WWII Wehrmacht Soldbuch Grouping – Uffz Paul Berenbaum – Born in France! – Incredible Story Buried Alive by US Artillery – Grenadier Regiment 713 – 416 Inf Div West Wall 1945 – Mortar Team Leader – Rare!
£430.00Here we have a really tragic Soldbuch Grouping… Paul Berenbaum was born in Wallern (Vallieres Les Metz) France. He was enlisted into the German Army in February 1940. In 1940/1941 he served with: Infanterie Regiment 178 – 76 Infanterie Division – On the Western Front then in Poland. In 1942 he served with: Infanterie Regiment 441 – 416 Infanterie Division They served in Denmark, more can be found here including the places in which they were posted: https://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gliederungen/Infanteriedivisionen/416ID.htm In 1943/44 he served with Landeschützen Regiment 930 shortly before being assigned to Grenadier Regiment 713 in late 1942/early 1943. But by late 1944 he was assigned to the Feld Ersatz Batl 476 – 416. Infanterie-Division Issued a MP40 Machine Pistol On October 11, 1944, the division established a command post in Keuchingen near Mettlach/Saar. After the start of the Allied offensive across the Moselle on November 9, 1944, elements of the division were deployed in the ensuing defensive battles around Freching and Kerling. On November 17, 1944, the division’s command post was located in Tünsdorf, on November 18 in Orscholz, and on November 19 in Trassem. On November 28, the division headquarters was in Taben, and on December 3 in Taben-Rodt. On December 4, 1944, after a month of defensive fighting, the division still had a combat strength of 2,400 men, of whom 1,550 were infantry. Heavy fighting ensued around the West Wall, followed by a retreat to the Mettlach area and the Orscholz ridge. On January 14, 1945, the division still had a strength of 3,016 men. In the following weeks, the fierce defensive battles continued at the Orscholz ridge/Saar-Moselle triangle. Between February 7 and 28, 1945, the division suffered 2,195 casualties. According to his wounding tags, he was delivered on the 15.1.1945 in St Wendel with a suspected broken bone from being stuck/squeezed. According to a rather rare (never seen before) Soldbuch Paper which was to be put into the Soldbuch given by the main aid station (Hauptverbandplatz): “Verschüttet durch Artillerie einschlag mit Bewusstlosigkeit; kein erbrechen rechten unter arm eingequetscht” “Buried by artillery fire, unconscious; no vomiting, right arm crushed” After being examined the Doctor found his right arm was broken at the elbow, and he was suffering from concussion. He was transferred to Bad Wimpfen where he was to rest according to another piece of paper issued by the Hospital, although he would get a Telegram from his Wife that his relative Hilde was killed during an allied bombing raid on the 4th of March 1945. He would spend till the 28th of May 1945 in hospital recovering, before going into a POW Camp Nr 172 in Vernet d Àviege which was in fact a former Concentration Camp. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camp_Vernet Two Letters sent by his friend Julius Niggemann in 1947 read: My dear Paul! Warmest greetings from Julius. I hope you are in good health. When will you finally come home? Considering the circumstances, we hope that the situation in Germany will soon improve. I wish you all the best and a speedy return home – your Julius! My dear Paul! With heartfelt thanks I received your kind lines. I am glad to hear that you are still healthy and in good spirits — as far as I can say, I am as well. During my last visit to Düsseldorf, I unfortunately learned of the death of your dear wife. You must come to terms with this sad fact, however difficult the loss must be for you. I do hope now, with confidence, that you will soon be released. It truly is about time that our authorities finally come to that realization as well. Düsseldorf looks desolate, and yet, despite everything, new life is springing up from the ruins again. I am always amazed at how people manage to carry on with life. For today, I wish you all the best. Stay healthy and in good spirits until we can have a joyful reunion back home. Your ever-thoughtful friend. It seems his wife Thea Berenbaum died in December of 1945. Lastly a letter dated 18.6.1948 to the now released Paul Berenbaum living in the British Zone of Germany in Munster / Westfalhen shows that he made it out alive. Last comments His story is a tragic story, from being buried alive in combat and miraculously being pulled from the rubble unconscious, loosing family by bombing raids and later his wife whilst he was interned in a former Concentration Camp. A horrible time he experienced, one can only hope he lived peacefully after the war.