Merkblatt

Merkblatt - außerplanmäßigen Heeres Druckvorschrift - Army notes

The Merkblatt represented notes on special learnings, that were considered important enough for widespread distribution amoung the troops. Examples are the experience in the 1942 and 1943 winterwarefare Winterkrieg at the eastern front, best ways to deal with partisans, fight in dense woods, and new versions and types of ammunition and equipment.

For the Merkblatt series, different ways of displaying the numbering on the cover were applied. The three most frequently encountered methods are:

  1. Merkblatt printed on the cover.

  2. Reference to its notation in the 2nd supplement of the H.Dv. 1a, Anhang 2 zur H.Dv. 1a "Verzeichnis der Merkblätter, Richtlinien usw. des Heeres". Merkblatt X/Y is then indicated as "Anhang 2 zur H.Dv. 1a, Seite X, lfd. Nr. Y".

  3. There are also quite a few issues that did not have a numbering on the cover.

It should be noted that for some numbers different titels appeared, such as:

  • Merkblatt 25a/16

      • "Der M.P.-Zug der Grenadier-Kompanie" dated 1.2.1944

      • "Der Sturmzug der Grenadier-Kompanie" dated 15.11.1944.

  • Merkblatt 47a/25

      • "Merkblatt für die Ausbildung an der 7,62 cm Panzerjägerkanone 36 auf Selbstfahrlafette (7,62 cm Pak 36 Sl)", not dated

      • "Schießanleitung und Schulschießübungen für den Panzerkampfwagen Tiger mit der 8,8 cm Kw.K.43", dated 7.8.1944

Of the Merkblatt series, close to 880 manuals were issued, and the title is unknow for less than 5% of these.

Also the Merkbatt series had classified issues, denoted as Merkblatt Geheim. Of the Merkblatt Geheim, 125 issues are known, of which 18 the title is currently unknown. Their numbering is separate from the regular notes, and is presented below as an own series.

See below for the extensive lists: