Original German WWII memorial death card (Sterbebild) commemorating Obergefreiter Dominikus Schöllhorn, born March 11, 1913 and deceased February 17, 1943.
Unlike the more commonly encountered Sterbebilder featuring a portrait of the deceased soldier, this example displays a striking photograph of Schöllhorn’s military grave. His grave marker is shown beneath a large wooden cross, with a German steel helmet and floral wreath placed prominently in front.
The inscription on the grave marker identifies:
Obergefreiter
Dominikus
Schöllhorn
* 11.III.13
† 17.II.43
Below the photograph appears the biblical passage:
“Ich habe den guten Kampf gekämpft,
den Lauf vollendet,
den Glauben bewahrt.”
The reverse contains a printed “Krieger-Gebet” (Soldier’s Prayer), commemorating those who died on the battlefield or as a result of wounds and illness during the war.
An evocative original WWII German personal memorial document, particularly interesting for its unusual photographic depiction of the soldier’s actual wartime grave rather than the conventional uniform portrait.
Period: WWII / Third Reich
Country: Germany
Type: Sterbebild / Soldier Memorial Death Card
Name: Dominikus Schöllhorn
Rank: Obergefreiter
Born: March 11, 1913
Died: February 17, 1943
Reverse: Krieger-Gebet (Soldier’s Prayer)
Language: German
Condition: Very Good period condition with light age and handling wear, as photographed.
