stewy Posted April 9, 2016 Share Posted April 9, 2016 Got this earlier this year. Franz Fischer was with San. Komp 256 (mot). He saw action with Inf. Div 162. Awarded the KVK2 w/s & Ost medal. He Drowned & is buried somewhere east of the Orscha-Vitebsk road. So he must of drowned in one of the many lakes in that area. If anyone can enlighten me as to which one, or has any other info. It would be gratefully received. Stewy 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fritz Posted April 10, 2016 Share Posted April 10, 2016 Franz Fischer sounds like an Austrian by name. The entry in the book could be "Ortschaft" (area of)and or "Orscha" (?) Witebsk. Witebsk was lost on 27.6.1944. Many of the German cemeteries did not survive the German retreat. After the fall of the Soviet Union and much negotiations, attempts to recover and rebury German war dead were made and new proper cemeteries were established by the "Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge" in Kassel. Unfortunately, many of the field graves were plundered in the postwar years and many dogtags and other items stolen, so that identification no longer possible. Information on war dead can be obtained from that address or from the Deutsche Dienststelle in Berlin (formerly Wehrmachts Auskunftsamt), both are in the internet. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewy Posted April 10, 2016 Author Share Posted April 10, 2016 He isn't mentioned on the Volksbund site. He is buried in a cemetery near a lake. But which lake I don't know, there are several in that area. Maybe google earth might be a help. Thanks for info Fritz, it's appreciated. Stewy 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fritz Posted April 10, 2016 Share Posted April 10, 2016 Have you tried the Deutsche Dienststelle in Berlin? - they are also on the internet I see it mentions he is buried - looks like Hochdamm an der Strasse östlich der Ortschaft Witebsk (embankment on the road east of the area of Witebsk). It would be almost impossible to find anything today. Only the Kriegsgräberfürsorge or archaeologists would be able to do something. Most of the graves no longer exist anyway, all traces have been lost in course of time. The Kriegsgräberfürsorge is financed mostly by private donations, and these are getting less year by year. Apart from that the political situation in Russia, etc. has changed in the last few years, making cooperation with the West much more difficult. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewy Posted April 11, 2016 Author Share Posted April 11, 2016 Have you tried the Deutsche Dienststelle in Berlin? - they are also on the internet I see it mentions he is buried - looks like Hochdamm an der Strasse östlich der Ortschaft Witebsk (embankment on the road east of the area of Witebsk). It would be almost impossible to find anything today. Only the Kriegsgräberfürsorge or archaeologists would be able to do something. Most of the graves no longer exist anyway, all traces have been lost in course of time. The Kriegsgräberfürsorge is financed mostly by private donations, and these are getting less year by year. Apart from that the political situation in Russia, etc. has changed in the last few years, making cooperation with the West much more difficult. I haven't tried the DD site. It may be worth a look. Regards, Stewy 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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