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I recently acquired a Soldbuch from a collector in Switzerland. I don't normally collect Soldbuchs but decided to purchase this one, only because of the name of the soldier, Josef Slodowski. I'll explain why I had to get it in the posts below
Part I
Josef Slodowski
What is a Soldbuch?
It is a German WWII military identity document that must always be carried by the soldier on his or her person. It contains information such as what unit the soldier was/is assigned to, what weapons and equipment were issued, the pay rate, awards received, etc.
Here is a good explanation:
The soldbuch below belonged to Josef Slodowski
Josef Slodowski was born on the 28th of June, 1913. He lived in Reichandres, West Prussia (it is now called Andrzejewo and is in Poland) He worked as a farm hand before World War II
He joined the Luftwaffe and spent most of the war with the 2nd Battery, Flak Battalion 81. His unit received the honorary title "Sturm" (Storm) in 1945 for their good performance and years of service on the Eastern Front.
His Soldbuch was opened on the 18th of August, 1939, two weeks later Germany invaded Poland. He started his service as a gunner, ended the war as a Stabsgefreiter (specialist).
On the 21st of August 1943 he arrived at a military hospital in Kiev, wounded by shrapnel (code 31 means wounded, b means shrapnel was the cause of the injury). On September 22nd he was deemed fit for duty and was sent to his replacement unit.
He received several awards, a wound badge in black for his shrapnel injury in August 1943, the EK2 (Iron Cross 2nd Class), the ground combat badge of the Luftwaffe and the Flak badge.
He received a Luger which he gave back (number crossed out) and an MP40 submachine gun.
He was trained on the 2cm flak and the k98 rifle. While with his unit he received additional training on the 2cm Flak 38, p08 Luger, MP40, MG15 and a rangefinder. He also completed additional training in Belgium and Northern France in 1942
His unit was involved in defending Dieppe in August 1942 and its vehicles are shown in a famous movie of German units surrendering in Czechoslovakia in 1945
More information here:
Part I
Josef Slodowski
What is a Soldbuch?
It is a German WWII military identity document that must always be carried by the soldier on his or her person. It contains information such as what unit the soldier was/is assigned to, what weapons and equipment were issued, the pay rate, awards received, etc.
Here is a good explanation:
The soldbuch below belonged to Josef Slodowski
Josef Slodowski was born on the 28th of June, 1913. He lived in Reichandres, West Prussia (it is now called Andrzejewo and is in Poland) He worked as a farm hand before World War II
He joined the Luftwaffe and spent most of the war with the 2nd Battery, Flak Battalion 81. His unit received the honorary title "Sturm" (Storm) in 1945 for their good performance and years of service on the Eastern Front.
His Soldbuch was opened on the 18th of August, 1939, two weeks later Germany invaded Poland. He started his service as a gunner, ended the war as a Stabsgefreiter (specialist).
On the 21st of August 1943 he arrived at a military hospital in Kiev, wounded by shrapnel (code 31 means wounded, b means shrapnel was the cause of the injury). On September 22nd he was deemed fit for duty and was sent to his replacement unit.
He received several awards, a wound badge in black for his shrapnel injury in August 1943, the EK2 (Iron Cross 2nd Class), the ground combat badge of the Luftwaffe and the Flak badge.
He received a Luger which he gave back (number crossed out) and an MP40 submachine gun.
He was trained on the 2cm flak and the k98 rifle. While with his unit he received additional training on the 2cm Flak 38, p08 Luger, MP40, MG15 and a rangefinder. He also completed additional training in Belgium and Northern France in 1942
His unit was involved in defending Dieppe in August 1942 and its vehicles are shown in a famous movie of German units surrendering in Czechoslovakia in 1945
More information here:
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