Wehrpass Torgau and zbv 588

[leibregiment]

Interesting pass to a soldier who was in Torgau prison, and zbv 588, wonder if anyone has any details on 588 and what conditions he would have gone through in Torgau (any good English language books?)

welcome any thoughts on research........as ever many thanks, Paul

[leibregiment]

2

[leibregiment]

3

[Jochen1000]

This is only becoming really interesting if one knows what's written in this letter.

Here is a short summary:

In the letter which was written 1946 he explains what he did during the war. He was apparently
not a member of the party and got in trouble when he treated 3 party members badly (what ever that means).
For that he got 10 months in prison which he also spent in the prison in Hannover entirely. While in prison he
was drawn in the Wehrmacht and consequently after his release from prison he was transfered to the barracks
in Altengrabov where he joined Sonderabteilung XI of Wehrkreis Hannover (don't know what this is or what he
did there).

Anyway, in 1940 he was apparently again drafted by the Wehrmacht and also 1940 he was again in trouble because
of forbidden communication by letters with English citizens (I have a feeling this guy was asking for trouble ).
As a result he was accused of spying, treason, high treason and desertion!!! They could not prove that he did spy so
this accusation was dropped for the time being. He still received two years of prison for the alleged desertion though.
After 7 months in prison the spying thing came up again and he was again in front of a court (Reichskriegsgericht).
They said to him that he could only prove that he is innocent if he volunteers to go to the front (Frontbewährung).
He apparently volunteered because he was then sent to Bewährungsbataillon 500. He sais that he was then with the
Wehrmacht for 5 years but did not manage to prove that he was "worthy". April 3 1945 he was released from the
Wehrmacht as a Grenadier. While at the front he was wounded three times and his left thumb remains stiff and when
he was once buried he had a basal skull fracture. Because of that he was no longer able to be at the front.

This is an impressive document if you ask me. Those years must have been hell for him.

[leibregiment]

Jochen, thats great, many thanks for the translation, I would say he redeemed himself

[mr.dogtag]

Nice,
Intrested to see the page number 1 - especially ID tag entry.
I have tags from all 3 units entered to this WP - Sonderabteilung XI, Wehr.Gef. Thorgau and IR 133. Wondering from which unit he did got his tag.
Rgds
Al

[leibregiment]

Sadly nothing on page one.........here are some other entries

[leibregiment]

2

[Trebes]

Just the transcription:

# 7

Kriegsgerichtliche Verurteilung dch. [durch] Gericht
der 113. Div. Grafenwöhr am 11.3.41
Urteil: 2 Jahre Gefängnis f. unerlaubte
Entfernung von der Truppe. Az. 43/41
rechtskräftig: 20.3.41
Strafantritt: 23.3.41

[p. 47]
Untersuchungshaft: nicht angerechnet.
Entlassung: 28.10.41 zur Frontbewährung
beim I. R. 42

Nach Schleusenuntersuchung „Nerven“
Nürnberg zur Entlassung nach Heeres-
Entlassungsstelle Northeim des
Wehrkreises XI Hannover.
Wehrnummer: Hannover I 13/347/5

Bayreuth, den 3. Apr. 1945
Karteimittel [?] folgen dch. Kurier.
Wehrpaß ausgehändigt.
a. B. Bauer, Gefr.

# 8

8.6.41 Scharlach Wehrmacht-Gefängnis Torgau
(Res. Laz. Eilenburg 8.6.41 - 23.7.41)

Trebes