Reisepass 1939- Shanghai, China

[huddyhuddy]

Hi,

This passport might be one of the rarest that I have come across.
It was issued in 1939 by the German General Consulate in Shanghai to a business man. What is truly interesting about it that is has visas to the USSR from December 1939, made at the north-eastern Chinese city of Harbin, then there are the entry cancellations through the Russian frontiers. This is due to the Ribbentrop-Molotov pact several months before. The holder then gets an entry visa done at the German Embassy in Moscow! entry visas to Lithuania and Latvia.
Once in Berlin, the holder gets entry visas to both China and occupied north-east China: Manchuria. Thus returning to Shanghai via Siberia, and remaining there until 1946.
I attached scans. Welcome to comment.

Neil.

[zwerge]

Very interesting,never seen one of those before.

[huddyhuddy]

Hi,

It seems he might not have been just a business man, since getting them visas might not have been that easy for everyone...?

Neil.

[colt45]

Great piece of History and nice cond.! EXCELLENT

[huddyhuddy]

Hi,

Yes, I have never seen one before and don't think I ever will. I am in China for 8 years now and it's the first time for me. The visas from Berlin and Moscow are the most amazing.

Neil.

[huddyhuddy]

It seems the German official who signed the visa at the Moscow Embassy was named Horst Groepper. In the 1960s he was German ambassador in Moscow and Ankara, also in Dublin. Seems he managed to survive the war and get out of the USSR.

[huddyhuddy]

Hi,

The rubber stamp at the end of the passport for the German Affairs Commission, according to information from Germany, was introduced by the government of Jiang after the end of world war II and established guidelines on how to proceed with the German citizens residing in China. Assuming, that all Germans who did not want to be
expelled from China had to register at this Chinese authority. The stamp of the Commission in the passport you have found might have been necessary in order to secure it's holder from expulsion.

Interesting new info'.

Neil.

[huddyhuddy]

Hi,

Here is the latest innfo' on this passport, thought of sharing it here...

After the end of World War II in September 1945, the Chinese government sought to resolve the status of Axis citizens living in China. After Japan surrendered on September 2, 1945, Chinese authorities simply repatriated Japanese citizens. At the same time, in October 1945, the Chinese government established a German Affairs Commission to deal with the status of Germans, Austrians, and Jews of former German and Austrian citizenship living in China. The Commission decided that the Chinese Foreign Ministry and Ministry of the Interior would have to give explicit approval to allow these foreign nationals to stay in China. To gain this approval, the immigrants needed to present certificates of employment, prove that they were not affiliated with the Nazi Party and its formations or with the German government, and apply to municipal governments for an extended residence permit. Those who could not provide this documentation would be repatriated or kept “under the protection” of the local government. In October 1945, the Chinese government incarcerated all German citizens whom it identified as having worked for or been active in support of the Nazi regime. In December 1945, the Chinese authorities required all Germans, Austrians, and Jews of former German and Austrian citizenship to register with the German Affairs Commission, regardless of political or citizenship status. Otto Froessel, apparently registered eight months after the first call to register.


Neil.