Heer Soldbuch – Obergefreiter Jung – Grenadier Regiment 652 (Inf Div Berlin) – Battle of Seelow Heights 1945 (Hold)

Heer Soldbuch opened in February 1941. 

Issued to Heinrich Jung from Wiesbaden, Germany. 

After training he was sent to a rather rare frontline unit, also known as a ‘Hunter Unit’:

Jagd Kommando 12 (Heeres Gruppe Nord) 

After the battalion was deployed in northern Russia, it was used to fight partisans. The command was deployed under Army Group North near Novgorod.

After a long stint in various driving units, he was sent to :

Reserve Grenadier Regiment 86 (86 Infanterie Division) 

The division was torn apart several times and its regiments were deployed separately from the division headquarters. In 1942 the division fought in the Rshew area, as well as in the first months of 1943. In March 1943, the division was relocated to the Orel area. Here she defended the Orel – Kursk railway line and led defensive battles in the Punyri area. At the end of August 1943 the division withdrew via Ssewsk and at Norwgorod-Ssewersk via the Dessna and at Lojew via the Dnieper. At the end of September / beginning of October 1943 defensive battles followed north of the mouth of the Pripet into the Dnieper and finally the retreat into the Mosyr area. On November 3, 1943, the division was dissolved, the division staff, the intelligence department and the supply troops came to Denmark.

Reserve Grenadier Regiment 167 

The reserve battalion was in Söndervig in Denmark in December 1944. The reserve battalion formed with parts on February 1, 1945 the 1st battalion of Grenadier Regiment 652 of the Berlin Infantry Division.

 

Grenadier Regiment 652 (Infanterie Division Berlin –  Former 309 Inf Div)

This unit is extremely rare!

They fought during the battle of Seelow Heights according to the book Downfall 1945 (Zaloga,p.50) Grenadier Regiment 652 took the main brunt of the attack in the Haupt Grabben Canal near Letschin just north of Seelow. Fiercely fighting for bridge area just west of the town of Letschin. They fought the 32nd Guards Rifle Corps and the 26th Guards Rifle Corps, on the first day of the attack on April 16th 1945. 

If Jung made it out after Seelow, the next was the trap of the Halbe Pocket. 

There is no record of Jung, if he survived then he did against all the odds as one battle after another was a disaster for the Germans.

This Soldbuch is featured in an upcoming book on the Battle of Berlin, presented with around 180 other personal documents and items as well as over 400 unpublished photos. 

 

Awards:

Clearly, he was awarded the Iron Cross Second Class, as it is visible on his ribbon band, although this is not entered. 

Eastern Front Medal

German Riders Medal 

German Drivers Medal

 

Equipment and issued items:

Wool Blanket

Winter Kit

Mixed Iron Rations 

K98 Rifle and Bayonet, as well as his own pistol 7.65mm 

In summary, this Soldbuch was issued to a very rare unit, and the link to Seelow 1945 makes it highly desirable as well as the fact that it will soon be published.