ww2

Soldbuch grouping to Unteroffizier Adolf Rotsch who served with Fallschirmjäger Regiment 13 during the Ardennes offensive.

A Soldbuch belonging to a Feldwebel who began his military career in December 1941 with the Flieger-Ausbildungs-Regiment 42, based in Frankfurt an der Oder. After completing his basic training, he was assigned to the Fliegerhorst Kompanie (e) 3/1, which was stationed in Brjansk, Russia, from 1941 until 1943. In 1943, he was awarded both the EK 2 and EK 1, an unusual achievement for a member of a Fliegerhorst Kompanie.

In April 1944, his unit was renamed Fliegerhorstkommandatur (e) 257 III. By October 1944, he was drafted into the Fallschirmjäger Ersatz und Ausbildungs Regiment 2. After a few weeks, he was sent to the 15./Fallschirmjäger Regiment 13, which was part of the 5th Fallschirmjäger Division. This division, rebuilt in Holland, was preparing for the “Wacht am Rhein” offensive, better known as the Battle of the Bulge.

On December 16, 1944, during the fighting in Luxembourg, between Stolzembourg and Vianden, the division was ordered to break through the lines near Vianden and Bette. Following an artillery bombardment in the early morning, the Fallschirm Pionier Battalion 5 constructed bridges over the Our River, allowing the 15th and 13th Fallschirmjäger Regiments to cross successfully. The town of Vianden itself was captured by the 4th company of the 5th Fallschirm Pionier Battalion under the command of Leutnant Hans Prigge, who later fell near Livarchamps, Belgium. Elements of the 14th Fallschirmjäger Regiment and the 11th Fallschirm Sturmgeschutz Brigade also crossed the Our River, reaching their objectives. The division achieved its goal of establishing a defensive line south of Bastogne.

However, by the end of December 1944, the U.S. Third Army, commanded by General Patton, broke through the division’s lines. In January 1945, the division was forced to retreat through Luxembourg and reached the village of Dasburg on the German side of the border by the end of the month.

On January 12, 1945, the Feldwebel was hospitalized at the Reserve Lazarett Jugenheim III for frostbite (wound code 33). After 1.5 months of recovery, he was promoted to Feldwebel. Shortly thereafter, he rejoined his unit, which continued to retreat towards the Harz region. The remnants of the 5th Fallschirmjäger Division were eventually captured by American forces. During the final battles, he was wounded by a bullet (wound code 31).

The Soldbuch is in good condition with no missing pages, though an award page seems to have been removed. It comes with a portrait photo showing his EK 1 award. His known awards include the Kriegsverdienstkreuz 2nd class with Swords, Wound Badge in Black, EK 2, and EK 1. It is likely that he received other awards, such as the Erdkampfabzeichen, but these cannot be confirmed.

Very hard to find original Fallschirmjäger Soldbuch with Ardennes references!

Soldbuch grouping of Heinz Schultz, Fallschirmjäger, Ardennes. Wachtmeister Heinz Schultz served with Fallschirm Artillerie Regiment 5 in the 5. Fallschirmjäger Division. He entered service in 1939 with Flakabteilung 83. He was transferred to Flak Regiment 12 which saw action in Tunesia and was subsequently destroyed. After this he was transferred to 4. Kompanie Fallschirmjäger Artillerie Ersatz und Ausbildungs Abteilung. 28.10.1944 he was transferred to his field unit Fallschirmjäger Artillerie Regiment 5. This unit was part of the 5. Fallschirmjäger Division of which the brief unit history during this period until the end of the war is described;

In October 1944, Fallschirmjäger Regiment 15 was relocated from its assembly area near Oldenburg to the Netherlands for coastal defense. At this time, most of the division’s units were still stationed at training grounds in northern Germany. As a result, the assembly of the division could not begin before mid-November. Although the division was only partially combat-ready and still in the process of being organized, it was transferred to the Eifel region at the end of November 1944, after Fallschirmjäger Regiment 15 was reassigned to it, in preparation for the planned Ardennes Offensive. The units were stationed in the Bitburg – Oberweis – Sülm area.

Even during the march to its assembly area, the division suffered considerable losses due to low-flying Allied air attacks. Fallschirm-Panzerjäger-Abteilung 5 lost all of its vehicles, rendering it inoperable. During the Ardennes Offensive, the 5th Fallschirmjäger Division was tasked with advancing on the right flank of the 7th Army, as part of LXXXV Army Corps, from the area around Bitburg. After crossing the Our River near Vianden, it was to break through enemy positions at Wahlhausen, Putscheid, Nachtmanderscheid, and Walsdorf, and secure the line St. Hubert – Neufchâteau – Mellier – Attert, where it would establish a mobile defensive position to protect the southern flank of the 5th Panzer Army, which was advancing through Bastogne.

On the morning of December 16, after a short artillery preparation, the division crossed the Our River at Stolzembourg and Roth. By the evening of the first day, the advance elements of Fallschirmjäger Regiment 15 had reached the Diekirch – Hosingen road. The left neighbor, the 352nd Volksgrenadier Division, was making slow progress east of Fouhren, while the right neighbor, Panzer Lehr Division, was already engaged west of Hosingen. On December 17, Fallschirmjäger Regiment 15 secured the river crossings near Bourscheid, while Fallschirmjäger Regiment 14 attacked between Putscheid and Weiler. Fallschirmjäger Regiment 13 was fighting alongside the 352nd Volksgrenadier Division at Fouhren.

On December 18, elements of Fallschirmjäger Regiment 14 reached the western edge of Weiler, while Fallschirmjäger Regiment 15 secured the bridges at Bourscheid intact and linked up with Fallschirmjäger Regiment 14 at Weiler. Meanwhile, the division’s attached Fallschirm-Sturmgeschütz-Brigade XI was engaged in combat at Nachtmanderscheid and Walsdorf. Fallschirmjäger Regiment 13, still under the command of the 352nd Volksgrenadier Division, continued to fight at Fouhren. On December 19, Fallschirmjäger Regiment 15 advanced through the Sauer Valley without significant enemy resistance, while Fallschirmjäger Regiment 14 reached the Wiltz Valley near Kautenbach and Nocher by evening.

The division’s advance continued rapidly, with Fallschirmjäger Regiment 14 moving south of Doncols toward the Bastogne-Arlon road. Fallschirmjäger Regiment 15 and Fallschirm-Sturmgeschütz-Brigade XI pushed southwest beyond the division’s left boundary, toward Bigonville and Martelingen, to support the neighboring division, which was still engaged in heavy fighting near Ettelbruck. By the end of the day, the division’s lead elements had reached the general line: northern edge of Martelingen – Vaux-les-Rosières – Sibret. On the evening of December 21, Martelingen was captured by Sturmgeschütz-Brigade XI with support from elements of Fallschirmjäger Regiment 15.

Since the left neighboring division was still lagging behind, exposing the left flank of both the 5th Fallschirmjäger Division and the 5th Panzer Army (which had already advanced far west beyond Bastogne), the 5th Fallschirmjäger Division was ordered to assume flank protection. On December 22, the division reorganized its units, shifted from offensive to defensive operations, and established defensive positions against attacks from the southwest and south along the line: Vaux-les-Rosières – Martelingen – Bigonville – Arsdorf – Heiderscheid, covering a front of 40 km.

Between December 23 and 25, the division was forced to abandon several positions, including Vaux-les-Rosières, Hotte, Strainchamps, Martelingen, Titange, and Bigonville, due to heavy attacks from the U.S. 3rd Army from the southwest and south along the Bastogne road. On December 26, American forces continued their advance toward Bastogne. Between Fallschirmjäger Regiment 14, still holding out near Chaumont, and the 26th Volksgrenadier Division to the northwest, American units broke through northward. Fallschirmjäger Regiment 14 withdrew its right flank to Assenois, barely preventing an enemy advance on Losange and Villers-la-Bonne-Eau.

By December 27, the 5th Fallschirmjäger Division’s front stretched from Assenois to Lutrebois, Villers-la-Bonne-Eau, Harlange, and Bavigne. Following the successful American breakthrough at Bastogne, the division was threatened on its flank near Nothum. The American advance was halted only by deploying the last available reserves along the Harlange – Nothum – Buderscheid line. By December 29, 1944, the division, now under the command of LIII Army Corps, was still holding the line Lutrebois – Villers-la-Bonne-Eau – Harlange – Bavigne – Nothum against continued enemy attacks.

On January 2, 1945, following further American breakthroughs near its left neighbor, the division was at risk of encirclement in the Harlange and Bavigne area. It held its positions until January 7 but was then forced to withdraw northeast, abandoning Villers-la-Bonne-Eau, Harlange, and Bavigne. On January 9, American forces attacked the division at Bras, Doncols, and Nothum, encircling a large portion of its forces and taking many prisoners. The remaining elements of the division regrouped near Wiltz and were later transferred to the Düren area.

During their retreat, these remnants were diverted southeast and committed to counter an Allied breakthrough near Prüm. By the end of February, the remaining troops repelled Allied attacks near Wilwerath, Gondenbrett, and Olzheim. However, in early March, American forces bypassed the division’s defensive positions on both flanks, forcing it to retreat further northeast.

At the Nürburgring, the division was encircled west of the Rhine, with most of its remaining troops taken prisoner. Only small remnants managed to escape to the Wernigerode area in April 1945.

He was awarded the Flakkampfabzeichen, Erdkampfabzeichen, Eisernes Kreuz II Klasse, Ostmedaille, Schützenschnür, Dienstauszeichnung 4. Klasse, Erinnerungsmedaille 1.10.38 and possibly one I forgot. This is a great soldbuch with many entries, interesting units, awards and a nice portrait in tropical uniform. A great soldbuch for further research of a Fallschirmjäger who took part of the Ardennes Offensive!

Rare Gefechtstaktik des verstärckten Bataillons, Major Kühlwein – with pre war Dutch intelligence service markings(!). This pre war German tactical combat manual was printed in 1936. On the first page one can see the ink markings Generale Staf, III e afdeeling, RB. D, No. Alg. 279 – indicating it would have been a part of the pre war Dutch intelligence service of the General Staff of the Dutch army. This section of the General Staff existed only bewteen 1914 and 1940. Besides a interesting pre war tactical manual this is a nice historical piece!

Grundaufgaben für die Gefechtsausbildung im Infanterie-Batalion von Major Haymann, 1942

Merkblatt 40/14 Schiessausbildung im Ersatzheer für Gewehr, Le. MG, S. MG in good condition.