{"product_id":"original-wwii-german-luftwaffe-soldbuch-identity-payment-book-for-flak-officer-hauptmann-ernst-beiker-luftgaukommande-xi","title":"Original WWII German Luftwaffe Soldbuch Identity \u0026 Payment Book for Flak Officer Hauptmann Ernst Beiker - Luftgaukommande XI","description":"\u003cp\u003eOriginal Item: One-of-a-kind. This is a fantastic genuine WWII German Soldbuch, issued to \u003cstrong\u003eOberleutnan\u003c\/strong\u003et and later \u003cstrong\u003eHauptmann Ernst Beiker\u003c\/strong\u003e, a Flak Officer in the Luftwaffe during World War II, eventually assigned to \u003cstrong\u003eLuftgaukommande XI\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOn the interior cover is a photograph of Ernst, double stamped and attached with the correct period staples. His \u003cem\u003eKragenspiegel\u003c\/em\u003e (collar tab) insignia for Hauptmann are visible, with three \"gull wing\" insignia over an oak leaf. The book shows he was promoted to Hauptmann on \u003cstrong\u003eMay 1st, 1942\u003c\/strong\u003e, and date stamps shows he used this Soldbuch from the \u003cstrong\u003e3rd Quarter of 1940\u003c\/strong\u003e up until the \u003cstrong\u003e3rd Quarter of 1944\u003c\/strong\u003e. He was born on \u003cstrong\u003eMay 12th, 1894\u003c\/strong\u003e. All pages of the Soldbuch are intact and many legible stamps can be read, like \u003cstrong\u003eLuftgaukommande XI\u003c\/strong\u003e, the unit of the Luftwaffe he was in. The first date in the stamp section as the end is \u003cstrong\u003eNovember 13th, 1939\u003c\/strong\u003e, and in his service history he lists service during World War I dated \u003cstrong\u003eMay 10th, 1917\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Soldbuch is in fantastic shape overall and provides for a great deal of research into the officer’s service during World War II. Comes ready for further research and display. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOf note:\u003c\/strong\u003e the persons filling out the book and the service record 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMore on the German Soldbuch:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe Soldbuch served the soldier as a personal identification document in wartime and as an authorization to receive pay from his own or outside pay-stations. In addition, it was identification for rail travel, detached service, leave, and for receiving mail. The Soldbuch was always carried by the soldier on his person in a tunic pocket. Leaving the book in one's baggage or in one's quarters was not permitted. The careful preservation of the book was in the best interest of the owner. The Soldbuch had to be kept in an orderly fashion. The owner must see to it, that all changes in pay due to transfer or promotion are immediately entered by his responsible duty station. The Soldbuch was an official document. Entries were only to be made by a Wehrmacht duty station. Making unauthorized changes is punishable as falsification of official documents. The loss of a Soldbuch was to be reported as soon the loss is discovered to the holders unit or duty station, and the issue of a new Soldbuch will be requested.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Original Items","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":41784701517893,"sku":"ONJR24READ102","price":495.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1524\/1342\/files\/ONJR24READ102__MAIN.jpg?v=1728182412","url":"https:\/\/www.ima-usa.com\/products\/original-wwii-german-luftwaffe-soldbuch-identity-payment-book-for-flak-officer-hauptmann-ernst-beiker-luftgaukommande-xi","provider":"International Military Antiques","version":"1.0","type":"link"}