Soldbuch - Volksdeutsche

[Diaspora]

How common is it to find such on the market?
I recently got one for what appears to be a Spanish volunteer.
Born in Madrid 1926, apparantly by german parents. The soldbuch is quite plain, with minimal entries...

[Maikäfer]

Why would this be a Spaniard? Or even a Volksdeutsche? He was just born outside Germany, as were many others.

[Diaspora]

Well, it would seem that his next of kind (parents) have a spanish adress. In addition to that, at the top of the left page it says something like WBK Ausland Berlin.
Since the names sounded german, I assumed Volksdeutscher...correct me if I'm wrong

[JUNGCO]

The WBK Ausland controled those German "Nationals" living abroad. There was actually a law that they had to return to the Reich to do thier military service. Volksdeutscher are ethnic Germans. This term was governed by a typically (for the Germans) complicated protocol. There were four levels based on political outlook and percentage of German blood. Your man was obviously a German National. The Waffen SS recruited heavily within the various Volkdeutsch communities in the "liberated" and allied countires because these people, being nationals from other countries, were outside the Wehrbezirkkommando's control.
Jeff

[Diaspora]

Ok. So he was probably a German citizent, even though he was born in Spain?

Thank you for the interesting information

[JUNGCO]

The Germans were claiming anyone with parents that were citizens.
Jeff

[Maikäfer]

The Germans were claiming anyone with parents that were citizens.
Jeff

Yes, I think you summed it up very well. The reasons for being born abroad are manifold. I know of many Germans who are born where their fathers worked as Kaufmänner, personal of embassey or anything else. The adagio "if you're born in America, you are an official American citizen" needs to be repelled from this case and certainly from the time-frame we are talking about. Place of birth meant nothing in these days and certainly not to III.Reich Germany.