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Old Photographs, Recognition, Handwriting Deciphering => Handwriting Deciphering & Recognition => Topic started by: smokeyfeline on Friday 13 June 25 09:38 BST (UK)

Title: Help Translating German POW Card
Post by: smokeyfeline on Friday 13 June 25 09:38 BST (UK)
Would some kind soul be able to translate the attached card and also explain the significance of the parts circled in red (my circles) please.

Thank you in advance :)
Title: Re: Help Translating German POW Card
Post by: JustinL on Friday 13 June 25 14:52 BST (UK)
Hello,

The S before 20 almost certainly means Seite = page. 225 was probably an entry on p20 of a list.

On 5.9.44 he was released (entlassen) to Sassnitz, which was a transit camp. I don't know what D.U. means.... yet.
Title: Re: Help Translating German POW Card
Post by: fiddlerslass on Friday 13 June 25 15:15 BST (UK)
D could be for Durchgangslager meaning Transit camp, and U possibly unterkunft, meaning accommodation ?

https://www.leslufteaux.com/images/pratiqueLW/plaque/German%20Military%20Abbreviations.pdf
Title: Re: Help Translating German POW Card
Post by: JustinL on Friday 13 June 25 15:23 BST (UK)
... als D.U. nach ...

Apparently Harold had been wounded and was actually repatriated later that year.

I think it might be Dienst Unfähig, I.e. unfit for service.
Title: Re: Help Translating German POW Card
Post by: smokeyfeline on Friday 13 June 25 15:45 BST (UK)
Thank you both  :)
the link is fascinating, Harold was repatriated & arrived in Britain in sept '44, newspaper clipping anouncing his return is dated 26/09/1944.

He was wounded 22/02/1943 in Tunisia, all I can findout at the moment is that it involved his tibia and possibly his ankle and probably caused by a mortar.

He was originally taken to Camp No. H206 NOCERA (Rovello) Hospital until Italy left the war, and was then transferred to Stalag VIIIB until repatriation

Roger
Title: Re: Help Translating German POW Card
Post by: JustinL on Friday 13 June 25 15:58 BST (UK)
Hello Roger

That list from Fiddlerslass is really useful.

In the context of his repatriation  I would imagine D.U. was Dauernd Untauglich = permanently unfit for service.

Did he lose his foot perhaps?
Title: Re: Help Translating German POW Card
Post by: smokeyfeline on Friday 13 June 25 17:33 BST (UK)
I don't know, that exactly what I was trying to find out  ;D  I think he was on the Eighth Exchange September 1944 as it's the only one that mentions Sassnitz, but the arrival dates in uk are for Oct '44 and the paper report is Sept '44  ???