Description
Soldbuch issued to Kurt Weissenberg, born into a protestant family in 1921 in Lünen Germany. He was a miner by trade and was never married.
Interestingly Weissenberg was to serve exclusively in MG (likely MG42) companies.
He served with 4. (MG) Reserve Grenadier Batl 167 for a short period in 1943 in Denmark.
Before being sent in 1944 to:
Grenadier Regiment 209 – Machine Gun Company (58 ID)
For more information on the Division: https://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gliederungen/Infanteriedivisionen/58ID.htm
For more information on the Grenadier Regiment 209: https://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gliederungen/Grenadieregimenter/GR209.htm
Heavy defensive and retreat fighting lasted until mid-January and ended in the Ssweblo Lake area. The regiment was able to catch its breath here before moving to Pleskau at the end of January in a rush to secure the Luga-Pleskau retreat road. Heavy forest fighting broke out north of Plyassa and Strugi-Krasye. The 58th Infantry Division was encircled and divided into battle groups and had to fight its way free. In the area of Wesenberg, the regiment was assembled and refreshed. The regiment’s cycling company was disbanded in February 1944. The regiment was deployed again in February 1944. The regiment came to Reval, where it served as a reserve unit for various divisions. On July 17, the regiment was transferred by rail to Dünaburg and from there marched towards Rokiskis. After a short, hard fight, the place can be conquered. From July 25, the regiment dug in here for defense. But on August 7th the town had to be evacuated again and retreat west towards Friedrichstadt. It then turned north into the wooded area north of Pukini. On August 10, the regiment was then pushed into the front at Memelbogen near Pecekalene. On September 3, the regiment was then taken out of the front and used as a reserve of the XXXXIII. Army corps transferred to Stirna. On September 15 the division, threatened with encirclement, had to retreat north. On September 18th the Düna position was reached. On October 5, the regiment was transferred to Riga as an army group reserve. The foot parts were transported to Memel with the freighter “Füsilier”, the covered and motorized parts had to be marched to Memel by land. However, when the advance route was cut off, these parts were also embarked in Libau and transported to Memel. In Memel the regiment was assigned to the city’s defensive positions. On January 13, 1945, the Russian major offensive began here. After heavy fighting, the town of Memel was evacuated on January 26th. Defensive battles in the Samland followed. The remains of the regiment reached the Vistula lowlands via the Vistula Spit, where a reception camp was set up near Stutthof. From there they crossed over to Hela. Only small parts managed to escape by ship to the west.
Soldbuch Comments
It seems he was hit in the head in February of 1945, and escaped to the west via boat. He was very lucky. Moreover, to add to the evidence he was a gunner see the equipment pages, issued only a pistol as per regulations for the MG Gunner. He was awarded the wounds badge in Black for his wounding. He was captured in the west and his capture papers are in the back of the Soldbuch pouch.
