BACKGROUND: With the reintroduction of conscription in 1935, the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht, (High Command of the Armed Forces), activated the Wehrersatzdienststelle, (Military Recruiting Offices), throughout Germany to process and administer the call up procedure. From the beginning of an individual’s military service to his eventual discharge the appropriate Wehrersatzdienststelle was the responsible authority for all administrative processing and records. When a soldier was killed in battle the deceased’s company commander would forward the information through the proper channels to the appropriate Wehrersatzdienststelle who in turn would send an official notification to the next-of-kin. The company commander was also required to send a personal letter to the next-of-kin to express the condolences of the victims fellow soldiers. Quite often the company commanders personal letter was accompanied by an unofficial certificate at the discretion of the unit.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Roughly 18cm x 24cm, death notice. Could be folded and mailed. Date for the 30^th of June 1944.