A Wehrpaß to the 17th SS Panzer Grenadier Division; D-Day & Normandy

A Wehrpaß for SS volunteer Karl Rörich, measuring 106x146mm, 56 pages, extremely fine condition with some fraying and creases. A accompanying document is a second copy, since the original was “lost due to enemy action”. It was issued on August 19, 1944, and is signed by Captain and Wehrbezirksoberbefehlshaber (army district commander-in-chief) Schneider.

Footnote: Karl Rörich was born on April 4, 1926 in Saarbrücken, southwest Germany. He learned to become a technical draftsman before volunteering at age 16 and 10 months for the Waffen-SS in February 1943. It is unknown why he wasn’t issued an SS-Soldbuch, but an army Wehrpaß. He served mainly as a radio operator and was stationed in occupied France. He fought at the Western Front after D-Day. Despite his young age, Rörich was quickly promoted to SS-Oberfunker (Senior Radio Operator) on July 1, 1944. On April 20, 1945, he became an SS-Sturmmann, and on May 4, 1945, his promotion to SS-Rottenführer followed. Between August 1944 and February 1945, Rörich was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd Class, the Close Combat Clasp in both Silver and Bronze, the Panzer Badge in Silver, and the Infantry Assault Badge in Silver. Rörich was trained as a troop signals radio operator, but he also received extensive weapons training. He was able to fight with the 98 K rifle, the MG 34 and the MG 42 machine guns, the pistols 08 and 38, the sub-machine gun, and the panzerfaust. He joined the 1st SS Signals Training and Reserve Detachment 2 in Unna, western Germany, on November 14, 1943. On February 28, 1944, Rörich was redeployed to the 17th SS Panzer Grenadier Division “Götz von Berlichingen”. He served in the 2nd Company of the SS Signals Detachment 17. On June 1, 1944, he joined the 2nd Company of the SS Panzer Detachment 17. The 17th SS Panzer Grenadier Division was tasked with reducing the Allied beachhead after the landing in Normandy. Instead, it suffered heavy losses. Afterwards, it was tasked with defending the city of Metz, but this endeavour failed as well. The division had to retreat into Germany. Already in late 1943, between December 1943 and January 1944,shortly after being deployed to his first assignment, Rörich spent about a month in a military hospital. The reason stated in the Wehrpaß is sickness number 6, which translates to either measles, scarlet fever, or diphtheria.