Imperial German Militärpass 1897 – Emil Ernst Ludwig Opitz, Füsilier Regiment 37

Description

Imperial German Militärpass 1897 – Emil Ernst Ludwig Opitz

This Imperial German Militärpass is an original German military service booklet belonging to Emil Ernst Ludwig Opitz, with handwritten entries beginning in the Imperial period and continuing through later stages of his military obligation.

The document is particularly interesting because it is not limited to a single wartime entry. The surviving pages record a longer military career extending from the late nineteenth century into the period surrounding the First World War. From a collector’s point of view, this gives the booklet more documentary value than an example containing only basic personal information.

The cover carries the traditional Imperial German eagle above the title Militärpass. Inside are handwritten service details, dates, unit information, promotions or administrative entries, personal notes and military annotations added over time.

One of the clearest unit references identifies:

Füsilier-Regiment von Steinmetz (Westpreußisches) Nr. 37

This was a Prussian Army infantry regiment whose history extended from 1818 until the dissolution of the Imperial German Army after the First World War. From 1889 it bore the name of Prussian Generalfeldmarschall Karl Friedrich von Steinmetz. The regiment continued to serve during the First World War, and a dedicated regimental history covering its operations from 1914 to 1918 was later published using official war diaries and contemporary sources.

Military service beginning in 1897

Several handwritten entries visible inside this Imperial German Militärpass begin in 1897, with further service periods entered in subsequent years.

This is one of the stronger points of the document. Rather than representing only a First World War mobilization booklet, it preserves part of the military history of a man whose service obligations originated during the reign of Kaiser Wilhelm II and continued into the twentieth century.

The interior also contains later administrative and personal notes dated during the years preceding the war.

Most importantly for WWI collectors, the section for campaigns and wounds includes the handwritten notation:

“1914/18 – Im Osten”

This can be translated as approximately “1914/18 – in the East”, indicating service connected with the Eastern theatre during the First World War.

I would retain the German wording in the listing because it is both more precise and more useful to collectors researching the document.

What is a Militärpass?

The Militärpass was a German Army military service record used to document an individual’s military career, unit assignments and service history. Surviving examples are now useful historical sources because individual handwritten entries can connect a named soldier with specific formations and periods of service. The Imperial War Museums, for example, catalogue surviving First World War examples simply as German Army Militärpass or Army Pass documents.

In this case, the value lies not merely in the Imperial cover design but in the amount of original manuscript material preserved inside.

Füsilier-Regiment von Steinmetz Nr. 37

The unit connection adds another level of collector interest.

The Füsilier-Regiment „von Steinmetz“ (Westpreußisches) Nr. 37 was part of the Prussian Army. Its long institutional history predates German unification and continued through the Imperial period and the First World War.

For someone researching Imperial German infantry regiments, individual named Militärpässe such as this one can be useful because they connect the broader regimental history with the service of a specific soldier.

Collector’s interest

What makes this Imperial German Militärpass attractive is the combination of several factors:

• Named original owner: Emil Ernst Ludwig Opitz
• Service entries beginning in 1897
• Association with Füsilier-Regiment von Steinmetz Nr. 37
• Handwritten Imperial German military entries
• First World War reference to 1914/18 service in the East
• Original period cover and interior pages
• Multiple handwritten annotations rather than an almost unused booklet

This type of document may appeal to collectors of Imperial German militaria, WWI military records, Prussian Army documents, genealogy and regimental history.

Condition

The booklet shows considerable genuine age and handling.

The cover has rubbing, edge and corner wear, surface marks and general ageing. The interior pages show spotting, stains, handwritten entries and normal handling consistent with a military document that was used over a long period.

The writing remains clearly present on the photographed pages.

No attempt has been made to clean or cosmetically restore the document.

As always with historical paperwork, the photographs should be used as the principal reference for exact condition.

Authenticity

Original period Imperial German military document. Authenticity guaranteed by Autographs & Militaria.

The description is based on the visible original entries and identification information. Where old German handwriting is difficult to interpret, no speculative transcription is presented as fact.

Historical responsibility

This item is offered strictly as an original historical, military and documentary collectible.

Any Imperial German military symbols, units or wartime references are included solely because they form part of the historical document. Autographs & Militaria does not promote or glorify war, militarism or political ideology.