Help with Soldbuch entry please!

[Adrian]

Dear All,
Wondered if anyone can help me with this........
I have a soldbuch belonging to a sergeant in the luftwaffe and his decorations are listed :
22/3/35 Cross of honour for WW1 combatants.
1/9/42 War Merit Cross 2nd class with swords.
21/3/42 1 Freifahrt.
29/12/42 1 Freifahrt.
over the page.....
1/9/42 Shooting lanyard 1st grade
Can anyone tell me what "1 Freifarht" means and why the lanyard was awarded between the 2 freifarht entries and yet is on a different page?
Thank you in advance.
Adrian.

[Ian Jewison]

Hi Adrian,
No doubt these entries are found on page 22 of the Soldbuch....It is not uncommon to see this...remember the Soldbuch literrally is a Pay book...Of which it recorded personal details, clothing issues, soap issues!, pay group and Wehrsold etc., awards and leave.
The entries for "Freifahrt" should correspond to an entry for leave on page 23 or 24...if not then they were for leave less than 5 days (24 hour pass etc.). It means "Free travel"....Depending on how long the soldier had served depended on how much leave he was entitled too and how many free travel passes he could have. "Freireise" is another which means the same.
Why is it on a different page? Is page 22 or the award page full? Maybe simply to differentiate between the new awards and travel.....Again it is not uncommon for extra pages to be added to the Soldbuch for awards, leaves, kit issues etc.etc.
Hope this helps, Ian