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Zappler, Murray (32824267): Difference between revisions

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|birth_year=1924
|birth_year=1924
|death_year=1944
|death_year=1944
|nativity=Ge
|nativity=Germany
|religion=J
|religion=Jewish
|enlistment_place=NEW YORK CITY NEW YORK
|enlistment_place=NEW YORK CITY NEW YORK
|state=NEW YORK
|state=NEW YORK
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|class_number=19
|class_number=19
|class_display=19
|class_display=19
|photo=2437465796275327.jpg
|birth_place=Germany
|rank_final=Technician Fifth Grade
|division=106th Infantry Division
}}
}}


<div class="soldier-lead">
<div class="soldier-lead">
'''[[Zappler, Murray (32824267)|Murray Zappler]]''' (1924–1944) was a Ritchie Boy (from Germany; Jewish) who trained at Camp Ritchie in class 19 and served with IPW Team 154.
'''Murray Zappler''' (1924&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.
</div>
</div>


== Biography ==
== Biography ==
Here Hauptman Curt Bruns told Zappler and Jacobs to stand against the wall. 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 Murray Zappler and [[Jacobs, Kurt R. (12207399)|Kurt Jacobs]]. "Zappler and Jacobs were with MIS etousa. 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.
Murray Zappler was a German-born Jewish Ritchie Boy (Class 19) who had ASTP German training at the University of Pennsylvania and worked as a clerk-typist before overseas duty. As a technician fifth grade on IPW Team 154, he served with Headquarters, 106th Infantry Division, interrogating German prisoners.
 
Zappler and teammate [[Jacobs, Kurt R. (12207399)|Kurt R. Jacobs]] 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.


== Research notes ==
== Research notes ==
* ASTP; KIA Murdered as POW; http://www.online.uni-marburg.de/icwc/dachau/000-006-0056.pdf
* ASTP; KIA Murdered as POW
* IPW Team 154; murdered as POW (Jewish); with Kurt R. Jacobs


== Gallery ==
== Gallery ==
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== Timeline ==
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* Born 1 September 1924 in Germany (Jewish).
* 30 June 1943 — Became naturalized U.S. citizen.
* 13 July 1944 — Graduated Class 19 (German Linguist #2).
* 4 September 1944 — Promoted to T/5; transferred to DEML.
* 28 November 1944 — Assigned to IPW Team 154 attached to 106th Infantry Division.
* Buried at the American War Cemetery Henri-Chapelle, Belgium.
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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 (4 posts)
* Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2019-06-06 (4 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 Murray Zappler for Camp Ritchie'' (private research document; 1 source documents reviewed)
* Dan Gross, ''Timeline of Zappler, Murray for Camp Ritchie'' (private research files; selected non-private narrative findings; 1 source files: MURRAY ZAPPLER.doc)

Latest revision as of 03:45, 15 September 2026

Murray Zappler
Personal details
Born1924
Germany
Died1944
NativityGermany
ReligionJewish
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch United States Army
ASN32824267
RankTechnician Fifth Grade
Rank at RitchiePrivate First Class
Camp RitchieClass 19 (16 May – 13 July 1944)
Section5D
EnlistedNew York City, New York
Unit / division106th Infantry Division
TeamIPW 154
Research notes on this page are compiled from the source file and later edits. They may be unverified, incomplete, or incorrect, and should not be treated as established fact. Please correct the article or add sources on the talk page. For class-roster terms, see About the data.
Sources & confidence: Treat Research notes as leads, not settled fact. Prefer NARA, the class roster, newspapers, Find a Grave, or published histories for contested claims. Mark unsourced claims with {{Needs source}}, or explain disagreements on talk. Baseline import notes: About the data.


Murray Zappler (1924–1944) 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.

Biography[edit | edit source]

Murray Zappler was a German-born Jewish Ritchie Boy (Class 19) who had ASTP German training at the University of Pennsylvania and worked as a clerk-typist before overseas duty. As a technician fifth grade on IPW Team 154, he served with Headquarters, 106th Infantry Division, interrogating German prisoners.

Zappler and teammate Kurt R. Jacobs 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.

Research notes[edit | edit source]

  • ASTP; KIA Murdered as POW
  • IPW Team 154; murdered as POW (Jewish); with Kurt R. Jacobs

Gallery[edit | edit source]

Technical record[edit | edit source]

Field Imported value
Approx Age at Death 20
Nara ASN 32824267
Nara Name ZAPPLER MURRAY
Nara State 23
Nara County 5
Nara POE 2364
Nara DOE 50343
Nara Grade Alpha PVT
Nara Grade Code 8
Nara Branch Alpha NO
Nara Branch Code 2
Branch No branch assignment
Nara Term or Enlistment 5
Term of enlistment Enlistment for the duration of the War or other emergency, plus six months, subject to the discretion of the President or otherwise according to law
Defer. Date 0
Nara Source 0
Nara Nativity N1
Nara Year of Birth 24
Nara Race J
Nara Race Description White not yet a citizen
Nara Education 4
Nara Civilian Occupation 137
Nara Marital Status 1
Nara Height (inches) 44
Nara Weight (lbs) 120
Class_ASN 32824267
Class_Name ZAPPLER, Murray
match_method asn_exact_name_exact
row_source both

Timeline[edit | edit source]

  • Born 1 September 1924 in Germany (Jewish).
  • 30 June 1943 — Became naturalized U.S. citizen.
  • 13 July 1944 — Graduated Class 19 (German Linguist #2).
  • 4 September 1944 — Promoted to T/5; transferred to DEML.
  • 28 November 1944 — Assigned to IPW Team 154 attached to 106th Infantry Division.
  • Buried at the American War Cemetery Henri-Chapelle, Belgium.

Sources[edit | edit source]

  • Bruce Henderson, Sons and Soldiers (account of Jacobs and Zappler as POWs)
  • 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)
  • 1940 U.S. Census (where a census match is present)
  • Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2017-09-03 (1 post)
  • Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2019-06-06 (4 posts)
  • Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2021-03-08 (1 post)
  • Dan Gross, Timeline of Murray Zappler for Camp Ritchie (private research document; 1 source documents reviewed)
  • Dan Gross, Timeline of Zappler, Murray for Camp Ritchie (private research files; selected non-private narrative findings; 1 source files: MURRAY ZAPPLER.doc)