Stamm Kp.Gren.E.B.37 EKM (Hürtgen)

The dog tag or 'Erkennungsmarke' shows normal signs of wear. Infanterie Ersatz Bataillon 37 was formed in the August of 1939 in Osnabrück and in November 1942 renamed and divided in Grenadier Ersatz Bataillon 37 and Grenadier Ausbildungs Bataillon 37. From the beginning its trained and delivered soldier for the 6.Infanterie-Division. In September 1944 the Ersatz Bataillon was absorbed by the 89.Infanterie-Division and saw action in the Eifel area (Monschau/Vossenack) and in April 1942 in the Oberrhein area.
A new Grenadier Ersatz Bataillon 37 was formed in October 1944 and fell under Division 466 and in March it was probably used to form Grenadier Regiment 416 as part of the 361.Volks-Grenadier-Division. This division was formed in Holland.
A Stammkompanie was a kompanie that trained the soldiers. Often the soldier of this kompanie were soldiers who had frontline experience and/or were no longer fully usable at the front due to injuries. Of course this changed later in the war as there was a shortage of soldiers.