Wehrpass - Panzer jager replacement division 43

[Danmark]

Hi all,
Can I solicit your collective help please? ...I found this Wehrpass in a box amongst other German papers I have, never shown before because it seemed not all that interesting ( to me )



Max Otto Kruger was born 28 January 1907 in Berlin.

He was a metal grinder / polisher and was conscripted into the German army on 18/4/1939, 5 months before the outbreak of war ( but during the continued annexation of Czechoslovakia )

He was classed K.V. ( fit for combat ) but his active service did not begin until 19/7/1943 when he was placed into Stammkompanie Pz.Jg Ers Abt 43 ( sworn in 21/8/1943 ). His Wehrpass shows NO RAD labour corps service during that time either? He was ultimately discharged on 4/9/1944 (at 37.5 yrs old )

Here is what I don't understand - What exactly did he do from April 1939 to July 1943? I see NO promotions, no awards ( pg 22/23 are blank ) & NO active front-line duty but he did have training in a P08 luger, a K98, grenades and MP40. Was this unit a training kompanie? Did he train other soldiers?

Also, I do not really understand why he was discharged? There are some notations on pages 24 & 26 but I find it hard to decipher them....


If I add the following page images, can some kind folk help me out?

[BlackCat1982]

Nice Wehrpaß, I located an example of an erkennungsmarke to the same unit online. My own interest is in the fact that this unit supplied replacements to some very familiar Tank Destroyer units, including Pz Jäger Abt 559 who saw action in the Netherlands during the autumn of 1944.

I’m sure Willmore might be able to tease out why he didn’t appear to do much between 1939-43. Perhaps his main occupation was deemed more important to the war effort?

[Willmore]

Hi Dan.

Interesting Wehrpaß and I suspect that his occupation might be the reason he wasn't very active in the military. Metal workers would have been in high demand to produce war materials, so given his age he would have had a lot of experience in the field.

Page 12 - All of the units listed are training units.

Stammkomoanie Panzerjäger Ersatz und Ausbildungs Abteilung 13 -

A Stammkompanie was a unit that trained the soldiers.

Panzerjäger-Ersatz- und Ausbildungs-Abteilung 13 -

Panzerjäger-Ersatz-Abteilungen - Lexikon der Wehrmacht

Heeresentlassungsstelle -

Army Discharge Office.

Does he have any entries on page 21? I say this because of his entry on page 12 - (1.8.42 - 11.7.44 4./(Sf) Kompanie Panzerjäger Ersatz und Ausbildungs Abteilung 13). Sf = selbstfahr and means self propelled, eg tank destroyer.

Page 24 should give the reason why he was discharged (Art der Entlassung), but I can't make it out unfortunately. Above this I do see the abbreviation DU, which I think means Dienstunfähigkeit/dienstunfähig (Disability/incapacity for service). He was ultimately released on the 4th of September 1944, with the rank of Schüzten to Berlin N65.

Page 26 was for addition notations. The orange Tdu means Tropendienstunfähig (unfit for service in tropical climates).

You sometimes see discharge entries on pages 47 and if this is the case, it could tell us more.


I did find this - Max Otto Krüger in the Berlin, Germany, Births, 1874-1908.



Name: Max Otto Krüger
Gender: männlich (Male)
Birth Date: 28 January 1907
Birth Place: Berlin, Berlin, Deutschland (Germany)
Civil Registration Office: Berlin Xiii A
Father: Otto Albert Krüger
Mother: Luise Mathilde Krüger
Certificate Number: 263

Kind regards,

Will.

[Danmark]

Thanks Will!
No entries on pg 21, in fact I photographed all there was for him.

The Scheibliste is a supplimentary sheet tucked into the front flap - maybe his skill with the P08 and handgranate allowed him to train others in those?

So, I guess that despite his skills, once a Schutze, always a Schutze? Sounds like some corporations today.....

[Willmore]

My pleasure.

The scheißlist is really interesting, but he wouldn't have been qualified to teach others how to shoot and say this because there would have been an entry/entries on page 21 showing he was qualified to do so. For people who were qualified to teach, you would should see training courses for Lehrgang als Schiesslehrer (course as shooting instructor) etc.

Ha ha ha, so true.

I just can't decipher what is written on page 24.

82/5b Bestimmungen für die Entlassung von Unteroffizieren und Mannschaften.(82/5b Provisions for the dismissal of non-commissioned officers and enlisted men). Then at the end of the hand written passage (Art der Entlassung), the last word looks like Werhruntauglich (unfit for military service).