Wehrpass:Fredo Böger
Fredo Böger (19 July 1913 – 8 February 1943) was a German reserve officer who served with infantry and Jäger formations during the Second World War. He participated in the campaign in France, occupation duties in Belgium and the invasion of the Soviet Union. After being wounded in August 1941, he underwent officer training and was promoted to Leutnant der Reserve in October 1942.
His final recorded unit was Jäger-Bataillon 11. Böger was killed in action at Nikolskoje in the Soviet Union on 8 February 1943, at the age of 29.
Personal information
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full name | Fredo Böger |
| Date of birth | 19 July 1913 |
| Place of birth | Jever |
| Administrative district | Oldenburg, Oldenburg |
| Nationality | German Reich |
| Religion | Protestant |
| Marital status | Unmarried |
| Civilian occupation | Kaufmann — merchant or commercial employee |
| Highest recorded rank | Leutnant der Reserve |
| Final recorded unit | Jäger-Bataillon 11 |
| Date of death | 8 February 1943 |
| Place of death | Nikolskoje, Soviet Union |
Bürger was the son of Heinrich Böger, who was also recorded as a Kaufmann, and Bertha Böger, a housewife. His school education is listed as Volksschule.
The surviving Wehrpass was issued by the Wehrmeldeamt Oldenburg on 7 April 1942. Because the document was issued after much of his service had already taken place, several earlier entries were entered retrospectively.
Initial military training
Böger was medically examined in 1935 and classified as fit for military service. He entered active service on 1 August 1935 with a company of Infanterie-Regiment 26 at Zweibrücken. He took the military oath on 6 August 1935.
His first period of active service ended on 15 October 1935. He was released with the rank of Schütze after completing his course and was described as healthy and fit for military service.
Mobilisation and unit assignments
Böger returned to military service shortly before the beginning of the Second World War. His Wehrpass records the following principal assignments:
| Period | Unit or assignment |
|---|---|
| 1 August – 15 October 1935 | Company of Infanterie-Regiment 26, Zweibrücken |
| 13 – 26 August 1939 | 1./Infanterie-Regiment 16, Oldenburg |
| 27 August 1939 – 24 September 1941 | 5./Infanterie-Regiment 154 |
| 25 September 1941 – 19 June 1942 | 2. Genesenden-Kompanie, Infanterie-Ersatz-Bataillon 16 |
| 20 June – 26 September 1942 | 10. Offizieranwärter-Lehrgang, Beverloo, 4. Inspektion |
| Late September – December 1942 | Replacement and Jäger training formations |
| 28 December 1942 – 8 February 1943 | Jäger-Bataillon 11 |
Some of the final dates and transitional unit entries are overwritten. The principal sequence, however, is clear: after recovering from his wounds, Bürger attended an officer-candidate course at Beverloo and subsequently served with the training staff for Jäger battalions and with Jäger-Bataillon 11.
Western campaign
Böger served with the 5th Company of Infanterie-Regiment 154 during the campaigns of 1939 and 1940. His Wehrpass records service on the Western Front from September 1939.
The campaign entries include:
- service on the Western Front from September 1939;
- duties in the German home-war area during early 1940;
- movement to the German western frontier;
- positional fighting between the Moselle and Saar;
- the breakthrough through the Maginot Line;
- operations connected with the bridgeheads around Sedan;
- fighting between the Ardennes and the Meuse;
- the advance in the direction of Verdun;
- fighting in the Toul area;
- the occupation of Lorraine between the Argonne and Moselle.
From July 1940 until January 1941, Böger performed occupation duties in Belgium. He was then employed in the German home-war area until June 1941.
Eastern Front and wounding
Böger took part in the campaign against the Soviet Union from 22 June 1941. His Wehrpass does not provide a detailed list of individual battles for this period, recording it simply as the Russland-Feldzug.
On 24 August 1941, while serving with 5./Infanterie-Regiment 154, Bürger suffered a:
- Weichteilverletzung rechte Hand u. rechter Oberarm
This may be translated as a soft-tissue injury to the right hand and right upper arm. The entry identifies Russia as the theatre of operations.
Following the wound, Böger was transferred to the 2nd convalescent company of Infanterie-Ersatz-Bataillon 16. He remained with this formation until June 1942.
Military training
The weapons-training page records Bürger as trained with:
These entries reflect his training as an infantryman and later non-commissioned officer.
Promotions
Böger advanced steadily through the enlisted and non-commissioned ranks before receiving a reserve commission.
| Effective date | Rank or appointment |
|---|---|
| 1 November 1939 | Gefreiter |
| 1 June 1941 | Unteroffizier |
| 1 September 1942 | Feldwebel |
| 7 September 1942 | Offizieranwärter |
| 1 October 1942 | Leutnant der Reserve |
The Feldwebel and officer-candidate entries were not written in chronological order in the Wehrpass, but both appear to carry dates from September 1942. His promotion to Leutnant der Reserve became effective on 1 October 1942.
Decorations
The following decorations are recorded:
| Decoration | Date | Authority or unit |
|---|---|---|
| Iron Cross, Second Class | 1 September 1940 | 58. Infanterie-Division |
| Wound Badge in Black | 13 September 1941 | Reserve hospital entry, apparently Wernigerode |
| Infantry Assault Badge | 1 November 1941 | Infanterie-Regiment 154 |
The Wound Badge was awarded shortly after the injuries Böger sustained in Russia on 24 August 1941. The precise hospital name is somewhat difficult to read, but appears to be Wernigerode.
Officer training and Jäger service
After his period of convalescence, Böger was selected for officer training. From 20 June to 26 September 1942 he attended the 10. Offizieranwärter-Lehrgang at Beverloo in occupied Belgium.
He was appointed Offizieranwärter and Feldwebel in September 1942 and commissioned as a Leutnant der Reserve with effect from 1 October 1942.
Subsequent stamps place him with an:
- Ausbildungsstab für Jägerbataillone
and finally with Jäger-Bataillon 11. The term Jäger referred to light-infantry formations. Bürger's formal rank remained Leutnant der Reserve; “Jäger-Leutnant” was not a separate official rank.
Death at Nikolskoje
The final entry on the wounds and illnesses page records:
- 8.2.43 gefallen — Nikolskoje / Russland
Böger was therefore killed in action at Nikolskoje on 8 February 1943. His unit history ends on the same date with Jäger-Bataillon 11, strongly indicating that he was serving with that battalion when he died.
The Wehrpass does not describe the circumstances of his death. Because several places in the former Soviet Union carried the name Nikolskoje, the precise location should not be identified without further unit or casualty documentation.
Historical significance of the Wehrpass
Fredo Böger's Wehrpass documents a military career that developed from short-term peacetime training into extended wartime service. It records his participation in the Western campaign, service in Belgium, deployment to the Soviet Union, combat wounds, decorations and eventual commissioning as a reserve officer.
The document also illustrates the effect that wounds and recovery could have on a soldier's career. After his injury in August 1941, Bürger spent almost nine months in a convalescent formation before being selected for officer training. Within a year of his commission, however, he was killed while serving with a Jäger battalion on the Eastern Front.
