Rare 1937 East Prussia–Free City of Danzig Border Travel Permit (Ausweis) with Photo – Königsberg Issued
An exceptionally attractive and historically significant pre-war German identity and travel document issued in Königsberg, East Prussia, on 14 June 1937.
This official “Ausweis für den Verkehr zwischen Ostpreußen und dem Gebiet der Freien Stadt Danzig” (Permit for Travel Between East Prussia and the Territory of the Free City of Danzig) was issued to:
Gerhard Kunkel
Born 6 January 1920 in Königsberg (Pr.)
The document remains complete with:
- Original attached photograph
- Multiple official police stamps
- Revenue stamp
- Original signature of the bearer
- Königsberg police authority markings
- Detailed personal description
- Period validity markings
Particularly appealing is the youthful portrait photograph, showing the 17-year-old holder shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War.
Documents relating to the movement of civilians between East Prussia and the Free City of Danzig are considerably scarcer than standard German identity papers and represent an important period in the increasingly tense political situation of the late 1930s.
A highly displayable and historically evocative pre-war German document.
€55,00
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Historical Description
East Prussia and the Free City of Danzig
Following the end of the First World War and the provisions of the Treaty of Versailles, the historic German province of East Prussia became geographically separated from the rest of Germany by the so-called Polish Corridor.
The strategically important city of Danzig (Gdańsk) was transformed into the Free City of Danzig, a semi-autonomous state under the protection of the League of Nations, although the vast majority of its population remained ethnically German.
As a result, travel between East Prussia and Danzig required various forms of official documentation and border controls. This permit was issued specifically to facilitate movement between these territories.
By 1937, relations between Germany, Poland, and Danzig were becoming increasingly strained. Only two years later, disputes concerning Danzig and access to East Prussia would become one of the central issues leading to the outbreak of the Second World War.
This document therefore originates from a pivotal moment in European history, capturing the bureaucratic realities created by the post-Versailles settlement.
Königsberg
The permit was issued in Königsberg, the historic capital of East Prussia.
At the time, Königsberg was one of Germany’s most important eastern cities, renowned for its medieval heritage, university, military significance, and maritime connections.
Following the Second World War, the city was annexed by the Soviet Union and renamed Kaliningrad, making surviving documents from pre-war Königsberg particularly desirable among collectors.
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