Document Grouping – Oberwachtmeister Erich Thrun – Cherkassy Breakout 1944- Met GFM von Manstein & Goebbels! (HOLD)

Description

Grouping to Oberwachtmeister Erich Thurn 

Cherkassy Breakout 

Erich Thurn was born in Hagen/Haspe on January 1915, and worked in his civilian life as a Saddler. 

Thrun was a volunteer and started his career in Wehrmacht in 1937. 

During the war, Thrun was serving with the Artillerie Regiment 389 with the 389 Infanterie Division.

Thurn survived the downfall at Stalingrad and somehow made it out, and was later encircled in 1944 in the famous Cherkassy Pocket. 

Interestingly, Thurn had displayed extreme courage earning the Iron Cross First Class. He featured in various wartime Newspapers some of the highlights are listed below. 

Thrun explained to the newspapers that the Soviets had tried their hardest to get the Germans to surrender using leaflets, loudspeakers and propaganda. As well as constant air attacks on their positions on the ground. Thurn found himself knee deep in a cold swamp trying to push out of the encirclement, Thrun explains that the villages around him left and right were all on fire. Their group made it through the swamp and seen a tank and could hear German, they had reached the German lines! After three weeks trapped in the Pocket. 

Thurn was presented to Feldmarschall von Manstein after the breakout! Original photo included! After which he was sent on leave to Berlin where he would be presented to Propaganda Minister Goebbels. 

Included in the Grouping is the following

1. Three Newspaper articles displaying Thrun and his story
2. Photo with GFM von Manstein – Original Photo printed on Agfa Brovira
3. Iron Cross Second Class Medal 
4. Iron Cross Second Class Document – July 1942 Signed by Generaloberst Erwin Jaenecke (Knights Cross winner, wounded at the Battle of Stalingrad was flown out!)
5. Wounds Badge in Black
6. Wounds Badge Document 
7. Marriage Certificate from 1943
8. A Certificate confirming his awards in August 1945 from the field police. 
9. Certificate of Discharge 1945 
10. Three letters from the Bundesarchive 
11. A Certificate thanking Thrun for helping to rebuild his hometown of Hagen in 1947 

An unusual grouping, but very interesting to find anything related specifically to the battles at Cherkassy!