Hi miles136,
Alas Soldbuch reading isn't that simple; there several different examples of Soldbucher, in this type of WH example the units are listed on pages 4 & 17 but they don't list the dates when the soldier was transfered to another unit, so with the aid of pages 4 & 17 you will not be able to see which period(s) the soldier was with his actif frontline unit.
To really understand the story one needs to see all the pages that have something written on them and not a selection of some.
The value of a Soldbuch, both financial and historical isn't in the fact that it is a Soldbuch but in the story behind the object.
Most Soldbucher are indeed in a terrible condition, they are printed on low quality wartime paper and most soldiers used to carry them in their breastpocket wallet for their entire service time , frontline service included (Fallschirmjäger on jump missions, pilots and their crew are examples of those that didn't carry their soldbuch with them on combat missions).
In my collection I have ID booklets from the napoleonic wars that are in better condition then some WW2 Soldbucher but even the examples that are in a terrible condition will not fall apart in your hands, that is if you treat them with the care they need.
So don't be scared, make some scans of all the pages and I have no doubt that the story of this soldier can be told compleetly.
And in the end isn't that more important and intresting then just knowing that he was issued a scoped rifle? Wouldn't it be intresting to know if this sniper aimed on the western- or the easternfront, if he was awarded bravery medals, if he was wounded,...etc.
Btw laziness isn't a good excuse not to make scans of all the pages, I do it with a digital photocamera and it takes me 15 minutes.
Cheers,
Peter