Ritchie Boys Wiki

Jacobs, Kurt R. (12207399): Difference between revisions

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|birth_year=1909
|birth_year=1909
|death_year=1944
|death_year=1944
|nativity=Ge
|nativity=Germany
|religion=J
|religion=Jewish
|enlistment_place=BUFFALO NEW YORK
|enlistment_place=BUFFALO NEW YORK
|state=NEW YORK
|state=NEW YORK
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|class_number=19;20
|class_number=19;20
|class_display=19; 20
|class_display=19; 20
|birth_place=Germany
|rank_final=Staff Sergeant
|division=106th Infantry Division
|awards=Purple Heart
|awards_grid=Purple Heart
|awards_ribbons=Ribbon_Purple_Heart_ribbon.png
|awards_ribbon_rows=Ribbon_Purple_Heart_ribbon.png
}}
}}


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<div class="soldier-lead">
'''[[Jacobs, Kurt R. (12207399)|Kurt R. Jacobs]]''' (1909–1944) was a Ritchie Boy (from Germany; Jewish) who trained at Camp Ritchie in class 19; 20 and served with IPW Team 154.
'''Kurt R. Jacobs''' (1909&ndash;1944) was a German-born Jewish Ritchie Boy on IPW Team 154 with the 106th Infantry Division; he was murdered as a prisoner of war because he was Jewish.
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== Biography ==
== Biography ==
Stephen Dickerman Stange has sent a request for information related to the incident cited in Bruce Henderson's book, Sons and Soldiers, where two German-Jewish Ritchie Boys became POWs, were identified as being Jewish, and were murdered. "I am currently writing a book on the murders of [[Zappler, Murray (32824267)|Murray Zappler]] and [[Jacobs, Kurt R. (12207399)|Kurt Jacobs]] of IPW 150, 106th USA Infantry Division in the Ardennes, and subsequent trial of the accused, Kurt Bruns. I am hoping somebody on this page can help me with pictures or other information on these 2 brave soldiers. My name is Steve Stange. I can be reached at 614-427-8052, email zt692@aol.com, Thank you so much, Steve"
Kurt R. Jacobs was a German-born Jewish Ritchie Boy who trained at Camp Ritchie (Classes 19–20) and served as a staff sergeant on IPW Team 154. The six-man team was attached to Headquarters, 106th Infantry Division, for interrogation of German prisoners.


A Belgian Facebook friend sent the following information about the tragedy that befell Ritchie Boys [[Zappler, Murray (32824267)|Murray Zappler]] and [[Jacobs, Kurt R. (12207399)|Kurt Jacobs]]. He has sent me some photos that I want to share with the Community "Our daughter is the Primary Sentinel of Memory of [[Zappler, Murray (32824267)|Murray Zappler]] at the Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery and Memorial. That is why we were in the footsteps of the 106th infantry division last Thursday."
Jacobs and teammate [[Zappler, Murray (32824267)|Murray Zappler]] were taken prisoner and murdered because of their Jewish heritage. Their names appear on the 106th Division Headquarters honor roll (sometimes with typographical errors). The responsible German officer’s case is documented in a Dachau trial transcript.
 
A Belgian Facebook friend sent the following information about the tragedy that befell Ritchie Boys [[Zappler, Murray (32824267)|Murray Zappler]] and [[Jacobs, Kurt R. (12207399)|Kurt Jacobs]]. He has sent me some photos that I want to share with the Community "Our daughter is the Primary Sentinel of Memory of [[Zappler, Murray (32824267)|Murray Zappler]] at the Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery and Memorial. That is why we were in the footsteps of the 106th infantry division last Thursday." "This was the border between Belgium and Germany. Here Hauptman Curt Bruns told Zappler and Jacobs to stand against the wall. After the other POW's walked away. He told 6 German soldiers to execute Zappler and Jacobs a few meters further."
 
A Belgian Facebook friend sent the following information about the tragedy that befell Ritchie Boys [[Zappler, Murray (32824267)|Murray Zappler]] and [[Jacobs, Kurt R. (12207399)|Kurt Jacobs]]. He has sent me some photos that I want to share with the Community. "Zappler and Jacobs were with MIS etousa. They were assigned to the 423th of the 106th infantry division as interogaters for German POW's. The 423th had to surrender on December 19th. The German POW's told Hauptman Bruns that there were 2Jewish men among the Americans."
 
There are at least two Ritchie Boys buried at the Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery in Liege, Belgium, [[Zappler, Murray (32824267)|Murray Zappler]] and [[Jacobs, Kurt R. (12207399)|Kurt Jacobs]] (Purple Heart). They had been captured together during the Battle of the Bulge. When the German Commanding Officer learned they were Jewish, he had them summarily executed.


== Research notes ==
== Research notes ==
* KIA Murdered as POW
* KIA Murdered as POW
* IPW Team 154; murdered as POW (Jewish); with Murray Zappler


== Gallery ==
== Gallery ==
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== Timeline ==
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* Born 17 November 1909 in Germany.
* 1943 — Enlisted as Pvt (ASN: 12207399).
* 31 July 1944 — Entered Class 20 (IPW Ge).
* 16 August 1944 — Graduated Class 20 (German Documents Examiner).
* 4 September 1944 — Assigned to DEML. Promoted to S/Sgt.
* 28 November 1944 — Assigned to IPW Team 154 attached to 106th Infantry Division.
* 28 November 1944 — Assigned to IPW Team 154 attached to 106th Infantry.
* May 1944 — Assigned to Class 19 Section 5E.
* Buried at the American War Cemetery Henri-Chapelle, Belgium.
* Division.
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== Sources ==
== Sources ==
* Camp Ritchie class roster (classes 1–31), merged research file
* Bruce Henderson, ''Sons and Soldiers'' (account of Jacobs and Zappler as POWs)
* [http://www.online.uni-marburg.de/icwc/dachau/000-006-0056.pdf Dachau trial transcript — Jacobs/Zappler murder case (Marburg ICWC)]
* Dan Gross research archive (miscellaneous timeline-adjacent documents; not uploaded): ''Jacobs and Zappler.doc''
* Camp Ritchie Museum, Inc. (The Ritchie History Museum), Classes 1–31 roster data
* Dan Gross research spreadsheets, including original Excel timeline/roster work, combined with other research and records
* NARA World War II Army enlistment records (where a NARA ASN is present)
* NARA World War II Army enlistment records (where a NARA ASN is present)
* 1940 U.S. Census (where a census match is present)
* 1940 U.S. Census (where a census match is present)
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* Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2019-06-06 (3 posts)
* Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2019-06-06 (3 posts)
* Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2021-03-08 (1 post)
* Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2021-03-08 (1 post)
* Dan Gross, ''Timeline of Kurt R. Jacobs for Camp Ritchie'' (private research document; 2 source documents reviewed)
* Dan Gross, ''Timeline of Jacobs, Kurt R. for Camp Ritchie'' (private research files; selected non-private narrative findings; 2 source files: KURT R. JACOBS (2021).doc, KURT R. JACOBS.doc)
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