Description
Dog Tag/EKM: 7. LAH -83-
Bloodgroup: AB
Wehrrnumber: 7./LSSAH 12/35/1027
Fritz MaOon was born on the 23.4.1912. He was a member of the NSDAP (Nr.1748098) and
the SS (SS.Nr.126086). It seems he enlisted directly with the LSSAH in April 1936 in Berlin.
Matton was a Berliner, living with his wife Lotte, they actually lived in Lichterfelde not far
from the LSSAH barracks! In 1940, they later moved to Berlin Karlshorst.
An extremely early member of the LSSAH – In January 1936 there were only 2,650 men in
the LSSAH, one of them was Matton.
Matton’s Career
He served with the LSSAH in the 7th Company, and in 1941 he transferred to the 8th
Company. By May 1941, Matton again assigned to another unit, and was a Field Police man
in the LSSAH. Later in the war, he was transferred into a special unit under control of the
Sondertruppen der Reichsführung-SS these units are symbolised by the 500 series unit 2
number. These troops came under the direct control of the RF-SS and were deployed all over
where needed. In Mattons case he would serve under the 1st SS Panzer Korps to the Wars 3
end.
Matton took part in all the early campaigns with the LSSAH winning in the process both
classed of the Iron Cross!
In 1938, he took part in the annexation of Austria under General Guderian. An interesting
story about how they arrived at the ‘front’ their commander Papa ‘Sepp’ Dietrich had
organised busses from the BVG Berlin to take them south. By late 1938, they had taken part
in the invasion of Czechoslovakia. In 1939 the LSSAH would take part in heavy fighting during
the invasion of Poland. The in 1940 in the invasion of the low countries and France.
Following the armistice, the LSSAH was to rest and be upgraded to a brigade while training
amphibious warfare for the planned invasion of Britain (Unternehmen Seelöwe). This
invasion was cancelled and LSSAH was transferred to Romania for the invasion of the
Balkans. It fought its way through Yugoslavia and Greece chasing the Allied troops to
Kalamata, from where they were evacuated by sea to Crete.
LSSAH took part in Unternehmen Barbarossa (the invasion of the Soviet Union) aOached to
Heeresgruppe Süd and saw ac_on at Kiev and Rostov. It was transferred to France for
refitting in 1942 and was upgraded to a Panzergrenadier-DIvision. It returned to the Eastern
front 1943 and fought at Kharkov and Kursk.
Amidst the failure at Kursk, LSSAH was sent to Italy on anti partisan duty but it soon was sent back to the Eastern front this time as a
Panzer-Division.
LSSAH was one of the divisions encircled near Kamenets-Podolsk and
though it was saved by 9. SS-Panzer-Division Hohenstaufen and 10. SS-Panzer-Division
Frundsberg it suffered heavy losses and was sent to France for rest and refitting.
It fought in Normandy following the Allied invasion and saw action at Caen, Falaise and
Aachen as it was pressed back towards Germany. It took part in the offensive in the
Ardennes attached to I SS Panzerkorps. Amidst the failure of that offensive LSSAH was once
again sent to the Eastern front to take part in the offensive to break the siege of Budapest
(Unternehmen Margarethe).
Following that failed offensive it was transferred to Austria
where it surrendered to the American troops at the end of the war
Medals:
Anschluss Medal (Austria) – 3.1938
Sudetenland Medal (Cz) – 10.1938
Iron Cross Second Class
Iron Cross First Class
War Merit Cross Second Class -7.1944 by 1.SS Panzer Korps
Matton Post War
He was captured by US Troops:
POW Number G31 6059 122
Matton was interned in the former KZ Dachau, along with many other men of the LSSAH, in
the War Crimes Enclosure No.1 Dachau: around 30,000 people in total were interned there.
‘’ Waffen-SS soldiers in the prestigious Liebstandarte-SS Adolf Hitler Division, known as the
LAH, were separated from the other Waffen-SS POWs and brought to the War Crimes
Enclosure at Dachau where they were interrogated by a special team that was investigating
the “Malmedy Massacre.” This resulted in a scandal that was investigated by the U.S.
Congress amidst accusations by the LAH soldiers that they had been tortured at Dachau by the
Jewish interrogators to make them confess to crimes which they claimed they didn’t
commit.’’
It also seems Matton was enlisted to work on the 21.6.1945 – with the US.Zone – Munich
Resettlement Center. They were responsible for the redistribution of people, including
Jewish people and or former KZ inmates.
Matton seems to have made it through not only the whole war, but through the post war
processes at Dachau, and even ended up working rather quickly again.
Comments on the Soldbuch Grouping.
An incredibly desirable unit for collectors. I have only seen a handful of Soldbücher from
such early members of the LSSAH. The picture in the Soldbuch shows a on the shoulder
board the LAH Symbol. He made his own cover, likely due to the fact in his civilian career
before the war he was a Tailor! Matton seen the early days of the LSSAH, in the first
campaigns showing his bravery he was awarded both classes of the Iron Cross!
All in all, the Soldbuch is a highly desirable item in any advanced ID collection.
