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New German WWII Records Added

We’ve added a new collection of WWII records from Germany. The Germany, Military Killed in Action 1939-1948 collection contains index cards for about 2 million German soldiers killed during WWII.

Researching German WWII soldiers can be tricky because many service records were destroyed during the war. 1939, the High Command of the German Wehrmacht began operating an information center for war casualties and prisoners of war. Initially, the agency was called WASt (short for Wehrmachtsauskunftstelle für Kriegsverluste und Kriegsgefangene). In 1946, it was renamed Deutsche Dienststelle für die Benachrichtigung der nächsten Angehörigen von Gefallenen der ehemaligen deutschen Wehrmacht (German Office for the Notification of Next-of-Kin of Members of the Former German Armed Forces who were Killed in Action). The name is commonly shortened as Deutsche Dienststelle (WASt). In 2019, that service became part of the German Federal Archives as the newly established Department PA (Information on Personal Data related to World Wars I and II) and is based in Berlin-Reinickendorf.

The index cards in this collection contain information that can help research German soldiers who were killed in WWII including:

  • Name
  • Birthdate and Birthplace
  • Unit, Reserve Unit, Identification Number, Rank
  • Date of Death, Time of Death, Place of Death, and Type of Casualty
  • Burial Date, Location, and Grave Number (if known)

These records are written in German but can be interpreted using the following example:

Explore these index cards in the Germany, Military Killed in Action 1939-1948 collection on Fold3 today!

29 Comments

  1. Lawrence Aljets says:

    Do these records also include the German Navy?

  2. Charles Perrin says:

    The example includes a mistranslation. Kreis means “district, county,” not “country.”

  3. Suzanne Noguere says:

    What is the comparable resource for French WWII records?

  4. D Probst says:

    My uncle was “lost” in wwI. He was a German citizen. I don’t know his first name…his last name was Bock. His parents (Herman and Maria) . Probably lived in Kiel area. Having so little info, Is there any way I can trace him?

    • Uzi Bo says:

      I have trace:

      Hans Bock *08.05.1920 Kiel + 07.06.1942 Sewastopol
      Hans Bock * 30.08.1912 Kiel + 09.01.1942 Subzow 00 mit Irma , Adress Haniesstr. 12 Kiel
      Walter Bock *30.04.1921 Kiel + 16.05.1942 Ljubino Father Fritz Bock

      Please, write me in german!

      Greetings from here.

  5. Claudia Nielsen says:

    My grandfather was killed in East Berlin by the Russians as he was was a translator

  6. Sandy morning says:

    Do these records include navy and airforce or are they just army personnel?

  7. Thank you, this is amazing. I have found someone who’s death remained unknown. He was sent to the Russian front because he was anti-Nazi. He disappeared as far as his family was concerned, they never heard what became of him.

  8. Dragana says:

    Thank you Charles.

  9. Suzanne Noguere says:

    Thank you so much, George!

  10. Leslie Zupan says:

    By the way, the reverse of the card sometimes gives the name of next of kin (parent or spouse) and their address.

  11. Joan Johnson says:

    Does the collection show german soldiers taken prisoner by the russians?

  12. Hello Charles,
    With respect, May I suggest that you relook at the illustration. Kreis is translated as County. Not Country.

  13. Coşkun says:

    I am curious about Turkestani soldiers

  14. Mary Kroymann says:

    As it is in German is there a feature where it can be translated into other languages?

  15. Vaessen Marcel says:

    Trying to find informations about my father-in-law.
    German soldier during WWII :

    FICKERS
    Ewald
    * 17:01:1910 in Honsfeld/Maömedy
    Erkennungsmarke : -348-Kdr. Stalag Vi
    Truppenteile : 6./ Infanterie-Regiment 178 (17-09.1942
    13. Kompanie Gremadier-Regiment 866 (13.03.1944)
    (. schwere Kompanie Grenadier-Regiment 1141 (16.10.1944)
    KIA : Sapkinai (Litauen) 16.10.1944 Rank : Obergefreiter

  16. Cali Bowers says:

    Hi I’m doing research on my father who was German. You mentioned POWs, he was a POW in England and America. Do you have any records on POWs
    Many thanks.

  17. Jane Ramey says:

    That’s great. Do you also have cards for the concentration camps and the six million people they murdered?

  18. John Manrho says:

    How can we determine what was recently ADDED and what was already there? The point is, if you are researching hundreds of names for historical purposes, it seems with every update you need to check them all again? Or is there a feature to see what was added?

    Regards,

    John

  19. Christine Bertuleit says:

    I have the same question as Joan Johnson on 4 November. My father-in-law fought in both WW1 & WW2 and was a Russian POW in both wars. I only have his name, Gustav Emil Bertuleit, no other details. Would it be possible to trace him & his army service?

  20. Geoff says:

    This addition is very exciting. But as it covers only those who died in action it sadly does not help with my attempt to trace the service record of an officer in the Abwehr who survived the war.

    I wrote to the Bundesarchiv in Berlin a year ago – they should have the record – and they said they would get back back to me. My understanding is that they are running very behind (two years to reply to an enquiry, was the experience of a friend) and this may now have slowed to a standstill because of COVID.

    Do you know another resource where I might find records for this minor Abwehr officer?

    Many thanks, Geoff

  21. David C. Baer says:

    I have an uncle, (Gustav AIGNER, DOB: 1923) (Rank: Uffz), that was in the Luftwaffe and was KIA 27 December, 1944 at Altenkirchen, (per: http://aircrewremembered.com/Kracker/LuftwaffeGermanPilotsA.html. )
    I cannot find him listed on Fold3.
    Is the Luftwaffe included in you database of German Military Deaths?

    • John Manrho says:

      I have Uffz. Gustav Aigner of 11./JG 3 flying in Messerschmitt Bf 109G-14, Werknummer 464118, gelbe 13, as MIA in area south of Malmedy. I have no grave, so he will not be in the database.

      John

  22. How would I find out if my grandfather was in WW11? I am hesitant to pay bc I’m not sure if my family is on this list ..Please advise.. Thank you..