Deutsche Dienststelle's web site?

[Alan Smith]

I would like to e-mail a link for the Deutsche Dienststelle's web site to the family in Germany of a WWII German soldier I am researching. The last time I looked at the website (http://www.com-de.pair.com/wast/) there was an on-line information request form that the family members can fill out to get copies of military service records. The idea here is that, via e-mailing this link and on-line request form to the family, it will make things easy on them and, thus, more likely that the family will act promptly on my request.

Problem is, when I try the link it no longer works. I pulled the link from among the pinned links at the top of this forum.

Anyone have another link to the Deutsche Dienststelle that works?

Also, am I correct in my belief that the Deutsche Dienststelle is the proper German governmental entity from which to request a full copy of a WWII-era serviceman's record?

The soldier I am researching survived WWII and became career military in the Bundeswehr. Thus I assume that even if his original WWII records did not survive, as part of his Bundeswehr service these records would have been recreated so as to form an accurate and complete record of his years of service to Germany.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[werner geier]

alan, try: http://www.dd-wast.de/

[Alan Smith]

Thanks, Werner - the link you provided works just fine.

[Larry deZeng]

alan, try: http://www.dd-wast.de/

Ouch! 20,00 € is muy expensivo for a few lines of information. Isn't it better to deal directly with BA-ZNS Kornelimünster bei Aachen and get photocopies of the individual's personnel records? Most people who have obtained information from WASt are disappointed with the paucity (sparseness) of the data they provide.

BHS1956

[werner geier]

dont ask me why, but i placed 2 search requests (basic unit queries, non family related) at WASt in the last months and i was not charged at all.

[Jan-Hendrik]

AAchen-Kornelimünster does not exist anymore since 1.January ...

Their material was parted and transfered to WASt and BA-MA Freiburg. Don't forget that those few people at WASt not just have to handle with dozens of requests per day but with digitalizing their whole archive

And just don't forget how much time it needs to assemble "a few lines of information" if you have to work yourself through tons of paper to find it

In my opinion such commentaries are quite unfair !

Jan-Hendrik

[Alan Smith]

I want to obtain photocopies of all of the documents in the personnel file of my research subject (a DkiG winner).

Should my request go to the WASt or to the BA-MA Freiburg? From what you guys are saying, it sounds like I would do better to skip the WASt and go directly to the BA-MA Freiburg. Anyone have contact information for them (especially an electronic link)?

[Jan-Hendrik]

http://www.bundesarchiv.de/kontakt/index.html

Jan-Hendrik

[Larry deZeng]

AAchen-Kornelimünster does not exist anymore since 1.January ...
Their material was parted and transfered to WASt and BA-MA Freiburg.

Hmmm.........

One of the most valuable assets held by BA-ZNS Kornelimünster was the various Offiziere-Kartei. Those for Luftwaffe officers, for example, consisted of 1.5-million Luftwaffenpersonalamt cards divided into dozens of separate registries and indexes. Many of the card sets had full career details for each officer, including personal data, training, assignments, promotions, decorations, etc., while others contained much less information.

Would Herr Jan-Hendrik know if these Kartei went to WASt in Berlin after 1 January 2006 or to BA-MA Freiburg im Breisgau?

BHS1956

[Jan-Hendrik]

You have directly ask the WASt as they now have direct access to the Freiburg material , too .

Jan-Hendrik

[SvenWittnebel]

Ouch! 20,00 € is muy expensivo for a few lines of information. Isn't it better to deal directly with BA-ZNS Kornelim******252;nster bei Aachen and get photocopies of the individual's personnel records? Most people who have obtained information from WASt are disappointed with the paucity (sparseness) of the data they provide.

BHS1956

Please keep in mind that the WASt was not installed to keep collectors informed but the families of former WH members f.e. or the soldiers themself when they get their pensions.
Today there is more time for questions from collectors like You, because most of the soldiers are gone now. (I wait for informations about my grandfather since a few months...)
My wife is working for the federal healt and pension administration, they still make a lot of requests there, health and life insurances do it too.

And also keep in mind that the data protection laws here are very restrictive. And also that the WASt has just a handfull of personell working in stone age manner for decades. For more than 291,600,000 individual record files!

Nice to hear from Jan-Hendrik that they turn over to electronic based archives.
(But from the point of view as a tax payer... - this is a Berlin authority what means that just the tax payers from Berlin and the charge fees make them working - and Berlin is bankrupt )

So please keep cool, drink a beer or two and wait what happens and don't expect miracles - they do their best.


PS.: Just a bonus: some of their buildings were a part of the Mauser factory Berlin-Borsigwalde.