1942 Polish Civilian Arbeitsbuch – Original WWII Work Book

Description

1942 Polish Civilian Arbeitsbuch – Original WWII Labour Administration Document

This 1942 Polish civilian Arbeitsbuch is an original German-issued work book created during the Second World War for a civilian classified in the document as “Nicht Reichsdeutscher”, meaning non-Reich German. The booklet was issued through Arbeitsamt Lissa, Nebenstelle Rawitsch, on 21 April 1942 and remains a highly personal surviving record of wartime labour administration.

The 1942 Polish civilian Arbeitsbuch is a complete historical work book rather than a loose identification card, later reproduction or display facsimile. It preserves the original dark cover bearing the title “Deutsches Reich Arbeitsbuch”, the official eagle device, the internal employment pages, portrait photograph, handwritten holder details, employment office stamps, ink signatures and period entries.

Its visual importance begins with the cover. The dark card cover carries the “Deutsches Reich” heading above an eagle and emblem, with the word “Arbeitsbuch” below. It is a strong example of the official printed design used for German labour-registration documents during the war years. The cover shows handling wear, small abrasions and edge damage, consistent with a booklet that was carried, presented and used during the period.

Inside, the 1942 Polish civilian Arbeitsbuch retains the original portrait photograph of its named holder. The photograph is secured within the official page and carries an overlapping employment-office stamp. This combination of photograph, stamp and personal handwritten entry gives the booklet particular documentary importance, as it preserves the direct connection between the work record and the individual to whom it was issued.

The document includes the classification “Nicht Reichsdeutscher”. This wording is a central historical feature of the booklet. It records that the holder was not regarded as a Reich German under the administration that issued the work book. The classification should be presented carefully and accurately as part of the original bureaucratic record, without making unsupported claims about the exact legal, ethnic or personal background of the named holder.

The 1942 Polish civilian Arbeitsbuch also includes a recorded earlier occupation as a self-employed farmer from 1932. This entry gives the document additional value because it provides an identifiable pre-war employment detail. It transforms the booklet from an unused blank form into a personal labour record connected with an individual civilian life before and during the war.

The booklet was issued by Arbeitsamt Lissa, Nebenstelle Rawitsch. These local employment-office markings are important because they connect the item with the German labour-registration system operating in the occupied and annexed eastern territories during the Second World War. The document’s stamps, date and handwritten administrative entries make it stronger than a generic empty Arbeitsbuch.

The 1942 Polish civilian Arbeitsbuch should be understood as a historical source relating to wartime labour control, identity registration and civilian administration. Work books were used to record employment history, regulate labour movement and document professional status. In this example, the original photograph, signature, work record and local office stamps remain together, preserving the booklet’s authenticity and historical integrity.

Several internal pages remain blank or lightly used, as is common in surviving work books. This does not reduce the item’s historical relevance. The strongest elements are the named issue page, the “Nicht Reichsdeutscher” classification, the employment-office stamp, portrait photograph, occupation entry and original cover.

Condition is good for a wartime paper booklet. The cover shows visible rubbing, small losses and surface wear, especially near the edges. Interior pages show light toning, handling traces, minor marks and normal age-related paper variation. The photograph, stamps, handwriting and main administrative entries remain legible and visually strong.

The 1942 Polish civilian Arbeitsbuch should be stored closed or gently supported in an archival polyester sleeve. It should not be flattened under heavy pressure, trimmed, repaired with adhesive tape or exposed to direct sunlight. For display, it is preferable to show the cover and identification page together in a conservation-grade mount, while keeping the booklet intact.

Only the original 1942 Polish civilian Arbeitsbuch shown in the photographs is included. The digital watermark visible in the reference images is not part of the original document.

This 1942 Polish civilian Arbeitsbuch is offered strictly as a historical and documentary collectible for responsible research, preservation, education and archival collecting. It does not promote, justify or glorify National Socialism, persecution, racism, antisemitism, political violence or war.