Recommended reading on documents & other paper items

[Marcus]

The idea of this sticky is to collect recommendations on good books dealing with the Axis documents, feldpostnumbers, postcards & other paper items.

Please post the title, author and a short (or long) explanation as to why you feel that particular title deserves to be included.

/Marcus



If you buy through the below links you not only get the books you want but you also support the forum while shopping!
* AHF Bookstore
* Amazon.com (UK, Germany)

[valkyrie]

I can start off with Charles Hamilton's 2 volume "Leaders & Personalities of the Third Reich - Their Biographies, Portraits and Autographs." 1996 Bender Publishing.

This seems to be to primary popular resource and it is pretty comprehensive.

My only criticism is that Hamilton does not seem able to avoid putting his own opinions into the text and sometimes he has some insanely ahistorical views.

The quality of the books is very good, the photos are exellent and the coverage is wide. He drew on many collectors' signatures and documents in putting his books together. A planned volume 3 was never published.

Colin

[Laurence Strong]

If by "documents" you mean Award documents this is a good reference source:

Forman's "Guide to Third Reich German Documents and their values" Vol 1 and 2

[Walküre]

My primary interest is in the Wehrpass. Here are some sources that I refer to:

1. Wehrpaß - Emilie Caldwell Stewart: Discusses all aspects of the Wehrpaß, including page by page coverage of all three versions. This book is considered the definitive source for those interested in the Wehrpaß.
2. Collecting World War II German Military Pay & Service Books - Nigel Allison: Line by line explanation of the different Soldbuche (by Branch) in addition to a line by line explanation of the Wehrpaß.
3. German Third Reich Era Documents, Volume Two, Military Documents - Jeffrey F. Young & Daniel W Meinz: A good overall discussion of practically all documents issued to German military personnel during WWII.
4.Papers Please! - Ray & Josephine Cowdery: Covers both military and civilian IDs, including quality color images and a particularly useful appendix. Coverage of the various documents, specifically the military IDS, is not as in depth as those listed above.

[Simon Orchard]

Fieldpost numbers

There's only one standard work: Kannapin, Norbert. Die Deutsche Feldpostübersicht, 1939-1945. published by Biblio-Verlag in 3 volumes.

Award documents

The most useful books i've come across is the ongoing series, Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939-1945 by Biblio-Verlag. Many of the biographies of RKT include their award documents, not just their RK award document. Very useful indeed when trying to match styles of document, signatures and stamps to units and periods.

[Vikki]

I'd second everything on Walküre's list, with the addition that Jeffrey F. Young & Daniel W Meinz' German Third Reich Era Documents, Volume I: Paramilitary and Civilian Organizations is excellent too. They also have a third volume out now that covers ID documents of the Occupied Territories and adds information to the first two volumes, and contains an index for all three volumes:

http://jungco.homestead.com/

And one of the authors is a member of AHF!

Best,
~Vikki

[hucks216]

I have put together a list of document/paperwork related reference material - apologies if I repeat the ones listed already:

Foreman's Guide To Third Reich Documents..And Their Values VOL 1 (ISBN:0-9523571-00 (UK) // 0-912138-58-0 (USA))

Foreman's Guide To Third Reich Documents..And Their Values VOL 2 (ISBN:0-9523571-19 (UK) // 912138-63-7 (USA))

German Military Award Documents 1939-45 by Emilie Caldwell Stewart

Leaders & Personalities Of The Third Reich: Their Biographies, Portraits & Autographs VOL 1 (ISBN:0-912138-27-0) by Charles Hamilton

Leaders & Personalities Of The Third Reich: Their Biographies, Portraits & Autographs VOL 2 (ISBN:0-912138-66-1) by Charles Hamilton

Signatures Of The Third Reich by Emilie Caldwell Stewart

A Collector's Guide To World War II German Wehrpasses & Soldbuchs by Emilie Caldwell Stewart

Collecting World War II German Military Pay & Service Books (ISBN:1-905142-10-2) by Nigel Allison (Ulric Of England)

Papers Please! Identity Documents, Permits and Authorizations of the Third Reich by Ray and Josephine Cowdery

German Third Reich Era Documents VOL 1 - Paramilitary & Civil Organisations (ISBN:0-9666122-0-5) by Jeffrey F Young & Daniel W Meinz

German Third Reich Era Documents VOL 2 - Military (ISBN:0-9666122-1-3) by Jeffrey F Young & Daniel W Meinz

German Third Reich Era Documents VOL 3 - Special Edition (ISBN:0-9666122-2-1) by by Jeffrey F Young & Daniel W Meinz

Luftwaffe Efficiency and Promotion Reports for the Knight's Cross Winners VOL 1 (ISBN: 978-0764326578) by French Maclean

Luftwaffe Efficiency and Promotion Reports for the Knight's Cross Winners VOL 2 (ISBN: 978-0764326585) by French Maclean

Personal Groupings, Award Documents, and Ephemera of Rommel's Afrikakorps (ISBN: 0764321137 // 0-7643-2113-7) by Robert Kurtz

Leaders of the SS & German Police, Vol. 1: Ahrens to Gutenberg (ISBN: 978-9329700372) by Michael Miller (detailed biographical sketches & photos of 71 senior members of the SS & Police, plus signature examples.)

Wehrpass by Emilie Caldwell Stewart

and for signature examples, as well as the thread on this forum there is also the following two...

http://worldwarmilitaria.com/forum/show ... php?t=2655
http://www.dokumentenforum.de/board.php?boardid=40

and for Soldbucher deciphering...

http://www.dererstezug.com/SoldbuchAnatomy1.htm
http://www.dererstezug.com/SoldbuchAnatomy2.htm
http://www.dererstezug.com/SoldbuchAnatomy3.htm
http://www.soldbuchweb.com

and for deciphering Sütterlin script (it even allows you to download a Sutterlin font for WORD Docs)...

http://www.suetterlinschrift.de/Englisch/Sutterlin.htm

[Walküre]

I will second the recommendation of the two Hamilton signature volumes! That one slipped my mind the first time. Thorough list, hucks! Thank you.

[valkyrie]

I see Huesken is flogging a new autographs book. Anyone tried it or want to comment on quality?

Colin

[Brian R]

Of course, there is always Iron Cross Award Documents of World War II, the most concise study of EK documents ever done.

http://kleinekillpress.com/premiere-book-release.html

[Jarnob]

A recommended book for collecting panzer photographs:

“Collecting Panzer Photo’s” – by: myself 

I started collecting panzer/tank photographs, albums, medal etc. 15 years ago. Since then I made notes about authentic photographs and copies. I bought many good ones – but also many bad ones.
Recently I started wondering why no one ever bothered to make a compilation of such data. I don’t think I am the only one making notes? Maybe because for some topics within this collecting hobby people tend to have other opinions – and no one wants to ‘burn’ him(or her)self on this topic…
Anyway, I summarized all my notes in a single small book, because I think it helps new collectors to stand a better chance against buying fakes and losing money, and maybe their interest, in our great hobby.
Besides that I think experienced collectors might think this book to be handy too. I realize some will disagree(?) with some topics I describe – feel free to contact me.

I’m also trying to maintain a low price. It’s a magazine type paperback counting 52 pages.
Right now a small quantity is available as try-out (ebay & www.jarnob.nl). I’m interested in reviewers.
I'm also thinking about switching main- and subtitle because this information comes in handy for all ww2 era photographs, not just panzer photo's.

Kind regards,

Jarno Boer