POW Wehrpass

[JOHN JONES]

A question on German POW Wehrpass.
How were these marked when soldat was known to be captured?, obviously
not disgarded as he would return to arms on the final victory.

I think of surrenders in Afrika, where complete armies and all support units
went into the pen. Would the Wehrpass have been carried to that theatre
of war or kept at recruitment or base offices.

I think of Erwin Kerz, captured May 1943, but died in captivity October 1943.
When the Red Cross advised the German goverment, would that have prompted the entry ' died ' ( not gefallen ) and the pass forwarded to the
family as per normal procedure?. I suppose most POw passes, were lost in the general collapse.

Anyone kindly have examples to show.

Many thanks.
John.

[JOHN JONES]

Hello All,
Back to the top, because I have some more informatiion from the
family. This is the picture from Erwins Wehrpas, this was not given to his next of kin by the 3rd Reich. I quote :

12/12/1947 Martha ( Wife ) received the estate of Erwin
from Berlin - Dahlem* ( Wehrpas - Solbuch ecc )

*This was the command centre for the U.S. Zone of occupation.
This date corresponds with the last of the German prisioners returning from the US.
Could it be the last admin actions were to return the effects of those who
died in the US in the period 1942 - 46?

Erwins POW record states he had no possesions on capture, and he refused
to answer when quizzed about his unit. ( name / rank / seriel No. etc )
Would he not have retained his Solbuch? which had his postings. And how by
1947, did the US authorities have both his military passes?
In the general collapse in AFRIKA, would not the admin sections, attempt to
fly out or failing that hide / destroy the company records.

I shall ask the family to copy other pages, 32/ 33 / 34, to check enteries.

Cheers,
John.

[JOHN JONES]

Hello all,
Having received further selective scans from the family of Erwin Kerz,
I believe although found together in his wifes archive, the Wehrpas was not
returned with his Solbuch and effects from the U.S. Zone in early 1948.
His solbuch has last entry of promotion in March 1943. 2 months before the
general retreat and capture in Afrika.
( With thanks to Gerdan and Jens ) His Wehrpas shows a final entry from the
central records office? in Saalfield please can anyone confirm this by
identification of the rubber stampings.

Cause He died by accident in an Amercian POW camp.

Entry by Lt Lauf . Central office OKW records for military losses and POW
Saalfield . 13 . 5 .1944

Cheers,
John.