Germany, Imperial. Two Reichsmarine Navy Pilot Military Id Booklets To Unter-Leutnant Martin Sorge (Ek2)

Measuring 85x140mm, near very fine condition with some scuffing and fraying, and some damage to the spines.

Footnote: Martin August Heinrich Wilhelm Sorge was born on November 10, 1891 in Uelzen (Lower Saxony). He was a pilot in the German Imperial Navy, specifically the I. Seeflieger-Abteilung (1st Naval Aviator Detachment) of the Baltic Sea. Sorge began his service in April of 1910. It ended after three years. During this time he was promoted once, on October 12, 1911, however it is unclear to which rank. In August of 1914 he either volunteered or was redrafted for the First War. In May of 1915 Sorge received another promotion, again the rank is unclear. Then entry possibly reads “Maschinen-Maat”. Sorge was a recipient of the Pilot’s Badge. During the war he also received the Iron Cross 2nd Class. On May 14, 1919 he was discharged once more, while at the same time being promoted to Flug-Ober-Maat. The next day Sorge joined the 4th Company of the 1st Battalion of the “Regiment of Jena”, presumably the volunteer detachment of future SS-Obergruppenführer Leo von Jena (1876–1957) in the Freikorps von Oven. Sorge and his unit fought in the Courland region to “protect Eastern Prussia from Bolshevism”. He was awarded the Baltic Cross, and on October 1, 1919 he was promoted to Vizewachtmeister. On November 17, 1919 Sorge was discharged on his own request, however he received another promotion on November 25 to Unter-Leutnant. This promotion comes with a stamp that reads “Korps Meisel, Armee Graf Keller, Fürst Awalow”. Pavel Bermondt-Avalov (1877–1947) was a Russian monarchist who also fought the Bolsheviks. Eventually his troops merged with the German Free Corps troops. (C:102)