|
Germany (1900)
Source:
Bundesarchiv Abteilung PA
|
Horst Bannasch was born on November 6, 1921 in the East Prussian state capital Königsberg as the son of Marta, née Naumann, and Walter Bannasch. The family lived at Heidemannstraße 26, a cobbled street east of the center of Königberg. The bank of the new Pregel was only a few meters away, as was the Waisenplatz with the university clinic grounds of the Löbenichtschen Hospital, the Sackheimer Tor and the park on the former city wall. Five-story apartment blocks with attic apartments and a few shops on the ground floor dominated the streetscape. The parents Marta and Walter Bannasch got married a year before the birth of what was probably their first child. The then 34-year-old father earned his living as a waiter. His wife, who was eleven years jounger, probably took care of the household and children as a housewife and mother. At the age of six, Horst Bannasch started school at the Schenkendorff School, which he attended for eight years until the 1st grade and the age of 14. After graduating from school in March 1936, he did various odd jobs as an errand boy before getting an apprenticeship a year later.
On April 1, 1937, the now fifteen-year-old began an apprenticeship as a men's tailor with master tailor Fritz Walter. He ran his tailor shop at Kreislerstraße 6 in the center of Königsberg between the city palace and the castle church. In addition to working in the company, Horst Bannasch attended classes at the craft vocational school in Königsberg. He was an average apprentice, but worked to the satisfaction of his master. At the end of March 1940 he passed his journeyman's examination, whereby the practical part was graded as satisfactory and the theoretical part as good. At vocational school he had average grades in the areas of behavior, technical knowledge, arithmetic, technical drawing, civics and business knowledge, only his performance stood out with a very good grade.
|
|
|
|
Horst Bannasch then worked as a tailor in Danzig, before returning to Königsberg, where he finally worked for the master tailor Franz Mühlich at Vorderroßgarten 30, not far from his parents' apartment where he still lived. During this time, when he was about to be drafted into the Wehrmacht anyway, Horst Bannasch applied to work as a civilian employee in the Navy. The Wehrmachtfürsorge- und Versorgungsamt (Wehrmacht Welfare and Care Office) in Kiel, which processed his application, recommended him to the Battleship Bismarck command in December 1940 as a tailor for the vacant position there. His application documents were sent to Hamburg. On board the Bismarck they decided for Horst Bannasch and hired him. He then quit his job with master tailor Franz Mühlich in Königsberg and was released by his employer at New Year's Day 1941.
After the holidays, Hans Bannasch took the train to Hamburg and signed his new employment contract on board the battleship Bismarck on January 13, 1941. This was also countersigned by the captain and first officer and he was able to take up his new position two days later.
|
|
|
1 Dr. Arvid Thiele see Volume 2 on page 139 ff
|
A few days later, he and all the other civilian employees were examined pulmonologicly by the third ship's doctor, Dr. Thiele1. For Horst Bannasch there were no findings and so he was able to take up his position. There were also no concerns about taking part in action. From then on, Horst Bannasch worked in the tailor workshop on the aft battery deck. A photo taken on March 14, 1941 in Kiel shows him sitting on the workbench while working in the workshop. A little later he took the ship to his East Prussian homeland. Final exercises before deployment were carried out in the Bay of Gdańsk. Horst Bannasch had another opportunity to visit his family in nearby Königsberg from Gotenhafen. It is not known whether he took this opportunity. In May 1941 he sailed with the Bismarck for his first war mission. As a civilian, he was excluded from taking part in combat operations, but was allowed to and was used as an auxiliary stretcher bearer. He did not survive the sinking on May 27, 1941. Horst Bannasch died at just 19 years old. His death was recorded a year later by the Königsberg (Pr.) III registry office under number 1295/42.
|
|
