Original German Pre-WWII Private Purchase Officer’s Brown Leather Map Case with Wehrmacht Issue Compass, and More Original Items

Original Item: One of a Kind. This is a “time capsule”, so to speak. This German Map Case was recently uncovered from an old collection just the way it was received decades ago from a WWII Veteran! This is really a quite interesting map case set from WWII! As best we can tell the set is contained in a brown pebble grain leather “private purchase” German map case, which was definitely not made in the standard M35 Military pattern. The Map Case is complete with original matching leather chinstrap and writing instrument “board”. In addition it contains a Wehrmacht Issue Bakelite Marching Compass.

The Map Case contains a separate oilcloth covered piece of wood or heavy cardstock, which has multiple leather pouches on it, which are filled with various colored pencils, a small metal ruler, and an eraser. The case also unfolds to show two map compartments, with a felt separator between them, which would keep the markings from colored pencils sticking to the other side. There is also the original shoulder strap with studs inside, along with a German range finding compass and another ruler.

However, also inside is a 1941 dated ARMY OFFICER’S NOTEBOOK, with the Federal Eagle and U. S. A. below it, for the U.S. Army. Inside it is named to A. H. KRATZKE / MAJOR, C OF MP., and the writing inside is definitely in English. We also noted that the wooden ruler is marked A.H.KRATZKE along with what looks to be Army Serial Number O-147463, and was MADE IN ENGLAND. The pencils are all U.S. manufacture except for two, which were made in Germany. It also has a pencil sharpener inside, with a 1940s vintage “Goofy” sticker on it. The case measures approximately 10 1/4″H by 7 1/2″W by 2″, and is in very good condition.

Looking at the contents, it looks to have been captured and then used by an American GI during the war, based on some of the American contents. The Map Case and contents are being offered exactly as they were found “out of the woodwork”. The set clearly has a very interesting history, more than worthy of further research!