German M31 Rucksack – 116th Panzer Division, Ardennes Relic (Wibrin, near Houffalize)
An original German M31 rucksack attributed to the 116th Panzer Division, recovered from the village of Wibrin near Houffalize in the Ardennes Forest.
Provenance
This backpack, along with other items, was abandoned in a farm building by elements of the 116th Panzer Division during their withdrawal from the area. German forces had captured the village on 16 December 1944, and it remained in German hands until its liberation following heavy fighting on 14 January 1945.
The group of items was later discovered by a local collector and remained in his private collection until 2020, when it left the Ardennes region for the first time since the Second World War.
Condition
The fabric remains stable and intact, not deteriorating or falling apart, although the bottom section of the bag is torn. The leather components remain supple, showing flexibility rather than brittleness.
A scarce and evocative Ardennes battlefield-related personal item from a well-documented late-war German withdrawal area.
German M31 Rucksack – 116th Panzer Division, Ardennes Relic (Wibrin, near Houffalize)
An original German M31 rucksack attributed to the 116th Panzer Division, recovered from the village of Wibrin near Houffalize in the Ardennes Forest.
Provenance
This backpack, along with other items, was abandoned in a farm building by elements of the 116th Panzer Division during their withdrawal from the area. German forces had captured the village on 16 December 1944, and it remained in German hands until its liberation following heavy fighting on 14 January 1945.
The group of items was later discovered by a local collector and remained in his private collection until 2020, when it left the Ardennes region for the first time since the Second World War.
Condition
The fabric remains stable and intact, not deteriorating or falling apart, although the bottom section of the bag is torn. The leather components remain supple, showing flexibility rather than brittleness.
A scarce and evocative Ardennes battlefield-related personal item from a well-documented late-war German withdrawal area.
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