Understanding the Soldbuch

The Soldbuch was the German military pay book and personal identification document carried by members of the armed forces during the Second World War. Its cover commonly described it as a:

Soldbuch, zugleich Personalausweis

This means that it served both as a pay book and as a military identity document.

A Soldbuch was intended for everyday administrative use. It could contain the holder's photograph, personal details, rank, unit, pay information, issued weapons and equipment, clothing, vaccinations, hospital treatment, leave and decorations.

Unlike the Wehrpass, which was normally retained by the military administration, the Soldbuch was usually carried by the serviceman. It was shown to military offices, hospitals, paymasters, leave authorities and other administrative personnel.

Because it accompanied the holder during his service, a surviving Soldbuch can provide detailed evidence of his movements and military career. At the same time, its entries must be interpreted carefully. Unit stamps may represent administrative responsibility rather than permanent assignment, dates may be incomplete, and many entries are heavily abbreviated.

Purpose of the Soldbuch

The Soldbuch had several related functions. It served as:

a military identity document;
a record of rank and unit;
a pay and allowance book;
a record of issued clothing and equipment;
a record of weapons and identity-disc information;
a medical and vaccination record;
a record of leave and official travel;
a record of decorations and special qualifications.

The document was not intended to be a complete biography. Its contents were determined by practical military administration.

Some Soldbücher are densely filled with stamps and handwritten entries, while others contain only limited information. The amount of detail depends on the holder's length and type of service, the units through which he passed and the diligence of the clerks responsible for updating the booklet.

Soldbuch and Wehrpass

The Soldbuch and Wehrpass were separate documents with different purposes.

Soldbuch	Wehrpass
Carried by the serviceman	Normally retained by the military administration
Pay book and identity document	General military service record
Used frequently during active service	Updated through official military channels
Often records pay, equipment, hospitals and leave	Often records training, units, campaigns and promotions
Can contain immediate wartime entries	Can contain retrospective summaries

The documents often complement one another.

For example, a Wehrpass may show the broader sequence of units and campaigns, while the Soldbuch may record:

the exact unit administering the serviceman at a particular moment;
hospital admission and discharge;
leave;
issued weapons;
changes in rank and pay;
clothing or equipment entries;
temporary attachments.

Physical appearance

The Soldbuch was a small booklet designed to be carried in a pocket. Army examples often have a grey-green or field-grey cover.

The front cover generally bears the title:

Soldbuch

and underneath:

zugleich Personalausweis

A number or administrative reference may also be written on the cover.

Soldbücher commonly show signs of heavy use, including:

worn or frayed covers;
folded corners;
stains;
loose pages;
repairs;
inserted documents;
overwritten entries;
numerous unit and hospital stamps.

This wear is not unusual. The booklet was handled regularly and often remained with the serviceman for years.

Different editions and service branches

Not all Soldbücher are identical.

Differences may result from:

date of printing;
military branch;
later wartime changes;
replacement or duplicate issue;
locally added pages;
inserted forms;
administrative alterations.

Soldbücher were used by several organisations, including:

the Heer;
the Luftwaffe;
the Kriegsmarine;
the Waffen-SS;
police and other wartime organisations in adapted forms.

This article concentrates primarily on Heer Soldbücher. Page numbers and printed headings should always be checked against the individual booklet.

The cover

The cover may contain:

the Soldbuch number;
the holder's name;
a replacement-unit notation;
a field-post or administrative number;
handwritten filing references;
later corrections.

The cover number is not automatically the same as the holder's military registration number or identity-disc number.

Researchers should record the cover exactly as it appears before attempting to interpret the numbers.

Personal identity pages

The first pages normally establish the identity of the holder.

Typical entries include:

German term	Meaning
Name	Name
Vor- und Zuname	Given name and surname
Geburtstag	Date of birth
Geburtsort	Place of birth
Größe	Height
Gestalt	Build
Gesichtsform	Shape of face
Haar	Hair
Augen	Eyes
Besondere Kennzeichen	Distinguishing marks
Blutgruppe	Blood group
Erkennungsmarke	Identity disc

Descriptions of physical appearance may have been entered when the Soldbuch was first issued. These entries helped establish the holder's identity before photographs became standard or in cases where a photograph was missing.

Photograph and signature

Many Soldbücher contain a portrait photograph of the holder. The photograph was normally attached with staples, rivets or eyelets and stamped so that an official seal crossed both the photograph and the page.

The holder's signature may appear below or near the photograph.

The photograph and signature should be examined carefully because they can help confirm:

the correct spelling of the name;
the holder's identity;
whether the photograph has been replaced;
whether the booklet was reissued;
whether the photograph was added at a later date.

The position and type of photograph can differ between editions.

An unstamped photograph, a broken seal or mismatched mounting holes do not automatically prove alteration, but should be documented.

Soldbuch number and issuing authority

The booklet normally records the unit or authority that issued it.

This may include:

date of issue;
issuing unit;
signature of the responsible officer;
official unit stamp;
Soldbuch number;
replacement-unit details.

The issuing formation was often the unit responsible for the holder's administration at that time. It was not necessarily the unit in which he later served in combat.

Military registration and identity disc

Important identifying numbers may include:

Term	Meaning
Wehrnummer	Military registration number
Erkennungsmarke	Identity disc
Erkennungsmarkennummer	Identity-disc number
Stammrollennummer	Personnel-roll number
Feldpostnummer	Military postal number

The identity-disc inscription is especially useful. It often refers to the unit that originally issued the disc, usually a replacement or training formation.

An entry such as:

-1234- 2./Inf.Ers.Btl. 16

may indicate an identity-disc number linked to the 2nd Company of Infantry Replacement Battalion 16.

This does not necessarily mean that the soldier remained with that unit throughout his service.

Rank and pay group

The Soldbuch records the holder's rank and the pay group associated with it.

Common rank abbreviations include:

Abbreviation	Rank
Schtz.	Schütze
Gren.	Grenadier
Gefr.	Gefreiter
Ob.Gefr.	Obergefreiter
Uffz.	Unteroffizier
Fw.	Feldwebel
Ob.Fw.	Oberfeldwebel
Lt.	Leutnant
Oblt.	Oberleutnant
Hptm.	Hauptmann

The pay group may be entered as:

Wehrsoldgruppe;
Besoldungsgruppe;
a Roman numeral;
an Arabic numeral;
an administrative abbreviation.

A change in pay group may indicate a promotion, but it should be checked against the formal rank entries.

Promotions and changes of rank

Promotions were normally entered with:

the effective date;
the new rank;
the confirming signature;
the unit stamp.

The effective date may differ from the date on which the entry was written.

Common phrases include:

German expression	Meaning
mit Wirkung vom	With effect from
befördert zum	Promoted to
ernannt zum	Appointed as
d.R.	der Reserve
m.d.F.b.	Entrusted with command

A stamp naming an officer as Kompanieführer or Kompaniechef identifies the person who confirmed the entry. It does not normally refer to the holder of the Soldbuch.

Unit information

Unit entries are among the most important and most easily misunderstood parts of a Soldbuch.

The booklet may record:

the current field unit;
the replacement unit;
the unit responsible for pay;
a hospital;
a training organisation;
a temporary attachment;
a discharge or convalescent unit.

Unit names may be handwritten, typed or shown only through stamps.

Reading unit notation

Entry	Meaning
1./Inf.Rgt. 80	1st Company of Infantry Regiment 80
5./Gren.Rgt. 154	5th Company of Grenadier Regiment 154
I./Inf.Rgt. 80	1st Battalion of Infantry Regiment 80
Stab/Inf.Rgt. 80	Regimental staff of Infantry Regiment 80
2./Pi.Btl. 34	2nd Company of Engineer Battalion 34
3./Pz.Jg.Abt. 11	3rd Company of Panzerjäger Battalion 11

Arabic numerals before a slash usually indicate a company, battery or squadron. Roman numerals normally indicate a battalion or Abteilung.

Current unit and replacement unit

A serviceman could have both:

a field unit in which he served;
a replacement unit responsible for administration and replacements.

The replacement unit may appear on the identity-disc entry, pay page or inside cover even when the holder was fighting with another formation.

Common replacement designations include:

Ersatz-Bataillon;
Ausbildungs-Bataillon;
Ersatz- und Ausbildungs-Bataillon;
Genesenden-Kompanie;
Marsch-Kompanie;
Stamm-Kompanie.

A biography should distinguish clearly between a field assignment and an administrative replacement affiliation.

Pay and financial entries

As a pay book, the Soldbuch recorded financial information.

Possible entries include:

military pay group;
salary group;
special allowances;
deductions;
travel money;
leave money;
advances;
payment office;
paymaster's signature.

Common abbreviations include:

Abbreviation	Meaning
W.Gr.	Wehrsoldgruppe
Bes.Gr.	Besoldungsgruppe
Zahlm.	Zahlmeister
Zahlst.	Zahlstelle
Geb.	Gebührnisse
Marschgeb.	Marching or travel allowance

Financial pages can help identify the unit or office responsible for the holder at a particular date.

However, the paying unit was not always the same as the operational unit.

Clothing and issued equipment

Soldbücher often contain tables for issued clothing and personal military equipment.

Entries may include:

tunic;
trousers;
greatcoat;
boots;
field cap;
helmet;
underclothing;
bread bag;
mess tin;
canteen;
gas-mask container;
webbing;
protective clothing.

Items may be recorded by:

issue date;
quantity;
abbreviated description;
return date;
unit signature.

Not every item issued to a serviceman was necessarily entered. Some pages were used only for selected articles or for later replacement equipment.

An entry for equipment does not automatically prove that the item was carried in combat at all times.

Weapons issued

One of the most interesting sections records weapons and related equipment issued to the holder.

Common entries include:

Karabiner 98k;
Gewehr 98;
Pistole 08;
Pistole 38;
Maschinenpistole;
Maschinengewehr accessories;
bayonet;
binoculars;
specialised optical equipment.

The entry may contain:

date of issue;
weapon type;
serial number;
signature of issuing authority;
date of return.

A weapon recorded in a Soldbuch was normally an issued item rather than merely a training qualification. This differs from the weapons-training page of a Wehrpass.

However, weapons could be exchanged, returned or replaced without every change being fully recorded.

Special equipment entries

Soldbücher may also contain handwritten entries for specialist equipment, such as:

binoculars;
compass;
map case;
signal equipment;
protective clothing;
camouflage equipment;
mountain equipment;
medical equipment;
optical sights;
sniper ammunition.

Such entries can provide evidence of a soldier's role, but they must be interpreted cautiously.

For example, the issue of sniper ammunition may support a connection with sharpshooting duties, especially when combined with a scoped rifle, camouflage equipment or specialist training. On its own, however, it may not conclusively prove that the holder was formally designated as a sniper.

The surrounding page, unit, date and other equipment entries should always be considered.

Gas mask and protective equipment

Gas-mask information may include:

gas-mask size;
issue or inspection date;
replacement filter;
anti-gas equipment;
protective cape;
decontamination equipment.

These entries reflect routine chemical-warfare precautions and do not imply that the holder experienced a gas attack.

Vaccinations

Vaccination entries are common in Soldbücher.

They may record immunisation against:

typhoid;
paratyphoid;
tetanus;
smallpox;
cholera;
dysentery;
other infectious diseases.

The entry may include:

date;
type of vaccine;
dose;
medical signature;
unit or hospital stamp.

Vaccination records can help establish the holder's location or medical unit at a particular time, especially when the entry is supported by a readable stamp.

Medical treatment

The Soldbuch may contain evidence of medical treatment, but it was not a complete medical file.

Entries may include:

treatment by the unit medical officer;
temporary exemption from duty;
dental treatment;
hospital admission;
hospital discharge;
convalescent status;
transfer to another medical facility;
fitness for duty.

Common medical abbreviations include:

Abbreviation	Meaning
Laz.	Lazarett
Feldlaz.	Field hospital
Res.Laz.	Reserve hospital
Kr.Laz.	War-zone hospital
verw.	Wounded
erkr.	Ill
dienstf.	Fit for duty
z.Tr.	Returned to the unit

A hospital stamp can sometimes identify the precise medical facility, but the stamp date may represent certification rather than the actual date of admission.

Hospital entries

Hospital admissions are among the most useful Soldbuch entries for reconstructing a military career.

They may record:

date of admission;
hospital name;
patient number;
diagnosis code;
date of discharge;
destination after discharge.

The destination may include:

return to the unit;
transfer to another hospital;
convalescent company;
home leave;
replacement unit.

A hospital entry can explain gaps in unit service, delayed promotions or the award of a Wound Badge.

Medical abbreviations and diagnosis codes should not be expanded without sufficient evidence.

Dental treatment

Some Soldbücher contain a section for dental examination and treatment.

Possible entries include:

missing teeth;
fillings;
dentures;
dental treatment;
date of examination;
signature of the dental officer.

Dental charts may use symbols rather than complete words. Interpretation should be left to someone familiar with contemporary German military dental notation when the symbols are unclear.

Leave

Leave entries may record:

start date;
end date;
destination;
type of leave;
approving authority;
travel authorisation.

Common terms include:

German term	Meaning
Urlaub	Leave
Heimaturlaub	Home leave
Genesungsurlaub	Convalescent leave
Sonderurlaub	Special leave
Dienstreise	Official journey

Leave entries can help establish where the holder was at a particular time, but the destination was often a civilian home address rather than a military posting.

Official travel and marching orders

The Soldbuch might be used in connection with:

official journeys;
transfers;
return to unit;
hospital transport;
leave travel;
replacement drafts.

Inserted papers or stamps may record railway travel, rations or allowances.

Loose documents found inside a Soldbuch should be photographed separately before removal. Their original position may be historically relevant.

Decorations and awards

Awards may be entered with:

date of award;
name of decoration;
order or authority;
unit stamp;
confirming signature.

Common abbreviations include:

Abbreviation	Decoration
E.K. II	Iron Cross, Second Class
E.K. I	Iron Cross, First Class
K.V.K. II	War Merit Cross, Second Class
Vw.Abz.	Wound Badge
I.A.B.	Infantry Assault Badge
A.S.A.	General Assault Badge
Ostmed.	Eastern Front Medal

An award entry confirms that the decoration was officially recorded. It does not necessarily state the action for which the award was granted.

The date of award should be compared with unit service, campaign history and medical entries.

Special qualifications and duties

A Soldbuch may contain evidence of specialist roles, including:

driver;
radio operator;
medic;
machine gunner;
gun crew member;
mountain soldier;
pioneer;
armourer;
clerk;
sharpshooter;
military policeman.

Evidence may come from:

handwritten duty titles;
specialist equipment;
qualification stamps;
unit type;
driver's licence entries;
weapon entries;
additional certificates.

One isolated entry should rarely be treated as conclusive proof of a specialised role. Several independent entries provide stronger evidence.

Driver's licences

Military driving qualifications may include:

licence class;
vehicle type;
date;
issuing authority;
testing officer.

Abbreviations may distinguish:

motorcycles;
passenger vehicles;
trucks;
tracked vehicles;
specialist military vehicles.

The civilian and military licence systems were not identical. A licence class should be interpreted according to the date and issuing authority.

Corrections and overwritten entries

Soldbücher were working documents. Corrections are common.

An entry may be:

crossed out;
overwritten;
amended in another ink;
corrected with a stamp;
replaced by a later page;
confirmed by initials.

A correction should not automatically be regarded as suspicious.

Researchers should document:

the original visible entry;
the corrected entry;
the ink colour;
the date;
the confirming stamp or signature.

Earlier information may remain valuable even when officially cancelled.

Stamps and signatures

Official stamps can identify:

field units;
replacement units;
hospitals;
pay offices;
training establishments;
military commands;
discharge authorities.

The text around a circular or oval stamp may be more useful than the handwritten entry beside it.

When reading a stamp:

rotate the image so the text is upright;
identify the unit number;
distinguish the central emblem from the written text;
compare the stamp with dated entries;
determine which office was authorised to make that entry.

A stamp only proves that the named authority certified or administered the entry. It does not always prove permanent service with that unit.

Signatures of officers

Signatures may be accompanied by duty titles such as:

Kompaniechef;
Kompanieführer;
Bataillonskommandeur;
Zahlmeister;
Truppenarzt;
Lazarettarzt;
Adjutant.

The rank and duty position belong to the signing officer, not to the holder of the Soldbuch.

This is a common source of misinterpretation.

For example, a stamp reading:

Oberleutnant und Kompanieführer

beneath an award entry normally identifies the officer who certified the award. It does not mean that the Soldbuch holder was an Oberleutnant.

Replacement and duplicate Soldbücher

A Soldbuch could be replaced if the original was:

lost;
damaged;
destroyed;
captured and later recovered;
filled completely;
administratively invalidated.

Terms may include:

German term	Meaning
Zweitschrift	Duplicate
Ersatz-Soldbuch	Replacement Soldbuch
Neuausfertigung	Newly issued copy
Übertragen	Transferred from another document

Entries copied into a replacement Soldbuch may have been entered retrospectively by one clerk.

A duplicate can therefore contain:

several years of entries in the same handwriting;
copied rather than original signatures;
simplified unit history;
missing equipment entries;
administrative copying errors.

A replacement Soldbuch remains an official document, but its retrospective character should be mentioned in a biographical article.

Inserted documents

Soldbücher are sometimes found with loose or attached papers, including:

leave passes;
hospital slips;
pay certificates;
travel orders;
award notices;
identification photographs;
vaccination certificates;
field-post notes;
discharge documents.

These papers may contain information not recorded in the booklet itself.

They should be preserved in their original order and photographed individually.

Reading handwriting

Entries may be written in:

Kurrent;
Sütterlin;
Latin cursive;
block letters;
typewritten text;
mixed scripts.

Several clerks may have written in the same booklet.

A practical transcription method is to:

rotate the page correctly;
enlarge the entry;
identify known dates and numbers first;
compare letters with clearly readable words;
examine the same hand elsewhere;
use the stamp as supporting evidence;
separate transcription from interpretation.

An uncertain reading may be written as:

Gren.Ers.Btl. 16 (?)

A question mark is preferable to presenting an uncertain unit as fact.

Common abbreviations

Soldbücher contain many shortened terms.

Examples include:

Abbreviation	Meaning
Kp.	Kompanie
Btl.	Bataillon
Rgt.	Regiment
Ers.	Ersatz
Ausb.	Ausbildung
Res.Laz.	Reservelazarett
z.Zt.	zur Zeit
d.R.	der Reserve
verw.	verwundet
gef.	gefallen
verm.	vermisst
F.P.N.	Feldpostnummer
Erk.M.	Erkennungsmarke

See the full guide: German Wehrpass and Soldbuch abbreviations.

Reconstructing a service history

A Soldbuch should be analysed chronologically rather than page by page alone.

Step 1: establish identity

Record:

full name;
signature;
date and place of birth;
Soldbuch number;
identity-disc entry;
blood group;
photograph;
issuing authority.

Step 2: record every dated entry

Create a chronological list containing:

date;
page;
entry;
stamp;
interpretation;
level of certainty.

Step 3: identify unit evidence

Separate:

field units;
replacement units;
hospitals;
training units;
convalescent formations;
pay offices.

Step 4: record ranks and promotions

Compare:

rank pages;
pay groups;
signatures;
clothing entries;
award entries;
hospital records.

Step 5: study weapons and equipment

Record:

weapon type;
serial number;
issue date;
return date;
specialist equipment.

Step 6: reconstruct medical history

Compare:

hospital admissions;
vaccinations;
Wound Badge entries;
leave;
convalescent units;
return-to-duty stamps.

Step 7: compare with external sources

Use the Soldbuch as a framework rather than as the only source.

Common research mistakes

Treating the issuing unit as the only unit

The issuing unit may have been an administrative or replacement formation.

Assuming every stamp indicates permanent service

A hospital, pay office or temporary unit may have stamped the booklet.

Confusing the signing officer with the holder

Ranks printed under signatures usually belong to the official who certified the entry.

Assuming an issued weapon proves a specialist role

A rifle or pistol entry may reflect ordinary issue rather than specialist employment.

Treating replacement units as front-line units

Replacement formations were usually located away from the front and administered personnel, training and replacements.

Reading every date as a transfer date

A date may refer to certification, issue, payment, treatment or inspection.

Ignoring cancelled entries

A crossed-out entry can still reveal an earlier assignment or administrative change.

Relying on one page

A unit or rank should be checked against the complete booklet.

Authenticity and alterations

A historical Soldbuch may contain genuine wartime alterations, repairs and replacement photographs.

Features to examine include:

consistency of paper;
page numbering;
thread or staples;
official stamps crossing photographs;
ink and pencil differences;
chronological order;
unit histories;
handwriting consistency;
appropriate ranks of signing officers;
plausible dates.

No single feature proves authenticity or forgery.

A document should be evaluated as a whole. Suspicious entries should be described cautiously rather than declared genuine or false without supporting evidence.

Using the Soldbuch with other sources

The Soldbuch becomes more informative when compared with:

Wehrpässe;
military personnel files;
casualty cards;
hospital records;
award certificates;
identity discs;
Feldpost letters;
photographs;
grave records;
prisoner-of-war documents;
unit histories;
war diaries;
civil records.

Differences between records should be documented. Military administration was not always consistent, and dates may reflect different stages of the same event.

Historical value

The Soldbuch was created for practical military administration, yet it can preserve a remarkably personal record.

Its pages may show:

the holder's appearance and signature;
changing ranks and units;
weapons entrusted to him;
injuries and illness;
periods of hospitalisation;
leave and travel;
decorations;
special duties;
the offices and people who administered his service.

The document should not be treated merely as a list of stamps and abbreviations. Each entry forms part of the history of an individual whose life was affected by war.

For researchers, collectors and family historians, a carefully interpreted Soldbuch can help restore a personal story that would otherwise remain incomplete.

Notes on terminology

This article concentrates primarily on Heer Soldbücher. Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS and police documents may use different page layouts, terminology, ranks and administrative systems.

The exact meaning of an entry must always be determined from its date, page heading, unit context, stamp and handwriting.

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