Kurland Soldbuch - take 2

**Danmark** · 08-24-2020, 07:13 AM

HI all,
Seven years back I got a soldbuch belonging to an artillery observer who was in Kurland.

Kurland Soldbuch + award docs bonus!!!!

Why I grabbed it ( for the low price of $100 ) was that I spied some paper poking out of the rear folded cover and guessed ( rightly ) that they were important... as it was, they were the recipients, award certificates for the black & silver wound badges!!!

Several members helped me out as I started to decipher it and I had all good intentions of researching further ( which I did ) but then I realized I never posted that research - AND there was still some translating I couldn't do ( try as I might ) and so I moved onto other things......

SO, round two - who can help me finish it off? ...... please?

Here is what I believe I know so far .....

Johann Samm was an Artilleryman – first with the rank of Kanonier, then Oberkanonier, Gefreiter and finally OberGefreiter in late 1944.

He was with the Stellungs-Beobachtungs-Abteilung 48 ( Position Observation Department 48 ) used primarily to locate enemy artillery and to spot for ones own artillery. Advance warning units were located close behind the front, and sound measurement troops who were equipped with microphones and recording devices, as well as telephone and radio teams were ready to inform the batteries ...... this is all obsolete tech these days!!!)

'Position observation department 48' was set up on July 22, 1942 near Tschudowo in northern Russia ( south of Leningrad ) The department was created as an army troop from soldiers of 'Position sound measurement battery 643' and 'Observation replacement department 2'.

In October 1943 the department was renamed 'Observation Department 48 (tbew.)' At the end of the war, the division was in action with the L (50th) Army Corps in Kurland.

The corps was then enclosed in the Kurland Basin and deployed north of Mitau. At the turn of the year 1944/45, the corps fought in the Rubeni area to the northeast of Lake Lielauce. In March 1945 the corps was returned to the 18th Army. On May 8, 1945, the corps was captured in the Kurland kessel.

20yr old Johann had been wounded in early Feb 1944 and spent 10 days in hospital recovering. He was hit again in late November and had another spell in the Lazarette.

Finally in March 1945 as the division was being hammered by the Russians, he was again struck by bullets and shrapnel and received his SILVER wound badge!!

But in April he was evacuated back to Germany and the last entry is from the hospital in Güstrow in northern Germany - Ill maybe, but at least he was NOT caught up in the May surrender to suffer the fate of the rest of his division!

That's as I understand it - am I close?

**Espenlaub Militaria** · 08-24-2020 07:13 AM

We also buy and trade your items and full collections!

**Danmark** · 08-24-2020, 07:42 AM

Here are some of the photos...

An interesting thing is that the Soldbuch is NOT denazified.

Germans in the post war years often ONLY had this as a means of identification AND were allowed to use it IF the swastika was scratched out or blanked with ink.

Young Johann may not have survived after all?

**hucks216** · 08-24-2020, 09:49 AM

That about sums it up although plenty of Soldbücher survived without being de-nazified so there is nothing extra to read in to that. Plus at the bottom of page 19 is what looks to be a pay entry dated for June 1945 while he was held in an Allied PoW unit. Nice little buy for such a low price.
When it comes to German units it is best to use the German terms rather than translated ones, it makes life easier.

**Danmark** · 08-24-2020, 10:26 AM

by hucks216

That about sums it up although plenty of Soldbücher survived without being de-nazified so there is nothing extra to read in to that. Plus at the bottom of page 19 is what looks to be a pay entry dated for June 1945 while he was held in an Allied PoW unit. Nice little buy for such a low price.
When it comes to German units it is best to use the German terms rather than translated ones, it makes life easier.

Thanks Hucks ( as always ) I was hoping it would catch your knowledgeable eye!

Now that you point it out, I can't believe I missed the later date? - but I'm still no good on the German handwriting.
But by June if he was still in the hospital ( as there was no discharge date ) wouldn't Gustrow be overrun and in Russian occupation hands?
Or was it undetermined until Potsdam the next month?
Regards, Dan

**hucks216** · 08-24-2020, 10:32 AM

He wasn't in the hospital in June, he was in a Western Allied PoW unit so he had left the hospital before the Russians arrived without waiting for anyone to bother with completing his paperwork. He was paid 36RM so he was probably being put to good use by the Allies as I doubt the Russians would care about paying a German prisoner.

**Danmark** · 08-24-2020, 10:53 AM

I'm wondering how he would have fared as a POW?

According to info on pages 2 & 5 ( if I got that right ) he was Born 26/9/1924 in Vienna (Gau Wien ), Austria.
He was 176cm, single, blond, blue eyed and by 1945 only 20yrs old.
Not aligned to any particular religion, he was a perfect candidate for National socialism ( unless the Russian experience changed his thinking ) ......