Manuals & Paper items

Heer Soldbuch to Kanonier Rüdolf Madler. His Erkennungsmarke read Stm./Wrf. Ers. Abtl. 2 #8911.

He was promoted from Kanonier to Gefreiter 1.3.45
The Soldbuch was filled in 14.9.1944 with Stm./Werf. Ers. Abt. 2. He served with 1./ Werfer Regiment 83. He was issued a number of interesting equipment and uniform items such as the Werferanzug which is a specialistic hbt uniform for the Werferabteilung and a Tarnnetz. He was issued a K98 marked BNZ 45 with the serial 5450.

I believe this Soldbuch is a replacement Soldbuch. As he was born 27.05.09, it is not logical that he wasn’t into service prior to September 1944. Additionally it has a marking on page 15 that he was in a Lazarett on 1.9.1944 which is 2 weeks prior to the Soldbuch being filled in. As his unit was retreating out of Normandy at the end of August it makes sense. He most probably lost his first Soldbuch in Normandy. He has no noted awards other medals and most probably survived the war. This is a nice Soldbuch for further research!

Unit history:

Werfer Regiment 83 was issued with 15 and 30cm Nebelwerfer launchers and additionally issued opel Maultier mounted Panzerwerfers. In may 1944 it was stationed in northern france between Beauvais and Grandvillers. On the 7th of June it was alarmed and marched over Paris towards Caen. It was attached to the 12th SS Panzerdivision Hitlerjugend. The regimental command post was set up at St. Gerain la Herbe which is where the Abbaye des Ardenne is located. It acted as a mobile artillery unit for the 12th SS during the attacks on the line of Verson-Epron. It paid a important part at the defence of Caen, notably at the Carpiquet airfield and Abbay des Ardenne. At the end of June it was pulled from the line and moved to the Orne. On te 25th of June it was taking positions in the Orne at Maltot and defended the infamous hill 112. On the 9th of July it retreated to another line at Fleury sur Orne – Troarn. As the front line developed closer to the positions along the 158 route national Caen-Falaise it was heavily carpet bombed by allied forces. On the 18th of August it retreated trough the Falaise pocket towards Rouen and Elbeuf. From 22-24 August it succeeded in retreating most of the Werfer and Panzerwerfer over the Seine and retreated to Germany. Mid september it was moved to Uelzen for reorganisation. It was sent to the western front on the 16th of November in Daun, Prüm Eifel. On the 15th of December the Regiment went into positions of the German / Belgian border. On the 16th of December it took part of the opening barrage of the Ardennes Offensive. It moved forward until St. Vith. between 26 and 27 December it was moved to Zweibrücken-Mittelbach. Starting January to the end of February it was in action at Saarbrücken. In march 1945 it was put into action at the Hunsrück. At the 20th of March it started the retreat trough Birkenfeld, Baumholder, Landstuhl and Speyer. Early april 1945 it no longer had Werfer or munitions and the regiment was used as a infantry unit defending Augsburg. At the end of April it moved towards München and Rosenheim and went into captivity in may 1945.

This is one of the best photo albums I have had the chance to offer up to today. This photo album belonged to a member of SS-Standarte Der Führer. It depicts most of the important battles in the 1940 campaign. I have photographed all of the pages and photos so you can see how well documented the album is. The photos were added in the war and have not been removed, replaced or added. The images are not in chronological order but you can tell by the size, tone, contrast and border which photo belongs to which set. The photo album shows a number of interesting battles and campaigns indicating the owner whitnessed most if not all of these. I will make a list of photographed battles I see in the album below.

Battle for the Grebbeberg; Der Führer was tasked with taking the Grebbenberg neer Rhenen. This was one of the hardest fought battles in the whole 1940 campaign. Based along the Ijssel river this natural mountain was one of the main defence points on the Dutch Ijssel line. The Germans massively underestimated the fierceness of the defenders which meant taking the place took up to 4 times longer as planned. The album shows the area with buildings and also the bunkers on the dykes along the Ijssel. There are images of a German soldier climbing a Grove Den tree with a swastika flag which I believe is on the Grebbeberg. The Grebbeberg is the only place where this type of tree grew along the route of the regiment in 1940.

Battle for Zeeland and The Scheldt; There are images of the town and harbour in Breskens. There are images of knocked out French tanks which fought in this area. British, French and Dutch POW’s are seen. There are several images of the village of Vroenhoven, its Bridge and the Bunker. This was one of the objectives for the Fallschirmjäger dropping at Eben Emael which was next to the village.

The following French campaign shows many interesting places one could easily research by comparing the images with buildings along its campaign route using google streetview.

Needless to say this album is a sure treasure trove for future research. It shows all the interesting things a Waffen-SS photo album should have; tanks, planes, destruction, Dead soldiers, camouflage and lots of uniform photos!

You have a comprehensive and chronological collection of German civilian, military, medical, and employment records belonging to Otto Rohnen. Otto Rohnen was born and raised in Monschau which was on the Belgian border. That is why he has a Belgian border crossing pass. He served with 8 Kompanie Infanterie Regiment 473. Otto lost 7 toes, most probably due to frostbite on 18.03.1942 and was awarded the black wound badge on 17.07.194 in Prague. He was discharged from service in December 1942.

Wound badge document belgoning to Grenadier Alfred Hamann serving with 3. Kompanie Grenadier Regiment 431 on 30.0.1945. His uit at that point was fighting in Ostpreußen. Between 18 and 32 January the unit retreated from Elbing, Bischofsburg to Guttstadt.

Rare Dutch 34. SS-Freiwilligen Grenadier Division Landstorm Nederland recruitment flyer. This is a rare smaller sized flyer printed later in the war.

Press Photo; Market Garden dropzone

Press photo; Reichsaussenminister von Ribbentrop in London

Rare Press Photo considering a photo of a kriegsberichter drawing of Gerardus Mooyman in the size 10×6 cm. Hard to find!

This is a part of my personal collection of Gerardus Mooyman photographs which I have collected trough the last 5 years. I am listing all Mooyman photographs together.

Rare Portrait Photo; Gerardus Mooyman with visor and knights cross. The photo is size 8×11 cm. Hard to find original portrait!

This is a part of my personal collection of Knights Cross Holder Gerardus Mooyman photographs which I have collected trough the last 5 years. I am listing all Mooyman photographs together in one update. This is a very rare opportunity to acquire a genuine Mooyman photograph.

Rare Press Photo; Gerardus Mooyman meeting with Generalmajor der Waffen-SS Schölz.

This is a part of my personal collection of Knights Cross Holder Gerardus Mooyman photographs which I have collected trough the last 5 years. I am listing all Mooyman photographs together in one update. This is a very rare opportunity to acquire a genuine Mooyman photograph.

Rare Press Photo; Gerardus Mooyman drinking schnaps with his men after being awarded the Ritterkreuz. Hard to find original photograph!

This is a part of my personal collection of Knights Cross Holder Gerardus Mooyman photographs which I have collected trough the last 5 years. I am listing all Mooyman photographs together in one update. This is a very rare opportunity to acquire a genuine Mooyman photograph.