Sgt. Paul Ernst Kaess (1921-2002)- German Army in WWII

As a follow-up, StuG-Abtl 190 attachments at different times were:

22 June 1941 - 11. Armee
22 June 1942 - LIV Armee-Korps, 11. Armee
7 July 1943 - Heresgruppe-Mitte Reserve

 

Richard, thank you for your insights on my Grandpa Paul's service record. Feel free to add any more information you can find. You said he was 'called up.' Does that mean he was conscripted? What records are you looking at about Paul? How do you know he had a weeks home leave? Any answers you provide will be appreciated.

Unrelated, the photos of Paul Ernst Kaess shown above in previous posts were digital copies taken from a family heirloom book that was given to Brian Paul Kaess during his visit to his Grandfather Paul Ernst Kaess in 1990 in SW Germany. The heirloom book was in the possession of Brian Paul Kaess until 1996 when it was given to Garret Thomas Kaess, his brother, in 1996, for safekeeping. It has remained in his possession until the present and is currently in his study dresser in his wife's home in Noblesville, Indiana.
The heirloom book contains about 30-50 photos, mostly of Paul Ernst Kaess, Dorothea Dorschke, Gerd Edwin Paul Kaess, Hildegard Golz, Arnhild Kaess and some of Dorschke family members. Many of these photos have been digitally preserved at find a grave.com Other digital copies have been donated to the Allen County Public Library. Needless to day, the Kaess heirloom book is a priceless family treasure.

 

Brian, I noticed that your grandfather was a party member. Did you ever get a read on how he felt about the nazi movement?

 

I believe he joined the Nazi Party on Sep 1 1939, so I'm assuming he was a zealous Nazi. I never heard him talk about the Nazi's, just the German Army.

 

A lot of ambitious people joined the party as a way to get ahead after the war. Naturally, they thought they'd win and so a good war record, plus party membership would give them a "leg up" on any jobs.

 

On January 18, 2021, Brian Paul Kaess received a batch of 18 documents/scans for two Carpentry Guild files from the Staatsarchiv Ludwigsburg, in Ludwigsburg, Germany. The signature or file numbers for the two files were EL 902/15 Bü 1083 (for Paul Ernst Kaess) (16 scans) and EL 901/15 Bü 12 (for Emil Kaess) (2 scans). Many of these documents in the first file (Paul Ernst Kaess) were similar to a Denazification File received two years earlier in 2019 and shown above in previous posts. It appears, at this stage, that Denazification File documents were thrown into the Guild Record file.

The documents were given various names corresponding to their content, etc.; Arbeitsblatt, Arbeitsblatt Stamps, Arbeitsblatt Stamps 2, Income & Asetts, Check List, Check List 2, Contents, Correspondence, Cover, Denanazification Registration Form, Essay, Foreign Service, Meldebogen, , Meld 2, Miltary Service, Party Info, Meldebogen Emil Kaess, Meldebogen 2 Emil Kaess.

Emil Kaess is mentioned as a 'Schreiner' or Carpenter in his registration form or Meldebogen. It also shows that he was not a member of the Nazi party or NSDAP. His birthday is 15.10.1889. Born in Benningen. Emil Kaess may be a rufname for Friedrich Emil Kaes (1889-1968), Paul's dad.

Paul is mentioned as a Möbeltischler or 'Cabinet Maker' or 'Furniture Maker', with a location in Heutingsheim in 1956.

Below are 10 of 16 documents from a Carpentry Guild Record file for Paul Ernst Kaess:

 

Here are 6 more of 16 documents from the Carpentry Guild Record File for Paul Ernst Kaess:

 

Below are two documents from a Carpentry Guild Record file for Emil Kaes.

 

While checking through Paul's Denaizification paperwork (Meldebogen document), I noticed a II standing for Class 2 under the Spruchkammer rating system. This means Offender, because Paul was an active Nazi and also a soldier. He could have been subject to 10 years in prison, but because he was a disabled vet, he was exempt. Also, because he was born after 1919, he was exempt, because the authorities reasoned they had been brainwashed.
The five classes are:

• V. Persons Exonerated (German: Entlastete). No sanctions.
  
• IV. Followers (German: Mitläufer). Possible restrictions on travel, employment, political rights, plus fines.
  
• III. Lesser Offenders (German: Minderbelastete). Placed on probation for 2–3 years with a list of restrictions. No internment.
  
• II. Offenders: Activists, Militants, and Profiteers, or Incriminated Persons (German: Belastete). Subject to immediate arrest and imprisonment up to ten years performing reparation or reconstruction work plus a list of other restrictions.
  
• I. Major Offenders (German: Hauptschuldige). Subject to immediate arrest, death, imprisonment with or without hard labor, plus a list of lesser sanctions.

Paul skated on this one!

 

On Feb 16, 2021, Brian Paul Kaess received 25 scans/documents from the Staatsarchiv Ludwigsburg in Germany for the Denazification file for Paul Ernst Käß (Kaess). The scans were from file signature EL 902/15 Bü 10835. These were similar to documents sent to Brian in March 2019 and Jan 2021. However, there were some new ones. The scans are shown at the following link: Seeking name of German Veterans Affairs agency | History Hub

 

On his Military Service/Employment document from his Denazification File, it seems clear that Sgt. Paul Ernst Kaess was in the Hospital (Lazarett) from Jan 3 1944 to March 1 1944. He becomes a Sgt. during this period. After this he is transferred to Sturm Artillerie Lehr Brigade in a training status until the end of the war, May 8 1945. This would have given him time to get married on March 14 1944 in Ratibor, Upper Silesia, which he did. It also gave him a chance to stay out of most heavy fighting. His wound to the back of his skull must have been a 'million dollar' wound for Paul.
Does anyone have the order of battle for this unit?

 

OK cool story about your grandfather. Interesting in looking at all the research you have done

 

Below are two images, one of Chef, Paul's friend in WWII, who was believed to have been killed late in the war. The other is of a German armoured vehicle emerging from the
Forest.