Third Reich & World War II Historians, what can you tell me about my grandfather?

by crayolaboat

Hello, this is my first post on Reddit. I have read the rules of this sub and I hope this falls within them.

This is my grandfather, who I know nothing about. Asking my parents, the only information I have been able to gather is that he beat my grandmother, left his family when my mother was born, and died before the war ended. I believe these to be the only photos of him in their house.

It's clearly a touchy subject with them; I am here looking for information about his uniform, what role he may have played in the war, and maybe even a translation of the writing on the back of the prints.

RVLV

I'm trying my best on translating the writing.

The first one (picture 3) reads:

[ ??? ]17.Juni 1937 von Lydia + Paul Jarinus (Jatins? Jorins?)

                               Papa Paul Helmchen mit                               
                                 12.12.[18]88                                                                                   Paul
                                                                                                                                       14.1.1916

Walter 7.9.1912

This was apparently send as a postcard from or to Lydia and Paul(or somethig completly unreletad, I really cant read the first word). Pictured are Paul Helmchen sr. in the middle and (I presume) his sons Paul jr. to the right and Walter to the left with their birthdates marked under their names.

The second one (picture 6) reads:

Juni 1937

Walter + Hilde Schulz-Helmchen geb. (short for "geboren"; ger. for "née") Reuter

This just remarks that Walter (your grandfather I presume) got married to Hilde Reuter in June 1937.

The uniforms he's wearing seems to be the standard dress uniform of the Wehrmacht and the sword he's wearing points to him beeing a officer or NCO, but I can't make out his actual rank in the photo.

EDIT: Got a date wrong.

Xian244

If you have some more information (DOB etc.) the WAst should have service records.

http://www.dd-wast.de/frame_e.htm

Be prepared to wait though.

centurion44

If the man in all black in the middle of the first photo is your great grandfather you should know he likely won that iron cross in the first world war. The man on the right who I presume is like your ?great uncle? was a junior enlisted man in the Kriegsmarine. (one chevron or whatever germans call its upside down iteration I don't remember). He was a seaman second class in fact.

Those dates on the back of the first photo are their respective names and birthdates. Damn I'm like dick tracy over here.

rutledge2

I do not know if this helps, but he is wearing the German army 'Schützenschnur' - the badge & lanyard on his right side. Marksmanship award. Can't tell by the photo which level it is.