In Trenches
Living History Articles
Frequently Asked Questions
What stamps do I need to fill out Soldbücher for people in my reenactment group?
Where to get wood stamp handles?
How can I get a WWII German typewriter for reenactment?
Realities of War: Historical Articles
Willy Spoerer: A story of one young soldier, 1944
Gefechtsturm VI, Hamburg-Wilhelmsburg
A flak tower in Hamburg and a Luftschutz Dienstbuch for a nurse who worked there.
Reenacting
"Kompanie Schreiber" - Reenacting the Papierkrieg
Every reenactment group should have a clerk to issue identity documents and other paperwork. This article is a guide for people interested in this unique specialty impression, it contains tips for how to get started and ideas for the practical application of this skill in a living history context.
Creating a Roster for a WWII German Reenactment Unit
A roster is one of the most basic fuctional things a clerk in a reenactment unit can create. I have compiled all the information needed for this, including printable PDFs.
WWII German Fountain and Dip Pen Nibs
Material Culture
Original WWII German Document Stamps
Scans and explanations of some of the most common types of document stamps used in the Third Reich.
WWII German Typewriters with the SS Runic Key
1935 Torpedo 6 Office Typewriter
Cleaning and restoration of an original German office machine.
Two more wartime typewriters
Photos of two typewriters from 1941, a Continental standard office machine and a Groma portable with the "SS" key.
Modern Equivalents to WWII Paper
Soldbuch Portrait Photos
Information about portrait photos used in the Soldbuch, with some original examples.
Heer Soldbuch of Obergefreiter Jakob Hahl, Werfer-Abteilung 11
Scans of a very well-filled-out original Heer Soldbuch.
Heer Soldbuch of Panzergrenadier Josef Gretschel, 9./Fuehrer-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 4
In contrast to the book above, this Soldbuch for a recruit has just a few basic entries.
Heer Soldbuch of Oberwachtmeister Hans Tack, 5./Art.-Rgt.29
A second-issue replacement Soldbuch.
Heer Soldbuch of Oberzahlmeister Johann Weinreich, Heeresstandortverwaltung
An ID for a paymaster in an administrative unit.
Heer Soldbuch of Oberschütze Willi Beese, Landesschützen-Bataillon 739
An ID for a 59-year-old retired official drafted in 1944 and assigned security duties.
Volkssturm Soldbuch of Volkssturmmann Otto Kobialka, 2/I. St. Batl. Treuburg
An ID for a man from East Prussia, born in 1888.
Heer Wehrpass of Gefreiter Hans Böschl
A service record of a clerk and rifleman in a Grenadier unit.
Heer Wehrpass of Schütze Gustav Reiprich
A service record of a guard, an ethnic German from Czechoslovakia.
Translated Reference Material
The Work Arrangement for the Hauptfeldwebel and his Clerks in the Schreibstube.
Original regulations, from "Hilfsbuch fuer den Hauptfeldwebel" 1942
Dienstsiegel (Service Seals), Dienststempel (Service Stamps), Briefstempel (Letter Stamps)
Original regulations for Wehrmacht document stamps, from H.Dv. 30 “Schrift- und Geschaeftsverkehr der Wehrmacht” 1939
Photo Galleries
Historical Recreation and Living History Photos
WWII Bunkers in Germany Luftschutz bunkers as well as wartime bunkers and fortifications for other purposes
WWII Cemeteries in Germany Cemeteries and mass graves for German soldiers and civilians
WWI and WWII War Memorials and Monuments in Germany
Last update: 10 August 2020
All photos and content Copyright 2020 Christopher W Pittman