Heer Soldbuch to Feldwebel Grabenberg.

Soldbuch was issued on August 1939 with:

Infanterie Regiment 130 (45 Infanterie Division) 

The division took part in the invasion of the Sudetenland in 1938, followed by the invasion of Moravia in 1939. In August 1939 the division was mobilized and relocated to northern Slovakia. From the Friedeck area she crossed the Polish border on September 1, 1939 and marched over the Olsa to Bielitz. The division then moved south past Krakow and then on via Tarnow, Jaroslau and Oleszycze. Eventually the division reached Dobrosin north of Lemberg. After the end of the Polish campaign, the division was briefly deployed as an occupation force and then relocated to the home garrisons. In December 1939 the OKH Reserve Division was relocated to the Treysa area. Parts of the division (II./135) were handed over to the 297th Infantry Division on January 28, 1940. At the beginning of the western campaign, the division was Army Reserve and was followed by the fighting troops. In mid-May 1940, the division was pushed into the front and turned on the Aisne, which it reached on May 24 at Berry au Bac. At the beginning of the second phase of the campaign, the “Battle of France”, the division crossed the Aisne near Neufchateau on June 9, 1940, and then marched south-east. It passed Reims east and headed south on the east bank of the Marne. At Bar sur Seine she crossed the Seine and then marched to the Loire southeast of Nevers. After the end of the French campaign, the division was relocated to Belgium as an occupying force. On December 10, 1940, a third of the division was transferred to the 100th light division. At the end of May 1941, the division was relocated to eastern Poland, west of Brest-Litovsk. From June 22, 1941, the division took part in the Russian campaign. The division’s first objective was to take the Brest-Litovsk fortress. It took a week, however, before the fortress finally fell. The division suffered 482 dead and 1,000 wounded in these battles alone. After the end of the fighting for Brest-Litovsk, the division began the advance through the Pripjet marshland and then via Pinsk, Davidgrodek, the Pitsch to the Mosyr-Schlobin railway line. From here the division pushed past Chernigov to the east and then took part in the Kessel Battle in Kiev. The division advanced across the Dessna to Jagotin. During the attack on Moscow, the division pushed from the area south-east of Malo-Arkhangelsk, south of Livny, to Jelez. After the start of the Russian winter offensive, the division had to retreat through the Sossna and the Trudy section to the Kursk area with heavy losses. The division was split up into individual combat groups and fought at Foshnaya and Butyrki as well as in the Voronezh bridgehead. The withdrawal fighting in February 1943 brought the division to the Voronowo area, southeast of Orel. There the division was involved in heavy defensive and positional battles until August 1943. After the various battalions were disbanded, the IR 130 staff was also disbanded on June 17, 1943, and the division only had two infantry regiments. The IR 130 was only set up again in May 1944 from the field training regiment 637. During the withdrawal movements in August 1943, the division crossed the Dessna and the Snow and reached the bridgehead south of Gomel. Then there were heavy defensive battles on the Ssosh, so that the division reached the Jampol area and south of Retschitza after further withdrawals. Here the division defended the section of the front between Paritschi and Plessowitschi.

Volksgrenadier Regiment 351 (183 Volksgrenadier Division) 

On October 4, 1944, the division lost 729 men. In the subsequent fighting for Geilenkirchen, the division suffered further heavy losses. In mid-November there was heavy fighting south of Immendorf. Immendorf and Loverich were lost, but the planned American breakthrough on Linnich and Gereonsweiler could be prevented by the weakened division. As a result, the 9th Panzer Division and the 15th Panzer Grenadier Division from the Prummers and Gereonsweiler areas were deployed, but with moderate success. The remnants of the 183rd Volksgrenadier Division that were still able to fight were placed under the two divisions. On November 19, the US troops succeeded in enclosing and occupying Geilenkirchen. The German counterattack that was then set up remained in the Niederheid area. After this fighting, the division was withdrawn from the front to freshen up. The refreshment had to be speeded up considerably, as the division again had to use its own resources to take the section northwest of the Wurm. The new HKL had to be completely rebuilt due to its relocation and was located at the end of November 1944 east on the Süggerath and Prummer line. From mid-December 1944, the division was to take part in the Ardennes offensive. For this purpose, she was subordinate to the Felber corps and was commissioned to advance into the area between the Meuse and Wurm with the aim of regaining the Aachen area occupied by the Americans. In the end, however, the division’s deployment for the Battle of the Bulge was canceled. However, the division had to provide personnel to replace the German divisions fighting in the Ardennes. So the division remained in its positions. On December 31, 1944, she took part in a diversionary attack on Tripsrath, but it failed. So the division remained on the right bank of the Rur in a constant defensive battle. On February 3, 1945 the combat strength of the division was 3,705 men. On February 23, 1945, the Allies launched a major attack over the Rur. The attack was primarily directed against the weak 59th Infantry Division. There American troops succeeded in building a bridgehead past Linnich on the east bank of the Rur. At the same time, the US units pushed north towards Baal, where they met resistance from the 183rd People’s Grenadier Division. The aim here was to prevent any further advance in the direction of Erkelenz. On February 26th, Hückelhoven was taken in the section of the 183rd Volksgrenadier Division, in the evening Erkelenz had to be surrendered. The forces of the 183rd People’s Grenadier Division were at an end. The division still had a strength of 500 men, so that the XII. SS Army Corps only spoke of a “regimental group 183rd VGD”. On March 2, 1945, the division was considered completely destroyed. Task of the XII. SS Army Corps should nevertheless be to build a new front on the Rhine on both sides of Düsseldorf with the 183rd VGD, the 338 ID and the 176 ID. On March 3, regimental group 183rd VGD was returned to the eastern bank of the Rhine for this purpose. After the formation of the Ruhr basin, the remnants of the division were pulled out of the Rhine front on April 6 and relocated to the area west of Siegen for new use. on the same day, US units attacked northwards via the victory. The remnants of the 183rd Volksgrenadier Division were then pushed into a provisional defensive front on both sides of Waldbröl. The last remnants of the division were smashed here.

Battle of Aachen

Equipment:

Issued a MP44, and a compass in October 1944!

Awards:

1. Annexation Medal
2. Infantry Assault Badge in Silver
3. Eastern Front Medal
4. Wounds Badge in Black
5. War Merit Cross 2nd Class with Sword

Although the Soldbuch was denazified by its former owner, likely due to using this ID when he was captured. This is an exceptional West front Soldbuch directly linked to the Battle of Aachen!

Luftwaffe Soldbuch to Karl Lange, he was initially in a Flak replacement unit in the Harz area from 1943 till 1945. 

As the war was drawing to an end, he was found fit for frontline service, as per the interesting entry on Page 17! 

He was given the new rank of Schütze and entered : Landesschützen-Ersatz- und Ausbildungs-Bataillon 11 which were stationed in Hildesheim. 

It would seem shortly after his capture, in October 1945 he died in Bourges France, and is buried in Dagneux. 

An interesting Soldbuch, it is very uncommon to find Soldbücher to soldiers who have died. 

Wehrmacht Soldbuch opened in July of 1940. 

Issued to Obergefreiter Richard Sengle 

Frontline unit: 

Artillerie Regiment 85 (101 Jäger Division)

The regiment was divided into four divisions. The I. to III. Division were equipped with 7.5 cm I.FH and 10 cm cannons, the IV. Division was 15 cm. s.FH. The regiment was under the 101st Light Infantry Division. The regiment was trained on the heights of the Brody forest until the end of March 1941, when it was relocated to the area south of Graz.

On April 7, 1941, the regiment began the Balkan campaign. The regiment marched through Lower Styria and Slovenia via Marburg an der Drau, Pettau and Krapina to the Save west of Agram. The 101st Light Infantry Division was no longer used and on April 2, 1941, relocated back to the Prague area, in the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia. After only a short stay, the regiment was transferred by rail via Kolin – Olmütz and Poprad to the Spiš around Käsmark. From here the regiment then marched to southern Galicia in the Neu-Sandez area. In mid-June it was moved to the area west of Przemysl. Here the regiment got ready for the attack on Russia. On June 22, 1941, the regiment broke through the Russian lines north of Przemysl. On June 28, 1941, there were fights at Rudki, which was followed by the breakthrough through the chain of lakes on both sides of Komarno. At the beginning of July 1941 there were persecution battles north of the Dniester near Chodorom, Halicz, Marjampol, Monasterzyska and Czortkow. On July 7, 1941, the Zburcz was crossed. The Stalin Line was reached at Jaltuszkoff by July 14, 1941 and broken through here on July 15 and 16, 1941. Then the Stalin line was rolled up southeast to Jaltuskoff. Fighting broke out at Myki, Maryanowka and Kopajgrod. After further pursuit battles, the Bug was crossed at Ladyshin on July 24, 1941 and the bridgehead there strengthened. From July 28, 1941, the road to Uman was approached in the direction of Gaiworon, which was reached on July 31, 1941. After the Battle of Golovanyevsk from August 6 to 8, 1941, the 101st Light Infantry Division became Army Group Reserve and was able to rest for a week.

Then the regiment marched to the Dnieper and forced the crossing over the river at Kremenchug between September 2 and 12, 1941. After the successful crossing of the river, pursuit battles followed, which led the regiment via Poltava to the Worskla. Subsequently, an advance was made to Bogoduchow. Defensive fighting broke out between October 13 and 16, 1941 near Murafa. Between October 17 and 27, 1941, the regiment and the division took part in the fighting and the conquest of the city of Kharkov. The Donets was reached by the end of October. Here the regiment strengthened the Staryj Ssaltoff bridgehead. At the beginning of December 1941 a march was made from Kharkov to Gorlowka. From January 6, 1942, heavy defensive battles broke out between Debaltsevo and Troitskoye. These dragged on in varying degrees until May 1942. On May 16, 1942, the regiment prepared to attack Isjum. Between May 17 and 19, 1942, the regiment managed to break through to the Donets. There were fights at Majaki, Chrestishche and Golaja Dolina. On May 19, 1942, there was fighting at Studenok. Defensive battles ensued between Raigorok and Ssemitschewo in the Donets Basin, which lasted until mid-June 1942. On June 22, 1942, the regiment then attacked the Donets between Oskol and Isjum as far as Podwyssokoje, and on June 24, 1942, Isjum was taken. The regiment was then transferred to the Ssiawiansk area to prepare for the breakthrough into the Donets Basin. On July 6, 1942, the 101st Light Infantry Division was renamed 101st Jäger Division. The first and second divisions were also re-armed to form the mountain division. The attack on southern Russia began on July 9, 1942 and led the regiment to the Kuban until August 7, 1942 and to the area around Maikop until mid-August. The regiment continued to advance into the Caucasus on both sides of the road to Tuapse. From October 3rd to October 14th, 1942 there was fighting over the Kurinkij Basin, on October 15th and 16th, 1942 the Yelissvaetpolsky Pass was stormed and the Shoamyan was taken afterwards. From October 20, 1942, the regiment had to defend itself at Zarya Gora and the Jelissavetpolsij pass. The positions reached in the Caucasus had to be held until January 15, 1943, when the retreat from the Caucasus to the Kuban bridgehead began. There were battles at Tochtamukai, Schendschij, Krasnodar, Auscheds, Ssadowij, Krimskaya and Novorossisk, among others. After the fighting in the Kuban bridgehead until July 15, 1943, the regiment took over a stretch of coast near Temryuk to secure the Taman peninsula. 

On September 13, 1943, the regiment was transferred across the Crimea to the Votan position south of Zaporozhye. On September 19, 1943, the defensive battle over the Wotan employment began. In November 1943 defensive battles followed on the lower Dnieper on both sides of Berislav. At the beginning of January 1944 the regiment was relocated to the Vinnitsa area. Heavy offensive and defensive battles broke out here, including in the places Komarow, Voronowzy, Latanzy, Potoki, Schenderiwka and Rotmistriwka. The fighting in the Vinnitsa area lasted until March 1944. This was followed by retreat and boiler fighting as part of the 1st Panzer Army near Vinnitsa, Brailoff, Bar, Novaya-Uschiza, Kamenez-Podolsk and Uszieocko. On April 10, 1944, the attack battles began over the Stypa and the Dnjetr at Wozilow, Snowidow and Isakow, which dragged on until April 20, 1944. This was followed by fighting in the forest northwest of Zukow near Brotniki, which was followed by fighting near Peczeniyzn. From July 16 to 27, 1944, the regiment took part in the Battle of Lemberg and then in the defensive battles south of the Dniester. On August 8, 1944, the settling over the Carpathian Mountains began, followed by fighting at Turka. On September 20, 1944, the Turka position had to be given up. The regiment withdrew across the Carpathian ridge to the defensive position northwest of Ungvar, which was reached on October 28, 1944. Via Jeszenö, Szobranc and Michalowec it went to the Gisela position near Kosice until December 10, 1944. From December 27, 1944 to January 12, 1945 the regiment moved to the area south of Schemnitz east of the Gran Valley. From the middle of the month there were heavy defensive battles that brought the regiment to Altsohl, the Grantal and Neusohl in March. In March 1945 and April 1945 the regiment was fighting in the Great Tatras in the Neusohl area. At the end of April 1945 the regiment was relocated to the Malacky area west of the Little Carpathians. Further fighting broke out on the west bank of the March and in the Marchfeld, and the retreat continued via Angern, Prottes and Matzen. At the beginning of May 1945 the regiment stood at Hollabrunn and returned to Nesselbach via Horn, Weitra, Deutsch-Beneschau, Kaplitz and Rosenberg. Here the regiment came into American captivity.

Awards:

Eastern Front Medal

Black Wounds Badge 

Kuban Arm Shield 

Issued: K98. 

He was wounded in December of 1943, although his wounds pages are not inside the Soldbuch (price reflects this) its still a highly desirable Eastern Front Campaign, and the entries for the Kuban Medal are not seen so often. 

A fact worth noting for the film fans among us, The 1977 movie “Cross of Iron”, based on the book “The Willing Flesh” by Willie Heinrich, directed by Sam Peckinpah is inspired by the authors service in 101. Jäger-Division.