1943 German Retirement Certificate – Josef Weiß, Signed by Christian Weisensee, Munich

Description

This original 1943 German retirement certificate was issued in Munich on 11 May 1943 to the tax inspector (Steuerinspektor) Josef Weiß, placing him in retirement at his own request. It was issued for the Reich Minister of Finance by the Oberfinanzpräsident München and is signed in ink “Weisensee”, the signature of Christian Weisensee, who headed the Munich regional finance authority from 1935 to 1944.

What does the retirement certificate say?

The certificate is printed in Fraktur, with the recipient’s name, rank and date typed in:

Im Namen des Führers und Reichskanzlers versetze ich den Steuerinspektor Josef Weiß auf seinen Antrag in den Ruhestand. Ich spreche ihm für seine dem Deutschen Volke geleisteten treuen Dienste den Dank des Führers und Reichskanzlers aus.
München, den 11. Mai 1943
Für den Reichsminister der Finanzen – Der Oberfinanzpräsident München[signed] Weisensee

In English: “In the name of the Führer and Reich Chancellor, I place Tax Inspector Josef Weiß in retirement at his own request. I express to him the thanks of the Führer and Reich Chancellor for the loyal services he has rendered to the German people.”

The words “at his own request” show that this was a voluntary retirement, not a dismissal. The certificate served two purposes: it formally ended the official’s service and recorded the state’s thanks for it.

Who signed it?

The signature reads “Weisensee”. Christian Weisensee (1882–1950) became President of the Landesfinanzamt München on 1 June 1935, used the title Oberfinanzpräsident from 1 April 1937, and retired on 1 September 1944. The date of this retirement certificate, 11 May 1943, falls squarely within his tenure, and the signature appears exactly where the head of the authority signed for the Reich Minister of Finance.

The opening formula “Im Namen des Führers und Reichskanzlers” was standard wording for such appointments and retirements. It does not mean that Hitler signed or saw the individual certificate; the document carries no Hitler signature, original or facsimile. For more on telling printed and original signatures apart, see our guide to facsimile signatures.

Why collect it?

Most wartime German documents on the market are military. This retirement certificate shows the other side of the state: the civil-service bureaucracy that kept functioning through the war. It combines a named official, his rank, a dated decision, the Munich regional finance authority and the signature of its head, and it suits collections of German administrative and financial history or of signed official documents. For a broader overview of German documents of the period, see our collector’s guide to WW2 German documents.

Collector’s Note

On a retirement certificate of this kind, check where the signature sits. A signature by the head of the authority, rather than an “Im Auftrage” deputy, gives the document more interest. Here the certificate is signed by Weisensee himself as Oberfinanzpräsident.

Condition

Original period condition:

• Natural age toning with scattered minor marks from storage and handling.
• Small office marks and traces near the upper edge.
• A more noticeable mark in the lower right area.
• Minor edge and corner wear.
• Printed and typed text strong and fully legible.
• Ink signature prominent and well preserved.

No loss affects the text or signature. The photograph shows the actual document offered and forms part of this condition description.

Frequently asked questions

Who received the retirement certificate?
Josef Weiß, a Steuerinspektor (tax inspector) in the Munich finance administration.

Was he dismissed?
No. The certificate states that he was retired at his own request.

Who signed it?
Christian Weisensee, Oberfinanzpräsident München, whose signature “Weisensee” appears in ink.

Did Hitler sign it?
No. His title appears only in the standard opening formula.

Historical Responsibility Notice

This document is offered exclusively as a historical artefact for collecting, preservation, education and research. The political wording it contains forms an inseparable part of the original source. Autographs & Militaria does not endorse or glorify National Socialism or the political system it represents.

References & Further Reading

• Joachim Lilla, “Weisensee, Christian”, Verwaltungshandbuch, bavarikon (Bavarian State Library) – career dates, including the presidency of the Landesfinanzamt München from 1935, the Oberfinanzpräsident title from 1937 and retirement in 1944.