Germany, SS. A Wehrpaß to SS-Rottenführer Arthur Liedtke, Sachsenhausen and Buchenwald Guard

(SS-Totenkopfverbände Wehrpaß). A rare Wehrpaß to an SS-Totenkopfverbände soldier on guard duty at Sachsenhausen and Buchenwald, constructed of a field-grey card stock binding, the interior with 54 paginated pages full of handwritten entries, retaining a black-and-white studio portrait of Liedtke fixed in place with original magnetic metal rivets and certified with regulation double stamps, measuring 105 mm (w) x 148 mm (h), with evidence of slight moisture damage which has oxidized the photo rivets and caused slight running of the ink inscriptions (with all remaining fully legible) and the separation of fold-out page 54, a rare Wehrpaß in very fine condition.

Footnote: Arthur Liedtke was born on 16 December 1910 to parents Arthur and Lina. He married Annemarie and was a resident of Frankfurt-am-Main when registering for military service on 26 September 1938. He entered active service with 8. SS-Totenkopf-Standarte (Krakau) on 15 November 1939. From 29 January 1940 until 10 January 1944, Liedtke served with various companies of the SS-Totenkopf-Wachbataillon at Sachsenhausen concentration camp, and from 11 January 1944 until 30 September 1944 at Buchenwald concentration camp. He was appointed to the rank of SS-Rottenführer on 1 July 1940. Liedtke was also trained in the use of the Gewehr 98, Luger P08, machine pistol (presumably MP 40), and handgrenades. Notably, page 26 bears stamped and handwritten entries dated 25 September and 15 December 1943, respectively, stipulating that Liedtke cannot be deployed to the Eastern Front in the event of transfer to a combat role owing to counter-espionage regulations. The latter entry is certified by the handwritten signature of SS-Sturmbannführer (later SS-Obersturmbannführer) Gustav Wegner, commander of the camp guard personnel.