Information on searching for fallen and missing relatives and military careers of relatives
The Chair of Military History/Cultural History of Violence regularly receives inquiries concerning the whereabouts of relatives who are presumed to have been killed in action during World War II—especially on the Eastern Front and toward the end of the war—or who have been missing since then. The chair also receives inquiries about the military careers/resumes of deceased members of the Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS.
Unfortunately, we are unable to provide individual advice or information in these cases. Nor do we carry out any corresponding research or commissioned work.
However, there are several institutions that focus on such issues and will be happy to assist you with your research (usually for a fee). Below you will find a selection of helpful authorities, organizations, and associations in Germany and abroad. The institutions listed have informative and often quite comprehensive websites, which you should definitely consult before contacting them.
For several years now, inquiries to almost all of the aforementioned authorities, organizations, and associations can be submitted via web forms or email; letters are only necessary in a few exceptional cases. The most important institution and recommended first point of contact is the former German Service (WASt) in Berlin-Reinickendorf, which was incorporated into the Federal Archives (now Department DR) in 2019.
A very helpful overview of the Federal Archives' storage of personal documents from 1919 onwards can be found on the relevant website of the Federal Archives. The overview lists the relevant file holdings and refers to the corresponding departments of the Federal Archives where you can request access. Further search services are also available there.
Alphabetical overview of relevant public and private institutions
Bundesarchiv, Abteilung Militärarchiv (The Ferdaral Archives)
The Military Archives Department of the Federal Archives in Freiburg im Breisgau is an important point of contact when it comes to the personnel files of officers and civil servants of the Wehrmacht. Documents relating to the awarding of medals and decorations as well as to Wehrmacht jurisdiction can also be found here. As the archives of the Kriegsmarine (German Navy) are well preserved, the MA department is particularly useful when searching for information about members of the navy.
Bundesarchiv, Abteilung MA
Wiesentalstraße 10
79115 Freiburg im Breisgau
Deutschland
Telefon: +49 761 47817 0
Telefax: +49 761 47817 900
E-Mail:militaerarchivubundesarchivpde
Web:https://www.bundesarchiv.de/en/
Bundesarchiv, Abteilung Deutsches Reich (DR), Standort Berlin-Tegel (The Ferdaral Archives, department: German Empire)
The Personal Information Department of the Federal Archives in Berlin-Tegel performs the remaining tasks of the former “German Agency for Notifying the Next of Kin of Fallen Members of the Former German Armed Forces (WASt)”. These include, above all, providing personal information about military personnel in the First and Second World Wars, clarifying individual fates, and dealing with war grave matters. It is by far the most important point of contact for anyone searching for German soldiers who fell or went missing during the Second World War. The DR department provides soldiers' military records from the Second World War and further information. The processing time often takes several months, sometimes a year or longer.
Bundesarchiv, Abteilung DR
Am Borsigturm 130
13507 Berlin
Deutschland
Telefon: 030 18 7770-1158
E-Mail:dr-tegel@bundesarchiv.de
Web:bundesarchiv.de
Special Archive Moscow of the Federal State Institution “Russian State Military Archive” (Федеральное казенное учреждение „Российский государственный военный архив“ (РГВА/RGWA))
Anyone searching for a relative who is missing on the Eastern Front or who may have been taken prisoner by the Soviets should also submit a request to the “Special Archive Moscow,” which is part of the RGWA. This also applies to searches for missing civilians. Please note that the paperwork is handled in Russian, so you should factor in translation costs.
Российский государственный военный архив
125212, г. Москва
ул. Адмирала Макарова, 29
Российская Федерация/Russische Föderation
Telefon:+7 499 1598091
Telefax:+7 499 1598504
E-Mail:rgva_rfumailpru
Web:rgvarchive.ru
German-language information on the RGWA's Moscow Special Archive can be found on the private website sonderarchiv.de.
Munich Tracing Service of the Deutsches Rotes Kreuz (DRK)
Of great importance immediately after the end of World War II, the DRK Tracing Service in Munich still contributes today to clarifying individual fates from the Second World War. The DRK's databases are constantly growing as new information is continually being obtained, particularly from the archives of the successor states of the Soviet Union.
DRK-Suchdienst
Standort München
Chiemgaustraße 109
81549 München
Deutschland
Telefon:+49 89 68 07 73-0
Telefax:+49 89 68 07 4592
E-Mail:infoudrk-suchdienstpde
Web:drk-suchdienst.org
Particular reference should be made here to the website Online search of the missing persons lists “VBL” of the German Red Cross Tracing Service
Association for the Recovery of Fallen Soldiers in Eastern Europe (VBGO)
The Association for the Recovery of Fallen Soldiers in Eastern Europe (VBGO) is a dedicated non-profit organization committed to locating fallen soldiers and civilian war victims in (Eastern) Europe and recovering their remains. Founded with the aim of providing the victims of World War II with a dignified resting place, the VBGO works closely with scientific, historical, and archaeological experts to identify gravesites on the basis of thorough research.
Official cooperation partner of the Volksbund, the Federal Archives, and several state monument authorities.
The association not only carries out practical work on site, but also supports the relatives of the fallen by providing information about the fates of those identified. Through its work, the VBGO contributes to coming to terms with historical events and keeping the memory of the victims alive. Financed by donations and membership fees, the association relies on public support to carry out its important projects.
Verein zur Bergung Gefallener in Osteuropa e.V. (VBGO)
Geschäftsstelle Hamburg
Postfach 500325
22703 Hamburg
Telefon: +49 (0)40 - 85 41 89 70
E-Mail: info@vbgo.de
Web: https://www.vbgo.de/index.php?cccpage=startseite&set_language=en
Verein zur Klärung von Schicksalen Vermißter und Gefallener e. V. (VKSVG, Association for the Clarification of the Fate of Missing Persons and Fallen Soldiers)
The VKSVG e. V. does not conduct searches itself, but aims to support other agencies in locating missing persons and recovering fallen soldiers, and to contribute to networking in this field. The association is known for its close cooperation with traditional associations and can provide valuable tips and further information—especially when all other search attempts have failed.
VKSVG e. V.
Bodelschwinghstraße 32
75031 Eppingen
Deutschland
Telefax:+49 7262 912361
E-Mail:infouvolksbundpde
Web:vksvg.eu
Special reference should be made to the association's “Missing Persons Forum.”
Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge e. V. (Volksbund; German War Graves Commission)
On behalf of the German government, the Volksbund is dedicated to the task of recording, preserving, and maintaining the graves of German war dead abroad. It assists relatives in all matters relating to war grave care and advises public and private bodies.
Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge e. V.
Bundesgeschäftsstelle
Werner-Hilpert-Straße 2
34117 Kassel
Deutschland
Telefon:+49 561 7009-0
Telefax:+49 561 7009-221
E-Mail:infouvolksbundpde
Web:volksbund.de