What can be obtained from Dienstelle ?

[nicolas75]

Hello to all

I own a Wehrpass that was found in Normandy (i know that doesn’t mean tyhe guy was there)

The soldier is not listed as being dead (Karl Johann Schumacher born 3.12.1904 and from Frankfurt am main)

Does the dienststelle is able to provide informative and usefull informations on every soliders ?

(by example the US archives for their own soldiers just gives all but unusefull stuff with expensive fees)

What are your experiences ?

Thanks

[CWP]

The WASt generally will only provide this information to family members of the soldier and have specifically stated that they do not provide information to collectors.

[feldpost 58]

Hi,

as Chris has stated, Wast will only give out information to family members.
I contacted them several years ago, trying to request details and copies of Soldbuch, Wehrpass etc for a Totenkopf SS Schutz KIA in Demjansk.
After my initial letter, I received a reply stating information had been found - but was I a family member?
On replying that I was not a member of the family, I then received another letter stating that they could not provide information to me, and they were not a service to verify any 3rd Reich collectables.
I was disappointed, but can understand their view, and how would I feel if a total stranger was trying to obtain information about one of my dead relatives!
Still wonder what I may have received if I had lied
But I do not think lying would be the right way forward

Best regards,

John.

[Ironcrown]

I think the WaSt could make a lot of money if it charged some fees to collectors for their requests.
I would be happy to pay for such service, since I have a load of documents that need a further search

[Gerdan]

The staff of the WASt is going to be reduced and the responsables are discussing what to do

with all the documents and files after that. May be the Bundesarchiv ?

Gerdan

[Jean-Loup]

IF you want to find out about your man, try contacting the town hall of his city of birth (Frankfurt). I am not sure they will respond as it is a big town, but they should be able to provide you with his date of death, and perhaps the names of relatives.

In any case, the WASt probably knowns less then what is written in the Soldbuch.

JL

[Ironcrown]

I think that (in theory of course) what you can get from the WaSt depends on the documents that survived the war. In many case the files were almost completely destroyed, in others they still have even the copies of the medical examinations!

I know of a soldier that was identifyed because he had, sometime before he died, a broken leg! When the remains were recovered some years ago from the battlefield, a research began. There were a few soldiers of that certain unit that were missing in those particular days when the battle took place, and from the german archives only one resulted to have a broken leg! They even found the radiography and the image of the fracture fit perfectly with the bones!
I was told this story by the keeper of a german war cemetery here in Italy

I always believed that the WaSt should have (at least, if they did not get destroyed during the war) the informations that are written on the Wehrpass.
These could be great additions if somebody has a Soldbuch (even more if just a Zweitschrift), or an award document only!


I really hope the archives will be given to the Bundesarchiv. If so, there's a chance that in future the collectors will be able to forward requests of information

[Jean-Loup]

"I know of a soldier that was identifyed because he had, sometime before he died, a broken leg! When the remains were recovered some years ago from the battlefield, a research began. There were a few soldiers of that certain unit that were missing in those particular days when the battle took place, and from the german archives only one resulted to have a broken leg! They even found the radiography and the image of the fracture fit perfectly with the bones!
I was told this story by the keeper of a german war cemetery here in Italy"


From my experience with the Wast, I find this story difficult to believe... though I hope it is true.

JL

[Ironcrown]

Well, the guy I talked to works for the Volksbund, so I think he has many more privileges than a "normal" citizen that request informations about a relative. He recovers fallen soldiers for the german government so I think that the collaboration with the WaSt is very strict. However, this story dates back to some years ago. I know that now things have changed and today for my friend too is not easy to obtain informations as used to be. As example, the WaSt pretends now to receive the original dogtag to identify a soldier. In past a photocopy was enough...

[Tora_Tora_Tora!]

Well, the guy I talked to works for the Volksbund, so I think he has many more privileges than a "normal" citizen that request informations about a relative.


This man was lucky due VB and WAST have always communicate by official way, it is not difficult to see that a VB employer has many many difficulties to have any additional info about a soldier from WAST.



He recovers fallen soldiers for the german government so I think that the collaboration with the WaSt is very strict.


Pay attention if this man was an official digger from VB or the keeper of the italian cemetery.


However, this story dates back to some years ago. I know that now things have changed and today for my friend too is not easy to obtain informations as used to be.

Correct....see my first point. Nowadays all became very difficult


As example, the WaSt pretends now to receive the original dogtag to identify a soldier. In past a photocopy was enough...


Not only a dogtag, if you have a wehrpass or a soldbuch and ask them some infos, they ask you to send the ORIGINAL document and not copies!!!!

I don't know if WAST have economic contribution from the german government but the VB, for example, not. VB is done by people who care what they do and hardly work in order to preserve the memory of fallen soldiers and they go ahead thanks only to private contributes. I think that if WAST and VB would apply a fee of research this could save money and , specially, would help many collectors to give a proper military and human life to forgotten soldiers.

[nicolas75]

Ok, nothing can be obtained

[Lee Luke]

I tried Wast recently. I sent a request for info on a SS officer and was shot down within 2-3 weeks. I needed written permission from the family or a letter from a university that I was writing a thesis or article.

At the same time I requested info on a distant family member. It took about 4 months for a response. I needed permission from the soldier or family. I need the fallen soldiers( he is listed on the Volksbund list) info from the WAST to get proof where he fits into my family tree.

I am not sure if I should send a copy of my grandmothers' famliy tree to them to prove a family connection or what.

They also have a question on the website asking how much I would be willing to pay for each request.

[besslein]

well i have one time asked WAst abaut a SS soldier that was kia in my town 1945,and i own hes soldbuch,for my suprise i have get answer in abaut two weeks,so you never know with them.