Original German WWII Heer Wehrpaß Military ID of WWI Veteran Vizewachtmeister Richard Schmidt with Translation & Photo Original Items

Original Item: One-of-a-kind Set. This is a great German WWII Era Wehrpaß Identification Book, issued 28. 5. 37 and named to WWI Veteran Vizewachtmeister Richard Schmidt. It even still has his picture in the book. held in place by the correct hollow rivets. During the NSDAP period many new types of identification were required, both for civilians and military personnel, both as a method of control and to help protect vital parts of the German war machine. These books often recorded quite a bit about the owners life, much more than just their basic information. These Wehrpaß identification books were required beginning in 1935 with the beginning of conscription in NSDAP-ruled Germany, and all eligible males were required to get one.

Gurski was one such individual, and as part of the ID being issued, his service history in WWI was researched, and is listed inside the book. The front cover is also clearly marked heer on the bottom, indicating he was evaluated for service in the Army.

Of note: one of the persons filling out the book wrote using Kurrentschrift, an older form of Germanic script writing, which is why the all the “u” letters are written as “ŭ”. In this script the lowercase “n” and “u” are identical, so the latter gets the arc shaped mark over it. This is not indicative of an umlaut or other diacritical marking.

These documents make great translation projects, but in this case the Wehrpaß came with a translation and service summary, the highlights of which are as follows:

– Richard Otto Const Schmidt was born 16. März 1896 in Hamburg, and is listed as Protestant, with his profession listed as being a Teacher.

WWI Service:
– Richard Schmidt served during WWI, and at the time of his release from service on 24 December 1918, he was listed as a Vizewachtmeister (2nd Sergeant), an Imperial German Senior NCO rank in the Cavalry & Artillery equivalent to a Vizefeldwebel in the Infantry. He is listed as being with the 9th (Schleswig) Field Artillery “General Field Marshal Graf Waldersee” regiment.
– During his WWI Service he was awarded the Wound Badge 3rd Class in Black, the Hansealan War Cross, the Iron Cross 2nd Class 1914, and the Iron Cross 1st Class 1914.
– After the war he would have been awarded the Cross of Honor 1914-1918 (Hindenburg Cross) for combatants.

WWII Service:
– During the build up to WWII, Lang was drafted for military service 08 Mai 1937, and on 28 Mai 1937 assigned to the reserves of trained men, aged 35 to 45.
– On 05 Juli 1943, Schmidt was given a Medical Exam and declared fit for Labor Service only.
– On 14 August 1944, towards the end of the war, he was given another Medical Examination and declared fit for limited service in the field.

A really great document from the WWII Era, full of research potential!