A Wehrpaß, measuring 106x148mm, extremely fine condition with some scuffing; a health book, measuring 148x205mm, extremely fine condition with minor scuffing. Additionally, it comes with a collection of several medical and army-related documents. The Wehrpaß is a second copy, meaning the first was lost or destroyed by the enemy, dated to July 21, 1943.
Footnote: Horst Wilhelm Sampel was born on August 17, 1917 in Gertlauken near Königsberg, East Prussia (modern day Nowaja Derewnja near Kaliningrad, Russia). He worked as an agricultural worker. Sampel’s first mustering was done in July of 1937, however he was not yet drafted. In November, he joined the Reich Labour Service (RAD) to serve his mandatory time there. In October 1939, his military service began, over the course of which Sampel would be trained to use the pistol, two types of rifles, several types of machine guns, and the heavy grenade thrower. Initially he was placed in the Pilot Training (Flieger Ausbildung) Battalion 16 in Schleswig (northern Germany), in the Luftwaffenbaueinheit (Luftwaffe construction unit), so he was technically a member of the Luftwaffe. However, this assignment lasted for only two weeks, after which Sampel joined the Luftwaffe Construction Company 11/XI until January 1940. That month, he was transferred to the 4th Company of Replacement Battalion of Infantry Regiment 69 (4./ Ers. Btl. I.R. 69), where he served until late February. Between then and the beginning of February of 1941, Sampel spent eleven months with the 14th Company of Schützen Regiment 3 (14./ Schtz. Rgt. 3), although Sampel’s battalion would be transferred to the Schützen Regiment 394 in August. During this time he was promoted to Oberschütze (Senior Rifleman) on July 1, 1940, and to Gefreiter (Lance Corporal) on October 1, 1940. There is no information about where he served until early 1942. The only two known events from this time period were, however, among the most life changing imaginable. On July 30, 1941 Sampel married his wife Berta. On December 30, 1941 he was wounded in battle by explosive ammunition, resulting in fragmentation of the left eye, injury of the eyelid, a fractured upper jaw on the left side, and purulent maxillary sinusitis on both sides. He underwent plastic surgery to have the remnants of his eye removed and his lid reconstructed, and was fitted with an artificial eye. This took time and made active frontline service impossible. On January 29, 1942, Sampel was redeployed to the 4th Company of the Schützen Regiment 12, yet already the next day he was placed in the Panzer Grenadier Replacement Battalion 12, Convalescent Company (Pz. Gren. Ers. Btl. 12, Gen. Kp.) for an entire year. During this time, he was awarded the Wound Badge in Silver on February 4, 1942, the Iron Cross 2nd Class on February 26, 1942, and the Eastern Front Medal on September 25, 1942. On February 1, 1943, Sampel received his promotion to Obergefreiter (Senior Lance Corporal). Shortly after, he was redeployed to serve with the Stammkompanie (Core Company) of his unit. He did so until July 1943. His next assignment lasted until the end of March of 1945. It was with the 2nd Company of the Landesschützen Battalion 828 (2./ Ld. Schtz. Btl. 828). On July 12, 1944, Sampel had to undergo eye surgery again, the details however are unknown. He was promoted to Unteroffizier (NCO) on February 1, 1945. His final assignment was with the 3rd Company of Landesschützen Battalion 847 (3./ Lds. Schtz. Btl. 847).