Germany, Heer. A Soldbuch And Photographs, 47Th Artillery Regiment

(Heer Soldbuch und Photos). A Soldbuch named to Oberfeldwebel Fritz Schäfer, dated 27 August 1939, measuring 104 mm (w) x 144 mm (h), material fatigue evident, in near very fine condition; accompanied by photographs, including a wedding photo, unmarked and undated, measuring 138 mm (w) x 90 mm (h), with an enlarged copy measuring 145 mm (w) x 105 mm (h), in very fine condition; a field photograph of Schafer with a range finder, undated, measuring 68 mm (w) x 98 mm (h), with an enlarged copy measuring 102 mm (w) x 145 mm (h), in near extremely fine condition, and; a group photo of Heer personnel, undated, with a reverse inscription, measuring 146 mm (w) x 102 mm (h), in near extremely fine condition.

Footnote: Fritz Schäfer was born 25 November 1910 in Philippsthal. He was initially attached to the 47th Artillery Regiment, part of the 11th Infantry Division, where he took part in the Invasion of Poland. He was later transferred to the 291st Artillery Regiment, attached to the 291st Infantry Division, where he saw action in the Netherlands and France. The division was shifted east for Operation Barbarossa, where it was amalgamated into Army Group North. After participating in the Siege of Leningrad, it transitioned into a defensive role as the Red Army pushed westward. The division was removed from the Eastern Front and sent west, where it returned to garrison duty in France. It continued to defend holdout pockets along the Atlantic Coast until the spring of 1945. Schäfer was wounded several times, including a shrapnel injury in June 1940 which saw hm hospitalized until July 1941, a further shrapnel injury in December 1942 which resulted in further hospitalization until March 1943, and a third shrapnel injury in Normandy in June 1944. He was decorated seven times, being awarded the Iron Cross II Class (23 June 1940), the Iron Cross I Class (May 1941), the Wound Badge in Black (19 August 1941), the Eastern Front Medal (8 August 1942), the Infantry Assault Badge (23 April 1943), and the Wound Badge in Silver (28 September 1944). Interestingly, in the group photograph, Schäfer can be seen wearing the Wehrmacht 4-Year Long Service Medal, but there is no entry for this award in his Soldbuch.