Small KIA Group of Gottfried Reisch (Stalingrad, Italy KIA) of the 16. Panzer-Division. Killed at the age of 20, being decorated as Unteroffizier with the EK1, EK2, PKA, VWA Schwarz, Ostmedaille in less than 2 years. On 2 October 1943, he writes to his sister: “Don’t you worry about me, with that you can’t help me at all. Until now I always had luck and it will also remain that way.“
3 days later, October 5th, he is killed in action: “bei einem Angriff auf Termoli (Italy) nach dreimaliger Verwundung im blühenden Alter von nur 20 Jahren.” His Wehrpass noted “Guglionesi” as place of his Death. Interestingly, a day later, on October 6th, the Allied forces (according to a Italian Newspaper article) committed an atrocity by killing 22 civilians by Bombing & Strafing (Spitfires) a street in Guglionesi.
Gottfreid Reisch survived the “Charkow Kessel”, writing “These days I’ve seen images I’ve never seen before. Shredded Russians, LKW’s.. (…) Cavalry Charges (…) Stuka Attack after Stuka Attack (…).“, the road to Stalingrad, Stalingrad (earning the PKA in Bronze in October and got wounded in September ’42) and eventually Italy.. Where his luck ran out on October 5th. Today, Gottfried R., is buried in Cassino: Block 29 Grab 807.
A small but interesting and tragic grouping of Gottfried Reisch; who served with Panzer-Grenadier-Regiment 79 of the 16. Panzer-Division. Which consists of 14 Feldpostletters / cards, a Reisepass, a Führerschein and Wehrpass (zweitschrift) and Death card.
