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H54654 WEHRPASS. (Wehrpaß)
BACKGROUND: With the reintroduction of conscription in 1935, the OKW, Oberkommando der Wehrmacht, (High Command of the Armed Forces), activated the Wehrersatzdienststelle, (Recruiting Offices), throughout Germany to process and administer the call up procedure. When individuals received their registration notice they were to report to the appropriate recruitment center where they would be issued a Wehrpass, until they were inducted into active duty. On induction to active military service the Wehrpass was exchanged at the recruitment office for the Soldbuch. The recruitment office would retain the Wehrpass and chronicle the individuals active service record in it. The Wehrpass was issued in three slightly different variants with minor modifications. Generally if the individual was killed in battle the Wehrpass would be forwarded to his next-of-kin as a memento of his service time.
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Roughly, 5 5/8" x 4 1/16", fifty-four page, first pattern, (circa 1934-38), Wehrpass with a light grey card stock cover with a loosely woven linen reinforcement thread underlay. The front cover features a printed Army style eagle with down swept wings and Gothic script, "Wehrpaß" and red inkstamped branch of service, "heer". The cover also has a grey fabric strip of reinforcement tape to the seam. The first internal page has handwritten entries that indicate the recipient registered for military service in, "Bln,-Charlbg." on, "8, 4, 1936", and the entry has the authorizing signature of a, "Major (E)" u. Wehrbezirkskommandeur", (Military Recruiting District Commander), with the appropriate, "Wehrbezirkskommandeur", inkstamp. The second internal page has a dual inkstamped, signed, black and white photograph of the recipient in civilian clothes rivetted in place. Active service entries indicate the individual was found fit for combat service and assigned to "Erstaz Reserve I", indicating he was under thirty-five years old, untrained and not called up at that time. On "21. Okt. 1936", the individual returned to his recruiting office was again found fit for combat duty and began his active military service with, "17. (M.G.) Kompanie Ergänzungsbataillon J.R. 9", (17TH Machine Gun Company of the 9TH Infantry Regiment’s Replacement Battalion). Interestingly it appears the individual was released from service on, "21.12.36", for a short period of time, returning on, "18. 5. 1937", serving with the same unit, "17. (M.G.) Kompanie Ergänzungsbataillon J.R. 9". Other unit entries indicate the individual served in six other assorted units including, "Werkst. Kp. mot. Nsch. Fhr. 176", (Motorized Workshop Company of the 176TH Supply Column), and, "Stamm-Kompanie Gre.Ers.-Btl. 479", (Cadre Company of the 479TH Grenadier Replacement Battalion). Training entries indicate the individual received training with the "s.M.G. u Gew. 98", and the, "Pistole. 08", and was trained as a heavy machine gun commander. Additional active service entries indicate the individual had served on the western front in 1939 and 1940 advancing through Luxembourg and on to the Maginot line and Verdun before serving on the home front and eventually in the Ukraine in 1943. Promotional entries indicate the individual was promoted to "Gefreiter der Res.", on, "16. 7. 37", and to "Unteroffizier" on, "1. 6. 40". Other entries include personal statistics, next-of-kin, education, medical examinations and security checks. Additional entries indicate the individual was fluent in an illegible foreign language, held a class 3 drivers licence and was a qualified electrical engineer. A final entry indicates the individual was relieved from active service on, "8. 5. 43" although he continued to return to his recruiting office, as required up until, "10. 10. 1944". His release from service may have been a result of his electrical engineering training. All the entries have the appropriate authorizing signatures and/or inkstamps. The pages show minor age yellowing but are all intact. Also included are three additional documents related to the same individual. The documents include his, "Entlassungsschein", (Discharge Certificate), and a "Wehrpass-Notiz F", both with black printed Gothic script and handwritten particulars. The third document is a typed document from the individuals "Wehrbezirkskommando", (Military Recruiting District Headquarters), dated, "7. 2. 1945", regarding his Wehrpass-Notiz". The additional documents show light age yellowing and central fold creases.
GRADE **** PRICE $82.00
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