Germany. A 1955 Hiag Missing Person Report For Signals Ss-Schütze Fritz Fischer, Ss Division “Florian Geyer”

Measuring 209x147mm, near extremely fine condition with minimal scuffing, folding crease, and light discolouration from a paper clip. The missing person is SS-Schütze Fritz Fischer. The photo shows him in his SS uniform. The document is dated on the reverse to July 14, 1955.

Footnote 1: Fritz Fischer was born on October 9, 1926 in Ziegenfuß (modern-day Květná, a district of Luková, Czech Republic). At the time of him going missing Fischer served in the 2nd Company of Signals Detachment 8 in the 8th SS Division “Florian Geyer” (Feldpost no. 32270C). His last message was sent on December 14, 1944 from Budapest. Here the division was besieged by the Red Army over Christmas of 1944. Since Heise wasn’t able to escape before the siege, presumably he either died during the fighting or became a P.O.W. in a Russian camp, from which many P.O.W.s only returned as late as 1955.

The person looking for him is his father, Josef Fischer in Donzdorf.

Footnote 2: HIAG (Hilfsgemeinschaft auf Gegenseitigkeit der Angehörigen der ehemaligen Waffen-SS = mutual aid association of former Waffen-SS members), founded in 1951, was a veteran’s organisation and lobby group trying to rehabilitate the SS legally, economically, and historically. On a federal level it was disbanded in 1992, yet smaller chapters continued to exist into the 21st century. Especially during its early years the organisation focused its efforts on the Kameraden-Suchdienst (Comrade Search Service), trying to find some 40,000 former SS members that were still missing.