced flour from various grains.

12.1917 U-boot station Hercegnovi to U-boat 31 in Rijeka. SUBMARINE MAIL!

 05.12.1917 picture posted as feldpost card from U-boat station in Hercegnovi in Bay of Kotor to U-boat 31 in Fiume(Rijeka). Text is in Croatian, sender notes his address as "c. i k. Podmornička stanica , Ercegnovi , Dalmacija" or k.u. k. submarine station Hercegnovi, Dalmatia. Red cancel reads k.u.k Ubootstationskommando Golf v. Cattaro - Zensuriert. Card was rerouted from U-boot 31 in Fiume to S.M.S Alpha in Pola ,  a ship of  torpedo training school. U-boot 31 sunk by crew error on 29.10.1917 in port of Rijeka(Fiume), ship was raised from the sea the next day but  repairs lasted until 1.1918. This card was mailed during this period of repairs while the receiver was transferred to SMS Alpha. Arrival cancel Fiume 09.12.1917, also present is purple cancel in hungarian "hadlszolgarat portomentes" meaning "military service, free of charge", this was probably added in Rijeka as Hungarians controlled the city then. Photo is possibly from inside of an submarine, but i can't verify this.

K.u.K navy entered the War with 6 submarines, during the conflict another 21 submarines were added to the fleet, giving a total of 27 units, of which 8 were lost. Average crew was 15-20 men hence mail to and from U-boots is very rare.

THIS IS THE FIRST FELDPOST FROM AN K.u.K U-BOAT WRITTEN IN CROATIAN I HAVE SEEN!!

I know that Croatian sailors served on the KuK submarines as Georg von Trapp writes in his memoires ' To the last salute' that he had Croatian speaking sailors on his Uboot-14. This is a great book, you can find english copies online.

9.1943 - 373.Croatian Infantry division to Wien, Reich

 27.09.1943 Official registered feldpost letter from Fp.01728 - Kommandeur der Infanterie-Division Nachschubtruppe 373.(kroatisch) to Wehrmeldeamt in Wien, Reich(command of supply column of 373. Croatian division to draft board in Vienna, Austria). Feldpost cancel and Registered label have visible Kenn number K-349 used by Feldpostamt 373 for registered mail of 373.Croatian "TIGER" division. Present are multiple feldpost(postal) and units cancels, arrival cancel Vienna 02.10.1943  is on the back of cover.

10.1942 letter from Pisarovina to 11.infantry regiment in Sisak , special UNS censorship.

 

17.10.1942 cover of a letter mailed from Lučelnica via Pisarovina post office(cancel) to a soldier serving with 15.stožerna satnija 11.pukovnija, Sisak (15.Hq company of 11.infantry regiment in Sisak). Arrival cancel Sisak 20.10.1942 is on the backside of cover. 11.infantry regiment(Sisak) in June 1943 became 11.mountain regiment of 3.Gorski Zdrug(mountain brigade)

Really interesting is very rare censor cancel in black on left bottom corner. Cancel reads PREGLEDANO / UNS URED III . (EXAMINED/ UNS OFFICE III). UNS is short for Ustaška Nadzorna Služba or Ustaša Surveillance Service this was state secret police service.  This special cancel was used only for mail sent from Pisarovina and Zdenčina. Pisarovina is a  small palace around 30 km from Zagreb, in this area a  safe zone for prisoner exchange between Germans, Croats and Communists Partisans was formed and used until the end of the War. Hence UNS performed additional censorship of mail from this area.

The best book about Croatian censorship in WW2 is "Poštanska cenzura u NDH"(Postal censorship in Croatia) written by Berislav Pervan and Predrag Zrinjšćak , it is a trilingual book in Croatian,English and German. The above letter was published in this book  on page 137 , see scan below. You can order the book from author berislav.pervan@gmail.com

2.1917 - K.u.K 72. Infanterie Brigade to Zagreb, Croatia.

20.02.1917 KuK feldpost card mailed from 72. Infanterie Brigade via Fp.634 to Zagreb. Fp.634 replaced Fp.44 on 06.02.1917 as feldpost of 36.Infantry division. 72.Inf.Brigade was part of 36.Inf.division during the whole war. While division was mostly Croatian, Brigade  made up of Croatian  53.Inf.Regiment(Zagreb) and 16.Inf.Regiment (Varaždin) and was almost purely Croatian unit. In 02.1917 division was on the Russian front in Galicia. Card has purple 72. Inf.Brigade cancel and  Fp.634 cancel but has no visible censorship. Text is short greeting in Croatian language.

1.1943 letter to Zagreb from 369.kroat.inf.div. mailed via 7.SS Prinz Eugen division

 

21.01.1943 letter mailed to Zagreb via Fp.47444 - 2. Sanitats Kompanie SS Freiwilligen Gebirgs Division Prinz Eugen (7.SS). Sender writes his Fp.number as Fp.13549 E used by 12.Kompanie Grenadier-Regiment 369 of 369.(kroatische) Infanterie Division.

Text in Croatian is very interesting. Soldier writes  "thanks to the Lord i didn't go to Russia, but Im in village Letovanić 50 km from Zagreb.. here we are training and going to the forests to hunt  Partisans , we caught just a few of them... I command a mortar crew of 6 men...". 

This letter is from the beginning of operation White - fall Weiß 1, both 369.kroat.inf.div and 7.SS division were stationed in and near Banovina area at the start of operation, hence this soldier from 369.inf.div used nearby 7.SS divisions feldpost to send mail.

7.1944 Card from Osijek to 4.lovačka pukovnija (4.jager regiment)

 11.07.1944 card from Osijek to 15.stožerna sat 4.lovačke pukovnije(15.headquarters company of 4.jager regiment) in Derventa. 4.lovačka pukovnija was part od 1.lovački zdrug(1.jager brigade) of Domobranstvo. In mid 1944  4.lovacka pukovnija was stationed around Derventa . During  27-29. June 1944, 4.lovačka pukovnija repulsed Partisan attack on Derventa while fighting against a much larger enemy force. Ironically on 8. and 9. September 1944 large part of 1.jager brigade surrendered to communist forces.  Around 800 men remained in the brigade but Army HQ decided to disband 1.jager brigade on the 18.October 1944.  Soldiers were transferred to 3.lovački zdrug (3.jager brigade).

6.1916 K.u.K Marinefeldpost from Durz to Bakar in Croatian Littoral

 

16.06.1916 K.u.K Marinefeldpost card, mailed from Durz(alb.Durres, cro.Drač) in Albania to Bakar in Hrvatsko primorje(Croatian Littoral). Albanian postcard was used, it was mailed from civilian cargo ship S.S Rakoczy via S.M.S Kronprinz Erzherzog Rudolf - ships cancel was applied, then card was transferred to local post office Zelenika in bay of Kotor where postal cancel 20.VI.16  was applied. Text is in Croatian , just a short greetings message. 

S.S Rakoczy was Passenger Cargo Ship built in Tyne Iron Shipyard in England. Ship was completed in 11/1892 for Royal Hungarian Sea Navigation Co Adria Ltd, Fiume(Rijeka).  Ship was running supplies for KuK army in Durz when postcard was mailed.

S.M.S Kronprinz Erzherzog Rudolf was old battleship that served as local defence ship in bay of Kotor since 1906 and spent the war stationed there.

09.1943 Kroatische Ausbildungs Brigade to Domobran school in Varaždin

 

18.09.1943 letter with contents mailed from Fp.56478 B - 1.company  1st. Battalion Kroatische Ausbildungs Brigade to 1.prva bitnica topničkog sklopa Domobranska Središnja Škola (1.section of artillery battery of  Central Army School) in Varaždin, Croatia. School trained reserve army officers. Feldpost cancel 18.09.1943 at was used in Stockerau Austria. German censorship, content was marked by the same green censor cancel bearing numbers as was the cover. Text is in Croatian, sender unusually for the war time describes a day boat trip on Danube on which cadets were sent.

Feldpost from EINSATZSTAFFEL DER DEUTSCHEN MANNSCHAFT

 Organisation of Einsatzstaffel der Deutschen Mannschaft (E der DM)  is reviewed elsewhere on this blog, but some new findings came to my attention. I have read on the internet that there were independent companies in E der DM but I have never seen official document or mail from those companies until recently.

There were 3 independent companies named after their commanding officers 

Kompanie ZIKMUND, commander Leopold Zikmund

Kompanie MAY, commander Josef May

Kompanie BRASCHEL, commander Adam Braschel, 

Adam Braschel was commander of 2nd company in Verfugungsbataillon 'Prinz Eugen' (active battalion Pr.Eugen) , it is probable that name 'kompanie BRASCHEL' refers to this company when it was displaced from it's core battalion.

Mail from E Der DM is very rare.

30.01.1943 cut out from parcel card mailed from Gorjani to a member of Verfugungsbataillon 'Prinz Eugen , at the back nice clear units cancel.

1942. cover from Beška to Heinrich Evinger serving with kompanie BRASCHEL in Bosanska Gradiška. This is the first letter I have ever seen mailed to an independent company in Der DM.

1942. another letter mailed from Petrovaradin to Heinrich Ewinger serving with 2.kompanie Einsatzstaffel in Osijek, arrival cancel Osijek 22.05.1942.

K.U.K hand painted cards to Esseg-Osijek in Croatia

 

Two beautiful hand painted cards mailed by prof. Antonin Kamenik to Esseg(Osijek) in Slavonia, Croatia. Antonin Kamenik(1886-1959) was Czech school teacher, painter, graphic artist and illustrator. First card was mailed in 1914 at the beginning of the war from Telč in Morava. Second card was mailed from Iglau-Jihlava in Morava from K.u.K Reservespital in Iglau(Army reserve hospital in Jihlava) at the time Kamenik was Fähnrich(Fhn.) or ensign in K.u.K army, as he noted in his address.