Alfred Gottwald and Dragoner-Regiment 17 – part II

[Fritz]

 

Alfred Gottwald was wounded 1917 in Russia, probably around Dünaburg, which was about as far as the Germans got in the North (apart from Finnland). Unfortunately, there is no further info on Alfred Gottwald, as his daughter passed away at the age of 92 in August 2011, and all I know is what she told me, and that from memory - she especially remembered the Beer-Krug with the horsehead image at the base. At the time of the air raids on Hamburg in July 1943 she was married and safely (at the time) living in Austria. Otherwise nobody spoke much about WWI. Alfred was also "Hufschmied" or blacksmith in the regiment - as well as a cavalryman, also responsible for re-shoeing the horses of his squadron. Alfred passed away in 1961, excesive smoking hadnt helped.

Unfortunately there is not much info on his Regiment for WW1 - however, someone has compiled a list of all (or at least most) casualties during WW1, which was originally on a monument errected for this Regiment. in Ludwigslust - I don't know if the monument still exists, as most monuments within the DDR were removed and destroyed after 1945.

However, it is interesting to note with the casualties, the place of death, which for 1914 was Belgium and France and after about 1915 being Eastern Front areas. The list of casulaties may be found under this link:

http://denkmalprojekt.org/2012/1-grossherzoglich-mecklenburgisches-dragoner-reg-nr-17.html

 

Here also is a photo from September 1941 at Geesthacht/Elbe, silver wedding showing Alfred with wife and daughter Luise and son Freddy in Flak uniform.