Germany, Ss. A Pair Of Documents To Ss-Unterscharführer Michael Köhl, 13Th Ss Division Handschar, Kia

(Waffen-SS Ausweispapiere). A pair of documents to SS-Unterscharführer Michael Köhl, including a Wehrpaß, constructed of a field-grey card stock binding, the interior with 52 pages, featuring a black-and-white photograph of the bearer, measuring 106 mm (w) x 147 mm (h), in extremely fine condition, and; a SS-issued death certificate, constructed of off-white paper with black ink, issued on 22 February 1945, measuring 208 mm (w) x 296 mm (h), some yellowing and material fatigue evident, in overall very fine condition.

Footnote: Michael Köhl was born on 14 January 1914 to a Catholic, ethnic German family in the town of Inđija (now Serbia) in the Vojvodina region. His parents are listed as Josef K. Bauer and Elisabeth K. Rilli, indicating that Köhl was likely adopted. Prior to enlisting in the SS, Köhl married a woman named Katharina. He entered Waffen-SS service on 7 December 1942, being posted to the 2nd Ersatz SS-Division “Deutschland”, later transferring to the 2nd SS Panzer Division “Das Reich”. On 1 June 1943, Köhl made a final transfer to the 13th Waffen Mountain Division of the SS “Handschar”, and was promoted to Unterscharführer on 1 November of that year. He was engaged in anti-Partisan operations from 19 February 1944 until his death. Köhl was eventually killed in action during combat with Yugoslav Partisans on 13 November 1944 in Vörösmart, Hungary (now Zmajevac, Croatia).