Death of a former member of the German Wehrmacht - initial certification / initial registration - without domestic residence
Sterbefall ehemaliger deutscher Wehrmachtsangehöriger - Erstbeurkundung / Erstregistrierung - ohne Inlandswohnsitz
Machine translation of the German page, 2026-09-15. The German original is binding.
Deaths of members of the former German Wehrmacht (armed forces) or of persons treated as equivalent to them for civil-status purposes (members of other military-like units, the police, the Arbeitsdienst [labour service], and others) occurring in connection with the Second World War are to be registered with the Standesamt I (Registry Office I) in Berlin - provided that the deceased's last place of residence or habitual residence is not located in the territory of today's Federal Republic of Germany, or is not known.
Book an appointment
Book an appointment (service.berlin.de)
Requirements
• Obligation to report
The death must be reported to Standesamt I (Register Office I) in Berlin by the competent Deutsche Dienststelle für die Benachrichtigung der nächsten Angehörigen von Gefallenen der ehemaligen deutschen Wehrmacht (German Office for Notifying the Next of Kin of Casualties of the former German Wehrmacht, WASt).
• For online applications: consent to the electronic payment procedure or bank transfer
If fees are payable, you will receive a payment request by e-mail at a later date. The following payment methods are available to you:
• Credit card (Visa, Mastercard)
• PayPal
If you are unable or unwilling to use the electronic payment option, payment by bank transfer is also possible.
Documents you need
• Whether documents are required depends on the individual case.
Fees
• 12.00 euros: death certificate (Sterbeurkunde)
• 6.00 euros: each additional certificate issued at the same time
• 12.00 euros: international death certificate
• 6.00 euros: each additional certificate issued at the same time
• 12.00 euros: certified extract from the death register (Sterberegister)
• 6.00 euros: each additional certified register extract issued at the same time
Legal basis
• Verordnung zur Ausführung des Personenstandsgesetzes (PStV, Ordinance Implementing the Civil Status Act) § 44 www.gesetze-im-internet.de/pstv/__44.html
Further information
• Abteilung Personenbezogene Auskünfte (Personal Data Department, formerly WASt) (Bundesarchiv [Federal Archives]) www.bundesarchiv.de/das-bundesarchiv/aus-unserer-archivarbei
• Kontaktformular Sterbefall (death case contact form) (Standesamt I [Register Office I]) www.berlin.de/labo/buergerdienste/standesamt-i-in-berlin/ste
Responsible for you
Choose a location; the appointment itself is booked on the original page.
- Landesamt für Bürger- und Ordnungsangelegenheiten (LABO)
- Standesamt I in Berlin
Original
Service number 326179 · same path as the original: service.berlin.de/dienstleistung/326179/