If all the photo albums are like this...

[Akira Takiguchi]

... I need three times bigger room for my collection

This is an album set of Leutnant (finally at the end of war) M. Stadlmair, one of my early collections from Weitze.

Albums vary greatly. Most people like to see highly decorated soldiers and tanks. I do like them too. But I also love to see the owner himself, not only a couple of portrait pictures, but also many snapshots of himself. Also, paperworks etc. to decorate the album is a great plus!

The four albums.

<img src="http://www.history.jp/images/album001.jpg">

Portrait of Matthias Stadlmair as Unteroffizier.

<img src="http://www.history.jp/images/album002.jpg">

[Akira Takiguchi]

The first album shows poland campaign. The second shows the western and balkan campaign with 46. Infanterie-Division.

Destroyed french tanks.

<img src="http://www.history.jp/images/album003.jpg">

To Belgrad (Stadlmair seen third from left).

<img src="http://www.history.jp/images/album004.jpg">

[Akira Takiguchi]

In Balkan. Again himself.

<img src="http://www.history.jp/images/album005.jpg">

Newspaper clip related to his action.

<img src="http://www.history.jp/images/album006.jpg">

[Akira Takiguchi]

Several postcards. These are ALL sent by him to his home, not a filler just to make this album colorful.

<img src="http://www.history.jp/images/album007.jpg">

And also his ribbons!

<img src="http://www.history.jp/images/album008.jpg">

[Akira Takiguchi]

Now in Kertsch (southern russia), his skin darker due to sunlight.

<img src="http://www.history.jp/images/album009.jpg">

Of course he received Krimschild, and again newspaper clip related to his decoration.

<img src="http://www.history.jp/images/album010.jpg">

[Akira Takiguchi]

In Caucasus...

<img src="http://www.history.jp/images/album011.jpg">

There he was wounded lightly (both red rims are removed from wound tag) and went back home.

<img src="http://www.history.jp/images/album012.jpg">

[Akira Takiguchi]

He had been a towed panzerjäger, but now, he gets training as a self propelled panzerjäger (Panzer Ers. -u. Ausb. Abteilung 10)! This is the 4th album and rare birds like early Nashorn and Marder II on Pz II D.

<img src="http://www.history.jp/images/album013.jpg">

Training has come to an end in early 1944.

<img src="http://www.history.jp/images/album014.jpg">

[Akira Takiguchi]

At the front he was wounded again (this time heavier but still transportable) in his thigh to be treated at the hospital.

<img src="http://www.history.jp/images/album015.jpg">

Again his letter home (to his father Walter).

<img src="http://www.history.jp/images/album016.jpg">

[Akira Takiguchi]

To end his album, again his portrait and his ribbon bar.

Really nice set of albums, very well balanced in contents. Not many albums come with this caliber.

Hope you enjoyed it looking!

<img src="http://www.history.jp/images/album017.jpg">

[WalterB]

Wow, Akira, simply amazing. I love to see these type of personal pictures. Each picture tells you a story of what actually happened. The knocked out T-38 tank, for example, is something that actually happened, it is not exaggerated or clouded by a person's mind. It was there, it happened as it is shown. Very interesting!!

[Rick Research]

And THAT is as complete a story as can ever be found!

That is what makes it so when idiots take something as great as this and split it all up into pieces-- like tearing the pages out of a book!

Complete groups like this can only go up and up in historical (and not coincidentally, monetary) value, the more others are ruined...

and THAT is something the greedy fools just cannot understand!

One "individual's entire war" album like this is worth 200 loose, anonymous, ripped out pix of someone with a German Cross or a nice dagger.

[JYN]

Hi Akira,

What Amis will call a Scrapbook in a way !

I have one a bit like that.... but 5 albums from a same officer it is great !

Jean-Yves

[WalterB]

I agree 100% with you Rick. Breaking up albums and selling each picture individually is like obtaining an authentic pre-1945 helmet and disassembling it and selling it for spare parts. It is criminal!!!

[Klaus O.]

Akira,

Thanks for showing us this great set of Albums. Do you know if he survived the war? His name sounds typical Bavarian or Austrian...

Ciao,

Claudio

[Radcollector]

Hello,

outstanding albums Akira its not often that i see albums with that much extra "stuff" included,the letters home,newspaper clippings .medal robbons,etc,all very nice!!thanks for shareing them with us.

Yancy