Militaria Plaza

Wehrmacht (Heer) Wehrpaß. When individuals received their registration notice they were to report to the appropriate recruitment center where they would be issued a 'Wehrpaß', until they were inducted into active duty. From the autumn of 1939, when an individual was inducted into active military service the Wehrpaß was exchanged at the recruitment office for the 'Soldbuch' (Pay Book), which remained in the recipients possession as his official military identification document. The recruitment office would retain the Wehrpass and chronicle the individuals active service record in it. The pass is complete with portrait-photo.

The Wehrpaß belonged to Kanonier 'Karl-Heinz Pophanken', after his compulsory RAD (Reichsarbeitsdienst) service he came into active military service on 23 May 1944 within the '3./Werfer Ausb.Abt. 2 Bremen' (Nebelwerfer-Ausbildungs-Abteilung 2 Bremen). From 22 September 1944 he served within the 'Werfer-Ersatz-Abteilung 2'. He was trained to use the following weapons: hand grenade, Gewehr 98k and the Nebelwerfer 41 (15 and 21 cms). He was killed in action on 12 October 1944 near Weversloo in the Battle of Overloon. The Battle of Overloon was a battle fought in the Second World War battle between Allied forces and the German Army which took place in and around the village of Overloon in the south-east of the Netherlands between 30 September and 18 October 1944. Karl-Heinz is buried on the war cemetery in Ysselsteyn. Interesting original Wehrpaß!