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Karl Heinz Klatt, Unteroffizier der Gebirgsjäger


Fritz

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Karl Heinz Klatt, from Hamburg or Westholstein area, date of birth unknown, was an Unteroffizier in a Gebirgsjäger unit (mountain troops). As can be seen in the photo, he is wearing the ribbon of the Iron Cross 2nd Class in his buttonhole. Barely visible is the Edelweiss patch on the upper right arm. He is believed to also have received the Narvik Shield. He served for a while in Norway, reportedly guarding a heavy water plant. He was later in the Arctic on the Murmansk Front, from where he then got leave in Hamburg in 1943, when he got this studio photo taken (Max Kruse Photo, Itzehoe, Breite Strasse 25). On the rear is the handwitten comment: Auf Bombenurlaub, 16.9.1943 von Murmansk This was of course, after the devastating airraids of July 1943, when most of the city of Hamburg was totally destroyed. K.H. survived the war. It can be considered unusual for a soldier from Northern Germany to serve in a mountain troop unit, most personnel were from Austria, Bavaria and other mountain regions
His son married an Italian woman, with whom the father was not very pleased about, but in time, accepted. Both the daughter, 1983 and the wife of Karl Heinz, 1992, met an early and tragic death. A serious illness probably caused K.H. to take his own life, when he shot himself on the veranda of his home in April 1999. K.H. belonged to the inlaws of the family. He was otherwise a nice, decent chap.

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  • 1 year later...

After a member of the family contacted me, I have made a couple of slight corrections with this short biography.

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See also Edelweiss arm patches, machine embroidered and machine woven (Bevo)

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