Soldbücher Pionier Brigade Draeger/ demining by German POW's Netherlands 1945-1947

[Warmerdam]

Hello, all.

Since 3 years I’m studying Pionier Brigade Draeger, a brigade of German POW’s that were forced to clear the Netherlands of ammunition and landmines between May 1945 and April 1947. As an Archaeologist I’ve excavated one of the POW-camps and the book on this camp (at Blerick, Netherlands) is published last week (Gefangenschaft bei den Kaaskoppen, titel on the back of a picture). Since the start of my research, I’ve managed to collect some original documents, like Soldbücher, Wehrpässe, Sterbebilder, pictures and Feldpost.

In this thread I will post some of the stuff I've already collected. Very interested if there are any collecters with similar docs. I’m still looking for more original items from this Brigade, so if you’ve got something, feel free to contact me. Curently writing a new book, so I will keep you posted with the material I find during the proces.

I will start with Soldbücher and Wehrpasse I’ve already collected.

The German Engeneer units under Draeger are:

o Fallschirm-Pionier-Bataillon 6
o Heeres-Pionier-Bataillon 758
o Pionier-Bataillon 526
o Pionier-Bataillon 346
o Fallschirm-Pionier-Bataillon 2

o Fallschirm-Pionier-Bataillon I/20
o Fallschirm-Pionier-Regiment 21
o Pionier-Bataillon 361
o Pionier-Bataillon 331
o Pionier-Bataillon Groh

[BlackCat1982]

Welcome Warmerdam, a very evocative collection. Please let us know when your book is published as I for one would like to read it.

[Chopperman]

Very interesting .
I look forward to seeing how this thread continues.

[Warmerdam]

Welcome Warmerdam, a very evocative collection. Please let us know when your book is published as I for one would like to read it.

Thanks BlackCat1982! It took me a long time to find all these documents and Soldbücher. I hope to add some more to the collection later this year. My first book on the camp at the Blerick Barracks is out sinds the 18th of May, but sadly only in Dutch. I'm planning to write a complete and hefty book on the whole history of the Brigade in English. Tiis book will also contain chapters on the soldiers and their stories, thanks to the Soldbücher and very helpfull familymembers. Hopefully there are more collecters on this forum with stuff from Draeger.

Gefangenschaft bei den ‘Kaaskoppen’ – Nick Warmerdam – FLYING PENCIL

[BlackCat1982]

This reminds me of the film "Land of Mine" based upon a similar unit of German PW who were tasked with clearing minefields from Denmark after the war.

[Warmerdam]

Hello everybody. In the last 2 years I've managed to collect quite a few new documents from German deminers in Holland after the war. Will show them later.

Is there anybody else with documents from these men?