Access to WASt

[Luke_r86]

I seek advice from anyone with intimate knowledge of theWASt in Berlin. Over the years, in the process of family research, I have successfully sourced information from files held at the WASt. This information was the normal 1-2 pages of very abreviated dates and facts in English. I would like to visit Berlin (in the next week perhaps) and view the files for myself in order that more substantial information may be gained. Can some-one inform me of the chances for me to do this? ie has the WASt got a reading room similar to many other archives. Is there a limitation on just who can request and review files. Is there a time frame of notice that needs to be given etc etc ANY guidance will be greatly appreciated.

[drmessimer]

Luke: Over the past forty years I have made extensive use of the Deutsche Dienststelle. Yes, you can go there, but you have to write them a letter first and obtain clearance to enter the stacks. Your letter must contain the specific areas that you want to access. No, you will not be allowed to handle the records yourself. The Deutsche Dienststelle is very bureaucratic and is governed by German law and regulations that are supposedly there to protect the privacy of the individuals and their families. The level of German privacy protection borders on the ridiculous, but you have to work with it. It has been my experience that since reunification, the problems for researchers have become more difficult. Sorry to be so negative, but I deal with those people all the time and I am growing old and tired. The Best to you, and good luck. Dwight R. Messimer

PS: The mailing address is:
Deutsche Dienststelle [WASt]
Eichborndamm 179
D-13403 Berlin
Germany

Phone number: [030] 41 904-0
FAX: [030] 41 904-100
Internet: http://www.dd-wast.de
Email: [email protected]


DRM

[Erich]

in brief, be prepared for a long wait regardless...... remember much of what is going on the German record holdings whether here or at Aachen or Freiburg, Bundesarchiv's is under volunteer help

[Luke_r86]

Many thanks to both of you. DRMESSINER, could you clarrify something for me. Earlier this morning, I spoke to the WASt and they seemed to indicate that it was not possible for me to view any records there because of privacy concerns. Ok, this I understand but I'm wondering if this is the "normal" run-a-round one can often get when looking for any type of documentation. The clarrification I seek....what is the nature of the files actually held by the WASt? ie when one writes a request for information on a file, the organisation sends out a page or two of brief typed notes on signal dates for units, rank, infirmary and that is it. At the WASt though, are the documents more detailed ie are they the actual personal files of the member? The person I was speaking to indicated that the typed transcript that they send out is representative of ALL the information that they have. Does this fit with your own experience?

A couple of questions if I may to both yourself and Erich. Firstly, the WASt was helpful in that they suggested another organisation (Bundesarchiv in Berlin) may contain additional information. Have you any comment on the nature of the information that that particular archiv might be able to provide additional to that provided by the WASt. Secondly (the individual I am researching is a family member), if he were interned at the end of the war, would there be an archive containing his internment notes (either in Germany or the US). He was only a Sturmann in the SS but he did spend 1 year at the US administered Mauerkirchen lager from 10.05.1945 up until 04.06.1946.

Any assistance will be most appreciated.

[drmessimer]

Luke: Germany has very tight privacy laws with regard to government-held personal information, and the definition of personal information is very broad. However, as a family member, you might [probably?] qualify for access to the information. You should ask the agency with which you are dealing how you can establish your family association. Their citation of German privacy law is not a run-around, though I personally think they go overboard when applying the law. As an example, I recently needed the military and family records for a former German naval officer who later joined the Luftwaffe. The government agencies that held the records would not release them to me. But I got everything I needed, plus more, from a veterans' association.

WASt has what the United States Army calls each soldier's 201 File, which includes dates of promotion, assignments, authorized awards, orders, and just about every document that a soldier generates during his service time. WASt uses those records to establish, on behalf of his family, a veteran's eligibility for compensation and pensions. WASt does not have the records for the former SS members, those are held in the Berlin Document Center [BDC], which is also a very tough nut to crack.

That address is:
Berlin Document Center [BDC]
Abteilung Deutsches Reich
Finkenstein Allee 63
D-12205 Berlin
PH.: 01 888 7770-411
FAX: 01 888 7770-111
Email: [email protected]

Excluding naval and SS personnel, the complete individual military records are held in the Bundesarchiv, Zentralnachweisstelle, Aachen. Again, to acquire copies of those records you have to be a family member. This is their address:
Bundesarchiv, Zentralnachweisstelle
Abteigarten 6
D-52076 Aachen
PH.: 02408 147-0
FAX: 02408 147-37
Internet: http://www.bundesarchiv.de

I am going to guess at this one, but I suspect that the POW camp records pertaining to German POWs held by the United States Army are in the records of the Office of the Provost Marshall 1941-, Records Group 389 in the US National Archives [NARA]

There is another consideration that is the fact that when the war ended, so did the German soldiers' military service. From that point forward they were "fomer members" of whatever they had been. I don't know, but I doubt that there are records in Germany pertaining to the time a former Wehrmacht member was held by the United States Army. I belive that those records would be in the US. But that's another guess. Anyway, I hope this is useful. Good luck, and the Best to you, Dwight R. Messimer

[hankmeister]

Excluding naval and SS personnel, the complete individual military records are held in the Bundesarchiv, Zentralnachweisstelle, Aachen. Again, to acquire copies of those records you have to be a family member. This is their address:
Bundesarchiv, Zentralnachweisstelle
Abteigarten 6
D-52076 Aachen
PH.: 02408 147-0
FAX: 02408 147-37
Internet: http://www.bundesarchiv.de

Best to you, Dwight R. Messimer

An absolutely outstanding bit of information. But I have to ask: Where are the naval personnel records held? There's somebody I'd like to research, and am in contact with his daughter. That might help....
thanks in advance
Hank

[drmessimer]

Hank: Try:

Bundesarchiv-Militärarchiv
Wiesentalstr. 10
D-79115 Freiburg

http://www.bundesarchiv.de/standorte/freiburg

Good luck in your research. Dwight R. Messimer

[Lars Gyllenhaal]

Hello,

I understand that the WASt/DD does contain some files on Waffen-SS personell. Namely most files on enlisted and NCOs.

The SS-officer-files are indeed (see above) in the BDC.

Comments?

QUESTION: where are the non-officer files that are not in the WASt/DD located? The BDC? Any other archive(s)?

Cheerio,

Lars

[John P. Moore]

I believe that the original personnel records of SS enlisted personnel are also maintained by the Budesarchiv in Berlin. This is because the former Berlin Document Center maintained the original records of both groups of personnel and later filmed those records prior to turning them over to the Bundesarchiv. The non-officer SS records are also found in NARA publication A3343, SSEM. They are on 25mm microfilm and are significantly less complete than for the officer files. If the man you are looking for had a signal/Nachrichten specialty there is a good chance that his file is present and very complete, however, if he was anything else there person`s file will only have a couple of documents if it is there at all, even most of the files for EM holders of the Ritterkreuz and DKiG are missing.

I visited both the Berlin Document Center and Deutsche Dienststelle in 1990 and had received extensive research from both institutions since 1983.

John

[steve248]

The British Government also passed to WAst all its records on German prisoners of war
held by Britain during WW2. This included every branch of the German armed forces inc Sipo/SD men. A recent enquiry I made via their website was answered quite quickly and thoroughly.

[Vincent]

How long is it normal to wait on a reply from DD-WASt?
I wrote a request in August and haven't received any information yet.

EDIT, april 11th: Received it today.