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Germany (1922)
Sources:
Herta Berg née Bey (sister) / Bad Bramstedt
Ernst Bey (brother) / Hitzhusen
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Egon Bey was born on May 26, 1922 in the Schleswig-Holstein town of Bad Bramstedt, the first child of Helene and Julius Bey. Five other siblings followed, three boys and two girls. The youngest brother Peter was not born until 1939, while the eldest son was already in puberty. Egon Bey attended elementary school in Bad Bramstedt, where he was a very good student. He then began an apprenticeship as an electrician in his father's company. At that time he was very enthusiastic about the navy, while his brother Hans, three years younger, adored aviation. This led to heated arguments between the two.
 In 1940, Egon Bey volunteered for the German Navy. His father, who had spent six years in French and English captivity during the First World War, did not agree to this, but his son did not let himself be dissuaded from his plan. After basic training in Stralsund, he began a career as a Ordnance Artificer and was assigned to the Bismarck. In April-May 1941 he was given leave and went home. His sister Herta, just eleven years old, was really proud of her big brother, who looked so good in his uniform. Then came the combat mission of the Bismarck. When the news of the ship's engagement with the British battlecruiser HMS Hood came, fear spread through the Bey household. On May 26, 1941, Egon Bey turned 19, on the very fateful day on which the Bismarck suffered its fatal torpedo hit. It was to be the last day before the naval battle that cost him his life. His sister Herta reports: "On May 27, my mother sat frozen in front of the radio. At 10 o'clock, my mother burst into tears and said: 'Now Egon is dead!' The bond between my mother and Egon was torn. From that day on, nothing was the same. My mother never got over the loss."
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