RIP: Erich Kästner

Erich Kästner
10 Mar 1900-1 Jan 2008

It seems the last remaining German veteran of World War I has died.

ZUI this announcement from the Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung. My translation:

After a long, full life our beloved father, father-in-law and grandfather has passed away.

Oberlandesgerichtsrat i R
Dr Erich Kästner
Holder of the Niedersachsen Service Cross, I Class
born 10 Mar 1900 - died 1 Jan 2008

According to Wikipedia (which has this article on Herr Kästner), there are now only two surviving veterans from the Central Powers: Austro-Hungarian soldier Franz Künstler (107), now living in Germany, and Turkish soldier Yakup Satar (109).

Addendum 1637 23 Jan 08: ZUI this article from Der Spiegel:

The last surviving German army veteran of World War I is reported to have died in Hanover, aged 107. No official confirmation was available nor is it ever likely to be. Germany keeps no official records on its veterans from the two world wars.

Dr. Erich Kästner, who was born on March 10, 1900, died on January 1, 2008, according to an announcement posted by his family in the Hannoversche Allgemeine newspaper.

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Kästner's family could not be reached and the German Defense Ministry in Berlin said it was unable to provide any information on Kästner. The death notice says he was a retired judge and had earned the Lower Saxony Cross of Merit.

The German army's Military Research Institute, which studies German military history of the 20th century, was also unable to provide information.