Help with readin old German :)

[christerd]

Is there anyone out there who can help with translating these documents ?

There is a EK II dok and he was in the Kaiserliche Marine that much I can figure out but then ....

Dont even see what his rank is ?

Any help is welcome

First doc !

Edited February 24, 2010 by christerd

[christerd]

And here next doc nr 2 of 4

christer

[christerd]

And now doc nr 3 from before the War

??

[christerd]

and last document wich is ? Some sort of discharge ?? uhh

christer

[arb]

Christer,

#1 is the envelope in which the EK 2 was sent to "Ob. Heiz." (Ober Heizer- stoker) Otto Merten

#2 is the temporary award certificate for the EK 2

#3 is his “Certificate of Conduct, which basically states

Certificate for stoker Otto Friedrich Merten, Stoker Otto Friedrich Merten has served aboard the SMS Bremen since 27 May 1906. He successfully learned and maintained the boilers. He conducted himself very well.

Newport News (Virginia, USA- still a large US naval base today)

23 May 1908.

#4 is the more formal and final certificate of conduct-

Otto Merten was born 13 Aug 1886 in Grünfeld, Osthavelland (Potsdam district). He served from 01 Feb 1906 to 10 Juy 1908 with the 2. company of the I. (First) Werftdivision.

He had no charges or serious disciplinary actions taken against him.

Signed by Kapt.Lt. Paschen at Kiel on 10 Juli 1908

This document was required by most employers after a man left the service. Without receiving at least a “good”, it was difficult to get a good job.

Andy

[christerd]

Aha ! Thanks Andy !

Interesting to see that he was trained in US. So he was a Ober Heizer , maybe he got his EK II in Jutland Battle. Now I have a little more to go on when trying to find out more about Ober Heizer Otto Merten

Again Thank you for your help

Regards Christer

[arb]

Christer,

Always happy to help. I think the certificate (#3) was issued at Newport News while the ship made a port call in that city. I do not believe that he took any training there. NEvertheless, it's not something you see every day.

Andy

[christerd]

Hi all,

When searching on the net I found out that SMS Bremen was in USA 1908 ! Wich matches perfect what Andy said about the document in post 3

Here is a photo of the ship, she was later sunk in the Baltic sea 1915.

This forum (its members) is just great

Christer