Offered here is an original WWII German Heer Feldpost letter with its original matching envelope, sent in March 1942 by Leutnant Gerold Hermann Pergelt, an officer serving with a German Army anti-aircraft artillery replacement unit.
The sender is identified on both the letter and envelope as:
Leutnant Gerold Hermann Pergelt
1./Heeres-Flak-Art.Abtlg. 278
Mannheim-Käfertal, Gallwitzkaserne
This identifies him with the 1st Company/Battery of Heeres-Flak-Artillerie-Abteilung 278, an Army anti-aircraft artillery unit. The letter is dated Mannheim, 22 March 1942 and is addressed affectionately to his mother, beginning “Meine liebe gute Mutter!” — “My dear good mother!”
The accompanying envelope is particularly attractive. It is boldly marked “Feldpost” and bears a large official military unit seal incorporating the German eagle and swastika, with the unit designation Heeres-Flak-Art. Abt. 278 around the border. The reverse additionally carries Pergelt's typed name, rank and unit information. The cover was mailed to Margarethe Pergelt in Vienna (Wien) and retains its Mannheim-Käfertal 23.3.42 postal cancellation.
The lengthy typed letter is personal but also contains some excellent wartime and military references. Pergelt writes about having recently traveled from Berlin to Gotha and then to Mannheim, and explains that the replacement department there was no longer responsible for them. He mentions that his group had already been requested by their commander but could not yet be sent because the OKH (Oberkommando des Heeres / Army High Command) still controlled matters concerning their study leave.
He writes that they were now sitting in Mannheim waiting and feared they might not return to their former group.
The letter also discusses family and financial matters, including sending 300 Reichsmarks, Berlin, Vienna, and arrangements involving “Dorrit.” Interestingly, he also mentions UFA (Universum Film AG) having taken photographs of her for its files, providing an unusual connection to Germany's wartime film industry.
The second portion continues with financial arrangements, accounts and payments before becoming much more personal. Pergelt tells his mother that he is thinking frequently of his family, describes the difficulty of saying goodbye, thanks his parents for the pleasant time he had spent with them in Vienna and expresses his gratitude for his mother's assistance and support.
He closes as their “immer getreuer dankbarer Sohn” — “always faithful and grateful son” — followed by his original handwritten signature.
This is an especially nice Feldpost grouping because the original letter and its matching mailed envelope remain together, and the sender can be identified by full name, officer rank, unit, location and barracks.
The combination of Heer Flak artillery, named Leutnant, Gallwitzkaserne Mannheim-Käfertal, OKH references, Berlin/Gotha/Vienna travel, UFA reference, original signature and prominent military unit seal gives the grouping considerably more historical interest than a typical anonymous Feldpost letter.
Original period-used condition with normal age toning, folds and handling wear. The envelope shows expected edge and corner wear from actual postal use, including some small edge tears. The typed letter remains quite clean and readable with its original folds and handwritten signature intact.
Both the original Feldpost envelope and complete typed letter shown are included.
An excellent named 1942 German Army officer Feldpost grouping with strong military, postal and personal-history content.
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YB13 series