Hi, hope someone can provide helpful advice. An author friend of mine is trying to track down some details on a German veteran of the First World War, Otto Lais, who started out as a private and ended the war as a MG company commander. He wrote two books about his experiences, and achieved minor fame as an artist after the war.
Now, his research indicates that there also was an Otto Lais who served in the Second World War, there are references to a Lt. Colonel Otto Lais as the Commander, 858th Grenadier Regiment of 346 Infantry Division. This officer was awarded the highly distinguished Knights Cross Award on September 30, 1944 and was captured by Canadian forces in Holland near the war's end on April 15, 1945.
Any suggestions regarding any way to confirm that the Lt Col Otto Lais in WW2 was the same veteran private, later captain, Otto Lais of WW1? Lais would not appear to be a particularly common name.
In my limited experience, the best resource for tracing German veterans is the official German agency and their excellent website (WAST), in fact I traced my grandfather through this site. I will probably recommend my friend to go this route, but traces there do take a few months, and I wonder if anyone can find any better info otherwise.
Thanks very much in advance. (And this relates to miniatures because my friend's books are excellent scenario guides to battles, both WW1 and WW2!).
