Death notice, obituary, and inquiry Heinz Borchardt. Date of items: 1943/59. Condition: excellent. Death notice: 20.9 x 29.5 cm. Obituary: 17.3 x 22.3 cm. Inquiry: 14.7 x 21 cm.
The transcript of the official death notice of senior lance-corporal Heinz Borchardt. It was sent from Breslau, Silesia (modern day south west Poland) by senior lieutenant and battery chief Drecks to the local administration group in Duisburg-Meiderich, where this transcript was made and then sent to Borchardt’s parents in the same city. The original message is from Jan 19th, 1943, it was processed in Duisburg on Mar 31st, 1943, and is a certified word for word transcript of the original letter.
Drecks informs Borchardt’s parents of their son’s death on Jan 17th, 1943. He also asks them to give the information and his condolences to Borchardt’s wife, since he does not have her address. Borchardt died during the battles around Stalingrad. He served as an infantryman in the foremost trenches where he was wounded by enemy fire. He died the same night. Drecks describes Borchardt as a fine comrade and brave soldier who died as a hero for his country.
From the obituary we learn that Borchardt was almost 32 years old at the time he died. His wife was Hildegard Borchadt, nee Bauhüs.
A third document is dated to Apr 1959. It is from the German office for the notification of next of kin of fallen soldiers of the former German Wehrmacht, and was sent to one Hildegard Giesen, who must be Borchardt’s widow who has remarried. We learn that Borchardt was born June 24th, 1911. The office asks Hildegard if and from which register office she got a death certificate. They also send a questionnaire that she is supposed to fill out and send back.