Understanding the Wehrpass

The Wehrpass was the official German military service record used during the period of the Wehrmacht. It documented a man's military registration, medical examination, training, unit assignments, promotions, decorations, campaigns, wounds and eventual discharge or death.

Unlike the Soldbuch, the Wehrpass was generally not carried by the serviceman during active service. It was normally kept by the responsible military administrative authority and updated from information supplied by units, hospitals and replacement organisations.

Today, a surviving Wehrpass can be one of the most important sources for reconstructing an individual's military career. Its entries may reveal where a man served, which weapons he was trained to use, when he was promoted, whether he was wounded and in which campaigns his unit participated.

At the same time, a Wehrpass must be interpreted carefully. Entries may be incomplete, abbreviated, added retrospectively or copied from earlier records. The document is therefore best used together with Soldbücher, military files, casualty records, photographs, letters and unit histories.

Purpose of the Wehrpass

The Wehrpass formed part of the German military registration and personnel system. It recorded a man's relationship with the armed forces from his initial registration and examination through active service, reserve status and eventual release from military obligations.

Depending on the holder's circumstances, a Wehrpass could contain information about:

personal identity;
family background;
civilian occupation;
military registration number;
physical examination and fitness classification;
entry into active service;
military units;
weapons training;
specialist qualifications;
promotions and appointments;
decorations;
campaigns and battles;
wounds and serious illnesses;
discharge;
reserve status;
death or missing-person status.

Not every Wehrpass contains all of these entries. Some documents are almost empty, while others record many years of service in considerable detail.

Wehrpass and Soldbuch

The Wehrpass and Soldbuch served different purposes.

Wehrpass	Soldbuch
Official military service record	Pay book and personal military identity document
Usually retained by the military administration	Normally carried by the serviceman
Records the broader military career	Records day-to-day administrative information
Often includes campaigns, units and promotions	Often includes pay, equipment, hospital treatment and leave
May contain retrospective summaries	Usually updated during active service

The two documents can complement one another. A Wehrpass may provide the overall service history, while a Soldbuch may contain more immediate evidence of a man's whereabouts, medical treatment, issued equipment and current unit.

Physical appearance

A typical Wehrpass is a small booklet with a grey or blue-grey cover. Many examples contain 52 numbered pages, although the layout and wording can vary according to the date of issue and the version of the form.

The inside front cover usually contains a printed contents list. The main sections are commonly divided into:

personal information;
mustering and classification;
Reich Labour Service;
active military service;
reserve or leave status;
administrative regulations.

The document may also contain:

an identification photograph;
metal eyelets or rivets securing the photograph and first page;
official stamps;
handwritten amendments;
typed inserts;
glued campaign lists;
additional sheets;
corrections and crossed-out entries.

The condition of the document can itself provide information. Heavy wear may suggest frequent administrative use, while a clean or sparsely completed document may have been issued late in the holder's career.

Page 1: identity and registration

The first page normally identifies the holder and connects the Wehrpass with the military registration system.

Typical entries include:

German term	Meaning
Wehrnummer	Military registration number
Name des Paßinhabers	Name of the holder
Nummer der Kennkarte	Identity-card number
Nummer des Arbeitsbuches	Labour-book number
Nummer der Erkennungsmarke	Identity-disc number
Wehrbezirkskommando	Military district recruiting command
Wehrmeldeamt	Military registration office

The Wehrnummer is especially useful. It normally incorporates information concerning the holder's year of birth and the office responsible for his military registration.

The number of the Erkennungsmarke, or identity disc, may also be entered. This can sometimes help identify a man's replacement unit or original administrative formation.

Page 1 usually bears the stamp and signature of the issuing military office, together with the date and place of issue.

Page 2: photograph and signature

Page 2 normally contains the holder's photograph and personal signature.

The photograph was commonly fixed to the page with metal eyelets or rivets and stamped so that the official seal crossed both the photograph and the paper. This helped prevent the photograph from being replaced.

The signature beneath the photograph can be particularly valuable when a handwritten name elsewhere in the document is difficult to read. It represents the holder's own spelling of his name and may therefore be more reliable than a clerk's handwritten entry.

Researchers should compare:

the name on page 1;
the entries on page 3;
the signature beneath the photograph;
any handwriting on the photograph itself;
later signatures in the document.

Differences may result from spelling errors, difficult handwriting, nicknames, multiple given names or retrospective copying.

Pages 3–4: personal information

These pages contain the principal biographical details of the holder.

Common fields include:

German term	Meaning
Familienname	Surname
Vornamen	Given names
Geburtstag, -monat, -jahr	Date of birth
Geburtsort	Place of birth
Staatsangehörigkeit	Nationality
Religion	Religion
Familienstand	Marital status
Beruf	Civilian occupation
Eltern	Parents
Schulbildung	Education
Kenntnisse in Fremdsprachen	Knowledge of foreign languages
Befähigungsnachweise	Professional, technical or sporting qualifications

The occupation section may distinguish between the profession learned and the profession actually practised.

For example:

erlernter Beruf — learned occupation;
ausgeübter Beruf — occupation practised at the time.

Addresses of parents, wives or other close relatives may appear on page 4. These can help identify the correct person in civil records.

Pages 5–7: mustering and medical classification

The mustering section records the holder's examination for military service.

Important terms include:

German term	Meaning
Musterung	Mustering or military examination
Tauglichkeitsgrad	Fitness classification
ärztlich untersucht	Medically examined
Entscheid	Decision
kriegsverwendungsfähig	Fit for wartime service
garnisonverwendungsfähig	Fit for garrison service
arbeitsverwendungsfähig	Fit for labour employment
wehruntauglich	Unfit for military service
Landwehr	Older reserve category
Ersatzreserve	Replacement reserve

A man could be examined more than once. Later classifications may reflect age, wounds, illness or changing wartime manpower requirements.

The date of the classification is essential. A man declared fit in 1937 might be given a different classification after being wounded or after reaching an older age.

Pages 8–10: Reich Labour Service

This section concerns service in the Reichsarbeitsdienst, commonly abbreviated as RAD.

Possible entries include:

dates of service;
RAD unit;
location;
rank or function;
release from labour service.

Not every holder served in the RAD. Older men, former career soldiers and men already in military service may have an empty section.

RAD service should not automatically be treated as military combat service, although many men entered the Wehrmacht shortly after completing it.

Page 11: entry into active military service

Page 11 normally records the holder's formal entry into active service.

Typical fields include:

German term	Meaning
Einstellungsuntersuchung	Medical examination for entry
Einstellungstag	Date of entry into service
Eingestellt bei	Unit or formation with which he entered service
Dienstzeit rechnet ab	Date from which service time was calculated
Vereidigt am	Date of military oath

The unit entered here was often a training or replacement unit rather than the unit in which the man later fought.

The date of entry should be compared with the unit-history section and any Soldbuch entries. Clerical delays or retrospective additions may produce small differences between documents.

Pages 12–19: units and military assignments

The section titled:

Zugehörigkeit zu Dienststellen des Heeres

records the holder's affiliation with Army units and military offices.

Entries normally include:

starting date;
ending date;
unit designation;
personnel-roll or rank-list number;
official stamps.

This is one of the most important sections in the Wehrpass, but also one of the easiest to misinterpret.

Reading unit notation

Examples include:

Entry	Meaning
1./Inf.Rgt. 134	1st Company of Infantry Regiment 134
5./Gren.Rgt. 154	5th Company of Grenadier Regiment 154
I./Inf.Rgt. 80	1st Battalion of Infantry Regiment 80
Stab/Inf.Rgt. 80	Regimental staff of Infantry Regiment 80
2./Pi.Btl. 34	2nd Company of Engineer Battalion 34

Arabic numerals before a slash normally indicate a company, battery or squadron. Roman numerals usually indicate a battalion or battalion-sized Abteilung.

Replacement units and field units

A replacement unit should not automatically be interpreted as a combat assignment.

Common replacement and training designations include:

Ersatz-Bataillon — replacement battalion;
Ausbildungs-Bataillon — training battalion;
Ersatz- und Ausbildungs-Bataillon — replacement and training battalion;
Genesenden-Kompanie — convalescent company;
Marsch-Kompanie — marching or transit company;
Stamm-Kompanie — permanent administrative company.

A soldier might remain administratively connected with a replacement unit while serving with a different field formation.

Pages 20–21: training and qualifications

These pages record military training, including weapons, courses and specialist skills.

The heading Mit der Waffe identifies weapons with which the holder was trained.

Common examples include:

Gewehr 98;
Karabiner 98k;
Pistole 08;
Pistole 38;
leichtes Maschinengewehr;
Maschinengewehr 34;
Granatwerfer;
Infanteriegeschütz;
Panzerabwehrkanone.

The entry does not necessarily prove that the weapon was issued to the man throughout his service. It usually indicates training or qualification.

Other recorded courses may include:

platoon-leader training;
machine-gun instruction;
signals training;
medical training;
driver training;
officer-candidate courses;
NCO courses;
specialist technical instruction.

An entry such as Zugführer may indicate training or qualification as a platoon leader rather than a permanent appointment.

Pages 22–23: promotions, appointments and decorations

These pages usually contain two important sections:

promotions and appointments;
orders and decorations.

Promotions

The promotion table commonly records:

effective date;
new rank;
appointment;
confirming authority;
signature and unit stamp.

Common expressions include:

Abbreviation	Meaning
m.W.v.	mit Wirkung vom — with effect from
d.R.	der Reserve
d.L.	der Landwehr
z.V.	zur Verfügung
O.A.	Offizieranwärter
R.O.A.	Reserveoffizieranwärter

The effective date may differ from the date on which the promotion was entered or confirmed.

Decorations

Awards may include:

Iron Cross, Second Class;
Iron Cross, First Class;
War Merit Cross;
Wound Badge;
Infantry Assault Badge;
General Assault Badge;
Eastern Front Medal;
foreign or First World War decorations.

Entries may be heavily abbreviated. The date, awarding authority and unit should all be considered.

A decoration entered in the Wehrpass confirms that the award was recorded administratively, but it does not always explain the circumstances under which it was earned.

Pages 24–25: discharge from active service

These pages record release from active military service.

Typical fields include:

German term	Meaning
Entlassen am	Released on
als	Rank at release
nach	Destination or residence
von	Releasing unit
Art der Entlassung	Type or reason for release
Ärztliches Entlassungsurteil	Medical assessment at release
Überwiesen an	Transferred to an authority or office

A release entry does not always mark the end of all military obligations. A man might be released from active service but remain in the Reserve, Landwehr or another category.

Possible reasons for release include:

completion of service;
transfer to civilian employment;
medical unfitness;
age;
demobilisation;
assignment to the reserve;
discharge after the First World War;
release as indispensable to the civilian economy.

If the reason is not written clearly, it should not be guessed.

Pages 26–31: additions and administrative entries

These pages may contain:

later discharge details;
reserve classifications;
changes of address;
mobilisation notes;
transfer orders;
corrections;
typed or stamped additions.

Because this section was used flexibly, its contents vary widely.

A later entry may have been made years after the man's active service ended. The date and issuing authority should therefore always be recorded.

Pages 32–33: campaigns, battles and operations

This section is headed:

Im Kriege mitgemachte Gefechte, Schlachten, Unternehmungen

It records battles, campaigns and military operations in which the holder was considered to have participated.

Entries may range from a single general statement, such as:

Feldzug in Frankreich

to a detailed chronological list of operations lasting several pages.

Possible entries include:

frontier service;
positional warfare;
campaign in Poland;
campaign in France;
occupation duties;
campaign in the Balkans;
campaign in the Soviet Union;
defensive battles;
retreat operations;
anti-partisan operations;
coastal defence.

Interpreting campaign entries

Campaign entries should be treated as official administrative summaries rather than personal diaries.

They usually describe the operations of the holder's unit. They do not necessarily prove that the individual was physically present in every battle named.

Entries may also have been copied retrospectively from unit records. A detailed typed campaign insert can therefore be highly informative, but it should still be compared with the man's unit assignments and medical history.

Pages 34–35: wounds and serious illnesses

This section is headed:

Im Kriege: Verwundungen und ernstere Krankheiten

It may record:

date of wound or illness;
type of injury;
unit;
theatre of war;
hospital;
return to duty;
death from wounds.

Common terms include:

German term	Meaning
verwundet	Wounded
Granatsplitterwunde	Shell-fragment wound
Schußwunde	Gunshot wound
Weichteilverletzung	Soft-tissue injury
erkrankt	Became ill
gefallen	Killed in action
gestorben	Died
vermißt	Missing

Medical handwriting is often difficult to read and may contain specialist abbreviations.

When interpreting an injury, researchers should avoid adding medical detail that is not explicitly recorded.

Pages 36–47: reserve and leave status

The section titled Beurlaubtenstand concerns the holder's status after release from active service.

Entries may include:

reserve classification;
Landwehr category;
promotions while in reserve status;
medical re-examinations;
mobilisation orders;
changes in military availability;
civilian address;
transfer between military districts.

A man could remain listed in the Beurlaubtenstand for many years.

During the later war years, older veterans were sometimes re-examined and classified as fit for wartime service without necessarily being recalled to active duty. A fitness classification alone is therefore not proof of renewed service.

Pages 48–52: regulations and final entries

The final pages usually contain printed regulations concerning the possession, use and safeguarding of the Wehrpass.

Additional handwritten or stamped entries may also appear, depending on the version of the document.

The printed warning commonly states that falsification or improper use of the Wehrpass was punishable under military law.

Original, duplicate and replacement documents

Not every surviving Wehrpass is the original document first issued to the holder.

Important terms include:

German term	Meaning
Zweitschrift	Duplicate copy
Ersatz-Wehrpass	Replacement Wehrpass
Neuausfertigung	Newly issued replacement
Übertragen aus Militärpaß	Transferred from an earlier Militärpass

A Zweitschrift may have been issued because the original was lost, damaged or unavailable.

Earlier entries in a duplicate were often reconstructed from other military records. These entries may therefore be:

written in one hand;
entered on the same date;
confirmed by one office;
less detailed than the original;
subject to copying errors.

A duplicate is still an official document, but its retrospective nature should be mentioned in any biography based upon it.

Stamps and signatures

Official stamps are essential for interpreting a Wehrpass.

A stamp may identify:

the issuing office;
the replacement unit;
the field unit;
a hospital;
a military district;
the officer confirming an entry;
the authority responsible for a discharge.

The text around a circular stamp may be more informative than the handwritten entry beside it.

When examining a stamp:

identify all readable words;
note the unit number;
note the date;
compare it with nearby entries;
determine whether it belongs to a field unit, hospital or administrative office.

A stamped unit does not always mean that the holder served permanently with that formation. It may simply be the authority that certified the entry.

Handwriting and transcription

Many Wehrpässe contain handwriting in Kurrent, Sütterlin or ordinary Latin script. Several different clerks may have written in the same document.

A careful transcription should distinguish between:

what is clearly visible;
what is probably intended;
what remains uncertain.

Recommended methods include:

rotate the photograph so the page is upright;
enlarge the entry;
compare individual letters with known names elsewhere;
compare dates and unit numbers;
examine the same handwriting on several pages;
use the stamp as supporting evidence;
avoid expanding an abbreviation without context.

Uncertain readings may be marked with a question mark:

Infanterie-Ersatz-Bataillon 16 (?)

It is better to leave a word unresolved than to assign the holder to the wrong unit.

Common research mistakes

Treating every unit as a combat unit

Replacement, training and convalescent units were not the same as field units.

Assuming every campaign entry was personal eyewitness evidence

The campaign list often summarises the operations of the unit.

Confusing dates of entry and effective dates

A promotion may have been entered weeks or months after it became effective.

Reading a stamp as a permanent assignment

The stamp may belong to the office that certified the entry.

Assuming an empty page means nothing happened

Information may have been recorded in another document, lost or never entered.

Ignoring corrections

Crossed-out dates and overwritten units may reveal later corrections or administrative transfers.

Relying on the Wehrpass alone

The Wehrpass should be compared with other evidence whenever possible.

A practical research method

A useful approach is to reconstruct the holder's career in stages.

Step 1: establish identity

Record:

full name;
signature;
date and place of birth;
occupation;
parents or spouse;
Wehrnummer;
issuing office.

Step 2: create a unit timeline

Transcribe every unit with:

start date;
end date;
complete unit designation;
stamp;
uncertainty notes.

Step 3: create a rank timeline

List every promotion and appointment by effective date.

Step 4: record training

Separate:

weapons training;
specialist courses;
leadership courses;
civilian qualifications.

Step 5: compare campaigns and units

Determine whether the unit timeline supports the campaign entries.

Step 6: record wounds and hospitals

Compare wounds with:

unit assignments;
award dates;
convalescent units;
hospital records;
later fitness classifications.

Step 7: document uncertainty

Distinguish clearly between confirmed facts and interpretation.

Using the Wehrpass with other sources

A Wehrpass becomes more useful when compared with additional records.

Important complementary sources include:

Soldbücher;
military personnel files;
casualty cards;
burial records;
prisoner-of-war documents;
hospital records;
award certificates;
identity discs;
Feldpost letters;
photographs;
unit histories;
divisional war diaries;
civil birth, marriage and death records.

Contradictions between sources should be recorded rather than silently corrected. Different documents may reflect different administrative dates or incomplete information.

Historical value

The Wehrpass was created as an administrative document, not as a biography. Nevertheless, its pages can preserve the outline of an individual life shaped by military service.

A single booklet may document:

civilian background;
pre-war training;
mobilisation;
movement between units;
combat service;
wounds and recovery;
promotion;
decorations;
release or death.

For family historians and military researchers, the Wehrpass provides a framework upon which a fuller personal history can be built.

Its entries should be approached critically, but also respectfully. Behind every number, stamp and abbreviation was an individual whose life was affected by war.

Notes on terminology

This article concentrates primarily on Wehrpässe used by the German Army. Documents associated with the Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS and other organisations may contain different terminology, ranks and administrative structures.

Form layouts also changed over time. Page numbers and headings should therefore be checked against the individual document rather than assumed to be identical in every Wehrpass.

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