Here is a really neat Soldbuch I picked up recently, that came from a Soviet archive. It has been in a collection for a long time and has never been shown on the internet before. Franz Panowniak was recruited into the Luftwaffe in 1943 when he was just 17. He served in a variety of Luftwaffe units and schools until August of 1944 when he was transferred to the Heer, in September 1944 he was assigned to Festungs-Pak-Verband VI where he stayed for the duration of the war. This unit was headquartered in Danzig and I believe that Panowniak may have been part of the defense of this city in 1945. In any event he clearly was involved in the fighting at the time of the great encirclements in East and West Prussia at the end of the war, on February 23 1945 he was awarded the EK2 and the document is present with the Soldbuch. The document is stamped by the 551. Grenadier-Division, which by that time had been officially redesignated 551. Volksgrenadier-Div. The remains of this unit were fighting in the vicinity of Tilsit at that time. The document is signed by Generalleutnant Siegfried Verhein, who would be awarded the Ritterkreuz less than a week after signing this document.
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Last edited by CWP; 03-07-2012, 10:37 AM. -
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The equipment issues shown are from his time in the Heer. He was issued a Tarnanzug, as well as something Russian that I can't quite make out.Comment
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He was issued an Italian carbine.Comment
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Heer units, award entry and leaves.Comment
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Award document. This is the first ID I have had for a soldier in a Festungs-Pak-Verband. Any comments on this group would be appreciated.Comment
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