Germany, Heer. A Wehrpaß Named To Erich Franz, Anti-Partisan Warfare

(Heer Wehrpaß). A rare and complete Wehrpaß to a soldier with extensive service in Greece and the Balkans, constructed of a field-grey paper stock binding and retaining all 52 paginated interior pages with handwritten and stamped entries, measuring 106 mm (w) x 150 mm (h), with age-appropriate material fatigue evident and the last interior page has partially detached, in overall near extremely fine condition.

Footnote: Erich Franz was born on 12 March 1912 near Coburg, Bavaria, to Lorenz and Erna Franz (the former an early First World War casualty). He was conscripted into Wehrmacht service on 21 October 1939. He began active service with Infanterie-Ersatz-Bataillon 319, remaining with the unit until 2 May 1941. Franz transferred to Infanterie-Regiment 733, and later to Infanterie-Regiment 746, seeing occupation duty in both mainland Greece and on the island of Crete. He remained on duty in Fortress Crete until 17 November 1942, when he finally transferred to Deutscher Eisenbahn-Sicherungs-Stab Kroatien (German Railway Security Staff in Croatia), as part of a larger transfer of Cretan occupation personnel to the Independent State of Croatia. The unit was tasked with protecting vital railway and transportation links from attacks by Yugoslav Partisans. Franz was highly decorated during his time on both Crete and in Croatia, winning the Iron Cross II Class on 28 May 1942, the Iron Cross I Class on 11 February 1943, the War Merit Cross II Class with Swords on 20 December 1944, and the War Merit Cross I Class with Swords on 1 January 1945. Notably, he was also a recipient of the Medal of the Crown of King Zvonimir, Iron Grade, which was awarded on 3 April 1944. As the final entry appears in the form of Franz’s service information on 4 May 1945, he presumably survived the war.