Hi All
Here is another Andy’s Rubbish & Ramblings to suffer through.
I finally managed to get into spend some quality time with my collection this evening, and immediately went down the rabbit hole looking at all manner of things totally unrelated to what I was actually looking first. I’m sure you will understand 
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.I started reacquainting myself with some of the ephemera I have tucked in various places and found a humble collection of Soldbuch and Wherpass. To be honest I know very little about these very essential little books other than the Soldbuch is essentially a Paybook with some training detail and the Wherpass being a more specific service record with greater detail. The Soldbuch was carried at all times by the soldiers and if I’m right the Wherpass was retained by the soldiers respective company/regimental administration and handed back at the conclusion of service. I welcome debate on this as we can probably all learn something here.
I would love to know more about these books, as I’m aware they have great research potential . Here I again plead ignorance, I can’t read or speak German, other than a smattering of terms relative to what I collect.
I also have a stash on New Zealanders pay books etc, and even these books can be hard to navigate!
The Soldbuch pictured was picked up in a trade a few years ago and came with a couple of extras. According to the records of the collector that had this item, it came as a small grouping direct from Germany.
This was the Soldbuch of Fritz Fokenkocher , a Bavarian Gent, born on the 23rd of November 1883, he appears to have enlisted in the German Army on August the 11th 1914. Fritz was l believe a field magazine inspector of Infantry Regiment No3, 7th Kompanie.
Included in the grouping were his Iron Cross 2nd class, maker marked KO, and his black wound badge.
The Soldbuch has the first few pages filled out and no other entries, possibly it was issued as a replacement, all the same it is an interesting little book and to have what are reputed to be the gentleman’s Iron Cross and wound badge makes it all the more interesting.
I know there are some true experts here that will know these books inside out, I would love to hear their input.
I note that Wherpass and Soldbuch are not uncommon on the likes of eBay, and for a modest outlay an interesting and researchable collection could be put together.
Hopefully this inspires some of you to have a look next time you see such items on offer, who knows, you may discover a real gem.