SS pay book & dog tag of Engelbert Woditsch, 10.1 x 13.9 cm / 7 x 5 cm; Date of item: 1944. An SS pay book and dog tag of SS Horseman Engelbert Woditsch. The dog tag carries his number, 3543, and his unit’s name, SS-Kav.-Ausb. u. Ers.-Abtlg. (SS Cavalry Drill and Reserve Detachment). He was born on August 5, 1926, which means he was only 17 years old when he was drafted, since the pay book is signed on March 6, 1944. His birthplace was Dittersbach, district of Waldenburg, modern day Dzietrzychów, today a part of the city of Wałbrzych, southern Poland. Before being drafted, he worked as a salesman. He wasn’t married. His father was Eduard Woditsch, his mother was Gertrud Woditsch, nee Stief.
Woditsch’s original duty station was “Südost” VIII “Breslau”. Since August 1, 1944, he held the rank of Unterführeranwärter (Junior Leader Applicant), since October 1, 1944 the rank of SS-Sturmmann (Storm Trooper). Official documents concerning these promotions have been put in the pay book. On October 1 he also received a promotion, making him SS-Untersturmführer und Schwadrons-Chef (Junior Storm Leader and Squadron Leader). On March 11, 1945 he was appointed to SS-Hauptsturmführer und Schwadrons-Chef (Senior Storm Leader and Squadron Leader). At this point he was appointed to the Gen. Schw. SS Kav. A. u. E. Rgt. (Convalescents Squadron of the SS Cavalry Drill and Reserve Regiment).
After serving in the 3rd Battalion of the SS Volunteer Cavalry Regiment 1, he was later assigned to the SS-Kav. Ausb. u. Ers. Abt/Warschau (SS Cavalry Drill and Reserve Division/Warsaw), then to the SS Cavalry Drill and Reserve Regiment Beneschau (Bohemia, modern day Benešov, Czech Republic). This unit’s predecessor had been moved to Beneschau in August 1944 and renamed in the aforementioned way in December 1944. On February 20, 1945 it joined the 37th SS Cavalry Division. However, on the same day Woditsch was on convalescent leave after falling ill or being wounded. In fact, he had spent time in several military hospitals: in late October 1944 in the Reserve Military Hospital Ohlau, in late January 1945 in the Reserve Military Hospital Gunzenhausen, and in mid March in the SS Military Hospital Prague. For the last one, a release date and signature are missing. It is unknown if this means that he was never released into active duty again before the end of the war.
The 37th SS Cavalry Division was mainly composed of the survivors of the 22. SS-Freiw. Kav. Division (22nd SS Volunteer Cavalry Division), which was destroyed by the Soviet army when they took Budapest from the Germans in February 1945, and Woditsch’s comrades of the SS Cavalry Drill and Reserve Regiment Beneschau. The 37th SS Cavalry Division was established in Slovakia near Bratislava, but moved ever further westwards through Moravia and Bohemia, being chased by the Soviets. It finally surrendered to US troops near Vienna, Austria on May 5, 1945. It is possible that Woditsch was part of this division, if he joined them after recovering from his illness or injuries in time, and, if he survived the war, ended up as a POW of the Americans. Interestingly, he was still paid a salary of 36 Reichsmark in October 1945, indicating that he survived the war.