Heer Blood, Sweat and Russian Soil, Leutnant Wahrheit's tunic

[Naxos]

Inspired by Chris Boonzaier’s great thread on a WWI trench tunic, I decided to start one too on a similar tortured garment.

 

The circumstances almost killed this young lieutenant but they also ended a terrible war for him and ultimately saved his life.

 

This is the tunic of Leutnant H. Wahrheit, in May of 1944 he was severely wounded by a gun shoot to the back and hand grenade fragments to head and left arm. The jacket was cut open on the back and sleeve by the attending medic on the battlefield. After Lt. Wahrheit's wounds were dressed the jacket was placed on him to keep him warm (the medic’s safety pins that were used to hold the jacket back together are still in place). Lt. Wahrheit was taken to a dressing station and then evacuated by air to a hospital.

 

H. Wahrheit recovered from his wounds and became a public school teacher after the war. He retired in 1979.

 

Somehow he kept the tunic, as a lucky charm I guess, for the rest of his life.

 

… more on the story later.

 

 

 

 

Edited June 30, 2015 by Naxos

[Naxos]

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[Naxos]

Here is a picture of a another soldier treated on the battlefield in a similar manner as Leutnant Wahrheit.

[Naxos]

Here is another image showing a medic cutting the sleeve away for treatment.

Edited October 28, 2011 by Naxos

[Chris Boonzaier]

What a fantastic piece indeed.

Its kinda "First showcase in the museum" reif.

Best

Chris

[Chris Boonzaier]

What a fantastic piece indeed.

Its kinda "First showcase in the museum" reif.

Best

Chris

[Naxos]

Thanks Chris;

This tunic is different from the usual hero uniforms with all their colourful splendour and decorations.

Like your magnificent half-jacket, torn and shredded by the politics of other means, these relics should serve as a reality check and make us pause.

.

Edited October 29, 2011 by Naxos

[Eric K.]

Excellent!!! A true soldiers uniform. I know how he feels, I kept my uniform after being wounded too, A bit of a gory reminder. I assume all the bits are Wahrheit's also?

Eric

[Naxos]

It would be very interesting to see your uniform as well.

Here is more of Wahrheit

[Eric K.]

Thats a great set you have there! I always thought the soldiers on motorcycles were just attached in Kraftfahr units, very interesting to see documents of this! On another note how many battalions were there?

[Naxos]

Thats a great set you have there! I always thought the soldiers on motorcycles were just attached in Kraftfahr units, very interesting to see documents of this! On another note how many battalions were there?

The Kratsch. batallions where the recce - units (light Cavalry) of the motorized Divisions, ie Panzer-, Mot- and Panzergrenadier-Divisions.

Here is a great site to answer your questions: http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gliederungen/KradschBat/Gliederung.htm

[Naxos]

Kradsch

[Naxos]

Service record of Lt. Wahrheit

[ostprussenmann_new]

Hardy, Great Story. Are you now the owner of this, or did you get ahold of the family members. The pictures and service record are amazing. Thanks for sharing.

[Ramblinfarms]

What an incredible piece. A tunic like this should be seen by anyone who wants perspective on collecting.

[Naxos]

What an incredible piece. A tunic like this should be seen by anyone who wants perspective on collecting.

Thank you for the kind comment.

Edited March 21, 2012 by Naxos

[2dresq]

This is a fantastic piece. I am interested if storing presents extra problems. A sealed acid free garmet bag doesn't seem like this is an option. Would you mind sharing houw you are storing this garmet? Thanks and this is a specatcular piece and very well researched.

Thanks for sharing.

Regards,

JustinG

2dresq

[Naxos]

This is a fantastic piece. I am interested if storing presents extra problems. A sealed acid free garmet bag doesn't seem like this is an option. Would you mind sharing houw you are storing this garmet? Thanks and this is a specatcular piece and very well researched.

Thanks for sharing.

Regards,

JustinG

2dresq

Thank you Justin!

The tunic has held up for 68 years just fine, stored in a closet. That is were I keep it as well - in a well ventilated dry closet.

The only picture I got of Wahrheit (unfortunately wearing a different tunic).

The picture was taken in September 1942, at the time he was serving as an Unteroffzier with Kradschützen-Ersatz.Btl. 2 in Vienna.

Edited March 28, 2012 by Naxos