Person Page 23

Michael Bauer^1,2,3

Photo of Michael Bauer, circa 1955. (Photo: robsgenealogy.net)

Facts and Notes

• Religious Affiliation: Roman Catholic⁴
• Birth: 20 October 1906; Bischberg, Bamberg, Bavaria, GermanyBGO; Bischberg is near Bamberg^5,1,6,4
• Marriage: 20 July 1928; Margareta Wolf; Forchheim, Bavaria, GermanyBGO; They were married in a civil ceremony. Groomsmen were Michael's father Casimir and Margareta's father Christoph.^7,8,4
• Occupation: Between 1932 and 1935; Forchheim, Bavaria, GermanyBGO; Occupation: Fabrikarbeiter (Factory worker)^2,3
• Residence: 4 January 1932; Forchheim, Bavaria, GermanyBGO; Fuchsen Strasse 1^9,2,10
• Residence: June 1932; Forchheim, Bavaria, GermanyBGO; Wiesentstrasse⁹
• Residence: September 1932; Forchheim, Bavaria, GermanyBGO; Marktplatzstrasse⁹
• Residence: 9 October 1934; Forchheim, Bavaria, GermanyBGO; Kasernstrasse 9⁹
• Residence: 1935; Forchheim, Bavaria, GermanyBGO; StreetAddress: Kasernstr. 9³
• Military: About 1944; FranceBG; WW2; German Luftwaffe (see notes section)^11,12,13
• Occupation: Before 1958; Forchheim, Bavaria, GermanyBGO; construction foreman; his son Erich said he also worked in glue factory^11,4
• Death: 4 December 1958; Forchheim, Bavaria, GermanyBGO; He died in his house at Kasernstrasse #9 at midnight (2400 hrs) on 4 December. His son Josef was with him when he died and signed his death certificate. Cause of Death: lung cancer^1,6,4,14
• Burial: 8 December 1958; Forchheim, Bavaria, GermanyBGO^6,14

• Note: World War II Service:
  
  Michael Bauer was a member of the Luftwaffe (German Air Force) from at least 1938 (this date was stamped on the back of a photograph showing Michael in uniform), likely in a reserve capacity. He served in a signals unit responsible for aircraft identification and Morse code communication and was stationed in Forchheim during the early years of the war. His children recalled visiting him at a bunker on the north side of town, where he demonstrated aircraft spotting and signal operations.
  
  Photographs of Michael in uniform and family lore suggest that he entered active duty by 1940 and was promoted to Unteroffizier (sergeant) by April 1944. He was likely stationed in France between 1941 and 1945, returning home on leave at least once in March 1942, when his youngest daughter was conceived.
  
  According to his son Erich, Michael enjoyed his time in France and was apparently quite taken with the young ladies there—despite being married. After returning to Forchheim from one of his tours, he often complained to Erich about how much he missed France. At the local Gasthaus, he would play cards with his friends and exchange war stories, reminiscing about his time in the military. Erich frequently ran into him there and used to tease him about his escapades, joking that he was going to tell Mother. Michael would laugh and shoot back a mock warning: “You better not—or else...”
  
  Erich also remembered his father explaining how German soldiers stationed along the coast were forbidden to go out alone, especially at night. The local fishermen, who deeply resented the German occupation, were known to ambush lone soldiers using gaffs—sharp metal fishing hooks—making the streets as dangerous as the front.
  
  By April 1945, Michael was in St. Nazaire, one of the last German-occupied territories in France. Trapped in what became known as the Saint-Nazaire Pocket, he endured food shortages, deteriorating morale, and harsh conditions until the garrison surrendered on May 11, 1945, three days after Germany’s official capitulation.
  
  On April 26, 1945, Michael was awarded the “Kriegsverdienstkreuz 2. Klasse mit Schwertern” (War Merit Cross Second Class with Swords). Although the accompanying citation has not survived, this medal typically recognized service that went above and beyond the normal duties of a unit, often after 16 days of battle.
  
  Following the surrender, Michael and thousands of his comrades were rounded up for transport to a French prisoner-of-war (POW) camp. According to his son Josef, the prisoners were transported in open-top railcars, and when the trains stopped to refill water tanks, the French guards would leave the spigot arm open, drenching the men below. French civilians, still seething from years of occupation, hurled rocks at the passing cars. Josef recalled his father telling him that at least three men near him were killed during these grim journeys.
  
  Michael’s internment lasted until late 1946 or early 1947. If his release followed the typical pattern, he would have been transferred to a release camp, undergone a final interrogation to verify he had committed no war crimes, and then been issued a train ticket, ration stamps, and a small sum of money to help him return to Forchheim.

• Related Pages: Ancestors of Marianne Bauer; Veterans

Citations

1. [S533] Grave Marker, Alter Friedhof an der Birkenfelderstr (Forchheim, Germany), Bauer-Wolf Family Gravestone.
2. [S793] Ancestry.com, Germany and Surrounding Areas, Address Books, 1815-1974, https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=60778&h=49237998&indiv=try, Deutsche Nationalbibliothek; Leipzig, Deutschland; Publisher: Otto Mauser; Bestand: 1932; Signatur: Za 3428, Record for Michael Bauer
3. [S793] Ancestry.com, Germany and Surrounding Areas, Address Books, 1815-1974, https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=60778&h=49241581&indiv=try, Deutsche Nationalbibliothek; Leipzig, Deutschland; Publisher: Otto Mauser; Bestand: 1935; Signatur: Za 3428, Record for Michael Bauer
4. [S771] Official Records, His death certificate erroneously states that he was born on 13 October 1906., Standesamt Forchheim (Forchheim Registry Office), Sterberegister (Death Registry) 1958, No. 226. Record for Michael Bauer., This information resulted from research completed by Edgar Hubrich, a professional genealogist based in Forchheim, Germany, for Robert Reyes in July 2020.
5. [S10] Nachweis der arischen Abstammung (Proof of Aryan Descent) (RNK-GMBH Berlin SW 68), August, 1942. Record for Michael Bauer
6. [S757] Memorial Card, In memory of Michael Bauer (in German), Published by F.A. Streit (Forchheim, Germany), 5 Dec 1958
7. [S771] Official Records, Standesamt Forchheim (Forchheim Registry Office), Heiratsregister (Marriage Registry) (Marriage Registry) 1928, No. 37. Record for Michael Bauer and Margareta Wolf., This information resulted from research completed by Edgar Hubrich, a professional genealogist based in Forchheim, Germany, for Robert Reyes in July 2020.
8. [S771] Official Records, Standesamt Forchheim (Forchheim Registry Office), Sterberegister (Death Registry) 1970, No. 264. Record for Margareta Wolf.
9. [S765] Official Correspondence, US Army, Letter from 1LT Paul Carberry, Chaplain, to Commanding Officer, 26th Infantry Regiment; Marriage Interview, 8 March 1954. The letter is part of the marriage application package prepared by Roy C. Reyes and Marianne Bauer.
10. [S806] Professional Research, Edgar Hubrich (Genealogist, Forchheim). Extracts from Forchheim address books, 1912-1968. Records for Casimir Bauer, Michael Bauer, and Christoph Wolf.
11. [S762] Personal Recollection, Erich Bauer reminisced about his father with Robert R Reyes in August 2003
12. [S762] Personal Recollection, Telephone interview of Josef Bauer by Robert Reyes, 4 November 2020.
13. [S852] Photograph, Notation on the back of a photograph showing Michael Bauer in uniform in the city park near his home in Forchheim. The photograph was provided by Gerhardt Huberth.
14. [S36] Newspapers and Periodicals, There are some inconsistencies with the death notice and obituary, foremost being the name "Gretel" for his wife. I do not recall anyone ever referring to Margareta as "Gretel." Also, the death date is shown as 5 December, while the death certificate and memorial card show 4 December.
    
    However, I believe these documents refer to the Michael Bauer in this genealogy for several reasons. First, my mother (Michael's daughter, Marianne) saved these clippings and gave them to me. Second, he died at midnight on the 4th, which could have been easily construed as the 5th. Third, the locations correspond to places where Michael Bauer's children lived: Forchheim (most of the family), Mannheim (Marianne Bauer's family), and Munich (Robert Bauer)., Unknown newspaper (Forchheim, Germany), Michael Bauer death notice and obituary, 1958., Digital copy in possession of Robert Reyes.