|
|
|
NOTE: Since this page went on-line in November, 1998, we have had a some terrific responses, most notably from Royce Weisenberger, Asst. Chief of Staff, who headed up the military government in Apolda during the occupation. A number of people in the photos below have been identified. Ulrich Koch is developing a new web page devoted to Apolda and also to other towns in the area that share Apolda's interest in their pre-Communist history. More updates to follow. BRF -- May 3, 1999.
In September 1998, I received an e-mail from Germany asking for help from Super Sixers who remember the occupation of Apolda in the Spring of 1945. The request was sent by an historian and documentary writer who had grown up in Apolda.
As Super Sixers may recall, Apolda is the city in Thuringia where the Sixth Armored Division set up headquarters between April and June, 1945.
The photo below shows a typical scene from that three-month period: Super Sixers and their vehicles in the center of Apolda on a Spring day.
Apolda is trying to reconstruct their history of this period, which was suppressed and officially "forgotten" during the more than forty years that they existed under Communist East German rule.
In the first week of July 1945, the Super Sixth was ordered to move
west and hand over Thuringia to the Russians, according to decisions reached
at the Yalta conference between FDR, Churchill, and Stalin. At that time,
the American role in Eastern Germany became a non-event, and over the years,
many memorials to Red Army "heroes" were constructed in the areas where
Super Sixers fought and died.
 |
Three years ago, Apolda historian Thomas Bahr compiled a book called
Apolda History: The American Occupation Period.
The book included what little information that Bahr had been able to put together to that time from limited city archives, memories of local residents, and even an old copy of the June 16, 1945 Armored Attacker newsletter published by the Super Sixth and stored away for five decades by a local resident. The only other information source was a series of old photos taken a by a local photographer. It turns out that these photos depict Super Sixth personnel and vehicles. |
The current owner of those photographs, Ulrich Joseph Koch, will be
helping Bahr update the second edition of the book, and is hoping that
Super Sixers who remember Apolda will be able to identify the people and
the units shown in the photos.
| In the photo at the right, an officer stands in front of a truck, which has the name "SKEET" stenciled next to the driver's door. The sign on the building in the rear says "August Alfmann, Motorrader". |  |
 |
This photo may be of the same officer. |
| In the photos at the right, workers and two Super Sixers pose in front of an ice cream shop that supplied the Division. The woman to the far left is Ulrich Koch's mother, Annemarie. |  |
| A similar photo at the same place, apparently taken on a different day. The peep (armored talk for "jeep") is believed to be of the 6th Armored Division. |  |
 |
The photo at the left is believed to be of a Super Sixer named Joe Hurt, possibly of Buffalo, NY, or Akron, OH. The photo was taken with Joe's father before Joe went overseas, and has been kept by the Koch family for over 50 years. Do you remember Joe? |
| The six families who occupied this building were given one hour to gather personal belongings and vacate to make the building available to American troops. Ulrich's mother reported that her flat was intact upon its return and that she was pleased that the GIs had left food as presents everywhere. The only visible evidence of the American presence was a mysterious bullet hole in the ceiling of the entryway. |  |
| This photo shows an officer wearing what appears to be a Major's
insignia. Does anybody recognize him?
|
| Although the photo at the right is badly over-exposed, the subject matter is special enough that it might jog somebody's memory. Do you remember holding this young Apolda citizen in the Spring of 1945? (That young lady is probably about 60 years old today!) |  |
 |
And here's another view of the vehicles in the photo at the top of this article, clearly showing the Super Sixth bumper markings, and "HQ-22". Do you remember this vehicle? |
If you can provide any information about these photos, or if you can
add your own memories or photos to Apolda's history, please contact me
at the e-mail address the bottom of the page (don't forget to delete the
spam-blocker question mark), or contact Ulrich Koch directly, at
Greifswalder Str. 157
D-10409 Berlin
Germany
Fax: +49-30-42 85 18 07
e-mail: ulrich.koch@NOSPAM_koch-athene.de (Remove "NOSPAM_" from the address when replying.)
If you would like to know more about this project, see the detailed review and explanation of Bahr's book, written by Ulrich Koch.
Please help if you can!
Return
to 6th Armored home page.
NOTE: Remove question mark from email address below when sending email.
Page maintained by Bruce
Frederick
Last update: November 12, 1998
