GERMAN WWI DEATH CARD FOR SOLDIER & MASTER BAKER KONRAD HOTSCHL

German death card for WWII soldier and master baker KONRAD HOTSCHL.  He died in a Russian captivity on November 6, 1945.  Born on Dec 8, 1911 Konrad was 34 when he died.  Card measures about 4.5" x 5.0" unfolded.  It is a double sided, double page card.

Military death cards are notices of the death of a WW1 and WW2 German soldiers who were killed during the war. Known also as “Sterbebilder”. 

Death notices were a common European Catholic custom, normally given or mailed to mourners, family, and friends as death notifications also encouraging mourners to remember the deceased in prayer.  These cards were usually 1 or 2 small pages, either single or folded and printed on both back and front.  These pages would usually have a photograph of the deceased along with his important life information.  Some did not include a photo and many included a religious icon or poem.

In contrast to other death cards the German government would not allow the printing of any WWII soldier’s unit information or a graphic cause of death.