BACKGROUND: The DRK, "Deutsches Rotes Kreuz" (German Red Cross), a voluntary civil assistance organization originally instituted in 1864, was officially acknowledged by the Geneva Convention in 1929. In December 1937 it gained status as a legally recognized organization by the NSDAP. As with other essential services in Third Reich Germany, it came under control of the Nazi Party in late 1938 under the auspices of the Ministry of the Interior’s Social Welfare Organization. 

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: A 3 3/8" x 4 5/8", bi-fold, white oilcloth "Deutsches Rotes Kreuz Personal-Ausweis" (German Red Cross Personal-Identity-card). To its cover, above the aforementioned title, is a black eagle with down-swept wings clutching a red, Balkan cross in its talons and with a white, mobile swastika to its breast. Beneath the titleis printed "*) DRK-Bereitschaft m./w." ( *)German Red Cross-Readiness, with the "m." of "m./w" crossed out), "DRK-...stelle" (German Red Cross-...post ), and "DRK-Schwesterschaft" (German Red Cross-Sisters), with the latter two lines crossed out. Typed alongside. "*) Nichtzutreffendes ist zu streichen" ([that] Not-applicable is to [be] crossed-out) is to the base of the cover. To the first interior page is glued a black and white photograph of the bearer, wearing her Red Cross uniform, along whose lower right corner is a circular ink stamp within which is the DRK symbol surrounded by "Deutsches Rotes Kreuz Kreisstelle Eisenach." Her signature is beneath the image, and to the lower left of that are two stamps, with the DRK title and symbol, and "gültig für April 1944-März 1945" (valid for April 1943-March 1944) printed to it. To the right of this stamp is a blank space within which is printed "Nur gültig mit Beglaubigungsmarke" (Only valid with Certification-stamp). To the second interior page is the bearer’s name, "Dienstgrad" (Service-grade, or, rank), her birth date and place, address, and "Vermerk" (Remarks). Beneath this is a note indicating that all those in political or military capacities in a position to do so must aid the bearer of this document in the performance of their duties. An ink stamp identical to that on the preceding page. To its base is printed "Für Bereitschaften (m): Dieser Ausweis gilt als Sanitätschein des DRK" (For Readiness (m): This Identity-card is-valid as [a] Medical-pass of-the German Red Cross). Age yellowing and soiling is evident throughout. The original owner has glued a photo of herself at dinner function during the war. Very nice!

GRADE ****                             PRICE $179.00