Bidspirit auction | 1939-1946 German WWII XIII Army

1939-1946 German WWII XIII Army Corps Commemorative Book with Field Post Envelope and USFET Occupation Booklet - A historical collection comprising two softcover publications and a related postal artifact documenting the transition from the German invasion of Poland to the Allied occupation of Germany. The primary item is a large-format commemorative pictorial book titled Mit dem XIII. Armeekorps in Polen. The front cover is printed in black Fraktur script and features a black-and-white photograph of Adolf Hitler and General Johannes Blaskowitz. The name Paul Heger is handwritten in the upper right corner of the cover. Interior pages include a poem titled Vormarsch in Polen by Hauptmann Max Matheis and several photographic plates documenting military advances and parades. Page 59 includes a caption starting with Die siegreichen deutschen Truppen ziehen in Warschau ein.... Accompanying the book is an original heavy-paper mailing envelope. It features a printed sender label reading Absender: Stellv. General-Kommando XIII. Nürnberg (Hauptbüro). A circular violet ink Dienststempel (service stamp) is present on the lower left, depicting the national eagle and swastika with the text Stellv. Generalkommando XIII. A.K. - Dienststempel. A circular black ink postmark from Nürnberg dated 16. 2. 40 is visible over the Feldpost printed text. The recipient address lines are redacted with heavy black ink, and the word LIE is handwritten in blue ink. The third item is an instructional booklet titled Occupation: United States Forces European Theater, issued for American personnel. The color-illustrated cover depicts a U.S. soldier in an M1 helmet holding an M1 Garand rifle. The back cover features a color map of the Allied occupation zones in Germany and Austria and bears the printed code AGPS-3946-4-46 in the lower right corner. The interior contains sections such as Europe's Unfortunates, discussing the liberation of concentration camps and Displaced Persons (DPs), and a section titled If Germany Had Won... providing justification for the occupation. The German commemorative book shows significant wear to the paper covers, including heavy foxing, staining, and numerous edge tears (photo 3, 5). The spine exhibits paper loss at the base (photo 6). Interior pages show age-toning and fraying at the edges (photo 11). The mailing envelope is in tattered condition with heavy creasing, staining, and significant edge tears consistent with period postal transit (photo 2). The U.S. occupation booklet is in generally good condition with light edge wear, minor surface staining on the back cover map, and standard age-related yellowing of the paper (photo 12, 13).