Named WW2 German Feldpost & Eastern Front Archive – Rudolf Thum – Letters, Photos & Complete Feldpost Chess Set

This is an exceptional and highly personal WW2 German Feldpost and personal archive, centered around one identified individual: Rudolf Thum. The collection consists of a large group of original wartime letters, Feldpost envelopes, handwritten notes, photographs, and personal effects, all originating from and connected to the same soldier.

A significant portion of the correspondence clearly originates from the Eastern Front, including letters sent from within the Soviet Union, providing rare first-hand insight into daily life, conditions, and emotions of a German soldier serving in the East. The Feldpost covers show authentic postal markings, stamps, and censorship characteristics consistent with wartime German military mail.

The archive includes numerous original period photographs, many depicting Rudolf Thum himself, fellow soldiers, winter conditions, military equipment, and everyday scenes from service life. Several photographs are unmistakably Eastern Front related, making this an especially valuable visual record.

One of the most remarkable highlights of this grouping is an original Feldpost chess set, still 100% complete and intact. Such chess sets were sent to soldiers to help pass time at the front and are rarely found complete, especially when still directly associated with the original owner. The survival of the chessboard and all pieces together with the letters creates an unusually strong and coherent personal narrative.

The collection remains untouched and unbroken, preserving its historical integrity. Paper items show honest age-related wear, folding, and handling, fully consistent with wartime use and decades of storage. No modern reproductions or later additions are observed.

This is a rare opportunity to acquire a complete, named WW2 soldier’s archive, combining Feldpost, photography, and personal belongings in one cohesive group. Ideal for advanced collectors, researchers, museum collections, or anyone seeking an authentic, deeply human connection to the history of the Eastern Front.

Offered strictly as a historical and educational artifact.