Soldbuch changes: Heer to Luft

[Aave Johns]

When the Heer paratroopers changed to the Luftwaffe did thet get a new Soldbuch, or was the change recorded in their existing Heer Soldbuch? Any info would be appreciated, better still a scan.

Regards;
Johnsy

[JeremyJ]

Heer to LW

Hi Johnsy,

Since the Heer para's were transfered to the LW in January of 39, para buffs correct me if I'm wrong on the date, the transfer of entries to the soldbuch is a moot point. Soldbuchs were issued shortly before the outbreak of hostilities Aug. of 39 for active units. Since these Heer jumpers would have already been absorbed into the LW prior to the start of the war LW soldbucher would have been issued to them. Obviously their previous units would most likely appear in the SB and previous awards in this case the Heer Para badge, assuming eligibility, entered as well.

That said, it is not uncommon the see soldiers as the war progressed, who transfered to the LW retaining their original army soldbuch and visa versa.

Regards

Jeremy

[Aave Johns]

Issue with issue date

Hi Johnsy,

Since the Heer para's were transfered to the LW in January of 39, para buffs correct me if I'm wrong on the date, the transfer of entries to the soldbuch is a moot point. Soldbuchs were issued shortly before the outbreak of hostilities Aug. of 39 for active units. Since these Heer jumpers would have already been absorbed into the LW prior to the start of the war LW soldbucher would have been issued to them. Obviously their previous units would most likely appear in the SB and previous awards in this case the Heer Para badge, assuming eligibility, entered as well.

That said, it is not uncommon the see soldiers as the war progressed, who transfered to the LW retaining their original army soldbuch and visa versa.

Regards

Jeremy

Didn't the May 1935 Defence Law decree state that a Wehrpass and Soldbuch had to be held by all serving members of the Wehrmacht? I'm not at war, but I'm still required to hold documents proving I'm in the military !!!

[Eric Queen]

Jeremy is correct ( for the most part ). Army paratroopers ( as members of the Fallschirm Infanterie ) were not issued soldbuch's. The first soldbuch's were issued to former army paratroopers on September 2, 1939 ( 9 months after transfering from the Fallschirm Infanterie to II./FJR1 )

Awards earned as army paratroopers ( Fallschirmschuetzenabzeichen (Heer), etc.) were entered into the soldbuch, but I have never seen the previous units entered ( i.e. Fallschim. Inf. Komp. / Batl. ). Typically the first unit entered in all these books was 5./, 6./, 7./, or 8./ FJR1.

EQ

[Aave Johns]

Pm

Jeremy is correct ( for the most part ). Army paratroopers ( as members of the Fallschirm Infanterie ) were not issued soldbuch's. The first soldbuch's were issued to former army paratroopers on September 2, 1939 ( 9 months after transfering from the Fallschirm Infanterie to II./FJR1 )

Awards earned as army paratroopers ( Fallschirmschuetzenabzeichen (Heer), etc.) were entered into the soldbuch, but I have never seen the previous units entered ( i.e. Fallschim. Inf. Komp. / Batl. ). Typically the first unit entered in all these books was 5./, 6./, 7./, or 8./ FJR1.

EQ

Hi Eric
I was just about to pick your brains on this via PM!! Thanks for clearing that up for me. I was sure that you would have an answer, I have read your book, it is a nice piece of research. Thanks to all others for your input, I wasn't aware that Soldbuchs were issued at the outbreak of war.