1 10 13 https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/a62b8b2509392bea20e91eed324dc0e9.jpg 525f13db86ddc6ac964364daec46e35c https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/c49587751f3a505203b33774b9cbbecc.jpg b0c4bd2c38adef867bb90c05c1db4aae https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/031d1a36db9d536bab1c64ceeafccc08.jpg 3efd59fe400472267e6a4f096246f4c9 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource German WWII ID Documents Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Arbeitskarte Maria Markowa Subject The topic of the resource This is a worker ID card for Maria Markowa who was likely captured and taken to Hatterscheid in Western Germany near Bonn as a forced Polish agricultural worker or Zivilarbeiter. Zivilarbeiter (civilian worker) refers primarily to ethnic Polish residents from the General Government (Nazi-occupied central Poland), used during World War II as forced laborers in the Third Reich. The residents of occupied Poland were conscripted on the basis of the so-called Polish decrees (Polenerlasse), and were subject to discriminatory regulation. Compared to German workers or foreign workers from neutral and German-allied countries (Gastarbeitnehmer), Polish Zivilarbeiters received lower wages and were not allowed to use public conveniences (such as public transport) or visit many public spaces and businesses (for example they were not allowed to attend German church services, visit swimming pools or restaurants); they had to work longer hours than Germans; they received smaller food rations; they were subject to a curfew; they often were denied holidays and had to work seven days a week; could not enter a marriage without permission; possess money or objects of value. Bicycles, cameras and even lighters were forbidden. They were required to wear a sign – the "Polish-P" – attached to their clothing. In late 1939 there were about 300,000 prisoners from Poland working in Germany; By autumn of 1944 their number swelled to about 2.8 million (approximately 10% of General governement workforce). Poles from territories taken over after the German invasion of the Soviet Union and not included in the General Government (see Kresy) were treated as Ostarbeiters. The history of Polish Zivilarbeiters dates back to October 1939, when German authorities issued a decree, which introduced mandatory work system for all residents aged 18 to 60. In December 1939, the system also covered those aged 14 to 18, with severe punishments for law breakers. The people who did not work were called by the local authorities, and sent to work in Germany. Since the Third Reich suffered from shortage of workers, as time went by also those Poles who had permanent employment, but were not regarded as necessary for the economy, were sent to Germany. Other methods were also used, such as the infamous roundups, called "łapanka" in Poland. Those who did not present a certificate of employment were automatically sent to Germany. Most Polish Zivilarbeiters worked in agriculture, forestry, gardening, fishing, also in transport and industry. Some were employed as housekeepers. None signed any contracts, and their working hours were determined by the employers. Description An account of the resource The front cover of the ID booklet features a photo along with fingerprints and a red stamp that says in both English and Russian: "The holder is authorized to leave the accommodation only for the purpose of going to work." Translation of the internal pages Upper-left notice Diese Arbeitskarte berechtigt nur zur Arbeit bei dem genannten Betriebsführer und wird beim Verlassen dieses Arbeitsplatzes ungültig. Translation: This work card authorizes the holder to work only for the named employer/company manager and becomes invalid upon leaving this workplace. “Betriebsführer” literally means “head/manager of the enterprise.” In this historical context, “employer” is probably the clearest English rendering. Work card Herkunftsland: Altsowjetrussisches Gebiet Country/territory of origin: Former Soviet Russian territory The historically specific German designation “Altsowjetrussisches Gebiet” is an official Nazi-era administrative category associated with “Ostarbeiter” (Eastern workers), and did not simply mean “Russia” in the modern geographic sense. Heading Arbeitskarte Work Card The word in parentheses immediately after Arbeitskarte has been heavily crossed out/obliterated. Gültig nur für die unterbezeichnete Arbeitsstelle Valid only for the workplace specified below Issuing authority Landesarbeitsamt Rheinland Rhineland Regional Labour Office Nr. XI/193 No. XI/193 The final portion of the number is somewhat obscured, so XI/193 is my best reading. Personal information Familienname Markowa Family name / surname: Markowa Rufname Maria Given name: Maria (bei Frauen auch Geburtsname) (for women, also maiden name) The space for the maiden/birth name appears blank. led., verh., verw., gesch. These are abbreviations for: led. = ledig — single verh. = verheiratet — married verw. = verwitwet — widowed gesch. = geschieden — divorced With the X's marking off the other options it appears that she is labeled as single. Geburtstag 1913 Date/year of birth: 1913 Only the year is entered on this card. Wird die deutsche Sprache beherrscht? ja/nein* Does she speak German? Yes/no* The marking is not sufficiently clear to determine whether yes or no was selected. The asterisk refers to the instruction at the bottom: * (Nichtzutreffendes streichen) * (Strike out what does not apply) männlich / weiblich* male / female* The form has the alternatives male/female. The visible marking appears to indicate female. Heimatort Kursk Place of origin/home town: Kursk This is an important detail: Kursk is quite legible. Kreis The field appears to be blank on this side of the document. Staatsangehörigkeit sowjetrussisch Nationality/citizenship: Soviet Russian This is the wording actually entered on the document. Beruf landwirtschaftlicher Arbeiter Occupation: agricultural worker Literally, “agricultural laborer/worker.” Arbeitsbuch-Nr. Work-book No.: [blank] No number appears to have been entered. Employment information Unternehmer (Arbeitgeber) Heinr. Klein Employer: Heinr. Klein “Heinr.” is the conventional German abbreviation for Heinrich. Arbeitsstelle (Ort) Hatterscheid Workplace (location): Hatterscheid Kreis Sieg... The entry appears to read Sieg..., and is very likely Siegkreis, the administrative district (Kreis) in which Hatterscheid was located at the time. District: Siegkreis [apparently] Dates Ausgestellt am The handwriting appears to read: 8.4.1942 Issued on: 8 April 1942 Gültig bis zum 14.4.1944 Valid until: 14 April 1944 Right-hand page The right-hand page repeats the same warning in several languages. The German version on the facing page is the controlling text: Diese Arbeitskarte berechtigt nur zur Arbeit bei dem genannten Betriebsführer und wird beim Verlassen dieses Arbeitsplatzes ungültig. English: This work card authorizes the holder to work only for the named employer/company manager and becomes invalid upon leaving this workplace. The multilingual versions say essentially the same thing: French: This work card grants the right to work only for the indicated employer and loses its validity if the holder leaves this position/workplace. Italian: This work card authorizes work only with the named company director/employer and loses its validity upon leaving this workplace. Dutch: This work card gives the right to work only for the named company manager/employer and loses its validity upon leaving the work. Danish: This work card gives the right to work only for the named employer and loses its validity if this workplace is left. Hungarian: This work card authorizes work only for the named employer and becomes invalid upon leaving the workplace. Romanian: This work permit/card is valid only for the named employer and loses its validity if the workplace is left. Serbo-Croatian: This worker's card gives the right to work only for the employer named on the other side and ceases to be valid upon leaving the workplace. Czech: This work card authorizes work only for the named employer and becomes invalid upon leaving this workplace. Polish: This work card authorizes work only for the employer named on the other side and loses its validity upon leaving the workplace. Ukrainian: This work card authorizes work only for the employer named on the other side and loses its validity upon leaving the workplace. Russian: This work card authorizes work only for the named employer and loses its validity upon leaving the workplace. The multilingual repetition is therefore not additional personal information; it is the same restriction printed for foreign workers in multiple languages. The back reads: Space for entries by the Economic Office Space for remarks by the Labour Office Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Acquired from Dublin Militaria Fair in Dublin, Ireland. Translation provided by ChatGPT and additional information taken from Wikipedia. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource April 8, 1942 - April 1, 1944 https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/22ab6135ad04ecf434f4a652584a517b.jpg cb4a52ae6b3ebb7271d36490ee5be08b https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/4ebbd7f7823a4b67371448c818235bd4.jpg 03124b4a5eaa70fe7fe9ed95b7a09c26 https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/d2225487f94fde2df110b18277d8b864.jpg a07f5d01b6a363d53cb4628a1240c629 https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/66b2907bdb58e2fb338d72e8948f03fa.jpg dd3d49509b69b6ec1a39618169eb66aa https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/36186c231cb11002814a786143dbc67f.jpg 4e8db48304ea58b108ffc1a0d14bd830 https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/2c456aa6d37d36683d971245a4f8675b.jpg 3e41f8074441f8931c6e5915963fb1c6 https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/37d3fc6d8269feca75b2b9ce635e1da4.jpg da5dd90a329a9e98589c6230b6eee32d https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/3b86ef9cc63e5093a25ca2264ef9de75.jpg 04600d285b40b8acff2f2157ac8cb027 https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/6e0405b70444c7f90c5f0134e4ecf357.jpg e76f62ab0cb2677ce542c54fa4855e46 https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/9a57092cad88751f53b1b9d8c210ddcc.jpg 2adda1707472d1b1ec6c32c08c9eb4ec https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/d6c909b30e17fc707921e6736928224a.jpg 1f596493900581c633f8b54e4a1b50be https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/07c199d6bf12159ed3ed7a5704fe971e.jpg b4e5e6459cc13ce350d8dd154c2cd5ff https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/1aa6b827ba0659bfb1bc802564a7501a.jpg f96440884ad50381ccf97f727b5e8caf https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/25f0fd784519e36eceb6bd20ada9eb9e.jpg bce2e77ce9fa01489cebba9ba3bb9e4d https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/1d0eb62f0829a3ea05d1c70f2fa4acdd.jpg 1f27fb89b6379de05096a1006d6e5b39 https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/9e2d8b12dbd70bb7f81d4a3635643a65.jpg 08eebabeccd481c0b5bfcd1686cb4e6b https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/e2e53b2fe57008f07dc68eb0559941a1.jpg 7d5853becc7bf08dc7d0f634b4862d69 https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/bd37525fd9ac3586e37a4b339649de7a.jpg 610880c7945cd2892a37da33a4e95474 https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/153f3043c7c2a32f9ff51600f524963e.jpg f72116680f4fd6f2159b8ad025f5de45 https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/5b0849d4a67495f823ccb4b25bb5b8c3.jpg e5fde34403855246fbf5aadbe6c89b43 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource German WWII ID Documents Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Soldbuch for Grenadier Karl Krass Subject The topic of the resource This Solbuch is an interesting example of the dire state of the German army towards the end of the war. This soldier was only 18 when this replacement Soldbuch certificate was issued and the certificate itself was printed on the front of a military postcard. It seems that his original Soldbuch was later found and then this certificate was tucked in the front cover. Description An account of the resource A translation of the front insert below: Certificate This certificate also serves as an identity card (replacement for a military pay book) for Grenadier Karl Krass Born: 23 June 1926 in Metelen, Westphalia Religion: Catholic Marital status: Single Occupation: Student Entered service: 1 July 1944 Father: Heinrich Krass Metelen, Westphalia Mühlenstraße 53a With the company since: 15 October 1944 Transferred from: J.G. Ersatz-Kompanie 416 (Replacement Company 416) Replacement troop unit: Grenadier Replacement Battalion 77 Mülheim an der Ruhr W.M.A.: Coesfeld in Westphalia Military registration number: 1892 Decorations/Awards: None Grenadier Krass states that he lost his military pay book as well as his leave papers during the return journey from leave. A duplicate copy will be issued after completion of the investigation. O.U., 15 December 1944 (signed) Lieutenant and Company Commander https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/08d543b29bbbb404208bbf03fe18daf9.jpg 8217f01a2748ea3e5f6aeb147fd3176f https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/517e0081327d873b7eafd4b33ebce751.jpg 9bd7bf98f06ee85ceeb244e41e96d441 https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/54bfa4d743ecb00c49fcf7176b07b599.jpg 5dffe5ea9b103ff6752cad2ec8beba2a https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/6ce2d0ad80ea3d306d506157c37a0596.jpg 3f5d5cd4ac481642799daa9832c7a97e https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/d0a223e2ffab3f658e39caba50aba7d3.jpg fe20322ea0284145eebf484f7e907d3f https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/1844a67325b48d1224856e158514d71d.jpg 39621bd80f70c5f04273ac69c361e743 https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/f7ad70d8589217a71798a1d698d7d1a5.jpg 52cede7ca477483ab05ad3c2b226e765 https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/0ddefaed38753b4bb4fe515120dd51b6.jpg 698c91813e7ff018fb7e4c38e0a3c433 https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/98d5e7eaeafdf81def4f195c8e7c6893.jpg 2f0b7f53ac3594357751b682ec88bc73 https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/011099da5541f58904377cccf5a420ee.jpg 3f1236a0ec846aebee1112b3b11044c8 https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/24b7868e6517efa8ef0ef14a3d459e8b.jpg 6b433efc355370c703354297bc2e7f5a https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/0ff2b6a5fa5d794cc566291eec6e9aaa.jpg fb9867ee6ae00410c42eb0e448f8251a https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/98dfc11b260ef1ab6d985cf1733506fe.jpg bc7b4c18ca71767e5010fef31b7de0e8 https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/ab4ffd43696471b93c79d5547f7c0049.jpg 7f02974acad446b7e68acb472fcd0405 https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/0ce1b3bca6e26d19478ae1afbfcdda73.jpg f30fb36f45d0a1ef9bea2c26796219cf https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/4fa5e7b5672013385379b97309e87d36.jpg 3f353299443a94a2f210870ab96570ea https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/7df4a2f5eac1c250d453d869a19754ee.jpg b5e9c0ace74198cad02e4cfa83469626 https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/d8706a80aa9ee843545d1cd87853d15d.jpg 45c17133e91f3d77fb71453bd6c132d6 https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/2b37676bb73b18124efadfb26c15be7d.jpg e229399978cf4ca01cd365bd1fcd6b61 https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/542b1f4f37a3417973d953d88d254bf0.jpg 17af7dd5a555d3107d183f01348ed544 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource German WWII ID Documents Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Soldbuch of Iwan Stepanow Subject The topic of the resource Soldbuch written in Russian and German for a soldier in the POA. The soldier has a Russian name, but the nationality Russian is crossed out and Latvian is written next to it. This possibly indicates that he was an ethnic Russian who was born in Latvia prior to the war. The book is marked A.O.K.18 indicating Armeeoberkommando 18 or the Wehrmacht's 18th Army. The Army was a part of the Army Group North until early 1945, when it was subordinated to Army Group Kurland. In October 1944, the army was encircled by the Red Army offensives and spent the remainder of the war in the Courland Pocket. The latest date found in this Soldbuch is from July 5th,1944 possibly indicating that he was captured or killed prior to the closure of the Courland Pocket was cut off. Given the brutality of the fighting on the Eastern Front and harsh treatment accorded to former POA members that were captured by the Russians, it is most likely that Iwan Stepanow died in combat or was captured and sent to a Soviet Gulag. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Purchased from Ostland Militaria in Vilnius, Lithuania Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource March 11th 1943 - July 5th 1944 Description An account of the resource Some pages translated below: Page 2: Rank: Frw. Soldat - Freiwilliger Soldat, Volunteer soldier Surname: Stepanow Name: Ivan Dog tag: Blood type: Date of birth: 26.6.1922 Nationality: Russian (crossed) Lette - Lette means Latvian Profession: - this one is hard to read Page 3: Marital status: Ledig - single Number of childer: / - none Date of voluntary enlistment: 11.3.1943 Date of taking the oath: 17.5.1944 List.No. Reserve unit: Frw. Ers. Abt. AOK 18 - Freiwillige Ersatz Abteilung Armeeoberkommando 18 Military profession, specialty: Page 7 only lists "Gasmaske" - gas mask, as equipment Page 9 also states rank: Frw. Soldat, as well as date and military payment in Rm - 16 payment category, 12.50 RM The page 18 is a typed memo saying that Stepanow has the right to wear German rank insignia (Russian volunteers were forbidden from wearing these earlier in the war) https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/ebf64409985098cfb3f22436e3ff6388.jpg 618cc2d833d494338bd698c5f5712dea https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/57c0a5f153811702cda464d50fcc02ac.jpg 80926a5131ee319925964df41baaa0f0 https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/d78575321622c81f50ab8ab97d3e1084.jpg 5eba507496325f84bf5122eae0e66b3d https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/717a9a1e08fad0633ecb5700b15f651b.jpg 3ee966424baeb8e43ead4165085cd5b2 https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/52ad674cd6761f21a95ca83c6cd9f4ea.jpg db79434552caaf4c2dd696d91a9b168d https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/20189d583a458ea6e59052da84dc73fc.jpg 56b1b6fe5c21ee160317484f455f1332 https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/c5bc6363cceddf4d8e0c1f273429fd9e.jpg 16009922a41aad57b6cb8d4defc7adb4 https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/0ed97da11ac26f556475e4b142492344.jpg b0b13d6ca03b4a2960c189de2cf82b75 https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/c6684e1ee6fcd01183363abe84a6aa53.jpg 0f91fa45252f2afd751e5c8a9aaf03a4 https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/59090cd7560ca86b1c0c38dd98237a30.jpg 24ebdb933f3526cc22b6317e5633611a https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/65770cd5546e439eca0d229cf3974c4a.jpg eaade3f4e1ec97ec1dbc0f2b0c536066 https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/3aff008c8960e53171e071e5503c05e0.jpg 22993ed49eb4d43753a86ad6439dc43c https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/246cb8f62e2b605d53fee949f7d631fd.jpg 679be57b326a2a2cdf507c567e25452c https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/e728d5dcdefcfbe9370bb086f20d22bb.jpg 1c8598e42806d142da22db926bd9c089 https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/4f000a45d7a202c611ac7dc64fd847b2.jpg a52b7bcdc08580a84aad3664e9f282e0 https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/7af8b8af9bd32159ad57902fd33af8a1.jpg f18250e775760eef5938d3294259d70e https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/78aa3cb63ed5375a46c579ecd4ef8801.jpg b770ae810f9eb01904109a07138bd5b3 https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/43ed85a8df5a99f9a16aa14044917aa9.jpg 82315499f0af57f872eff7aca8ad623d https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/fb9361002efb28b6c0580e0b93cde96b.jpg f3fb2feb73575fbcf5c6fb7ee9196e5a https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/5ed2b947fac0f2691d75ef23ebd8d672.jpg bbf37b30b214e5b77014fe4bb6d12476 https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/1686d9297f17218759b66520394cc32d.jpg 696173fc5d3906d87656e26455b2d477 https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/f6c47378d45bcc4f069e1eb84a251602.jpg beaa099417421cc7f574ad3963112827 https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/c4f1dbb7dc3aecf09043f4368c22c8e8.jpg 020389d87205bedc5baa4530ae2567a1 https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/09e0bd2df76a3828fe8d2083ef9e2134.jpg 8417281d0b0ad23d112af1712281b781 https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/3f0a1e8dfbdcdce5ccb4a39c5b36b2b4.jpg 7b84bcef3c8223905950ac2c8af3176a https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/9f38bb2d9ce0224b721e3410dbb0216a.jpg 5f71744c1e69c973179faa52fc01743f https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/e91159b8325efafbd67e673af84b55da.jpg 0bedf0bbd6239ffc280d228e9a2fe317 https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/494333ad55ca72b0e3cac883a2848b61.jpg f7b5b232415b3f6ae1706f2674f8f265 https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/eb17c2f999aa846f8a09d4191db355b3.jpg b62845b4538b25043b20cbd5cc053c07 https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/d36a9ac439dc55731eb87e546e473c92.jpg 94a7f67fd8e4ee526e335ef0834b063b Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource German WWII ID Documents Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wehrpaß of Wolfgang Ernst Hermann Zinke https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/b5814900b5ad756673ef1fa6ebbe2714.jpg 22771e39953f966ceaf310de85a32897 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource German WWII ID Documents Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Certification of Ownership for German POW Walter Schmitt 2 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource January 18th, 1946 https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/33b4b877901fbdaa1ce7d107e39054db.jpg b80238541c103da073bf9726eec0f8fe Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource German WWII ID Documents Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Certification of Ownership for German POW Walter Schmitt Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource January 18th, 1946 https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/fae82ddf5af30fb56e44099c069b6eaa.jpg c50b8fb27d574c07fc14efef966d6596 https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/75fd8d836068e32107d7ef2ff0464a3e.jpg 0294dc2b475e2ef424bd3f74c7714515 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource German WWII ID Documents Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Prisoner of War A.F. W3000 Transfer Slip for German POW Walter Schmitt Subject The topic of the resource A slip showing his transfer into British military custody after leaving the United States. Description An account of the resource This document gives some of the most detailed information on Walter Schmitt's military service. His identity disk identified him as a Panzer Jager (Pz. Jg.) anti-tank unit. He was part of the 334th Infantry Division's 755 Grenadier Regiment 3rd Battalion 10th Company. His place of capture is listed as Tebourba on May 9th, 1943. The 334th Infantry Division was set up on 25 November 1942 as "Kriemhilde" unit of the military districts XIII, XVII and XVIII at the Grafenwoehr training area. It was unusual that their three regiments (754, 755, 756) were drawn up from three different military districts (754/XIII – Nuremberg, 755/XVII – Vienna, 756/XVIII – Salzburg). It had two infantry regiments (754 and 755) and a mountain infantry regiment (756). The division was already destined for a deployment in Africa at this point in time. In January 1943 the division was transferred by ship from Naples to Africa and assigned to the 5th Panzer Army in Tunisia, in a time where the supply ports of the Axis, as well as its forces, where threatened to be encircled in the winter of 1942/43. Its lead elements of the 754. Infanterie-Regiment arrived in Bizerta in late December 1942 under the command of Oberst Friedrich Weber (promoted to Generalmajor on Jan.1,1943), with the rest of the Division arriving by 15 January 1943. Together with the 10th Panzer Division and the Division “von Manteuffel”, they successfully defended Tunis and northern Tunisia in the "Run for Tunis" in January 1943 as part of the "Company Eilbote" (Unternehmen Eilbote). Between February and March the division ("Kampfgruppe Krause") stayed in the northern Tunisian mountains and remained continually engaged, suffering heavy losses amid heavy fighting, in a series of fierce and costly engagements that cost the division dearly in casualties that it could not replace. The 334th was involved in the storming of Djebel Manson. In late April 1943, "Gruppe Audorff" of the division participated in an attack on the heights of Medjez el Bab. After a week of bloody fighting, the 756.Geb.Inf.Rgt. retired from the heights it had recently regained and moved back towards Tunis. The 334th Division was separated from the rest of the army with the volunteer organization “Phalange africaine” of the Vichy regime, which had been assigned to the Division's 754.Inf.Rgt.(mot.), and surrendered to the Allied troops in the Beja area on 8 May 1943, a few days before the fall of Tunis in the Bizerta bridgehead. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Earliest date on the form appears to be February 21st, 1946 and the latest date is February 13th 1947 https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/28e925dd9dc628aa6a352d783f0d457e.jpg a466c47a1b92c9f7d3b05eb11f2fb900 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource German WWII ID Documents Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Italian Hospital Train Unloading Slip for German POW Walter Schmitt Subject The topic of the resource Notes on the Handwriting The handwritten entries are faded graphite pencil. This is not a medical record itself, but rather a transport tag used on a military hospital train. "Entladezettel" The word literally means "unloading slip" or "disembarkation slip." It accompanied a patient being removed from a hospital train and served as a logistics document so personnel at the receiving station knew: which railway car the patient occupied, who the patient was, his military rank, his medical case number, whether he could sit or required a stretcher, where he was to be unloaded. "Ital. Lazarettzug" This stands for: Italienischer Lazarettzug Italian Hospital Train During World War II, Germany operated numerous Lazarettzüge (hospital trains). Those designated "Italian" generally operated in the Italian theater after the German occupation of Italy in 1943, transporting wounded soldiers northward into Germany or Austria for treatment. The blank train number suggests either: the number was never entered, it was recorded elsewhere, or this was a preprinted form used quickly during unloading. Car No. 10a This identifies the specific railway carriage containing the patient. Hospital trains commonly had: ward cars, operating cars, pharmacy cars, kitchens, staff accommodations, so identifying the correct carriage was essential during unloading. Illness Number (Krankheitsnummer) The Krankheitsnummer was an administrative case number assigned to the patient for transport and medical documentation. It was not a diagnosis or severity rating. Offenburg Offenburg, in Baden, southwestern Germany, was an important railway junction during the war. It served as: a transfer point for military trains, a reception point for wounded soldiers, and the location of several military hospitals (Lazarette). Many hospital trains traveling north from Italy passed through or terminated at Offenburg because of its strategic rail connections. Overall Assessment This document is a hospital train unloading tag documenting the transfer of a wounded or ill German soldier. The form would originally have accompanied the patient as he was removed from the hospital train and handed over to the receiving military medical authorities. It is a logistical document rather than a clinical medical record. This was likely a tag from before his capture in Tunisia Description An account of the resource Translation ENTLADEZETTEL Unloading Slip ITAL. LAZARETTZUG Nr. Italian Hospital Train No. (No number has been entered.) Wagen Nr.: Car No.: 10a Listen Nr.: List No.: (blank) Dienstgrad: Rank: (appears to read "Gefr." = Gefreiter, but the handwriting is extremely faint and not completely certain) Name: Surname: Schmitt Vorname: Given name: Walter KRANKHEITSNUMMER: Illness / Case Number: 12 Sitzend = S Sitting = S Liegend = L Lying (stretcher) = L (Lying appears to be marked) AUSLADEORT: Unloading Location: Offenburg Bemerkungen: Remarks: (blank) https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/c00f0538133a2c1c4fbbeadf6484591a.jpg 7c49cf990cf7b68fc4b7e3d65d601282 https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/e37d7d8aca22956e8abd98e821b009d9.jpg a4e3c706e09121fc90977b22a2ce9d35 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource German WWII ID Documents Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Basic Personel Record for German POW Walter Schmitt Subject The topic of the resource This record contains a description of his prison camps within the United States where he arrived about one month after his capture in Tunisia. He was initially sent to Trinidad, Colorado on June 18th 1943 before being moved to Scottsbluff, Nebraska on May 8, 1944. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Earliest date on the form appears to be June 18th, 1943 and the latest date is March 5th 1946 https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/348230bff4115620aed1d3dc495d773f.jpg 3e6933971e4eb04eef96884eccfd79e2 https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/c7d9a43b3537b746a761416055d08d9d.jpg dd8c8feeb6147440ff1c730856c853fb Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource German WWII ID Documents Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Prisoner of War Index Card for German POW Walter Schmitt Subject The topic of the resource POW Index Card created by British authorities for his file. Description An account of the resource Born in Wesel Germany in 1922 he was a university student when he entered military service. His religion is listed as Catholic. His rank is listed as Obergefreiter. The red stamp reads something in German which is likely "Application for compensation under the KgfEG. Delivered on April 30, 1954 to (some center unreadable) in Krefeld" Krefeld appears to be his hometown as he has listed his father's address in Krefeld as next of kin. One of the two photos appears to be torn off from the file where it was glued. It was likely a front angle mugshot. Unclear as to why it was torn off the file. The back of the card has some of his movements recorded. Starting with Camp 180 in Trumpington Camp, Trumpington, Cambridgeshire the transferred on the 5th of March 1946 to Newton Camp, Newton-with-Scales, Kirkham, Lancashire. He was then transferred Warth Mills Camp 177 to Brookmill Camp 168 on the 15th of April 1947. Finally on May 1st, 1947 he was transferred from Camp 168 to Hull for repatriation. There is also an additional stamp under authority and some German writing the meaning of which is not immediately apparent.