Searching for Great-Grandfather

New to this forum. Entschuldigung fur die englisch, mein deutsch ist kleine. I am searching for my great grandfather Johann Reihl. He was born in Bredtheim, Galizien 22.11.1902. His last known location was northeastern Poland in Early January 1945. He was last seen by his family during Christmas 1944, in Karau, Warthegau. Attached is a DRK tracing service letter from the 1970's.


(Ãœbersetzt mit Google Translate)
Neu auf diesem Forum. Ich bin für mein Urgroßvater Johann Reihl suchen. Er wurde in Bredtheim, Galizien geboren 1902.11.22. Seine letzte bekannte Position war Nordosten Polens Anfang Januar 1945. Er wurde zuletzt von seiner Familie an Weihnachten 1944, in Karau, Warthegau gesehen. Beigefügt ist ein DRK-Suchdienst Brief aus den 1970er Jahren.

not sure why the DRK letter scan will not come up.

nicht sicher, warum das DRK Brief Scan kommen nicht hinauf.

Hello Daniel,

your great-grandfather is listed within "Gräbersuche-online" of the German Volksbund:

"Johann Reihl

Nach den uns vorliegenden Informationen ist Johann Reihl seit 01.03.1945 vermisst.

In dem Gedenkbuch des Friedhofes Stare Czarnowo haben wir den Namen und die persönlichen Daten des Obengenannten verzeichnet. Sie können gern einen Auszug bei uns bestellen.

Nachname: Reihl
Vorname: Johann
Geburtsdatum: 21.11.1902
Geburtsort: Bredtheim
Todes-/Vermisstendatum: 01.03.1945
Todes-/Vermisstenort: Lauenburg Pomm. "

I suppose, those are data submitted by the DRK-Suchdienst. You should write a new request to them with reference to their letter of 1970 !

Greetings to Canada
Rudolf (KINZINGER)

P.S. Concerning the upload of your DRK-letter: Check the file-type and file-size !

Hi Daniel,

I sent you an private message to help you with the upload of the document.

Best regards,
Alex

Unfortunately I am away from my computer until tomorrow and only have my phone. I will try putting up the documents again tomorrow. I have received letters in the past three months from VDK, DRK, WASt, and the cemetery in Stare Czarnowo. I just don't know what else to do.

Zitat:

Original von danielreihl Searching for Johann Reihl. Born 22.11.1902 in Bredtheim Galicia. MIA after January 3, 1945.

Zitat:

Original von dr.rudolf / VDK Nach den uns vorliegenden Informationen ist Johann Reihl seit 01.03.1945 vermisst.

Moin,

Question is here which is the right day of being MIA! January 3rd or March 1st? Maybe a confusion of German and American date format?

Sorry for the confusion, it is a date German/American date format mix-up. January 3 is the correct date. I will be home in about 2 hours then I can get the DRK letter posted. Thank you for pointing out the inconsistency.

It seems the DRK letter from 1975is too large of a file to even send in an email. Instead i will just type out the key parts of the letter. The DRK sent this to me because it was still the standing conclusion to the fate of Johann Reihl.

"The results of all investigations led to the conclusion that the
Johann Reihl, with high probability in the battles that were led by mid January until the end of march 1945 during the jerk of campaign to Gdansk lobau, has fallen."

"End of the year 1944 had the Red Army, the East Prussian associations limit exceeded at several place. on 13 January 1945 began a new Soviet offensive, which runs in the third German armor-army was to the end of the month zuruckgedrangt from the space in the north of Gumbinnen Samland. further south, the German 4th Army of the Masurian lakes area on the mountain healing line - Bartenstein - dodged cross burg. the second army had zuruckziehen their troops from northern Poland to East Prussia.
From the remaining share of the ailing German combat units, new groups were formed, reinforced by reserves and everywhere used where the situation required it most.
The army-hospital 582 horses got am 20th January in the difficult struggle for envy burg, when Soviet troops from castle envy, Soldau and south ends, according to the burg frontier of East Prussia crossed over. The German units retreated before the superior opponent over from these towns to the northwest in the direction of German Back Eylau.
The soldiers of the army-horse hospital was 582 on next day at lobau overtaken by Soviet troops and suffered considerable losses in tough battles. North of lobau all groups were included, only a part of them succeeded in getting over the Vistula by the Gdansk strike space.
The information-one home-coming, the more of his comrades in Gdansk probably the 34th Infantry Division were assigned, can not be true, because this division to the limit in question time at the french-Italian was used. The soldiers of the army hospital-horse 582, which still reached Gdansk, were there to share the rest of the various divisions, including 31 and 32 Infantry Division assumed and used for the defense of Gdansk, Sopot and Gdynia. after heavy battles had these three cities on 28 and 30 be given marz.
Since these battles will be a number of soldiers of the army hospital-horse 582, including the lost, missing. For some of them, the research shows that they have fallen. Others have, however, in streets and villas battles in which the other bya-blocked on the alignment of roads during the treks ling ruckzugs or any of the steady bomb attacks found the death, without which it was noted by surviving comrades. The Soviet artillery fire, armor and aircraft reached sanitatsfahrzeuge also bound to burst and hospitals.
There is no hint Darfur, which got lost in the captivity. He was seen later POW camp in no. all audit findings compel the conclusion that he has fallen in these battles.

Munich, the 8 of august, 1975"

Zitat:

Original von danielreihl January 3 is the correct date.

Moin Daniel,

So the wrong VDK date entry has to be corrected then ...

Sorry, the probable date is March 1, 1945. January 3 is the last day he was visually seen by an injured soldier that talked with my family.

Is there an online database for POW in the Soviet Union?