Hitler's WW1 Dog Tag / Erkennungsmarke

[AlecH]

Bought a 1936 edition of "Illustrierter Beobachter" the whole magazine is dedicated to Hitler's life. One section titled "the Corporal with the EK1" deals with his time in WW1 - shows a picture of his dog tag, Wounded Transport Ticket, and Militärpass. I've included the picture of the dog-tag for a couple of reasons, firstly out of interest as Hitler's tag and secondly look as I might through the Imperial Forum, found not a second example of this variant of dog-tag. All the ones shown are approximately the same size as WW2 German dog-tags without the slits, only two holes, name, address, date of birth, owners regiment roll-number stamped on it. Hitler's appears a lot smaller in width, maybe shorter in length ? regiment, company and roll-number stamped only. In the past, these type of dog-tags have been deemed by some collectors as regimental freight identification tags. My request is if members have this style of dog-tag could they please post them and how many different types and sizes of WW1 German dog-tags, were there ? The wound transport slip issued 6/10/16, after Hitler was wounded in the left thigh by shrapnel.

[Gunny Hartmann]

This is an interesting article Alec!...Identifying the Dead: a Short Study of the Identification Tags of 1914-1918

[big ned]

I'm suprised it appears hand engraved (skillfully) and not stamped. I would think it would look better on a decanter of vintage port or brandy! And more to the point, where is it now....???

[drmessimer]

Based solely on the appearance--nicely engraved rather than stamped--my guess is that it was made for him after he became Reich Chancellor. as a presentation piece from his admirers. Big Ned fronts up the real question; where is it now? Dwight

[HPL2008]

Based solely on the appearance--nicely engraved rather than stamped--my guess is that it was made for him after he became Reich Chancellor. as a presentation piece from his admirers. Big Ned fronts up the real question; where is it now?

Personally, i doubt that. If this were the case I would expect the piece to be fully engraved, whereas this one has a stamped regimental number, company number and personnel roster number added to the pre-engraved basic "Bayerisches Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment" / "Compagnie" text.

By the way, of interest in this discussion is this site on German dog tags: Die deutschen Erkennungsmarken

Like the Gunny's link, it also mentions that ID discs were far from standardized in the early phase of WWI and came in a wide variety of differing shapes, sizes and designs, with full standardization into the same basic model as found in WW2 only taking place as late as 1917.
The author also states that the tags issued to enlisted ranks were stamped tinplate, while officers, who had to pay for their tags out of their own pocket, often wore superior-quality ones, sometimes hand-engraved and/or made of silvered brass. (photo # 3 on that site shows an example).

Perhaps this tag was from early pre-standardization, pre-war stocks featuring superior quality compared to the wartime ones? (After all, Hitler was among the Bavarian army's very early wartime volunteers, joining up on 16 August 1914.)
Then again, perhaps this is an "economy" version private-purchase disc available to enlisted ranks with partially pre-engraved information that only required adding the three numbers?

All just speculation on my part, and admittedly rather unqualified speculation, as dog tags are well outside my collecting interests or area of expertise... I just find this subject intriguing.

And indeed... Where is it now?

In any case, the photo is apparently well-known enough for (unconvincing) reproductions of the tag to be commercially available:
WWI WW1 Nazi German Adolf Hitler dog tag ID

[Scout]

Interesting.

I wonderd about it being engraved or looking like it was engraved.

Also noticed the lack of 'split line,' but that is explained in Gunny's excellent link

This is an interesting article Alec!...Identifying the Dead: a Short Study of the Identification Tags of 1914-1918

[AlecH]

Thanks - Gunny, HPL20008 for two excellent links, casts light on the slightly chaotic world of pre and early WW1 German dog-tags. Iit would seem they had a multitude of different dog-tags before some sort of standardisation was attempted in 1917. Perhaps one contributing factor not mentioned was that the WW1 German army being made up of different regional state armies, each had their own traditions, which applied to dog-tags as well ?