German World War II Service Records Research

Commission a focused search for a relative who served in the German armed forces during the Second World War, including people from annexed Polish territories who may have been forcibly conscripted. We combine German and Polish sources to reconstruct the strongest evidence trail available.

What this research can investigate

The surviving evidence is often divided between personnel records, casualty information, prisoner-of-war documentation, regional Polish files and records created after the war. We identify the most promising repositories and use the ten-hour allocation where it is most likely to produce meaningful evidence.

• Service in the Wehrmacht, Luftwaffe or Kriegsmarine.
• Forced conscription from annexed Polish territories, including Upper Silesia and Pomerania.
• Units, transfers, ranks, field post numbers and campaign locations.
• Wounds, hospitalisation, missing-person reports, death or burial information.
• Capture, prisoner-of-war records, repatriation or later service with Allied or Polish forces.
• Volksliste and supporting Polish regional documentation where relevant.

What every package includes

• Review of the names, dates, places and documents you already hold.
• Identification of the strongest German and Polish archival routes.
• Research in relevant online databases, archival catalogues and supporting collections.
• Preparation or assessment of archive enquiries where appropriate.
• Translation and explanation of relevant record details found during the research.
• A clear English-language report, source references and digital copies where available.
• Recommendations for further work if another archive or a longer investigation is justified.

Choose your research package

Every package follows the same method and ends with an English-language report. A larger package gives us time to follow the leads that the first searches uncover.

Useful starting information

• The person’s full name and German or Polish spelling variants.
• Date and place of birth, even if approximate.
• Known unit, rank, service number or field post number.
• Any place of recruitment, deployment, capture, hospitalisation or death.
• Photographs, medals, letters, POW papers, Volksliste documents or previous archive replies.

You do not need to know the unit before contacting us. A reliable birthplace and approximate year of birth may be enough to identify the first research route.

What happens after you order

1. Order and pay securely. Choose your package, complete the form and pay on Stripe. You see a confirmation straight away.
2. We confirm your research question. We review your details and email you to confirm the question and the most promising sources before archival work begins.
3. We follow the strongest sources. We assess the relevant German and Polish collections and devote the research hours in your package to the agreed question.
4. Receive your report. You receive a written report in English by email, with the searches, findings, source references, copies of the records found and realistic next steps. Most cases take 3 to 6 months.

Frequently asked questions

Does the package guarantee that a personnel file will be found?

No. Some German wartime records were destroyed, dispersed or survive only in fragments. The package purchases expert research time and a documented search, not a guaranteed document.

Can you investigate forced conscription from occupied Poland?

Yes. Where relevant, we consider German military records alongside Volksliste material and Polish regional sources that may explain how and why the person entered German service.

Can the research include prisoner-of-war or casualty records?

Yes, when the evidence points to capture, disappearance, hospitalisation or death. These sources may be held separately from the main personnel documentation.

Are external archive charges included?

Ordinary online research is included. Fees charged by archives, certified copies, extensive translation and travel are separate and require your approval.