Nazi flag acquired by an American soldier
Extent and Medium
overall: Height: 130.000 inches (330.2 cm) | Width: 150.000 inches (381 cm)
Creator(s)
- Edward J. Paukovits Sr. (Subject)
Biographical History
Edward J. Paukovits, Sr. was born on April 15, 1922, in Nazareth, Pennsylvania. He was the son of Charles, Sr. and Julia Klepeisz Paukivits and had three brothers, Charles, Stephen, and John. During World War II (1939-1945), Paukovits enlisted in the United States Army on November 25, 1942, and served until November 25, 1945. He was assigned to the 815th Quartermaster Battalion and participated in operations in Africa from May-November 1943; Italy, from November-September 1944; France, from September1944 to March 1945, and Germany and Austria from March 1945 until his departure for the United States in fall 1945. The 815th was disbanded on September 11, but he was assigned to make-up units to prepare for his return to the US. He married Dorothy Gunther and had two children. He was a member of the Holy Family Catholic Church for fifty years. Paukovits, 89, passed away on May 27, 2011.
Archival History
The Nazi banner was donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2011 by Ed Paukovits Jr., the son of Edward J. Paukovits Sr.
Acquisition
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Collection, Gift of Ed Paukovits Jr.
Funding Note: The cataloging of this artifact has been supported by a grant from the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany.
Scope and Content
Nazi flag acquired by 23 year old Edward J. Paukovits, Sr. , a US soldier, around April 28-30, 1945, in Ulm, Germany. His unit was stationed in Goppingen, and, while passing through Ulm on the way to Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Paukovits saw the huge flag still flying atop a building. He had the driver stop the jeep. The flag was anchored to the finial, so Paukovits climbed the pole and took down the flag. Paukovits was assigned to the 815th Quartermaster Battalion. He and his unit were deployed overseas in Africa, Italy, France, Germany, and Austria. He served in the US Army from November 1942 until November 1945.
Conditions Governing Access
No restrictions on access
Subjects
- World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American.
- Soldiers--United States Army--Biography.
Genre
- Identifying Artifacts
- Object