SS-OBERSCHUTZE ALEX ADLER
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SS-Schutze: 1.2.1940
SS-Oberschutze: 22.8.1940 |
Alexander Adler was born on 28. September, 1917 in the German town of Miesbach, Bavaria. His father was a Glassblower and Veteran of the Kriegsmarine in the First World War. His mother took care of the home.
Alexander had a normal childhood, he attended school and had above average grades. In 1931 he went on to attend Gymnasium. He found a love for music early on and had a strong desire to become a member of a large orchestra. That same year he was also admitted into the Hitler Youth. He never really thought much of it as he attended meetings and events. He did however enjoy the singing as they went on long hikes into the mountains.
Alexander or ‘Alex’ as most came to know him by, graduated Gymnasium in the spring of 1936. Alex had spent the past 9 years studying the classical languages, math, and most importantly to him, music. He began trying to enroll into the Hochschule für Musik in Munchen. He placed his application and began waiting eagerly. During this time the months passed and he began working for the local glass company as a clerk.
He was admitted into Munchen’s school of music. He immediately took his savings and moved to a small flat there, saying goodbye to his parents for the time being. He began attending classes and studying the great works of Mozart, Beethoven and Bach. He noticed that the school only had focus on German composers.
As the months passed many of his friends attending the school, were driven to enlist into the Wehrmacht. Many, due to eager youth and others by pressure from home or other sources. He continued to ignore his friends and kept on enjoying his studies. He spent much of his free time working as a host at a small café. War was on the mind of most at this time and many of his friends had enlisted. Fearing he would be called upon without choice Alex finally decided that in July of 1939 he would go to his local recruiting station in Munchen and talk to a representative.
He arrived at the station and was shuffled into a room full of other young men. They listened as representatives of the Wehrmacht spoke. Eventually he was tapped on the shoulder and asked to follow two men dressed in SS uniforms. He was escorted down a long hallway and into a doctor’s office. After being greeted by a man wearing a white medical coat over what must have been another SS uniform he was asked many questions and examined. After they sent him home, with an order to report for service in the R.a.D.
That next week he dropped the rest of his classes and responded to the local R.a.D. lager outside of Munchen. He was processed and in spent the next 6 months either drilling or working on the Autobahn. In June of 1939 he was released from his service and sent home. Having dropped out of the school of music he moved back into his parent’s home and began working as a clerk for the local glass company again. After a few short months of working in this capacity he began working as a teacher at the same Gymnasium he attended earlier in life. His specialty, music! Finally in October of 1939, after almost 2 years of waiting he received orders to report to France where he was being called up for service in the SS Totenkopf Div.
He served with the Totenkopfdivision during the invasion of France, and during Operation Barbarossa. After the invasion of France, Alex was promoted to the rank of SS-Oberschutze. While the Division was encircled in Demjansk, Alex was wounded and flown back home to Germany. After he recovered his wounds, he was not sent to the division on the front, but instead, to help form the cadre of the replacement Totenkopfdivision, as the remnants of the old division were nearly annhiliated during the fighting in Demjansk.
After what seemed like an eternity of training the division was sent east again. Assigned to Army Group South, his first taste of combat had been swift. His unit had taken part in stopping a major soviet offensive and reoccupied Karkhov. During this time he felt relatively safe due to the fact that they had managed to push the Russian hordes back and he had many veteran soldiers within his zug. After securing the city and holding positions the Division was shifted toward the Kursk salient.
The division was to take part in Operation Citadel. Here Alex witnessed some of the largest land battles mankind had ever seen. As a Schutze he had to bear the brunt of heavy combat. Eventually he was moved to the position of machinegunner, carrying a heavy MG42. On 11. Juli, Alex received his most lasting physical souvenir from the war. He was awaiting orders with his zug taking cover in a small culvert on the edge of a massive open field. Eventually Russian artillery could be heard in the distance and the shells began hitting their positions. He was struck by a piece of shrapnel from a round that landed close. Although considered minor, he was struck in the arm and sent back to the rear.
After making his way with several other wounded Kameraden, they were shuffled to a field hospital where he was patched up. Having no real need to be sent to a hospital even further to the rear he was still given a pass for leave. He went home and visited his parents. After his two weeks leave he reported back to his unit. He is now sitting in a small trench with the rest of his zug, outside of an unknown Russian village hoping that he will survive the next wave.
Alexander had a normal childhood, he attended school and had above average grades. In 1931 he went on to attend Gymnasium. He found a love for music early on and had a strong desire to become a member of a large orchestra. That same year he was also admitted into the Hitler Youth. He never really thought much of it as he attended meetings and events. He did however enjoy the singing as they went on long hikes into the mountains.
Alexander or ‘Alex’ as most came to know him by, graduated Gymnasium in the spring of 1936. Alex had spent the past 9 years studying the classical languages, math, and most importantly to him, music. He began trying to enroll into the Hochschule für Musik in Munchen. He placed his application and began waiting eagerly. During this time the months passed and he began working for the local glass company as a clerk.
He was admitted into Munchen’s school of music. He immediately took his savings and moved to a small flat there, saying goodbye to his parents for the time being. He began attending classes and studying the great works of Mozart, Beethoven and Bach. He noticed that the school only had focus on German composers.
As the months passed many of his friends attending the school, were driven to enlist into the Wehrmacht. Many, due to eager youth and others by pressure from home or other sources. He continued to ignore his friends and kept on enjoying his studies. He spent much of his free time working as a host at a small café. War was on the mind of most at this time and many of his friends had enlisted. Fearing he would be called upon without choice Alex finally decided that in July of 1939 he would go to his local recruiting station in Munchen and talk to a representative.
He arrived at the station and was shuffled into a room full of other young men. They listened as representatives of the Wehrmacht spoke. Eventually he was tapped on the shoulder and asked to follow two men dressed in SS uniforms. He was escorted down a long hallway and into a doctor’s office. After being greeted by a man wearing a white medical coat over what must have been another SS uniform he was asked many questions and examined. After they sent him home, with an order to report for service in the R.a.D.
That next week he dropped the rest of his classes and responded to the local R.a.D. lager outside of Munchen. He was processed and in spent the next 6 months either drilling or working on the Autobahn. In June of 1939 he was released from his service and sent home. Having dropped out of the school of music he moved back into his parent’s home and began working as a clerk for the local glass company again. After a few short months of working in this capacity he began working as a teacher at the same Gymnasium he attended earlier in life. His specialty, music! Finally in October of 1939, after almost 2 years of waiting he received orders to report to France where he was being called up for service in the SS Totenkopf Div.
He served with the Totenkopfdivision during the invasion of France, and during Operation Barbarossa. After the invasion of France, Alex was promoted to the rank of SS-Oberschutze. While the Division was encircled in Demjansk, Alex was wounded and flown back home to Germany. After he recovered his wounds, he was not sent to the division on the front, but instead, to help form the cadre of the replacement Totenkopfdivision, as the remnants of the old division were nearly annhiliated during the fighting in Demjansk.
After what seemed like an eternity of training the division was sent east again. Assigned to Army Group South, his first taste of combat had been swift. His unit had taken part in stopping a major soviet offensive and reoccupied Karkhov. During this time he felt relatively safe due to the fact that they had managed to push the Russian hordes back and he had many veteran soldiers within his zug. After securing the city and holding positions the Division was shifted toward the Kursk salient.
The division was to take part in Operation Citadel. Here Alex witnessed some of the largest land battles mankind had ever seen. As a Schutze he had to bear the brunt of heavy combat. Eventually he was moved to the position of machinegunner, carrying a heavy MG42. On 11. Juli, Alex received his most lasting physical souvenir from the war. He was awaiting orders with his zug taking cover in a small culvert on the edge of a massive open field. Eventually Russian artillery could be heard in the distance and the shells began hitting their positions. He was struck by a piece of shrapnel from a round that landed close. Although considered minor, he was struck in the arm and sent back to the rear.
After making his way with several other wounded Kameraden, they were shuffled to a field hospital where he was patched up. Having no real need to be sent to a hospital even further to the rear he was still given a pass for leave. He went home and visited his parents. After his two weeks leave he reported back to his unit. He is now sitting in a small trench with the rest of his zug, outside of an unknown Russian village hoping that he will survive the next wave.
DISCLAIMER: 2. Kompanie is a non-political organization We do not support naziism, or fascism. We are not associated with nor do we condone the actions of the Third Reich or the actual 3.SS Division.