Luftwaffe Soldbuch – Luftwaffe-Infanterie-Bataillon 41 – Netherlands & Germany 1944-45

An original Second World War Luftwaffe Soldbuch belonging to Unteroffizier Hermann Meyer, complete with its original wartime portrait photograph and extensive service entries spanning from the early years of the war until Germany’s final months in 1945.

The Soldbuch was issued in 1940 and records Meyer’s military career within the Luftwaffe. During his service he advanced through the ranks from Gefreiter to Obergefreiter, eventually attaining the rank of Stabsgefreiter. The document contains numerous official unit stamps, equipment issue records, clothing inventories, vaccination records, leave entries, pay records and administrative annotations, providing an excellent insight into the military career of a Luftwaffe serviceman serving with Fliegerhorst-Kommandantur Reinschlen and Landesschützenzug 92/IV.

Particularly interesting is his final assignment to Luftwaffe-Infanterie-Bataillon 41 (Infanterie-Bataillon der Luftwaffe 41). This battalion was one of the emergency infantry formations created during the final phase of the war from surplus Luftwaffe personnel. Established in September 1944, the unit fought as ground infantry in the defence of Germany’s western frontier after serving in the Netherlands before being transferred to the Saar sector under Army Group G. As Germany’s military situation deteriorated, thousands of Luftwaffe personnel found themselves fighting as infantry rather than in their original air force roles.

The Soldbuch remains complete with its original attached portrait photograph and numerous wartime entries, making it an attractive and well-documented late-war Luftwaffe grouping.

Included

• Original Luftwaffe Soldbuch
• Original attached portrait photograph
• Numerous official wartime unit stamps
• Promotions through the ranks to Unteroffizier
• Extensive equipment, clothing, leave and pay entries
• Final service with Luftwaffe-Infanterie-Bataillon 41

Condition

Good original wartime condition with honest service wear throughout. The cover shows period use consistent with wartime service, while the interior remains complete and well preserved. The original photograph is firmly attached, and the entries and unit stamps remain clear and legible.

An original and historically interesting Luftwaffe Soldbuch documenting the career of a serviceman who finished the war serving with one of the late-war Luftwaffe infantry battalions, making it a desirable addition to any collection of German WWII militaria or original wartime documents.