These faithful replicas of German military passes and leave certificates represent the key to understanding the military bureaucracy that strictly controlled the movement of every soldier outside of combat duty.
In the German armed forces, there was no such thing as an "informal" exit from the barracks; every movement into the civilian sphere had to be covered by the appropriate form, which the military police (Feldgendarmerie) uncompromisingly demanded during inspections.
For a soldier at the front, the Kriegsurlaubsschein (in the version for the Wehrmacht or with the green rune overprint for the Waffen-SS) was the most valuable document, as it meant legal travel home and protection against accusations of desertion.
Short-term leave from a garrison in the rear was strictly differentiated by the color of the card, allowing the guard at the gate to perform an immediate visual check of the permit type.
The red pass authorized the soldier for an evening out in town, provided he reported back to the barracks no later than the morning wake-up call.
The white pass served for short, time-limited outings with the obligation to return at a specific hour on the same day.
The green Nachturlaubschein was a specific permit to remain outside the unit overnight until canceled, mainly used by soldiers staying in private lodgings or with families in the garrison town.
These documents are a crucial detail for authentic reenacting, film props, or as period fillers for field wallets and Soldbuch paybooks.
| Category: | Desk items |
|---|---|
| ? Dimensions:: | 150x210mm |
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