Person Page 37

Casimir Bauer^1,2,3,4,5,6

Photo of Casimier Bauer in German military uniform, circa 1914. (Photo courtesy of Gerhard Huberth)

Facts and Notes

• Name:^7,8
• Religious Affiliation: Roman Catholic⁹
• Birth: 24 December 1876; Tütschengereuth, Bamberg, Bavaria, GermanyBGO^{10,1,2,11,3,9,12}
• Baptism: 26 December 1876; Trunstadt, Bamberg, Bavaria, GermanyBGO; Casimir's grandfather's brother, was admitted as a christening witness^9,12
• Marriage: 14 August 1899; Marie Anna Kröner; Bischberg, Bamberg, Bavaria, GermanyBGO; he civil ceremony was conducted on 14 Aug, and the church ceremony was conducted the next day. Michael Kröner, possibly Marie Anna's brother, was groomsman.^10,1,1,13
• Occupation: 1906; Bischberg, Bamberg, Bavaria, GermanyBGO; Brickyard manager and machinist^14,15,16,17
• Residence: 18 May 1906; Hotel Zettelmaier, Bayreuthstrasse 2, Forchheim, Bavaria, GermanyBG^18,15
• Residence: 1 July 1907; Bahnhofstrasse 1, Forchheim, Bavaria, GermanyBG¹⁵
• Anecdote: 1908; Tütschengereuth, Bamberg, Bavaria, GermanyBGO; See "The Brickworks" in the notes section^{16,17,19,20,21,22}
• Residence: 21 November 1908; Klosterstrasse 15, Forchheim, Bavaria, GermanyBG¹⁵
• Occupation: After 1908; Forchheim, Bavaria, GermanyBGO; Milchhändler (dairy merchant)¹⁵
• Residence: 2 January 1909; Fuchsenstrasse 6, Forchheim, Bavaria, GermanyBG¹⁵
• Residence: 22 December 1911; Alleestrasse 23, Forchheim, Bavaria, GermanyBG¹⁵
• Occupation: 1912; Forchheim, Bavaria, GermanyBGO; Viehhändler (livestock merchant)¹⁵
• Residence: 2 February 1913; Wiesentstrasse 39 1/2, Forchheim, Bavaria, GermanyBG¹⁵
• Residence: 1 July 1916; Bambergerstrasse 14, Forchheim, Bavaria, GermanyBG; He remained at this residence until 1921^15,1,8
• Occupation: Before 1917; Forchheim, Bavaria, GermanyBGO; Machinist in Forchheim^1,21
• Military: Between 1917 and 1918; See "Wartime Service of Casimir Bauer" in the notes section¹
• Occupation: After 1919; Forchheim, Bavaria, GermanyBGO; Part owner of a brick plant^16,17
• Residence: Between 1926 and 1932; Kirchenstrasse 17, Forchheim, Bavaria, GermanyBG^7,15,6
• Occupation: Between 1926 and 1935; Forchheim, Bavaria, GermanyBGO; Maschinenführer^7,6,4
• Marriage: 1 August 1928; Marianne Längenfelder; Forchheim, Bavaria, GermanyBGO^23,24
• Residence: Between 1935 and 1961; Hauptstrasse (Adolf Hitlerstrasse) 31, Forchheim, Bavaria, GermanyBG^4,15
• Occupation: Before 1962; Forchheim, Bavaria, GermanyBGO; Machinist foreman²⁵
• Death: 19 September 1962; Forchheim, Bavaria, GermanyBGO; Age 85^2,3,25
• Burial: After 19 September 1962; Friedhof Forchheim an der Birkenfelderstr (Old Cemetery), Forchheim, Bavaria, GermanyBGO^2,25

• Note: The Brickworks
  
  Before relocating to Forchheim in May 1906, Casimir Bauer worked as a manager at the Bauer Steam Brickworks in Bischberg, a family business owned by his elder brother Johann. Their younger brother Hans also worked there. The brickworks was a substantial operation with a steam chimney, kiln, drying halls, and workshops, reflecting a long family tradition of brickmaking that dated back at least four generations to their upbringing in Tütschengereuth. In 1906–07, Casimir helped scout a new factory location in Forchheim, where he supervised the plant’s machinery at the newly established Forchheim Ziegel & Tonwerk. After the tragic death of Johann’s wife Babette in a steam-related accident at the factory residence in 1908, Casimir left his machinist trade, likely out of grief or guilt, and shifted to other occupations, first as a dairy merchant and then a livestock dealer. By 1917, however, he had quietly returned to his old role as a machinist at the Otto Pabst brickworks, the successor to the family factory, suggesting a return to the trade he had long known.
  
  Family lore passed down through Casimir Bauer’s grandsons, Erich and Josef Bauer, offers a somewhat different version of events. The family’s account indicates that Casimir and his brothers grew up on a Bauernhof (large farm) near Tütschengereuth, where they learned brickmaking using a kiln on the property. It also confirms that the three brothers established the factory together and that Casimir oversaw the plant’s machinery. However, other aspects of the story deviate from verified historical facts. For instance, the family recalls that the brothers collectively purchased the factory, whereas, in reality, the plant was primarily financed by Johann, the eldest. The most significant deviation concerns the factory’s downfall. According to family tradition, the factory failed due to unpaid debts (especially to a coal supplier) and Casimir’s brothers fled to America with the operating money, leaving him burdened with the debt. In truth, Johann sold the factory after his wife’s accident and moved to Nürnberg, while Casimir (after a brief hiatus) and his younger brother Hans continued to work at the factory for many years under the new ownership.
  
  Wartime Service of Casimir Bauer (1917–1918)
  
  Casimir Bauer, age 40, was conscripted into military service on January 6, 1917, during a time of mounting troop shortages across Germany. He was assigned to Company 2 of Bavaria’s Landsturm Infantry Battalion 16, a reserve unit primarily composed of older soldiers aged 35–45. His initial deployment was to the Somme sector, where he performed second-line duties such as guarding railways, bridges, and fortifications—an assignment that, while less dangerous than front-line combat, still carried significant risk due to artillery fire and gas attacks.
  
  On March 30, 1917, his battalion was reassigned to the Aisne sector, but only days later, on April 9, the Allies launched a massive offensive. Casimir’s unit was rushed to the front, where they endured heavy artillery barrages and infantry attacks. After a grueling month, the unit was moved to Reims on May 28, where they resumed defensive duties away from the most intense combat.
  
  Casimir remained stationed near Reims until August 26, when he was transferred to Company 1 of Landsturm Battalion Rosenheim, a unit tasked with guarding rail lines around Liart. These were comparatively peaceful months. His unit enjoyed comfortable accommodations, ample food, and reduced exposure to combat, contributing to improved morale and physical recovery among the men.
  
  That reprieve ended on October 9, when his unit was ordered to construct defenses on Hill 213 near Varennes, where they operated under constant shelling in harsh, wet conditions. By November 13, Casimir was rotated back to Landsturm Infantry Battalion 16 at Reims, where he spent the Christmas holidays and continued serving until March 1918.
  
  On March 21, 1918, the Germans launched the Spring Offensive in a last-ditch attempt to win the war. Casimir’s unit was deployed to reinforce German positions near Montdidier-Noyon on March 27, and although they were rear-echelon troops, they were drawn into intense fighting and counterattacks. After a short break, they redeployed to Aisne on April 7 before returning once more to Montdidier-Noyon. These were Casimir’s final days at the front.
  
  On May 25, 1918, Casimir was reassigned to garrison duty in Bayreuth, about 45 miles from his home in Forchheim. The specific reason for his transfer is unknown, but it was likely due to exhaustion, age, or the need to free up younger troops for front-line service. His new assignment allowed him to serve out the rest of the war near home.

• Related Pages: Ancestors of Marianne Bauer; Forchheim Town Cemetery List of People; Veterans

Citations

1. [S485] Ancestry.com, Bavaria, Germany, WWI Personnel Rosters, 1914-1918, http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=BavariaWWI&h=6575254&indiv=try, Bayerisches Hauptstaatsarchiv; Mnchen; Abteilung IV Kriegsarchiv. Kriegstammrollen, 1914-1918; Volume: 9054. Kriegsstammrolle: Bd.14, Record for Casimir Bauer
2. [S533] Grave Marker, Alter Friedhof an der Birkenfelderstr (Forchheim, Germany), Bauer-Huberth Family Gravestone.
3. [S757] Memorial Card, In memory of Casimir Bauer, Published by F.A. Streit (Forchheim, Germany), 1962.
4. [S793] Ancestry.com, Germany and Surrounding Areas, Address Books, 1815-1974, https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=60778&h=49241578&indiv=try, Deutsche National Bibliothek; Leipzig, Deutschland; Publisher: Otto Mauser; Bestand: 1935; Signatur: ZA 3428, Record for Casimir Bauer
5. [S793] Ancestry.com, Germany and Surrounding Areas, Address Books, 1815-1974, https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/60778/records/49237987, Deutsche Nationalbibliothek; Leipzig, Deutschland; Publisher: Otto Mauser; Bestand: 1932; Signatur: Za 3428, Record for Casimir Bauer
6. [S793] Ancestry.com, Germany and Surrounding Areas, Address Books, 1815-1974, https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=60778&h=49238001&indiv=try, Deutsche Nationalbibliothek; Leipzig, Deutschland; Publisher: Otto Mauser; Bestand: 1932; Signatur: Za 3428, Record for Casimir
7. [S793] Ancestry.com, Germany and Surrounding Areas, Address Books, 1815-1974, https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=60778&h=49234958&indiv=try, Deutsche National Bibliothek; Leipzig, Deutschland; Publisher: R. Lang; Bestand: 1926; Signatur: ZA 3428, Record for Kasimir Bauer
8. [S793] Ancestry.com, Germany and Surrounding Areas, Address Books, 1815-1974, https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=60778&h=49232005&indiv=try, Deutsche National Bibliothek; Leipzig, Deutschland; Publisher: R. Lang; Bestand: 1921; Signatur: ZA 3428, Record for Kasimir Bauer
9. [S771] Official Records, Standesamt Tütschengereuth (Tütschengereuth Registry Office), Geburtsregister (Birth Registry) (Birth Registry) 1876, No. 23. Record for Casimir Bauer., This information resulted from research completed by Edgar Hubrich, a professional genealogist based in Forchheim, Germany, for Robert Reyes in July 2020.
10. [S10] Nachweis der arischen Abstammung (Proof of Aryan Descent) (RNK-GMBH Berlin SW 68), August, 1942. Record for Michael Bauer
11. [S762] Personal Recollection, Marianne Bauer Reyes provided this information to Robert Reyes in the late 1990s.
12. [S791] Church Records, Archiv des Erzbistums Bamberg (Archives of the Archdiocese of Bamberg) (Archives of the Archdiocese of Bamberg): Rep. 60, Pfarrarchiv (Parrish Archive) Trunstadt St. Petrus und Marzellinus, Kirchenbuch (Church Book) (Church Book), Volume 9, Taufen (Baptisms) 1865-1886, S. 110, No. 107. Record for Casimir Bauer., This information resulted from research completed by Edgar Hubrich, a professional genealogist based in Forchheim, Germany, for Robert Reyes in June 2023.
13. [S791] Church Records, Archiv des Erzbistums Bamberg (Archives of the Archdiocese of Bamberg): Rep. 60, Pfarrarchiv (Parrish Archive) Trunstadt St. Petrus und Marzellinus, Kirchenbuch (Church Book), Volume 11, Trauungen (Weddings) 1871-1940, S. 51, No. 8. Record for Casimir Bauer and Marie Anna Kröner., This information resulted from research completed by Edgar Hubrich, a professional genealogist based in Forchheim, Germany, for Robert Reyes in 2020.
14. [S806] Professional Research, Edgar Hubrick (Genealogist, Forchheim, Germany), July 2020.
15. [S806] Professional Research, Professional Research, Edgar Hubrick (Genealogist, Forchheim, Germany), November 2024., Edgar lists Casimir Bauer's residences and occupations in Casimir's biography. The information was primarily derived from the Forchheim address books or the Forchheim City Archives.
16. [S762] Personal Recollection, Erich Bauer (Casimir Bauer's grandson) provided this information to Robert Reyes in 2003
17. [S762] Personal Recollection, Telephone interview of Josef Bauer by Robert Reyes, March 2020.
18. [S771] Official Records, Stadtarchiv Forchheim (Forchheim City Archives), Familienbögen (Family Record), No. 43. Casimir Bauer Family.
19. [S36] Newspapers and Periodicals, Fifth Supplement to the German Reichsanzeiger and Royal Prussian State Gazette, no. 295 (Berlin, December 12, 1907), Announcement from Bamberg., Details about the transfer of Johann Bauer's properties are on pages 22 and 23 of the attached media file.
20. [S788] Official Document, Akten des Magistrats der Königlich bayr. Stadt Forchheim, "Einrichtung einer Dampfziegelei in Forchheim durch den Ziegelbesitzer Johann Bauer hier," 1907, Titel: J, Fach: 35, Reg. Nr. 134., These are the construction plans for the brickworks in Forchheim.
21. [S884] Robert R. Reyes, Our German Heritage
22. [S788] Official Document, Akten des Magistrats der Königlich bayr. Stadt Forchheim, 1907, Titel: J, Fach: 35, Reg. Nr. 136.
23. [S771] Official Records, Standesamt Forchheim (Forchheim Registry Office), Heiratsregister (Marriage Registry) 1928, No. 43. Record for Casimir Bauer and Marianna Längenfelder., This information resulted from research completed by Edgar Hubrich, a professional genealogist based in Forchheim, Germany, for Robert Reyes in July 2020.
24. [S771] Official Records, Standesamt Forchheim (Forchheim Registry Office), Bescheinigung des Aufgebots (Marriage Bann) 30 Jul 1928. Certificate for Casimir Bauer and Marianna Längenfelder., This information resulted from research completed by Edgar Hubrich, a professional genealogist based in Forchheim, Germany, for Robert Reyes in November 2024.
25. [S771] Official Records, Standesamt Forchheim (Forchheim Registry Office), Sterberegister (Death Registry) 1962, No. 208. Record for Casimir Bauer., This information resulted from research completed by Edgar Hubrich, a professional genealogist based in Forchheim, Germany, for Robert Reyes in July 2020.