Feldgrau.net

Avete,

When a soldier died in combat, what was the nature of the letter of notification sent to the family? Was there something of a template that the name, rank, etc. of the soldier was inserted into?

What were they like? Does anyone have a picture of one?

Valete,

-Spandau

This is the closest I can come up with at the moment. I doubt if this was the first and only letter of notification received by the family though. It seems much too impersonal. I'd also like to see some clarification of the normal procedure for notification of next of kin when a soldier was killed.

http://www.germanmilitaria.com/Heer/photos/H38752.html

My mother received no written notification. She received a visit from a deputy Kreisleiter, or some such nazi official who notified her personally that my father was MIA. She said that that was the norm. He was very nice about it, helped her fill in all the paperwork for her entitlements and life went on. That was 2/1944. She received what she was entitled to and no further correspondence was entered into until April 1945 when she received a letter stating bluntly that the war was lost and how much pension did she want in advance. Being who she was she replied that she wanted to be paid monthly as per usual. That was a mistake!!!!!

- Hans