German Occupied Poland Social Insurance Card-Katowice-Eagle and Swastika Stamped

Original Polish worker’s compulsory social-insurance contribution card later used under German occupation during World War II, with numerous original contribution stamps and a prominent German administrative eagle-and-swastika ink stamp.

The document is a “Karta kwitowa”, or contribution/receipt card, originally issued through the Polish social-insurance system for disability and related compulsory insurance. The front contains the individual’s handwritten personal information along with an original Polish administrative stamp.

Following the German invasion and occupation of Poland, the document continued to be used under the occupation authorities. The reverse is particularly noteworthy, retaining approximately twenty-three blue 40-groszy Polish insurance contribution stamps, many individually cancelled with handwritten dates/notations.

At the lower portion is a large circular German occupation-era ink stamp prominently displaying the German national eagle and swastika. Additional German-language administrative markings are present nearby, while Katowice is visible on the document.

Katowice and the surrounding Upper Silesian region were invaded in September 1939 and incorporated directly into Nazi Germany rather than administered simply as part of the General Government. This makes surviving paperwork showing the transition from the Polish administrative system into German occupation control particularly interesting.

The card itself provides a tangible example of how existing Polish civilian records and social-insurance systems were adapted or processed under the German occupation. The combination of Polish text, Polish contribution stamps and German Third Reich occupation markings on the same document gives this piece considerably more visual and historical interest than an ordinary civilian insurance card.

Condition: Good original condition considering its age and extensive period use. The document exhibits significant edge wear, small tears and losses, creasing, toning, staining and general handling wear. The contribution stamps remain substantially intact and the large German eagle-and-swastika ink stamp remains readily visible. Nothing has been cleaned or restored. Please review photographs carefully for exact condition.

An excellent original piece of WWII German occupation, Polish, Upper Silesian and civilian home-front history, particularly suitable for a collection focused on occupied Poland, Third Reich administrative documents, Katowice/Silesia or WWII paper ephemera.