Original German Ahnenpass with Photograph and Birth Certificate – Manfred Jung 1938

Description

Original German Ahnenpass Belonging to Manfred Jung

This original German Ahnenpass is a substantial personal and genealogical document belonging to Manfred Jung, born on 27 September 1927 in Geisweid, within the municipality of Klafeld.

The booklet retains its original dark green cloth-covered hardback binding, with the title:

“Ahnenpaß”

printed prominently across the front.

Inside, the document preserves an original identification photograph of the young owner, together with his handwritten signature. It also contains numerous handwritten genealogical entries documenting members of the Jung, Dittmann and related families across several generations.

Unlike an unissued or partially completed example, this original German Ahnenpass has been extensively filled in and retains a strong personal connection to an identified individual.

Identification Photograph and Personal Details

The identification section contains a black-and-white portrait photograph of Manfred Jung. His surname is written beneath the image, accompanied by his personal signature.

The genealogical chart identifies him as:

Manfred Jung

and records his birth as:

27 September 1927, Geisweid

The accompanying civil certificate provides additional confirmation of these details.

The document records his father as Oswald Jung and his mother as Martha Jung, née Dittmann. Other visible entries identify earlier members of both family lines, including occupations, places of birth, religious affiliation and family relationships.

Original 1938 Birth Certificate

A particularly important feature of this group is the accompanying official birth certificate.

The document is headed:

“Geburtsurkunde” — “Birth Certificate”

and bears registry number:

137

It confirms the birth of Manfred Jung on 27 September 1927 in Geisweid, municipality of Klafeld. The certificate identifies his mother as Martha, née Dittmann.

The sheet was issued at Klafeld on 4 February 1938 and retains:

• An official civil registry seal
• Handwritten official signature
• Period revenue stamp
• Typed personal information
• Original age-related paper toning

The presence of this separate certificate adds considerably to the documentary value of the Ahnenpass. It represents one of the civil records used to support the genealogical information entered into the booklet.

Completed Family Tree

One of the most visually interesting pages is the circular Ahnentafel, or ancestry chart.

Manfred Jung’s name appears at the base, while the surrounding sections record parents, grandparents and earlier family members. Visible surnames include Jung, Dittmann, Breitenbach, Otto and other connected family lines.

The entries were completed using different inks and handwriting styles, suggesting that the information was added or revised at different times.

Additional pages contain individual records for family members, including:

• Full names
• Birth dates
• Places of birth
• Religious affiliation
• Parents’ names
• Marriage information
• Death details
• Personal remarks

One page records Manfred Jung’s mother, Martha Dittmann, born on 24 March 1906. A later entry records her death on 15 October 1971, showing that the booklet continued to be used as a family record after the Second World War.

Historical Purpose of the Ahnenpass

The Ahnenpass was used to record and certify family ancestry in Germany during the National Socialist period.

It became one of the documents used to demonstrate the ancestry demanded in certain areas of employment, marriage, public administration and membership of particular organisations. The Deutsches Historisches Museum describes the Ahnenpass as an important form of documentary evidence within the racial bureaucracy established under the Nuremberg Laws.

The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum explains that individuals required to provide such evidence could be expected to trace their family ancestry back to approximately 1800. These procedures formed part of a discriminatory system intended to classify people according to the racial definitions imposed by the regime.

This original German Ahnenpass must therefore be understood as evidence of that administrative and racial system. It is preserved and offered for historical study, not as an endorsement of the ideology for which it was created.

Genealogical and Documentary Interest

The value of the item lies not only in its period cover or printed format, but in the quantity of surviving personal information.

The group combines:

• A named owner
• Original identification photograph
• Original signature
• Completed ancestry chart
• Extensive handwritten family entries
• Official civil birth certificate
• Registry seal and revenue stamp
• Later family annotations

These elements make it considerably more interesting than a blank or minimally completed ancestry booklet.

It would be particularly suitable for collections focused on:

• German personal documents
• WWII civilian history
• German genealogy
• Original identification papers
• Pre-WWII administration
• Historical family archives
• Third Reich documentation
• Twentieth-century social history
• Original European paper ephemera

Condition

The green cloth cover displays rubbing, light marks, minor edge wear and softening around the corners. The title remains clearly visible.

The internal pages show general age toning, small marks, handling wear and occasional creasing. The handwriting, printed forms, photograph and principal family details remain legible.

The accompanying birth certificate displays age toning, light creasing, edge wear and minor surface marks. Its typed text, official stamp, revenue label and signature remain visible.

Not every page of the booklet is shown in the available photographs. Buyers should examine all supplied images carefully, as they form an essential part of the condition description.

The item is offered exclusively as an original historical collectable for preservation, genealogical research, documentation and education.

Further Reading

For historical background, see Deutsches Historisches Museum, LeMO: “Das NS-Regime”.

Before buying, read my Complete Collector’s Guide to WW2 German Documents.