Help Researching Kriegsmarine Sonderführer

[DocumentsGuy]

I apologize in advance if this question has already been asked and answered in the forum.

How can I obtain a copy of the military service record of a Kriegsmarine Sonderführer? I have his biographical information and I know he passed away many years ago. Is there some German Navy website I can go to to request his file?

Thanks in Advance,
Bruce

[Larry deZeng]

There may be some help here - see Post #6:

Finding information on Kriegsmarine personnel:

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...31#post2442231

[tenoriodj]

If the documents exist they are at WASt

Deutsche Dienststelle (WASt)
Eichborndamm 167 – 179
13403 Berlin
Internet: www.dd-wast.de
Tel. +49 (030) 41904-0
Fax. +49 (030) 41904-100

If they decide to give you the information, expect 2-3 month wait.

[DocumentsGuy]

Hi guys,
Thanks for the information.

I went to the WaSt website to find out what personal information they need and I may have run into a wall.

In the upper left corner of the "Tracing Request" page it reads "Deutsche Dienststelle (WASt) for the notification of next-of-kin of members of the former German Wehrmacht who were killed in action".

Well, my guy wasn't KIA. He survived the war and lived a long and fruitful life after being demobilized in 1945. So, the question is, is the WaSt still the place to go for Kriegsmarine service records of those who survived the war?

[tenoriodj]

yes they do. I obtained several of surviving officers myself

The issue with WASt is that their raison d´etre is serviving the families of vets. Therefore, they are very strict when it comes to assisting in the research of anyone else. Datenschutz (data protection) laws come into play, and they will even most likely not help you without having first obtained the OK from surviving relatives. Thats assuming of course they have deemed you worthy of being helped

The above is a realistic most likely scenario, but things can go better for u, depending on who handles your request.

[DocumentsGuy]

Thanks, I'll give WaSt a shot and see what happens.

Unfortunately for me, the son of the man in question is still very angry at his father for divorcing his mother at the beginning of the war. I've asked, but the son will not ask WaSt for his father's records himself.

[Larry deZeng]

Unfortunately for me, the son of the man in question is still very angry at his father for divorcing his mother at the beginning of the war.

Still pissed after 70 years........ He must be a relative of the Hatfield or McCoy family.