A Wehrpaß To Obergefreiter Konrad Schäfer; Leningrad Kia

A Wehrpaß, measuring 105x148mm, near mint condition with minor creasing and scuffing of the cover. It is a Zweitschrift (second copy), because the original was destroyed by the enemy. The original Wehrpaß was issued in Hersfeld (central Germany) on July 13, 1938, while the second copy is dated to July 19, 1943.

Footnote:

Konrad Friedrich Schäfer was born on June 18, 1914 in Kleinensee near Hersfeld. The son of a train driver, he learned to be a brick layer himself. However, prior to the war Schäfer was employed as an agricultural worker. He was first mustered in August of 1936 and placed in reserve status. In October 1937, Schäfer joined the Reserve Battalion of Infantry Regiment 71 in Gotha (eastern Germany), and in January 1938, he was officially drafted and deployed to the 17th (Replacement Machine Gun) Company of Infantry Regiment 71. He married his wife Anna in February of 1939. In preparation for the war, Schäfer was placed in the 2nd Company of the newly formed Infantry Regiment 163 in August 1939. This regiment was supposed to be part of the second attacking wave. Schäfer was supposed to be used as a Berittführer, responsible for the packhorses of a unit, however it is unknown if he actually served as such. Schäfer’s unit took part in the attack on France, fighting between the rivers Moselle and Rhine, and in the Saar area in late 1939. On November 1, he received his first promotion to Gefreiter (Lance Corporal). By May of 1940, they were marching through Luxembourg and joined the fighting at the Maginot Line. There they saw a breakthrough at the Aisne front at Alsfeld la Ville in June 1940. Fighting continued at the Marne-Rhine canal, the battle for the plateau of Langres, and in Côte-d'Or. After half a year of almost continuous campaigning, the regiment was then ordered to secure the demarcation line for a whole year, between June of 1940 and June of 1941. During this time, Schäfer changed companies twice, being placed in the 9th Company in November and the 3rd Company in April. In June of 1941, the regiment was redeployed to the Eastern Front to take part in the attack on Russia. At the end of the month, Schäfer fought in the Battle of Białystok–Minsk. The First Battle of Smolensk followed in August and September. In October, Schäfer fought in the Battle of Vyazma and Bryansk where he was wounded on October 3. Due to a graze to the knee and a through-and-through wound on the right upper arm, he would later, on January 15, 1942, receive the Wound Badge in Black. On the day after being wounded, Schäfer was transferred to the Staff Company of Infantry Replacement Battalion 163, then to the 1st Company in December, and to the Convalescent Marching Company IX/27 in January 1942. He recovered and was back with the 1st Company of Infantry Regiment 163 in March. Fighting continued in the general deployment area of Army Group Central. In June and July, Schäfer’s opponents were mostly partisans. During this time, in July, he was redeployed to the 14th Anti-tank Company of what was now called Grenadier Regiment 163, which was still the same unit. Not much is known about Schäfer’s activities between this point and the Spring of 1944, except that he stayed at the Eastern Front. On September 10, 1942 he received the Infantry Assault Badge in Silver. On October 1, he was promoted to Obergefreiter (Senior Lance Corporal). The War Merit Cross 2nd Class with Swords followed on September 3, 1943. Schäfer’s final deployments came in October and December of 1943, first to the 14th Company of the Division Group of the 52nd Infantry Division, then the 2nd Company of Grenadier Regiment 332. Schäfer was killed during a defensive battle on March 3, 1944 near Volosovo, south of Leningrad. Two days later he was posthumously awarded the Iron Cross 2nd Class. (C:152)