1948-1954 West German Berufsbuch (Employment Record Book)- Named: Betzdorf Labor Office-Complete

Original postwar West German Berufsbuch (Professional Employment Record Book) issued by the Arbeitsamt Betzdorf (Employment Office) on May 21, 1948 to Josef Volkenbach, born March 5, 1910. This bilingual German/French employment booklet was used in the French occupation zone of postwar Germany to document a worker’s occupation, apprenticeship, employers, and employment history. These books became an important part of rebuilding Germany’s civilian workforce following World War II.  

This example contains numerous handwritten entries and official stamps spanning 1925 through 1954, preserving an unusually detailed employment history. It records:

• Apprenticeship as a Schreiner (carpenter) beginning in 1925.
• Multiple employers from the late Weimar period through the 1930s.
• Reissued by the Betzdorf Labor Office in 1948.
• Employment with the Bahnmeisterei Kirchen and later the Deutsche Eisenbahn (German Railways).
• Final recorded occupation as a carpenter beginning in August 1954.

The booklet remains complete with all pages intact and displays expected age-related wear, light staining, and handling from decades of use. Handwritten entries, official stamps, and signatures remain clear and legible, making this both an excellent research piece and an attractive display item.

An outstanding original document for collectors of postwar Germany, occupation-era history, German railroad memorabilia, labor history, or named historical documents. Unlike wartime Arbeitsbücher, this civilian employment record reflects the transition from the immediate postwar occupation into the early Federal Republic of Germany, providing a fascinating glimpse into everyday working life during one of Europe’s most significant rebuilding periods.