Group military court sentenced Corporal Flak-Abteilung 73 Crete

(D29031)
Josef Burgis, Corporal (Obergefreiter) Army Infantry and Luftwaffe Flak.

1) Wehrpass, 24.4.39. Two pages in the middle loose due to rusty staples.
2) 5 documents 1944 concerning a punishment imposed by a military field court. Including the official punishment document from Feldgericht Luftgaustab Kreta signed by a Justitzinspektor der Luftwaffe and a document from “Strafvollstreckungszug des Feldgerichtes West” commanding the unit of Burgis that he has to leave his unit immediately and has to be transferred to a unit at the Eastern Front.
3) “Lebenslauf”, biography, 17.1.45.
4) “Stammrollenauszug”, military transfer document, 11.8.44. 1./leichte Flak-Abteilung 838. Size Din A4.
5) Statement of Aryan descent, 8.4.41. Signed by his CO, Major.
6) Statement regarding military secrecy, 10.11.42.
7) Two pages medical investigation results to see if he was suitable for tropical service, 19.3.42.
8) Statement by Flak-Ersatz-Abteilung 95 that he is now trained as a 3.7cm Flak technician, 10.8.44.
9) “Sonderausweis” special travel permit for travelling to Oberhausen-Holten because he was tranferred, 15.8.44.
10) “Sonderausweis” special travel permit for travelling to Duisburg because he was tranferred, 11.8.44.
11) “Sonderausweis” special travel permit for travelling to Frankfurt because he was tranferred, 10.8.44.
12) Transfer document, 10.8.44. Leichte Flak-Ersatz-Abteilung 95 in Frankfurt.

Entitled to: “Tätichkeitsabzeichen der Flak-Artillerie” Luftwaffe Flak activity emblem for at least 9 months Flak service.

Born 1909 in Bamberg. Promoted 1.3.43 to Waffenwart 3.7cm, Flak gun technician. He served: May-Jul.40 with Infanterie-Regiment 319 of the 231.Infanterie-Division active in Poland and Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment 214 of the 159.Division in Frankfurt. Jul.40 he was transferred to the Luftwaffe and served Jul.40-Apr.44 with leichte Flak-Abteilung 73, 1941 active at the Balkans and Greece, Jul.41-Apr.44 active on Crete. Because of insubordination he was on 14.12.43 sentenced to 9 months jail by the Luftwaffe field court on Crete. He is already appr. one month imprisoned at his unit at that moment. Apr.44 the same court changed the verdict indicating that Burgis doesn’t have to be imprisoned anymore but now has to be transferred to a probationary unit at the Eastern Front where he has to stay till the end of the war and has to proof by facing the enemy that he is worthy again for military service. 12.4.44 he is ordered to go to his replacements unit in Germany to be transferred to the unit at the Eastern Front afterwards. Apr.-Aug.44 he served with Flak-Ersatz-Abteilung 95 in Frankfurt where he was trained as a Flak weapon mechanic. Instead of being send to the East he was Aug.44 for some reason send to a unit at the Western Front (probably because of losses due to the Alied Invasion). Aug.44-1945 he served as a Flak gun technician with Flak-Abteilung 838 active at the German Westwall and the Duisburg area (Westfront) under the 4.Flak-Division, 1945 also active in ground combat and surrendered 18.4.45 in the Ruhr pocket. In October 1944 his unit gets an official order from the “Strafvollstreckungszug des Feldgerichtes West” stating that Burgis has to leave the unit immediately because he has to be transferred to the East because he was sentenced. But the Hauptmann of his Battery sends a letter back on 26.10.44 pledging if Burgius can stay with his unit because Burgis is needed as a weapon specialist. The Hauptmann also indicates that the unit is based at the Dutch-German border and has encountered severe enemy activity during the Allied landings in Holland resulting in two soldiers KIA and three wounded in the Battery on 18.9.44. The Hauptmann asks if Burgis can stay with the unit but states he can be transferred to a unit in the East later when the unit is transferred to Germany. 3.11.44 the field court states Burgis can stay at his unit for the timebeing but that the unit has to respond to the court immediately when Burgis shows bad manners again.