14 Where can I find German military records?
Description
This article is from the German Genealogy FAQ, by Jim Eggert EggertJ@crosswinds.net with numerous contributions by others.
14 Where can I find German military records?
All personnel rosters and card indices (Stammrollen und
Karteimittel) of the Prussian Army, the transition army
("Ubergangsheeres), the Army (Reichswehr), and the Imperial
Navy (Kaiserlichen Marine) were burned in an air raid on Berlin
in February 1945.
Preserved are medical records of those soldiers who were being
treated in military hospitals (Lazarett). The records, most with
personnel roster extracts (Stammrollenausz"ugen), for those born
from 1890 on are stored at
Krankenbuchlager Berlin
Wattstrasse 11-13
13355 Berlin
and for those born before 1890 are stored at
Bundesarchiv - Milit"ararchiv
Wiesentalstrasse 10
79115 Freiburg/Breisgau
<http://www.bundesarchiv.de/standorte.php>
Lists of Prussian and other German officers are generally
available in book series with titles like "Rangliste der
K"oniglich Preussischen Armee". These books were published
roughly annually since at least 1796; some have been reprinted.
An overview of the Prussian army and its military church records
can be found in Lyncker, "Die Altpreussische Armee 1714-1806
und ihre Milit"arkirchenb"ucher", and "Die preussische Armee
1807-1867 und ihre sippenkundlichen Quellen", and also in Eger,
"Verzeichnis der Milit"arkirchenb"ucher in der Bundesrepublik
Deutschland".
A list of pre-1914 Imperial German military units can be found at
<http://users.hunterlink.net.au/~maampo/militaer/milindex.html>
Many German state military records are available at their
respective state archives. These generally cover up to 1920.
World War II German military personnel may have service records at
Bundesarchiv - Zentralnachweisstelle
Abteigarten 6
52076 Aachen
<http://www.bundesarchiv.de/standorte.php>
or at
Deutsche Dienststelle (WASt)
Eichborndamm 179
13403 Berlin
<http://www.com-de.com/wast/>
WASt holdings center on those reported to be prisoners of war
(POW), missing in action (MIA), or killed in action (KIA), and
also on members of the navy, though other records are also held.
The Bundesarchiv has no records for navy personnel. Requests
for information may be sent to either office; they will be
forwarded as needed to the appropriate office.
German military cemetery listings for World Wars I and II can be
found online at
<http://www.volksbund.de/>
For civilian records, one must write to the appropriate agency or
ministry archives (e.g., justice, finance, railroad, post). Those
who had relatives in NSDAP positions can request information from
the Bundesarchiv or, soon, the US National Archives.
Continue to:
My Books
