Wehrpass Photos

[dphillipsd]

Generally speaking Wehrpass photos are authorised by stamps on the top left and bottom right. However, is it possible for photos to be stamped the opposite away around i.e. top right and bottom left? - bear in mind the photo may be stuck in and not riveted in. Any examples would be great.

Thanks for your help!

[Edward]

Dp,

A good question. In collecting these docs from-time-to-time one does come across perfectly original Soldbuchs where the stampings are positioned on the photos of the kind you have inquired on. Maybe someone will post examples here to better illustrate your question. Just an aside to your interesting post, it also pays to look carefully into various Soldbuch photo setups to distinguish the original from the fake.

Regards

[Ian Jewison]

I will try post some examples later...however any combination can be found, also all four corners, no stamps at all...civilian or military photos.....the same can be said about Soldbuch photos!
One thing to bear in mind though, normally the Wehrpaß was drawn out with a photo of the holder inserted at the same time....with the Soldbuch, photos were not introduced until Autumn 1943 (according to orders) and generally were later 1943 if not early 1944....some in fact never had photos!

/Ian

[Edward]

Ian & Dp,

Not saying this is a rule of thumb to go by, but if there is one type of WP with photo that I am cautious with it is the one with the photo added ie. no rivets, staples or stamps, just glued in. Imo, unless it either belonged to someone who could be researched to verify the photos likeness, or had further group photo documentation with the WP I would not buy it. About the only way I may consider such a piece is if the holder signed the photo, but even then Imo, the photo may have been post war added and possibly faked.

Regards

[Ian Jewison]

I agree with you there Edward, however each one has to be taken on it's own merits......I have some in my collection exactly like how you describe, however I have both Soldbuch and Wehrpaß and it can be seen that there is not problem...
But you have to be very careful with photos.....some veterans and family members, during WWII and even today remove photos from Soldbuch or Wehrpaß. When these are sold on...some dealers/people/whoever add
photos and try and match up stamps on a "new" photo with the existing "old" stamps, thus makiing the photo look like it belongs in the book!
Again not rule of thumb but very often the case, the unit stamp whether in full or Feldpost number will match a unit that he served with or a hospital currently being treated in...there are occasions when this does not match, however it could be a unit in the same area at the time......but a unit that was on the other side of the world would be hard to authenticate!
Any discrepancies should be treated carefully......
Also the fact that someone did not sign the photo should not be considered fake......examine the document carefully....

At the end of the day it is your decision to purchase such an item.....use the forum and get other peoples oppinions if you are in doubt......some dealers offer a money back guarantee.....some simply tell you to "*** off!
Don't get caught out, however every one will one day or another!

I think this is an interesting thread and I would like to show examples...with members examples also! and make this either a "sticky" are permanent thread relating to document photos.

I actually wrote a thread some time ago regarding the insertion of photos into the Soldbuch but it unfortunately disappeared over time and server upgrades.

/Ian

[Edward]

Ian,

Some good insights you have. Thanks for sharing them. I have examples of the varoius variations you mentioned as well. One WP that comes to mind I purchased many years ago came without a photo. It is something on the order of a second or third issue WP to an NCO who came up MIA during the collapse of the 6th Army in Rumania-yet again. Well detailed and was made out for forwarding to the next-of-kin as his entire division went into captivity so there would have been no photo as the original would have been lost. It's just one more reason one finds so many different types. With regards to WP's and SB's that I have come across over the years and recognized as deliberately altered, I now wish I had kept some type of description of them for reference. Looking forward to your examples.

Regards

[dphillipsd]

Hey,

Thanks for the information. So does anyone have any photos?

I was looking at a WP on Weitzes site, and whilst it was complete etc with some other documents the photo was stamped on the wrong sides/was stuck in and had no signature, so hence my question.

[Ian Jewison]

Lichtbild im Soldbuch. Oberkommando der Wehrmacht 16.11.1943.
The photo is to be inserted on the inside of the upper inner cover and to be fastened by glue with the service stamps of the troop/unit concerned or the serving station (stamped left upper and right lower, left lower and on the top right).

Examples coming shortly......

[Ian Jewison]

Wehrpaß. Civilian photo, glued in place, stamps upper left, lower right.

[Ian Jewison]

Wehrpaß. Civilian photo, rivetted in place, stamps upper left, lower right.

[Ian Jewison]

Wehrpaß. Uniform photo, stapled in place, stamps upper left, lower right.

[Ian Jewison]

Wehrpaß. Uniform photo, rivetted in place, stamps upper right, lower left.

[Ian Jewison]

Nothing! This particular one is a replacement to a fallen Oberleutnant and was given to his father....General der Infanterie Herbert von Böckmann RKT.

[Ian Jewison]

Soldbuch. Uniform photo, stapled in place, stamps upper right, lower left.

[Ian Jewison]

Soldbuch. Uniform photo, small, stapled in place, stamps upper left, lower right.