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Original WWII German Soldbuch Grouping & EKM- Obgefr Albert Kahut – Captured in Normandy 1944 – Died a POW in Cherbourg – Letter Translated – Rare (Payments)
£261.00Soldbuch issued to Albert Kahut borin on the 21.8.1900 in Gablenz, Grimmitschau. Issued in February 1940. He served in the following frontline units: Infanterie Regiment 515 Bau Batl Grimma Personal Einheit 22 B Bau Batl 22 Landeschutzen batl 387 Betriebstoffverwaltungskompanie – Belgian / Nordfrankreich Festungs St Res Kp bei O.B West Betriebstoff Verwaltungs Kompanie 698 Captured in Normandy in 1944, an entry on the back of the Soldbuch reads: Im amerik Gefangenlarger 24 auf Sealbiusne, Cherborg France 1945 In an American POW Camp Nr 24 Sealbiusne, Cherbourg France 1945. Weapons / Equipment Dutch Rifle ! Some sort of Rifle made in 1917! Belgian Rifle. Medals Hindenburg Cross – 1935 Included are his WWI Shooting Book, and his WWI Soldbuch front cover.It seems he was for a short time in the Imperial Army in 1918 and there is a letter confirming he was with – Infanterie Regts Nr 105. Included is his Hindenburg Cross Certificate. POW Letter from him to his wife and kids… Translated 19 May 1945 – US POW CAMP France My dear Mutti and Dieter! As you, dear ones, can already see from the letter, I am in American captivity. Maybe you have received my red card. My dear ones, don’t worry about me, I am still doing very well, which of course I also wish for you, my dear ones. My dear Mutti, of course I can’t write to you every day; you must wait a little longer. Hopefully the war has not passed too hard for you and you are all still alive. Many warm greetings to all acquaintances. Until a healthy and soon reunion, best regards and kisses. His EKM is broken, he died a POW and is listed on the Volksbund website.
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Original WWII Luftwaffe Soldbuch – Stabsintendant Otto Heine – Truppensonderdienst (TSD) – Kampfeinheit Tietze April 1945
£180.00HEINE, Otto. 01.02.45 Stabsintendant (RDA 01.08.33), on LPA Seniority List for TSD (V). He served with the Truppensonderdienst (TSD) On 25 Apr 1944, the Luftwaffe Special Troop Services was formed due to manpower shortages in the Luftwaffe. This branch was to be a compilation of Luftwaffe Officials with certain specialities who were brought into the Regular Luftwaffe and were give the status of regular Luftwaffe Officers. This was strictly a voluntary lateral move from the status of an Official to that of Regular Luftwaffe Officer. There were stipulations based upon speciality, age, and physical standards. Officials who did not choose to be a Regular Luftwaffe Officer or were not qualified for other reasons kept their status as Officials. By 01 Oct 1944, the transition was to be complete. The TSD was open only to officer rankings. There were two Branches of the TSD. These branches were Administration and Judicial. Insignia: The Officials traded in their administrative collar tabs and boards for the standard Luftwaffe types. Rank was reflected on the collar tabs by the use of the wreath and gulls. The double layered shoulder boards were removed and replaced by the boards with the single underlay. By April 1945 – he was assigned to Kampfeinheit Tietze – sadly I was unable to find anything for this unit.
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Original WWII German Soldbuch Grouping – Uffz Haarhaus – Heeres-Baupionier-Brigade 686 – Son Killed 1945 Kampfgruppe Becker – Sad last letters
Soldbuch Grouping to Family Haarhaus Soldbuch Issued on December 1939 – to Adolf Haarhaus from Wuppertal. Served in the following units on the frontline: Stellungsbau-Pionier-Bataillon 722 The Stellungsbau-Pionier-Bataillon 722 was established on 8 September 1943 at the Truppenübungsplatz Hammerstein, in Wehrkreis II. The battalion was raised as a Heerestruppe with 4 companies. After its formation, the battalion was transferred to the East. There, the battalion was deployed in southern Russia. On 30 May 1944, the battalion was renamed Baupionier-Bataillon 722. In the summer of 1944, the battalion served with Heeresgruppe A in northern Ukraine. In November 1944, the battalion, under Heeresgruppe A, formed the II. Bataillon of Heeres-Baupionier-Brigade 686. Heeres-Baupionier-Brigade 686 The Heeres-Baupionier-Brigade 686 was formed in July 1944. The brigade was established with Heeresgruppe A as a Heerestruppe. The staff of the brigade was formed from Pionier-Regimentsstab z.b.V. 686. In November 1944, the Bau-Pionier-Bataillone 402, 722, and 726 became the I. through III. Bataillon of the brigade. After its formation, the brigade was deployed in Galicia with Heeresgruppe A. Later, at the end of 1944, the brigade was employed in Poland. By the end of the war, the brigade was in action in Silesia. In January of 1945 he was sent to the hospital in Bad Tölz for a code 34 (Accident) likely to his foot given the hospital was specialised in Orthopaedic treatment. In 1945 he was with his replacement unit, Baupionier-Ersatz- und Ausbildungs-Bataillon 4 according to Tessin they were sent into action as, Bau-Pionier-Bataillon 4. Awarded the following medals: Eastern Front Medal in August 1942, Krim Shield 11.1943 under order of Generalfeldmarschall von Manstein. According to the documents along with the Soldbuch, it would seem he kept a diary of where he was in a leather pouch. Along with some letters, and his release papers from a POW camp in Berlin 1945. He was released and given the documents to return home. Although, it would seem his son was Missing in Action after the war ended for some time until declared as Killed in Action. See below for the letters and translations. Son – Panzer Grenadier Adolf Günther Haarhaus – Kampfgruppe Becker Letter to mother dated 8 March 1945 Raesfeld, 8.2.45 My dear Mother! I received your letter today; it was from 26.1.45. I was very happy to finally get mail from you again, since I have already been here in Raesfeld for five weeks. First of all, dear Mother, I want to give you my heartfelt thanks for your letter. I was especially pleased to hear that you and Father are still in good health. As for me, dear Mother, I am doing quite well, apart from a little homesickness, which is understandable. Otherwise, I am fine. Then, dear Mother, you wrote in your letter about whether I had received the Christmas parcel from Pfiff. Unfortunately, dear Mother, I have not received it yet, but maybe it will still arrive. Many thanks to Pfiff for sending it. I am just sorry that I cannot thank him directly. Your letter especially pleased me. Hopefully, I will soon receive another letter from you. Dear Mother, you asked whether I had already been in action. Yes, I already have. We were deployed once near Bochum in heavy combat and had to endure air raids there. I was also on a mission in the Ruhr area, where I experienced heavy bombing. But otherwise, everything is still bearable. The English and Americans are attacking us more and more, but our troops are still holding out bravely. How things will continue, we will see. Dear Mother, have you already received my soldier’s book? If so, please keep it carefully. Should I fall in service, it will be useful for the pension rights. Otherwise, dear Mother, I don’t know much more to write. Please don’t worry too much about me. I am always under God’s protection. Your loving son, Adolf Günter … Letter from Father requesting his sons death certificate. Herewith I request the service office to send me the death certificate of my son, the Panzer-Grenadier Adolf Günter Haarhaus, born on 14 May 1924 in Bremen. According to the notifications I have received, he fell as a result of a head injury. To provide confirmation of his death and of his burial in their records, the authorities are asking me to present the official death certificate. I therefore respectfully request that the Service Office issue and send me the death certificate of my son. As this matter is very urgent for me, I kindly ask for prompt handling and dispatch. I thank you in advance for your efforts and remain respectfully yours, hoping that I will soon be able to receive the requested certificate. —– Letter from Panzer-Grenadier Adolf Günter Haarhaus to his Mr Eck dated 21st Feb 1945 in Raesfeld. **Note this Letter was enclosed in the Feldpost, was later taken from his body and forwarded in 1948! ** See Below Dear Mr. Eck You probably did not expect to hear from me again. As you may have heard from the Diecaster, I was drafted into a new group. I am now with the … [text partly crossed out] Kampfgruppe Becker. How are you doing? Are you still with the staff? How is your work going? How are Schopft and Vollmer doing, and where are they? Is Winter still in the RAD? Well, Mr. Ehl, I will close for today and hope you will write me a few lines in return. I would be very happy about that. Many warm greetings to you, also to all comrades. … Letter from Mayor of Lembeck to Mr Eck Lembeck, 13 February 1946 To Mr. Fritz Eck c/o Fa. Grmeier Wuppertal-Barmen Früher Strasse der Alten Garde 99–103 On 23 March 1945, Panzergrenadier Adolf Günter Haarhaus fell here a hero’s death. On the body were found only a breast pouch containing 20 Reichsmarks, the identity disc, and the enclosed card. I must apologize that the card is only being forwarded to you today. The belongings of…
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Original WWII German Wehrpass Grouping – Gefreiter Erwin Zahn – Grenadier Regiment 348 – 216 Infanterie Division – Iron Cross – Letters Fully Translated – Isle of Man Link! Rare
Sad grouping to Family Zahn. Wehrpass – Issued to Erwin Zahn – Born 1924 – Holder of HJ Sport Badge – did his RAD service in Graz – called up in December 1942 – joined his frontline unit in September 1943. Grenadier Regiment 348 – 216 Infanterie Division In July 1943, the 216th Infantry Division participated in the Battle of Kursk, where it sustained heavy casualties while fighting on the northern shoulder of the Kursk salient as part of Generalfeldmarschall Model’s Ninth Army. The division was disbanded on 17 November 1943 after suffering heavy casualties during the retreat to the Dnieper River Defensive Line. Zahns death card and Iron Cross Second Class Certificate, one spare photo in the back pouch as well as his death certificate. He will killed on the 12.11.1943 – the letter to his mother Anna reads: Lieutenant Leber,Field Post No. 21360 O.U., 14 April 1944 Mrs. Anna Zahn,Kowald No. 4,Voitsberg / Stmk. Dear Mrs. Zahn, Only today am I able to reply to your letter of 17.12.43. Due to operations, relocations, and my longer absence from the company, it was not possible for me to respond earlier. I spoke about your son with Sergeant Droste, the leader of the bicycle platoon to which your son belonged as a light machine gunner. On 12.11.43, the bicycle platoon was in reserve and carrying out entrenching work. Suddenly, enemy artillery fire began. A shell struck the pit in which your son and another comrade were working. Your son was fatally struck by multiple shell fragments. Sergeant Droste was in the immediate vicinity and ran to him at once, but he could provide no further help. A few hours later, after the enemy artillery fire subsided, your son was buried with Sergeant Droste and his comrades in a field grave on a hill in a small woodland west of Borschtschownka, a heavily destroyed small village. It was not possible to move your son further in order to bury him in a “heroes’ cemetery,” as the combat situation no longer allowed it. Since there was also no camera available, unfortunately no photographs of the grave could be taken. Soon after, this section of the front was abandoned. Your son was very popular with his immediate superiors and with all his comrades for his open, sincere nature and his always comradely conduct. It is with heavy hearts that we had to part from him! With best regards,Your [signature: Leber] The letter from the Doctor dated in 1945 relates to Annas Brother who was also Killed in Action. Dr. Bantz, Staff Doctor Deputy Chief Doctor Field Post Number: 36 77 0 O.U., 29 January 1945 Dear Mrs. Zahn, It is my sad duty to inform you that your dear brother, Oberjäger Peter Zeltmeister, died on 28.1.1945 after being admitted to our field hospital. Your brother had sustained a severe head wound with brain involvement. Death occurred during transport to the hospital. For more detailed information, I would kindly ask you to contact the last field unit of your brother. Please accept my sincere condolences on this grievous loss. Your dear brother made the ultimate sacrifice for the Fatherland and homeland in heavy fighting. His comrades will remember him as a good soldier, and I ask you also to preserve a worthy memory of him. The deceased will be laid to rest on 30.1.1945, in a dignified ceremony, alongside his comrades in a single grave at the soldiers’ cemetery in Csatkornya (Hungary). All personal belongings found with the deceased will be forwarded to you. Heil Hitler! Yours, [signature] Dr. Bantz Staff Doctor and Deputy Chief Doctor Interestingly two POW Letters are included and are from Annas Sister Hedwig, who for some reason was in an all female POW on the Isle of Man – the only such camp for females in WWII! Port Erin Women’s Detention Camp was a World War II internment camp on the Isle of Man at Port Erin. It was Europe’s only all-female internment camp. Notable internees included Dora Diamant, the lover of Franz Kafka in the last year of his life, and Fay Taylour, champion motorcycle, speedway and racing car driver. See more on the camp here: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-isle-of-man-32810383 Translations: 26.4.1943 My dear sister Anna, Many thanks for your letter of 28.1.43, which unfortunately arrived so late that I could not reply sooner. Dear Anna, I believe this heavy burden is even harder for you and your family than it already is. Instead of resigning yourself to the inevitable and trying to make the best of it, you lament and cry and thereby suffer much more. But apparently that is the way of millions of mothers. They have to bear much heavier sorrows. But Anna, I am sorry, yet I do not blame you. On the one hand, you have a cheerful spirit that often helps you to bear much adversity. For you and others like you, only sorrow and pain come again and again. But you, with heart and soul, must stand by the Fatherland in this difficult time, whether or not you believe in it. Believe me, Anna, I have seen much among friends, and it is only about one Fatherland — one Germany — defending our cause. If sacrifices are demanded, then one day everything will be good again. With love for Hilda, my Fatherland. Your sister, H Another Letter translated: “AVEN HOLME.” G.H. Post Erin I.O.M. 26.4.1943 My dear sister Anna, Many thanks for your letter of 28.1.43, which unfortunately arrived so late. Dear Anna, I believe you and your loved ones are making life even harder for yourselves than it already is. Instead of accepting the inevitable and trying to make the best of it, you lament and weep, and in doing so you suffer much more. Yet it seems that this is the way of millions of mothers, who must bear even heavier sorrows. Anna, I am sorry, but I do not reproach you. On the one hand, you always keep a cheerful…
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Original WWII Soviet Pilots Photo Albums – Epic Photos of Berlin in Ruins April 1945! – Ultra Rare
£715.00Here we have the photo albums of Soviet Pilot / Photographer : Ivan Ivanovich Puchko These images of Berlin in ruins are unpublished and extremely rare. Soviet Photoalbums for the Battle of Berlin are non existent, due to the lack of photo material in the Red Army for personal use. Any copying of the photos is strictly prohibited.
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Original WWII German – Congratulatory letter from Adolf Hitler’s office – Berlin Vosstrasse 4 – Fully Translated – Rare
£195.00This document is a congratulatory letter from Adolf Hitler’s office to a German couple celebrating their Golden Wedding Anniversary. It acknowledges their 50 years of marriage and encloses an honorary certificate (Ehrenurkunde). Additionally, the couple was awarded an honorary monetary gift of 50 Reichsmarks, a considerable sum at the time. Translation: The State Minister and Chief of the Presidential Chancellery Berlin W 8, Voßstraße 4 5 Dec 1939 The Führer sends you, on the occasion of your “Golden Wedding,” the enclosed certificate of honor. At the same time, the Führer has granted you an honorary gift of 50 Reichsmarks, which will be sent to you by post. Heil!
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Original WWII German Soldiers Shooting Record Books and Photograph – Schießbuch – MG Gunner – Grenadier- (Feldausbildung) Regiment 718
£77.00Interesting lot for a Light Machine Gunner
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Original WWII German Wandergewerbeschein ID Document – Itinerant Trade Permit – Odd TR ID
£41.00Historical Context: These licenses were required in Nazi Germany for people conducting door-to-door or traveling trade, ensuring state control and taxation of small-scale and itinerant merchants. Such documents were tightly regulated and part of the wider Nazi bureaucratic system. It also allowed authorities to keep track of traveling individuals at a time when movement was highly monitored. Wandergewerbeschein (Itinerant Trade Permit). Year: 1940 (stated as “Nur für das Jahr 1940” – “Only valid for the year 1940”). Number: Nr. 75 (a unique serial/license number). Authority: Issued by the Landrat (District Administrator) of Offenbach am Main, with an official stamp featuring the Nazi Reichsadler (eagle and swastika). It permits the holder (a German Reich citizen) to engage in peddling/itinerant trade under specified conditions. Mentions accompanying persons who may assist in the trade. Includes fields like residence, nationality, type of goods sold, and means of transport (“Beförderungsmittel: Handwagen” = handcart). Stamp: Official stamp of Der Landrat Offenbach am Main with eagle/swastika and signature. Date of issue: 19 January 1940.
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Original WWII German Propaganda for US Soldiers in 1944 – Fake News – New York Hearld Article – Very Rare
£55.00German propaganda leaflet from World War II, written in English but reprinted and distributed by the Germans. A reprint of an article from the New York Herald Tribune (September 25, 1944), credited to John W. Robertson, a war correspondent. It is titled “The Spectre of the 22 Millions: Europe or Far East?”. The Germans repurposed this article for distribution among Allied troops to sow doubt about the war effort in Europe and redirect hostility toward Japan instead. Content Summary: Questioning the War in Europe The article asks: “Why, when all is said and done, are we fighting in Europe?” It criticizes the U.S. strategy of fighting Germany rather than focusing entirely on Japan, which is described as the “real enemy.” 22 Million Unemployed Americans A key argument is that the U.S. war effort is primarily about solving the problem of mass unemployment at home by producing arms and supplies. It claims American leaders are using the war to put 22 million unemployed people back to work. Criticism of British Involvement The article argues that American soldiers are dying to support Britain, but Europe is in ruins and cannot buy American goods or help rebuild the economy. In contrast, Japan is portrayed as the real threat to U.S. interests. Attack on Allied Strategy It calls the idea of defeating Germany quickly with few losses a “blunder,” suggesting that German morale has not collapsed and that the war in Europe will be long, bloody, and costly. Fearmongering about German Weapons It hints that Germany may soon deploy new and unpleasant weapons, suggesting the Allies will suffer heavily. Final Message The conclusion emphasizes that U.S. forces should stop wasting themselves in Europe and instead redirect to fight Japan, where vital American interests supposedly lie.
