Frontaufklarungstrupp FAT Abwehr - Location and assignments

[tomttom]

Hi - can anyone help me seek to track down the location and assignments / tasks for Abwehr FAT units? In particular I am interested in Frontaufklarungstrupp 101 under the command of Hauptmann Francke - Ukraine and Eastern front.
I understand that these units had information gathering roles with civilian agents - and worked alongside Army units - anyone understand what they did more exactly? How might I research this? Thanks.

[Totenkomf]

Here is an already made Thread about Abwehr FAT units and their nature of operations:

Source: viewtopic.php?f=50&t=252262

[Tamari]

Hi TomTom,

in this above mentioned thread we've discussed about the FAK and FAT but with a clear focus on FAK 2.. and FAT 2..

Nevertheless you will find some common aspects and also where and how to start your research.

Hermann Baun was in charge of the intelligence gathering efforts of the Abwehr on the Eastern Front. Maybe you will something of interest in this document.

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov. ... /C11190757

It is downloadable.

Werner Ohletz was later in the war head of MilAmt C and responsible for intelligence gathering on the Eastern front and for supporting the FAK 1.. and FAT 1..

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov. ... r/C6092014

I will share more on this topic later on.

Best regards
Robert

[Tamari]

Hi Tomttom,

I would like to ask which timeframe is of relevance for your research regarding FAT 101?


From Deutsches Rotes Kreuz (DRK) Vermisstenbildliste => https://vbl.drk-suchdienst.online/Feldp ... r/FPN.aspx

fill in
Band: AA Seite: 38


Frontaufklärungstrupp 101
Feldpostnummer (FPN): 57278

Missing soldiers of FAT 101:

- Leutnant Johann Friedrich Heinrichsohn
- Feldwebel Rudolf Apolloner
- Feldwebel Max Prager
- Unterfeldwebel Heinrich Maschkewitz
- Obergefreiter Alexander Wiatrak
- Soldat Peter Roch

According to the places of the last signs of life of the missing soldiers, FAT 101 was in 1945 foremost active in Poland (Cracow, near Breslau, Hirschberg and so on).


Best regards
Robert

[tomttom]

Wow, this is impressive. But perhaps not (the same) FAT 101 as detailed above - since I know (or at least think I know!) the FAT I am looking for was in or near Hungary at the tail end of the war (1945). Earlier it was deep in the Ukraine, inc Crimea. I have found a letter from a girl to her father - addressed to Hauptmann Walter Francke, who led the unit. Feldposte 05979, (December 1944) which seems to link to Frontaufklarungstruppe (Abwehr) 101 - so it says on the search I did. This German captain was later awarded a first class war merit medal - and I am interested in putting together a fuller picture of this man and his FAT

[tomttom]

So I have looked in that data base and am lost and confused ... The Feldpost number I have 05979 from December 1944 seems unlinked, but on this directory https://www.axishistory.com/books/383-g ... 5000-05999 it gives this address 27.9.1944 Frontaufklarungs-Trupp(Abwehr) 101 - which makes sense for I know Hauptmann Walter Francke worked in intelligence (field / agent recruitment etc).
His name is not on the list / photos of that truppe (as above) - but is this a different time, or is this a few members of his truppe? Is there any way to now link to finding out more about this FAT?

[Tamari]

Hi Tomttom,

Oh damn, I'm so stupid! Although I thought that I had it cross-checked the soldiers are from FAK 101 and not from FAT 101. Sorry for that big stupid mistake

But Hungary was a good hint towards 6th Army (AOK 6) and its sub-ordinated FAT 101.

https://wwii.germandocsinrussia.org/de/ ... rid/zoom/1

Summary (beginns at page 122):

1st of Nov1944
10:30 Uhr Hauptmann Francke, leader FAT 101,ready for duty. FAT 101 is deployed at Hevyzgyörk, unit was instructed by Ic of Army Group Fretter-Pico.

Wednesday 8th of Nov 1944
FAT 101 now in Kétbodony

Friday 10th of Nov 1944
Talk with Hauptmann Francke about a possible retreat from Kétbodony for the Oberquartiermeister who should take over the rooms from FAT 101

14.11.1944
FAT 101 now deployed to Alsopéteny (12 km W of Bervcel) together with FAT 321.

21.11.1944
Superior unit of FAT 101 was FAK 106 under Hauptmann Dohnal. (Herbert Dohnal * 24.02.1917 was later a member of Org Gehlen /Bundesnachrichtendienst; cover-name Mallner) => https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/docs/KO ... Y_0091.pdf and "Spionage unter Freunden: Partnerdienstbeziehungen und Westaufklärung der ..." von Christoph Franceschini, Thomas Wegener Friis, Erich Schmidt-Eenboom, page 120

FAT 101 is in charge for the areas of operations of LVII and IV. PzKorps. On the order of the Ic, FAT 101 has to move to IpoIysag.


page 131 -132
details about FAT 101 operations. Leutnant Muratow had an deadly accident while on route from Budapest. His driver Obergefreiter Mittmann was imprisoned by the Geheime Feldpolizei (GFP) 721 for drunkness.

personell:
Hauptmann Francke
Major (R) Lechner
Leutnant Muratow
Führer-Feldwebel Specht
Obergefreiter Kasis
Obergefreiter Platz


Best regards
Robert

[tomttom]

personell:
Hauptmann Francke
Major (R) Lechner
Leutnant Muratow
Führer-Feldwebel Specht
Obergefreiter Kasis
Obergefreiter Platz


Best regards
Robert

Wow - this is so helpful and impressive. Thank you. PM also sent.

Is there a way to look backwards from this time to understand what Hptm Francke did earlier in the war, presumably in the same FAT?

[Tamari]

Hi Tomttom,

I have found another Ic report of 6th army from early 1945. It seems that FAT 101 wasn't anymore subordinated to 6th army because FAT 101 isn't mentioned anymore as far as my research late last night had shown. But I'm not sure.

This document could be partially helpful
"Leitstelle I Ost. This Abwehr unit was part of the German army fighting on the Eastern..."

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov. ... /C11249466

But it is not downloadable.

You would possibly need more Ic reports from 6th Army before November 1944.

I try to find more information in the next days.

Best regards
Robert

[Tamari]

Hi Tomttom,

here is another Ic Tätigkeitsbericht December 1944 (beginning page 92)

https://wwii.germandocsinrussia.org/de/ ... ook/zoom/3


page 93

"Zusammenarbeit mit anderen Dienststellen
...war nicht immer reibungslos da bei der Überbelegung des ungarischen Raumes Trupp [FAT 101] mit seinen Agentenlager durch höhere Dienstgrade aus seinen Ruheräumen verdrängt wurde."

page 95
list which tasks/ requests for information the Ic of 6th Army had given to FAT 101 (few examples):
- Aufziehen eines Residentennetzes in Budapest
- Wann beginnt Großangriff? Wo Schwerpunkte? Wo Masse der Panzer?


Best regards
Robert

[Tamari]

Ic Tätigkeitsbericht October 1944

https://wwii.germandocsinrussia.org/de/ ... ect/zoom/5

page 105

Gefreiter Konopisky back to GFP 721

Awards for Unteroffizier Hecker and Stabsgefreiter Fischer


Best regards
Robert

[Tamari]

Hi Tomttom,

I have found another Ic report of 6th army from early 1945. It seems that FAT 101 wasn't anymore subordinated to 6th army because FAT 101 isn't mentioned anymore as far as my research late last night had shown. But I'm not sure.

This document could be partially helpful
"Leitstelle I Ost. This Abwehr unit was part of the German army fighting on the Eastern..."

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov. ... /C11249466

But it is not downloadable.

You would possibly need more Ic reports from 6th Army before November 1944.

I try to find more information in the next days.

Best regards
Robert

Hi

in this Tätigkeitsbericht Ic January 1945 the FAT 101 is not mentioned anymore but FAT 103 and FAT 106.

https://wwii.germandocsinrussia.org/de/ ... ect/zoom/5

Best regards
Robert

[tomttom]

Adding a little here - also to see if anyone can give clues as to what the role of these units were when advancing and occupying in the East earlier in the war. I have attached below a sample map from

december 1944 francke map hungary.jpg

the daily reports produced in late 1944 to commanders which I assume would have been assimilated from information from these FAT units. FAT 101 (Francke's unit) was billeted in this region with their agent camp.

[ZooBunker]

FPN 57278 ...
https://www.ebay.de/itm/144994929966?mk ... media=COPY