KIA SS Soldbuch for an Officer

[usgrant]

The book is blood stained. It belongs to SS-Untersturmfuhrer Gerhard Gnabs. He was killed in Russia as a platoon leader with the SS-Totenkopf Division with a gunshot to the heart. The Soldbuch includes entries for the Heimwehr Danzig needle, and EKII. Gnabs was at the SS Hospital at Hohenlychen just before the French campaign.
I also have his 1935 mustering document with black uniform photo.
I found Gnabs BDC file at the US National Archives. He was a graduate of Junkerschule Toelz and a recipient of the Ehren ring among other things.
Tragic set for a brave officer.

[usgrant]

travel Document

[Maikäfer]

He was from Königsberg in east Prussia. It almost looks like blood on the borders?

[usgrant]

He was from Königsberg in east Prussia. It almost looks like blood on the borders?

Yes it is indeed his blood. Apparently it was in his right breast tunic pocket when he was shot in the heart.

[milcollector]

I guess it was sent back to the family after he died and then years later made its way into the collectors world ?

[Ian Jewison]

Soldbücher were not personal property when no longer in service. i.e. when discharged you swapped it for your Wehrpaß.

Likewise, on death this was returned to the relevant Wehrbezirks and the Wehrpaß was duly sent to the next of kin.

The Soldbuch should not have been sent to the family, however I have heard of it on a few occasions!


I remember this Soldbuch group some years ago for sale on Emilie's list.

/Ian

[bhholst]

Hello readers.
First I want to thank for being able to view the pictured Soldbuch.
Ian mentioned cases of families of fallen military personnel receiving both Wehrpass and Soldbuch . I have in my collection documents and medals of an officer who fell in Tunesia in early 1943. His widow received both, with the Soldbuch having the cover removed and the first page showing a red diagonal line through it. Thus the Soldbuch was invalidated from any further, possibly fraudulent use. The coverletter states that the Wehrpass was not only to serve as a remembrance but also as a supporting document for any eventual pension matter or other official inquiries. In this case the Soldbuch was apparently left behind by the owner because of an intended surprise attack on U.S. troops during which he lost his life. His batallion commander reported to his widow that it was impossible to recover his body. However he wrote that he hoped that the enemy would extend the honors to a killed adversary by giving him a decent burial.
That hope was not in vain because I was able to locate his gravesite via the German Wargraves Authorit database in one of the German war cemeteries in Tunesia.
Bernhard H. Holst