Einwanderungszentralstelle (EWZ) Anträge
Records of ethnic Germans applying for German citizenship during the period 1939-45.
Published 2004 at DVHH.org by Jody McKim Pharr.

The Einwanderungszentralstelle (EWZ) Anträge (Immigration Center Applications) is a collection of records consisting of more than 400,000 applications by ethnic Germans living outside Germany during the period 1939-1945. These were people applying for naturalized German citizenship.

The actual documents were formerly kept in the "Berlin Document Center" and since 1992 have been part of the Berlin (Finckensteinallee 63; 12205 Berlin) Bundesarchiv [Federal Archive] (D).

Microfilm copies of these records (publication A3342) are now also stored with the United States National Archives in Washington, DC.  The applications are arranged by country or region of origin and indexed alphabetically by surname. Each application might include several forms and other documents already described in other EWZ series, along with additional correspondence. The applications represent only a fraction of the total number of ethnic Germans who were considered for naturalization by the EWZ.

The nine series (totaling 3,724 16mm microfilm rolls) are as follows:

1. Series EWZ-50 for the USSR

2. Series EWZ-51 for Rumania

3. Series EWZ-52 for Poland

4. Series EWZ-53 for the Baltic countries

5. Series EWZ-541 for Yugoslavia

6. Series EWZ-542 for France

7. Series EWZ-543 for Bulgaria

8. Series EWZ-544 for applicants from Wehrmacht, Organisation Todt, SD or SS personnel

9. Series EWZ-545 for Süd-Tirol

The extent and format of records for each country or region varies considerably.  Each file may contain some of the following information:

• identity papers that establish an applicant's ethnic German background or resettler status

• identifies the ethnic backgrounds of an applicant's parents, spouse, and children

• a naturalization application form

• a declaration of naturalization

• a copy of the naturalization certificate