WWII German Arbeitsbuch – Werner Schmidt Original 1938 Work Book

Description

WWII German Arbeitsbuch Issued to Werner Schmidt in 1938

This WWII German Arbeitsbuch is an original civilian employment record issued to Werner Schmidt during the National Socialist period. The booklet was officially issued on 24 June 1938 through the Arbeitsamt Ludwigshafen a. Rh., Nebenstelle Speyer a. Rh., and retains handwritten personal information, vocational details, the holder’s signature and period administrative stamps.

The cover carries the characteristic Deutsches Reich – Arbeitsbuch design, with the German state eagle and swastika displayed prominently above the title. Inside, the opening page identifies Werner Schmidt as the holder and includes the legal reference to the legislation of 26 February 1935 under which the Arbeitsbuch system was introduced.

From a collector’s point of view, this is a good example of everyday civilian bureaucracy from the Third Reich. It is not a military service document such as a Wehrpass or Soldbuch. Instead, the Arbeitsbuch belonged to the administrative system used to register workers, occupations, training and employment.

The Arbeitsbuch System in Nazi Germany

The German government introduced the Arbeitsbuch through the Gesetz über die Einführung eines Arbeitsbuches of 26 February 1935. The purpose was to create a formal system through which labour could be recorded and distributed according to the needs of the German economy. The law came into force in April 1935, and the obligation to possess an Arbeitsbuch was subsequently extended to increasingly broad groups of workers.

Arolsen Archives describes the Arbeitsbuch as a central employment document used throughout the German Reich from the mid-1930s onward. Employers and labour offices relied on it to record personal data, occupations and places of employment. Eventually, German workers could not legally be employed without a properly issued work book.

This administrative system formed part of the wider Arbeitseinsatz, or state-directed deployment of labour. The surviving cabinet records from 1935 show that the Arbeitsbuch was intended not merely as a personal employment record but also as an instrument for managing labour resources across the economy.

Werner Schmidt and the 1938 Speyer Issue

The identification page is completed in period handwriting with the name Werner Schmidt.

Unlike an unused example, this Arbeitsbuch remains directly associated with an individual. That is important for collectors because named documents retain a personal historical dimension that blank forms lack.

The booklet contains handwritten information relating to Schmidt’s birth, nationality, marital status, residence and professional background. His nationality is recorded as Deutsches Reich, while further manuscript details appear on the personal-data pages.

One of the more interesting sections is the page headed Berufsausbildung, meaning vocational training. This part of the Arbeitsbuch was intended to record whether the holder had completed an apprenticeship or another form of occupational training, along with the relevant employer or training establishment.

The entries visible here provide additional evidence that the booklet was genuinely used as an administrative employment document rather than simply issued and left entirely blank.

Issued by Arbeitsamt Ludwigshafen – Speyer Branch

Page 5 retains a particularly clear period administrative entry.

The issue date reads:

24. Juni 1938

Below it appears:

Arbeitsamt Ludwigshafen a. Rh.
Nebenstelle Speyer a. Rh.

The corresponding circular official stamp remains clearly visible.

This precise place and date information is useful because it gives the document a definite administrative origin. Rather than being catalogued only as a generic German Arbeitsbuch, it can be identified as a 1938 employment document issued through the Ludwigshafen employment office’s Speyer branch.

For collectors of local history, regional documents or German civilian administration, such identifiable issuing authorities can add considerably more context than an anonymous example.

Civilian Life and Employment Documentation

Arbeitsbücher offer a different historical perspective from military documents.

A Wehrpass may document conscription and military service, while a Soldbuch records aspects of an active serviceman’s career. An Arbeitsbuch instead reflects the world of employment, professional training and civilian administration.

Arolsen Archives notes that Arbeitsbücher contained personal information together with the holder’s occupation and individual places of employment. Corresponding labour-office records were used to track these changes administratively.

These books therefore provide useful evidence of how everyday working life became increasingly regulated during the National Socialist period.

For historical collections, an Arbeitsbuch can complement documents such as Kennkarten, Wehrpasses, Soldbücher, membership books and other administrative records by showing another aspect of the bureaucratic system that surrounded ordinary German citizens during the 1930s and wartime years.

Collector’s Interest

The collecting appeal of this WWII German Arbeitsbuch lies principally in its completeness as a named civilian document and its clear 1938 administrative provenance.

Points of interest include:

• original Deutsches Reich Arbeitsbuch format;
• named holder, Werner Schmidt;
• handwritten personal information;
• vocational-training section;
• period signature;
• issue date of 24 June 1938;
• Arbeitsamt Ludwigshafen marking;
• Speyer branch identification;
• clear official stamp;
• original period cover and internal printed security design.

The book is particularly suitable for a collection focused on civilian documentation, German administrative history, employment records or the social history of the Third Reich.

It should not be presented as an especially rare document simply because it survives from this period. Arbeitsbücher were produced in very large numbers and examples continue to appear on the collectors’ market. Their individual interest depends largely on the person, occupation, employer, entries, locality and historical associations recorded inside.

In this case, the attraction lies in the clean 1938 issue, named ownership and clear Ludwigshafen/Speyer administrative connection.

Condition and Authenticity

The Arbeitsbuch is in good used period condition.

The front cover remains visually strong and retains the original brown and grey printed design. Light rubbing, edge wear, surface marks and natural ageing are visible.

The internal pages show expected toning and handling consistent with an original paper document from the late 1930s. The handwriting and official stamp remain clearly visible in the photographed sections.

The rear cover has the handwritten owner’s identification “Schmidt Werner” inside the designated label area and shows normal surface wear.

Original period German Arbeitsbuch issued in 1938.

The construction, typography, printed security background, paper, period handwriting, official stamp and visible ageing are consistent with an original used example.

The photographs form an integral part of the condition description.

Historical Responsibility Notice

This document is offered strictly as an original historical collectible for documentary, educational, research and collecting purposes.

Autographs & Militaria has no political or ideological affiliation with, sympathy for or endorsement of National Socialism, the Nazi regime or the organisations and symbols represented by this historical material.

HISTORICAL CONTEXT:

The Arbeitsbuch system was introduced in 1935 as part of the German state’s increasing regulation of employment and labour allocation. Workers’ personal details, professional qualifications and employment information could be recorded and tracked through the system.

COLLECTOR’S INTEREST:

This example benefits from a named holder, an exact 1938 issue date, visible vocational information and a clearly readable Arbeitsamt Ludwigshafen – Nebenstelle Speyer stamp. It represents civilian rather than military history and is especially appropriate for collectors of German administrative and employment documents.

CONDITION AND AUTHENTICITY NOTE:

Original period document with expected age and handling. The cover remains well preserved overall, while internal pages retain their handwritten details and official markings. Photographs form part of the condition description.

HISTORICAL RESPONSIBILITY NOTICE:

Offered exclusively for historical, documentary, educational and collecting purposes. No ideological endorsement is intended or implied.

Further Reading

For historical background, see Arolsen Archives e-Guide: “Work book” (Arbeitsbuch).

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