Stkp.Pz.Gren.Ers.Btl.73 Erkennungsmarke

The dog tag or 'Erkennungsmarke' shows signs of wear. The Schützen Ersatz Bataillon 73 was formed in December of 1940 in Dessau and trained soldiers for Schützen regiment 73 which was part of the 19.Panzer-Division. The Ersatz Bataillon was stationed in the Adolf Hitler Kaserne in Salzwedel.
In July 1942 it was renamed Panzer Grenadier Ersatz Bataillon 73 and it still supplied soldier for the, by then renamed, Panzergrenadier Regiment 73. The bataillon was mobilized in April 1945 and served as a combat unit as part of Panzer-Ausbildungs-Verband Ostsee.

A Stammkompanie was a unit that trained the soldiers. Often the soldier of this kompanie were soldiers who had frontline experience, but no longer were fully usable at the front due to injuries. Of course this changed later in the war as there was a shortage of (front)soldiers and where mobilized also.
The tag comes with it's original neckcord.