What is a Transporführer?

[huddyhuddy]

What would be his job definition and where would he be travelling to?
And under what capacity?

[Friedrich-Berthold]

That is an official pass port, for someone in government service.

Transportfuehrer is not especially clear to me. Transport was also deportation of Jews, of course.

But also could well be those persons in the logistics and communications infrastructure of the regime in it variety, ie. the NSKK on the eastern front or
elsewhere.

Maybe Wim Saris or Andreas will know. They are very wise. Nice material. Thanks for posting.

[huddyhuddy]

Thanks for the reply.
Late in the war I do not believe it to be connected to Jewish transports, but maybe to things developing in France?

[Friedrich-Berthold]

Thanks for the reply.
Late in the war I do not believe it to be connected to Jewish transports, but maybe to things developing in France?

At this time, was it not, that Eichmann deported Hungary's Jews and arranged their mass murder?

That is, in the wake of Operation Micky Maus with Skorzeny?

Of course, there are many other explanations for such an item and they should come from those who are expert in such facets of the regime.

The passport is not a personal one.

[Friedrich-Berthold]

I guess the Eichmann deportation began in the spring of 1944. I do not know when it ended.

The photo album of Hoess at Auschwitz in 1944 depicts this phase of the Holocaust, no?

In any case, I am talking off the top of my head.

The summer of 1944 was a period maximum violence.

[HPL2008]

I can't offer a definitive answer.

The literal meaning of "Transportführer" is "person in charge of a transport".

Normally, this refers to someone holding that function for one specific transport from A to B. In a military context, this could refer to an officer placed in charge of a troop train to the front or a vehicle column loaded with materiel, or one in command of a guard detail for a transport of POWs.

(It should be noted, though, that the term is not exclusive to the military - although it is most often encountered in that context, where it dates back to at least the 18th century - but used in the civilian world as well.)

However, since it is used as a job description/occupation, it would appear not to refer to the above explanation, unless this man was exclusively employed in such a role for an endless series of transports of some kind, perhaps in the service of the Reichsbahn.

For what its worth, the German Military Dictionary (War Department Technical Manual TM 30-506) of 1944 translates it thus:

"Transportführer m transportation officer, train commander (RR)."

[Wilhelm Saris]

He could be just a civil transporter who had nothing to do with the
transportation of whatever like jews, but goods or persons (not even
for the Armed Forces)!
Most of the stamps are from Berlin. If he would have transported
political persons from the east to Berlin, he surely would have had
stamps from the political authorities, but he must have transported
on orders of the German government (stamp says Reichsregierung).
This is my opinion!

[CARL]

I guess the Eichmann deportation began in the spring of 1944. I do not know when it ended.

The photo album of Hoess at Auschwitz in 1944 depicts this phase of the Holocaust, no?

In any case, I am talking off the top of my head.

The summer of 1944 was a period maximum violence.

You are indeed correct FB, The Karl Höcker album, named after the SS-Obersturmführer who served as adjutant to Richard Baer, Kommandant at Auschwitz-I (Stammlager, the main camp) from spring til the end of 1944, does indeed have photographs that overlap with the "Hungarian Transport" period and features images of that particular phase of the Vernichtungslager at Auschwitz-II (Birkenau). The album also contains images of several high ranking individuals within the camp staff ranks, including Rudolf Höss, Josef Kramer, Dr. Josef Mengele and Richard Baer. Many of the images feature SS staff relaxing at the rural Solahütte retreat, that was, before it was demolished several years ago, located near to the Auschwitz camp complex.

However, the document shown above does not display any connection to the KZ system.

[huddyhuddy]

Sorry for the late replies. My apologies. Just noticed today the continuation of replies...Thank you all!

I see no stamps inside, but I added more papers of his, not sure if they help.

No stamps might indicate it was used as an ID to show upon demand? if he was assigned to train transports or truck columns, then would not require a stamp, say moving into or out of France? Hungary of 1944? or transport in Germany only would not require any stamping?

[HPL2008]

I can't answer the above questions, but the additional documents tell us that he was definitely working in the civilian transport/logistics sector.

He was a Kaufmann [businessman], a member of the Straßenverkehrsgenossenschaft [Road Transport Cooperative] and held a drivers' license for all classes of motor vehicle.