N31854 FOREIGN WORKER'S CIVIL IDENTIFICATION CARD. (Kennkarte) 

BACKGROUND: The "Kennkarte" was the basic identification card in use during the Third Reich era, first introduced in July of 1938. They were normally obtained through a police precinct and had the corresponding issuing office and official’s stamps to them. Every German citizen was issued one, and was expected to produce it when confronted by officials. 

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: A light grey oilcloth, bi-fold, "Kennkarte" (Identity-card), whose closed cover measures 4 1/8" x 5 7/8". Its cover features a black, spread-winged eagle with a wreathed, mobile swastika in its talons, with "Deutsches Reich," in Gothic script, above it and "Kennkarte" beneath. A diagonal red stripe traverses the cover from its lower left to its upper right. The first interior page has eleven blocks to it which relate the bearer’s district, in this case "Posen," his identity number and that it was valid until January of 1949, his name, birth date and place, occupation, unalterable and alterable identifying features, and "Bemerkungen" (Observations). An ink stamp reading "Schutzangehörige (Eingegliederte Ostgebiete)" (Protected-relation ([Of] An-organized Eastern-territory)) is to the latter block. To the facing page is a black and white photograph of the bearer, his right and left forefinger-prints, and official stamps and signatures, dated for January of 1944, from "Der Polizeipräident in Posen." The back cover is featureless but for a printer’s logo to its lower right. The card has a triangular cut to the lower part of its back cover, two perforations along the edge of its front cover, for binding, and light soiling and edge wear, as well as a horizontal fold line.

To Order this item, please use one of the two e-mail addresses below to contact us. Please make sure to quote the item number in your e-mail

-E-Mail Address pawmac@nbnet.nb.ca  Or  guild@nb.aibn.com

To return to the main page please CLICK below