Erich Kästner (World War I veteran)

Infobox Military Person
name= Erich Kästner


caption=
born=birth date|1900|3|10
died=death date|2008|1|1|1900|3|10
nickname=
placeofbirth= Leipzig-Schönefeld, Germany
placeofdeath= Cologne, Germany
allegiance= GER
branch= Königlich-Sächsische Armee
serviceyears= July 1918 – November 1918 1939 – 1945
rank=Private (WWI) Major (WWII)
unit= Sonder-Bataillon Hauck (WWI) Luftwaffe (WWII)
commands=
battles= World War I World War II
awards= Lower Saxony Merit Cross
relations=
laterwork= JudgeDr. Erich Kästner (March 10, 1900 – January 1, 2008) was the last World War I veteran who fought for the German Empire (including all nationalities and ethnic groups) and the final one who was born in Germany. Consequently he was the last Central Powers combatant of the Western Front. He was also the second oldest man in Germany. He was not the final veteran living in Germany. Franz Künstler was an ethnic German born in Hungary who fought for the Austro-Hungarian Empire, migrating to Germany in 1946 and subsequently becoming a German citizen.

Born in Leipzig-Schönefeld in 1900, Kästner joined the German Army in July 1918, in the "Sonder-Bataillon Hauck" (unsure informationHans Michael Kloth, [http://einestages.spiegel.de/static/topicalbumbackground/1280/der_leise_tod_des_letzten_veteranen.html Der leise Tod des letzten Veteranen] (Der Spiegel online, 24th January 2008)] ), and served on the Western Front in Flanders. It is said that he marched in a parade in front of Kaiser Wilhelm II in November 1918 (unsure information). He rejoined the military in 1939 and during the Second World War was a Major serving as ground support for the Luftwaffe, mostly in France.David Rising, AP, [http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080125/ap_on_re_eu/obit_last_german_veteran Last German World War I veteran dies] (Yahoo News, 25th January 2008)]

Kästner earned a doctorate degree in law from University of Jena in 1924 with a dissertation on "Das landwirtschaftliche Pachtwesen und die Pachtschutzordnung unter besonderer Beleuchtung der Verhältnisse des früheren Großherzogtums Sachsen-Weimar-Eisenach" ("The legal institute of agricultural leasehold and the leasehold protection act with special regard to the situation in the former Grand Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach"). He subsequently worked as a judge at the Higher Regional Court (Oberlandesgericht), for which work he was awarded the Lower Saxony Merit Cross, 1st Class. Kästner was also honored by Germany's president because of his 75-year marriage with his wife Maria, who died in 2003 at the age of 102, soon after the celebration. Both had lived in Hanover since 1945. Some months before his death, he moved to a retirement home in Pulheim near Cologne.

ee also

* Last surviving World War I veteran by country
* Veterans of the First World War who died in 2008

References

External links

* [http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/
] (Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung, 5th January 2008) de icon
* [http://www.genarians.com/In%20Memoriam%20Archives.html Entry on memorial list at genarians.com]
* [http://dersdesders.free.fr/allemagne.html Der Des Ders report] fr icon
* David Crossland, [http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,530319,00.html Last German World War I Veteran Believed to Have Died] (Der Spiegel online, 22nd January 2008)
* Alan Hall, [http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/worldnews.html?in_article_id=509925 Last German soldier to fight in WWI dies without fanfare and is survived by three Britons] (Daily Mail, 23rd January 2008)
* Allan Hall, [http://news.scotsman.com/world/Germany-silent--as-last.3705297.jp Germany silent as last veteran of WW1 dies at 107] (The Scotsman online, 23rd January 2008)
* Harry de Quetteville, [http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/default.htm?tag=Dr.%20Erich%20K%C3%A4stner A war veteran should be remembered] (Daily Telegraph Blog, 23rd January 2008)
* [http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2008/01/23/kastner.html Germany's last WW I veteran died without fanfare: Der Spiegel] (CBC News, 23rd January 2008)
* CBC News, [http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/cbc/080123/world/world_kastner Germany's last WWI veteran died without fanfare: Der Spiegel] (Yahoo! News, Canada, 23rd January 2008)
* Paul Sorene, [http://www.anorak.co.uk/anorak-editor/179737.html Last German World War I Veteran Dies] (Anorak News, 23rd January 2008)
* Hans Michael Kloth, [http://einestages.spiegel.de/static/topicalbumbackground/1280/der_leise_tod_des_letzten_veteranen.html Der leise Tod des letzten Veteranen] (Der Spiegel online, 24th January 2008) de icon
* [http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/topstories/2008/01/24/last-ww1-german-war-veteran-dies-aged-107-89520-20296162/ Last WW1 German war veteran dies aged 107] (Daily Mirror, 24th January 2008)
* John Horvath, [http://english.ohmynews.com/articleview/article_view.asp?at_code=433219&no=381554&rel_no=1 Germany: A Neurotic Nation] (OhmyNews Korea, 25th January 2008)
* David Rising,AP, [http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080125/ap_on_re_eu/obit_last_german_veteran Last German World War I veteran dies] (Yahoo News, 25th January 2008)
* AP, [http://tempsreel.nouvelobs.com/depeches/international/europe/20080125.FAP2604/deces_derich_kaestner_considere_comme_le_dernier_combat.html Décès d'Erich Kaestner, considéré comme le dernier combattant allemand de la Première guerre mondiale] (Le Nouvel Observateur online, 25th January 2008) fr icon
* [http://www.lenta.ru/news/2008/01/25/die/ В Германии скончался последний ветеран Первой мировой войны] (Lenta.ru, 25th January 2008) ru icon
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7210346.stm Germany's 'last' WWI veteran dies] (BBC, 26t January 2008)
* BBC Brasil, [http://www.estadao.com.br/arteelazer/not_art115529,0.htm 'Último veterano alemão da 1ª Guerra' morre aos 107] (Estadao.com.br, 26t January 2008) pt icon
* Martina Čizmić, [http://www.nacional.hr/articles/view/42123/ Umro posljednji njemački veteran iz Prvog rata] (Nacional, 26t January 2008) hr icon
* Emma Gårdsäter, [http://www.svd.se/nyheter/utrikes/artikel_811149.svd Veteran i första världskriget död] (Svenska Dagbladet, 26t January 2008) sv icon
* [http://stage7.presstoday.com/_Standard/Articles/2264105 Era l'ultimo soldato del Kaiser] (La Stampa, 27th January 2008) it icon
* Sander van Walsum, [http://www.volkskrant.nl/buitenland/article499254.ece/Laatste_oud-strijder_was_Duitsland_bijna_ontglipt Laatste oud-strijder was Duitsland bijna ontglipt] (de Volkskrant, 29th January 2008) nl icon
* David Crossland, [http://www.thenational.ae/article/20080531/FOREIGN/414089374/1013/SPORT&Profile=1013 Dying WWI veterans fuel history] (The National, 31st May 2008)