Heer Wehrpas
I picked up this rather interesting Army Wehrpas today it has a accompanying document dated July 7, 1939. The Wehrpas has rather many enteries, and was wondering if anyone could give it a go on its translation to English. The writing style can be difficult at times for me to read
I've been practicing reading these documents. I'll translate what I can, and leave the rest to the experts.
His name was Franz Strasser. Born on the 22nd March 1905. An evangelist. Both his mother and father were alive at the time the document was issued. It was issued to him in Leibnitz – Austria, then part of the Reich – on the 2nd November 1939.
I'm afraid I still find the unit information pages very difficult to read, but it appears that he was in various infantry regiments. 'Heimat Kraftfahr' as well, which indicates something related to automobiles. An army driver, maybe?
Apologies that I cannot be of much more use.
Regards, B.B.
I appreciate the information you were able to decipher Brodie! Thanks again ��
From what I can gather looks like this fellow was stationed in Austria and a Landwehr l fellow born 22 March 1907
I'd figure he was called up in 1939 Nov 2I'm surprised he was a Landwehr fellow for he was only in his early 30s , and it appears his enteries in his Wehrpas went up to 1944 July as a possible discharge?
Nothing unusual there: The Landwehr I consisted of trained reservists aged 35 to 45, which applied to your man.by humble collector
He was born in March 1905 and was thus (obviously) too young to have served in WWI. He turned adult at a time during the post-WWI/pre-Third Reich years when there was no conscription and he was already well above the regular call-up age (20) for compulsory peacetime military service after conscription was re-instituted.
Prior to being fully mobilized in the war years, such men were only called up for abbreviated military training/exercises, which in his case took place from 3 November 1939 to 23 December 1939 and from 5 January 1940 to 3 May 1940. When he temporarily returned to civilian life after the latter, he was already 35 years of age and thus placed in the Landwehr I.
After that, he was again on active service from 13 June 1940 to 19 June 1941, mostly serving on occupation duty in France. Discharged once more on 19 June 1941, he was apparently never mobilized again. (The last entry is of June 1944, when he was still a reservist.)
The reason for this was that he was granted an U.K.-Stellung, meaning he was doing essential work for the war effort and was thus officially exempt from mobilization.
Thank you for the clarification on his status Andreas. I was rather curious why he was a reservist for his stint. He had a occupation that was vital to the war effort thus exempting him from active service. The Americans had such exemptions also for men with particular useful skills towards the war effort. I had a family member who had that luxury during WW2. The other family members were not so lucky
The writing is very difficult for me to decipher. I'm only getting bits and pieces. It appears he had one award, but I'm unable to read it. I find it interesting that some of the stamping is registered upside down
I don't think he received an award. What I do see on page 22 is that he was promoted to Oberschütze.
Regards, Rik
I can see it now Rik. It does say Oberschtzen as promoted looks like New Year's Day 1941. Quick promotion considering how little service he rendered
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