How can you find the family of a German soldier killed in World War 2

Answer

If you wish to do it the easy, non-laborious way, simply send the information to; Deutsche Dienststelle für die Benachrichtigung der nächsten Angehörigen von Gefallenen der ehemaligen deutschen Wehrmacht (WASt).

Adress;

Postfach 51 06 57, 13400 Berlin

Telephone +49 30 41904 0

Fax +49 30 41904 118

email; wast@com-de.com

This federal institution is tasked with the very mission of identifying fallen soldiers of the former Wehrmacht, and notifying next of kin when they do.

If he is already identified and buried properly, your source will be;

Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge

Adress; Werner-Hilpert-Straße 2

34112 Kassel

Telephone: 0561/70090

Fax: 0561/7009221

email; presse@volksbund.de

These are the caretakers of German wargraves, and have huge databanks that one can search.

If the object in you care carries a name, it will most probably not be an Erkennungsmarke - i.e. dog tag - since these normally (and legally) only carried the soldier serialnumber, the blood type (capital letter) and the name of his unit. The tag had oval shape and was made of cheaper metal (zink, often) and only the lower half was taken from the body of a fallen soldier. It would have the unit name on top, with a serialnumber under it (normally 4 digit) and then bloodgroup right of the number.

My suggestion being - if it is not an Erkennungsmarke/dog tag, maybe Zimmerman ("Lumberjack" - a fairly common name here) didn't die? If not, he will be all that more easily found, and so will his next of kin and other family.

The number is really the key to feasibly finding his family on your own. Do you read German? Have access to German national archives?