Germany, SS. A Waffen-SS Soldbuch to SS-Rottenführer Gerhard Kösters, Decorated LSSAH Soldier

(Waffen-SS Soldbuch). Constructed of a grey card stock binding with 32 paginated interior pages filled with handwritten and stamped entries, named to “GERHARD KÖSTERS”, a Waffen-SS soldier who primarily served with the Leibstandarte SS AH and saw extensive combat during the Second World War, receiving in numerous decorations, measuring 10 cm (w) x 13.5 cm (h), demonstrating extensive material fatigue which includes deterioration of the pages, the loss of the binding resulting in all pages sitting loose, and the loss of the bearer’s photo, a superb example of a Waffen-SS Soldbuch carried on the soldier’s person in the field, in fair condition.

Footnote: Gerhard Kösters was born on 14 October 1920 in Nova Topola (now Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina; part of the Independent State of Croatia during the Second World War) to ethnic German and Catholic parents Leonhard and Anna (née Böckmann). He entered Waffen-SS service in 1941, initially serving with an SS-Totenkopf Infanterie Ersatz Bataillon, before transferring to the Leibstandarte SS AH (LSSAH) where he would serve, initially supply and transport units before being assigned to Panzergrenadier troops, from 1941 until 1945. Kösters was promoted to SS-Sturmmann (20 April 1943) and SS-Rottenführer (9 November 1943), and was trained on and equipped with the Karabiner 98k rifle. He was the recipient of numerous awards, including the Black Grade Wound Badge (13 July 1942), Eastern Front Medal (7 September 1942), Driver Proficiency Badge in Silver (20 April 1944), Panzer Assault Badge in Bronze (6 June 1944), and 1939 Iron Cross II Class (20 April 1945). His military service included numerous stunts in Wehrmacht hospitals, and he appears to have survived the war.