1944 German Reserve Lazarett Offenburg Military Hospital Letter – Chief Doctor Signed Heil Hitler!

Original WWII German military medical correspondence dated 26 March 1944, issued by the Reserve-Lazarett Offenburg – Der Chefarzt (Reserve Military Hospital Offenburg – Chief Physician).

The letter was addressed to Frau Paula Ursprung, Bahnhofstraße 26, Wels/Oberdonau, and concerns her husband and his medical/military fitness for duty (Dienstfähigkeit).

The document is particularly interesting because it explains the division of authority between the military hospital and the soldier’s unit medical officer after a patient’s discharge. It bears a large handwritten signature over the typed title:

“Oberstabsarzt u. Chefarzt”
Senior Staff Medical Officer and Chief Physician

There is also a substantial handwritten addition in blue ink at the bottom, apparently giving further medical/advisory information concerning her husband’s situation.

Full Translation of Typed Text

Reserve Military Hospital Offenburg
– The Chief Physician –

Offenburg, 26 March 1944

Mrs.
Paula Ursprung
Wels / Upper Danube
Bahnhofstraße 26

Dear Mrs. Ursprung,

“I have received your letter of March 23, 1944, and unfortunately must inform you that, after a patient has been discharged, the military hospital no longer has any influence over the assessment of his fitness for duty by the unit medical officer.

If your husband feels that he is no longer able to meet the demands placed upon him, he must contact his unit superior and his unit medical officer.”

The document closes with the period “Heil Hitler!” salutation and the signature of the Oberstabsarzt und Chefarzt.

Handwritten Addition

The handwritten blue-ink note is in difficult period German cursive. Portions appear to concern the husband’s condition and further examination/assessment. I would describe it as a handwritten medical advisory note by the physician rather than claim an exact transcription of words that cannot be read confidently from the photograph.

Historical Interest

This is an interesting piece of wartime German military medical history because the content directly discusses a serviceman who apparently felt unable to meet the requirements being placed upon him following discharge from hospital. His wife had written to the hospital seeking assistance, and the Chief Physician explains that responsibility for determining his continued fitness for military service now rested with his Truppenarzt, or unit medical officer.

The combination of dated wartime correspondence, named recipient, medical subject matter, senior physician’s signature, handwritten annotation and identifiable Reserve-Lazarett makes this a strong researchable document.

Condition

Original period document with expected age and handling wear. Visible fold lines, edge/corner wear, small tears/creases and general age toning are present. Typewriting remains quite clear, and the blue-ink handwritten notation and physician’s signature display strongly. Please see all photographs for exact condition.

Guaranteed original wartime historical document.

SEO Keywords

WWII German military document, Reserve Lazarett Offenburg, German military hospital, Oberstabsarzt, Chefarzt, 1944 medical document, Wehrmacht medical, military doctor signature, Dienstfähigkeit, Truppenarzt, Wels Oberdonau, Paula Ursprung, Offenburg Germany, wartime hospital letter, German medical history, WWII correspondence, original German document, Third Reich document, military medical ephemera