Germany, Ss. A Rare Kommandobuch To Nskk-Truppführer Of Vomi Sonderkommando “Russland”

The Kommandobuch (commando booklet) serves as an ID card to NSKK-Truppführer Heinrich Zabinski. His photo shows him wearing his NSKK uniform, which the collar tab showing him as part of Motorsturm 24/Motorstandarte 31. The booklet is dated to October 9, 1941 and signed in blue ink by an NSKK-Hauptsturmführer named Henning. Zabinski’s number is given as 147a. (Depending on the source, 300 to 500 NSKK men are said to have worked for the VoMi). A stamp and note on page 15 state a unit with Feldpost number 10528: Hauptamt (Main Office) Volksdeutsche Mittelstelle, Berlin, Sonderkommando “Russland” (Special Command “Russia”). The entry is dated to May 1, 1944 and signed by an SS-Untersturmführer, the name is illegible. Pages 19 and 20 of the Kommandobuch have been officially removed, signed by an SS-Oberscharführer called Behrenz. A Dienstausweis (service ID) for the Hauptamt Volksdeutsche Mittelstelle in orange has been stapled to the inside of the back cover, dated to January 20, 1943. It states that Zabinski worked as a driver. Measuring 102x144mm, near very fine condition with scuffing and creasing of the cover and period repair of the spine.

Footnote:

Heinrich Zabinski was born on July 8, 1875 in Arnau. He received his promotion to Truppführer (Sergeant equivalent) on April 20, 1943.

The Volksdeutsche Mittelstelle (Coordination Centre for Ethnic Germans) took care of the interests of ethnic Germans living outside of the Reich. Being responsible for the occupied eastern territories, it was involved in the Holocaust. The Sonderkommando “Russland” was involved in ethnic cleansings of Jews near the Romanian border. Many of the Kommandobücher of members of the Sonderkommando R have had pages 19 and 20 removed, which seem to have covered the early period of missions of this special unit. Pages 21 to 23 continue with information on special day missions for which the participants received “Kommandogeld”, a sort of extra payment. With the official removal of the pages, speculations about the nature of these missions tend to go towards them being too controversial to remain in official records.