Soldbuch's contain a wealth of information about the individual soldiers that served in the German Wehrmacht and SS. This Soldbuch is an everyday item for a soldier that served in the Luftwaffe Flak/Artilierie service. One can learn much detail about a soldiers military career by analyzing their Soldbuch.
Each soldier has his own story of there time with the military. This is the story of Unteroffizier Erich Lachenwitz:
Born 21 July 1919 in Dusseldorf to a Catholic family, he was 176 Cm tall with black hair and gray eyes.
He entered service on 6 Nov 1939 at the rank of Kanonier. He was assigned to Flak Ersatz Abtielung 29 at Frankfurt am Main and arrived on station on 16 December 1939 and graduated Grund Ausbildung on 1 April 1940.
He arrived at his first duty station with the 3rd Reserve Flak Abtielung 322 at Berlin on 1 May 1940. Promoted to the rank of Gefrieter on 1 Dec 1940. From there he served with his Berlin unit until 7 April 1941 when he allowed Urlaub prior to his next assignment.
On 7 May 1941 he arrived at his next duty station with the 4th Reserve Flak Abtielung 496 at Idar-Oberstein. On 1 Nove 1941 he was promoted to Obergefrieter on 1 Nov 1941. He continued to servue with the 496th until 21 March 1942.
On 22 March 1942 he was reassigned to the 1st Leichte Flak Abtielung 997 in Paris. There he was promoted to Unteroffizier on 1 Jun 1943. His unit was decimated at Amiens during the retreat through France.
On 30 Oct 1944 he was briefly reassigned to the 3/831 Leicht Flak Abtielung at Mitterhein.
On 28 Nov 1944 he was reassigned to 6/Gem Flak Abtielung 591(v) at Rotterdam.
Unteroffizier Erich Lachenwitz trained on 20 cm and 37 Cm light flak guns. He was issued a K98 #5189 on October 30 1944 at the 3/831 Leicht Flak Abtailung and a Steyer 7..65mm on 1 Nov 1944. (Most likely due to the need for more infantry soldiers sourced from the Luftwaffe)
Lachenwitz, like many Luftwaffe personnel, was probably pressed into service as infantry (or in his case his unit being light flak), in support of infrantry. He sent to Field medical unit SankKp361 on April 9, 1945, fro there he was sent to Kriegslzarratt 4/686 in Apeldoor Holland on 12 Apr 1945, with grenade splinters to his right side.
Unteroffizer Erich Lachanwitz died on 20 Apr 1945 at 3:15 pm.
During his service to the Reich he was awarded the Flak Badge, Wound Bade, and the Iron Cross Second Class.
The eagle is origianly applied to the uniform. (Most Ground Smocks have re-applied eagles).
Standard Luftwaffe blue wool trousers.
Luftwaffe M43 single button with original eagle and cockade.
