Arbeitsbuch, diamonds in the rough?

[BlackCat1982]

I have been collecting for more years than I care to recall, and it is an evolving interest with almost every new addition taking me off on another adventure. For those just setting out in the collecting world I thought I might draw your attention to what I'm calling "diamonds in the rough". Sometimes the most mundane of items can be more than it seems, in this case it is an Arbeitsbuch.

[BlackCat1982]

Josef Kirschbaum was born in Bad Oldesloe and worked as a truck driver for a quarry, that is until he went into the Wehrmacht in 1940, no doubt a truck driver being a useful person.

But a bit of research soon proved that Josef had been part of something more momentous. He is listed as missing on the memorial to the lost at Volgograd, Stalingrad.

So when you next pass by that ordinary piece of common TR militaria you might pause and pick it up. For me such cheap and ordinary items are jewels.

[BlackCat1982]

Another addition to the collection. This one belonged to a female Luftschutz Warnung Helfer who lived in Berlin.

[Rakkasan187]

Very nice BC,,

I have several in my collection as well and as you have stated these can be quite revealing and interesting. I have one for an Ostarbeiter (East) worker (Arbeitsbuch Fur Auslander) kid who drove trucks for a factory, another who was a worker in a factory who later left and worked for the OT (Organization Todt) and one for a test pilot. The research on these books can be quite intense and although not a popular as Solbuch's and Wehrpasses the Arbeitsbuch's, these are quite inexpensive and I agree "diamonds in the rough"..

Smitty

[Willmore]

Very interesting thread and thank you for posting these.

I have had a couple of in my collect for years, but I never researched them, so this thread has definitely given me the impetus to see what secrets they hold.

Kind regards,

Will.

[BlackCat1982]

Thanks guys, I also have an Auslander buch to a Ukrainian woman somewhere, but nowadays the Auslander buch seem to be a lot more expensive, I paid £6 for mine back in the day. They are always worth picking up if you come across them. Smitty the ones you have sound interesting as well. Happy collecting!

[BlackCat1982]

An Arbeitsbuch für Auslander. The owner was a Ukrainian woman.

[BlackCat1982]

I will add this one to the thread as it belonged to a worker in various uniform making facilities in Berlin. The final entry was to April 1940, but the book was not closed, nor is he listed on the VDK.

[rheppler]

I have to admit, I'm guilty of passing these documents up. I wouldn't have a clue where to even start researching them, since I've never really looked into them. Nice surprises to find! I might myself look at a few. -Rose

[BlackCat1982]

I always have a look through any that I come across, the company/business stamps can be very interesting. If you find one where the owner has entered the Wehrmacht then that can be a gateway to a further chapter in their history.