What are the EWz Files?
The EWZ files are records created by the Einwandererzentralstelle (Central Office for Immigration) by Nazi Germany between 1939 – 1945. These records attempted to determine Germanic ethnicity of individuals residing in or entering German territory. Anyone residing in an EWZ camp had to file an application and many individuals filed applications for their deceased or arrested spouses or children. While we can condemn the original intention behind the creation of such documents, they nevertheless can provide a wealth of information including, but not limited to, genealogical facts.
There are three main types of EWZ paperwork: the EWZ application or Antrag (EWZ-50 + others), the EWZ health cards or Einwandererkartei & Gesundheitskartei (EWZ-57), and the EWZ Stammblatt or pedigree record (EWZ-58)
A portion of the files were intentionally destroyed before they could be captured.
What EWZ records does the AHSGR have access to?
- AHSGR has a large collection of digital EWZ-50 records. These will, very rarely, contain photographs or a pedigree record.
- AHSGR also has two microfilm reels of EWZ-50 records & four reels of EWZ-57 records.
- EWZ-57 records are available for surnames Burgauner, Dorothea – Busch, Karoline & Grimann, Herbert – Griwzow, Hilda. These records sometimes contain photographs.
- AHSGR has other various Captured German Documents available on microfilm
How can I obtain a copy of an EWZ record for my ancestor?
- You can submit a research request here.
- Be sure to be as detailed as possible with your request. Include the EWZ index number, if known.
- If you would like to find an index number or verify if someone you are researching has an EWZ record, you can check Odessa3’s War Records collection or the Black Sea German Research website
Using Odessa3’s Index:
- Go to Odessa 3 Search
- Enter your search term
- For EWZ related searches be sure to select War Records from the dropdown below the search text box
- EWZ-50 index numbers will appear in the following format: A3342-EWZ50-#### ####