Item Description
Original Items: One of a Kind Set. Here we have a magnificent German WWII Luftwaffe Document and Photo Collection, most of it directly related to Unteroffizier Gerhard Wuttke, who was a Gunner on Heinkel He 111H Medium bombers during the war. It includes his Luftwaffe Soldbuch, as well as his Luftwaffe Flugbuch flying records.
There are also award documents for the Iron Cross 2nd Class, Iron Cross First Class, Front Flying Clasp for Bombers Bronze Grade, Front Flying Clasp for Bombers Silver Grade, and the Air Gunner's Badge. Wuttke was a veteran soldier who flew on over 60 missions and was well decorated. Included with the documents are two identical photos of Wuttke in his flight helmet and gear, as well as a picture of what we assume is his wife.
We had these documents examined by a military research and translation expert, which is included with the documents. A basic overview is as follows:
Name: Unteroffizier Gerhard Wuttke
- Born June 14, 1921; from the Görlitz area
- Enlisted in the Luftwaffe, August 1940
- Served as an aerial gunner on a Heinkel He-111H Medium Bombers on the Eastern Front
Promotions
- Gefreiter (Corporal) – July 1, 1941
- Unteroffizier Anwärter (NCO Candidate) – December 1, 1942
- Unteroffizier (Sergeant) – August 1, 1942 Awards
Award Documents included (date order)
- Fliegerschützenabzeichen (Air Gunner Badge) – awarded June 4, 1942
- Frontflug-Spange für Kampfflieger in Bronze (Bomber Clasp in Bronze) – awarded October 11, 1943
- Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse (Iron Cross 2nd Class) – awarded October 18, 1943
- Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse (Iron Cross 1st Class) – awarded January 2, 1944
- Frontflug-Spange für Kampfflieger in Silber (Bomber Clasp in Silver) – awarded April 7, 1944
Wuttke's Flugbuch (Flight Log) begins on September 26, 1943 and ends on May 19, 1944
- Includes 128 logged flights, 78 are “Feindflug” combat missions
- Bomber missions flown from Belarus: Ulla, Pukhavichy, Bobruisk, and Bialystok
- On October 8, 1943, Wuttke records that his aircraft was responsible for shooting down a single Russian fighter
- Targets include Russian troop installations, vehicle convoys, and trains
- By May 19, 1944, Wuttke logs a total flight time of 166 hours and 24 minutes, as well as 50,495 kilometers.
In addition to the items related directly to Wuttke are some additional documents that are definitely of further interest. These include:
- What looks to be an original mimeograph copy of a Wehrmacht Weapons manual, related to the use of the MG 34 Machine gun.
- Some unused Feldpost address labels, which still look to have unused adhesive on the edges.
- Three Lufwaffe documents dated April and May 1944, which look to be transfer and rosters from Fallschirmjäger Paratrooper units.
All of this is contained in a lovely 11 1/2" x 10" binder, which is what the grouping will be shipped in. We very rarely get such great document groupings as this, full of potential for further research and translation. Ready to add to your collection!
Of note: some of the writing in this book is in Kurrentschrift, an older form of Germanic script writing, which is why the all the "u" letters are written as "ŭ". In this script the lowercase "n" and "u" are identical, so the latter gets the arc shaped mark over it. This is not indicative of an umlaut or other diacritical marking.
More on the German Soldbuch:
The Soldbuch served the soldier as a personal identification document in wartime and as an authorization to receive pay from his own or outside pay-stations. In addition, it was identification for rail travel, detached service, leave, and for receiving mail. The Soldbuch was always carried by the soldier on his person in a tunic pocket. Leaving the book in one's baggage or in one's quarters was not permitted. The careful preservation of the book was in the best interest of the owner. The Soldbuch had to be kept in an orderly fashion. The owner must see to it, that all changes in pay due to transfer or promotion are immediately entered by his responsible duty station. The Soldbuch was an official document. Entries were only to be made by a Wehrmacht duty station. Making unauthorized changes is punishable as falsification of official documents. The loss of a Soldbuch was to be reported as soon the loss is discovered to the holders unit or duty station, and the issue of a new Soldbuch will be requested.
- This product is available for international shipping. Shipping not available to: Australia, France, or Germany
- Due to legal restrictions this item cannot be shipped to Australia, France or Germany. This is not a comprehensive list and other countries may be added in the future.
- Not eligible for payment with Paypal or Amazon
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