German notice of death to families

[Guest]

I am hoping someone can help. I am researching a novel in which the main protagonist (a German gentleman) loses his son in the first World War. I am very familiar with the wording of the British equivalent from the War Office - the feared telegram - "Deeply regret to inform you..." etc. But does anyone know what the German version was and what wording it might have followed - or even any examples. Would it have been different for the Army or the Navy? 

 

Thank you.

[AOK4]

I have never seen an official letter. I have seen plenty of letters from the units itself though informing the next-of-kin. They can be long or short and were written by a doctor, the unit's medical NCO, a stretcher bearer, a comrade from his company or the company commander.

It often involved a series of letters back and forth, explaining the circumstances of his death (usually "tidied up"), a sketched map of were he was buried and a picture of the grave. Normally, his personal belongings incl. Militärpaß, Soldbuch and Erkennungsmarke would be sent to the next-of-kin as well, although quite often some things seem to havee been lost on the way.

 

Jan

[Guest]

Thank you Jan for the information - that's really useful and I suspected it must be on a more local level. I have found a few examples also from the International Red Cross that convey information from reports from the German government. 

 

Thank you again.