German ID

History of the German Identity Card

(German Identity Card since 2021)

The Middle Ages: Coats of Arms, Orders, Guild Symbols fulfilled the function of an Identity Card.

1808: Register of Nobility in Bavaria (German: Adelsregister in Bayern.)

(Royal Hanoverian "Passport Card" from 1865; signed by Adolf Sievert for the Royal Police Direction of Hanover)

1850: Passport Card (German: Passkarte) in the German Confederation.

The Passport Card had only one page containing the personal description of the Passport Card Holder. The Passport Card was valid for one year and made it possible to cross the border within the German Confederation (an Association of 39 Mostly German-Speaking Sovereign States) without special Entry and Exit Permits.

1859: The Passport Card was also recognized in the Austrian Empire (German: Kaisertum Österreich) as a Travel Document for Domestic and International Travel and was issued by the District Offices.

1871: The Unification of Germany (German: Deutsche Einigung) kept using the Passport Card, but was now centrally issued.

(Identity Card in 1916)

1916: An Identity Card was introduced during World War 1 within Kaiser Germany (German: Deutschen Reich.)

1938: The Kennkarte was introduced by Nazi Germany  (German: Großdeutsches Reich.)

(Kennkarte of German Non-Jew  Maria Fischer,  Oktober 1942)

In addition to the place of Identification and Identification Number, they contained the Registration and description data ("Surname, First Name, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Occupation) a Passport Photograph and imprints of the Holder's Index Fingers, Place and Date of Issue, the Name of the Issuing Authority and the Signature of the Issuing Official.

One Kennkarte was kept on file by the Issuing Authority and the other Kennkarte was given to the Holder.

(Kennkarte of German Jew Ludwig Katz, April 1939)

First all German and Austrian Jews had to get a Kennkarte (that contained the Nazi-Imposed Middle Name of “Israel” for Men and “Sara” for Women as well as having a large “J” for “Jude” or Jew on the booklet.)

They had to pay 3 Reichsmark (75 US Cents) to receive their Kennkarte which was valid for 5 years.

Every German and Austrian Jewish Man, Woman and Child over 15 years old had to carry their Kennkarte with them at all times and had to show the Card to anyone who asked to see it.

1939: After World War 2 began all German and Austrian Men of Military Age had to get and carry their Kennkarte.

After the German and Austrian Men of Military Age got their Kennkarte then every other German and Austrian Citizen 15 years or older had to get and carry their Kennkarte.

The 3 Reichsmark fee was usually not paid by Military Age Men, the Young or the Elderly (except for the Young and Elderly Jews.)

1945: After the Defeat of Nazi Germany during World War 2 the Kennkarte continued to be used by the Germans living in the British, French and American western Occupation Zones of Germany and Austria as well as the Soviet Occupation eastern Zone of Germany and Austria.

The National Emblem contained in the form during the Nazi Era (Imperial Eagle with Swastika) was covered with a sticker containing the text "This ID card retains its validity for the time being" as well as the date and Name of the Authority.

German and Austrian Jewish Survivors of the Holocaust were given the regular Kennkarte without the Middle Name “Israel” or “Sara” and the “J” on them.

Holocaust Survivors also received a Special Victim of National Socialism Identity Card in their Occupation Zone which gave them things like Free Transportation, Better Food Rations, Better Clothing Rations, etc.

1951: West Germany issued their first Identity Card (German: Personalausweis.)

(West German Identity Card from the late 1960s to 1987)

The Identity Card issued in West Berlin from 1951-1990 looked almost like the West German Identity Card but didn’t have the West German Federal Eagle on it,

1970s: West German Men had to had a Wehrpass when they did their Mandatory Service in the West German Military.

(Deutscher Wehrpass of the West German/German Bundeswehr)

1987: West Germany issued Forgery-Proof Laminated Cards.

For the first time the West German Identity Cards cost (10 West German Marks or $6 US Dollars.)

1990: The  West German Identity Card turned into the German Identity Card.

1953: East Germany issued their first Identity Card (German: Der Personalausweis für Bürger der Deutschen Demokratischen Republik)

(East German Identity Card, period of issue: November 1953 to October 1990)

(Identity Card of the German Democratic Republic; issued on 5 February 1954 in Wanzleben.)

At first it was a Blue Booklet that had 20 pages in a plastic cover and then 12 pages in a Blue Cardboard Cover and had a transparent dust jacket.

Children, Changes of Address and Marital Status, Validity and other notes were entered.

West Germany gave every East German who visited West Berlin or West Germany Welcome Money (German: Begrüßungsgeld) first it was 30 West German Marks ($18 US Dollars)  in 1970 and then it was 100 West German Marks ($60 US Dollars) in 1988. That receipt was placed in the East German Identity Booklet.

East German Men had to hand over their Identity Card while they preform the Mandatory Military Service in the East German Military or Border Guards.

While in Service the East German Man used the Military Passport / Military Service Card of the NVA (German: Wehrpass / Wehrdienstausweis der NVA.)

(Military Service Card of the  East German NVA)

The Identity Card of East Berlin and East Germany was exactly the same.

Every East German 14 years and older had to have and carry their Identity Card with them at all times.

1953-1961: East German Identity Cards could be used to travel from East Berlin into West Germany with no Visa.

1970: The Personal Identification Number (German: Personenkennzahl (PKZ)) was added to the East German Identity Card.

1978: The East German Identity Card became valid for 20 years and had space for 3 Passport Pictures (to show the aging of the Holder.)

1989-1990: The East German Identity Card was used to cross from East Berlin/East Germany into West Berlin/West Germany with no Visa.

(Identity Card, from, April 1987 to October 2010 for West Germany/Germany)

East German Identity Cards were valid for use inside Germany  from the Reunification of West Germany and East Germany in October 1990 until 1995 in Reunited Germany.

1995: All Former East German Identity Cards had to be exchanged for German Identity Cards.

2001: German Identity Cards added Holographic and Kinematic Elements.

2007: The Validity of a German Identity Card was changed (to 6 years for those 24 years and under and to 10 years for those over 24 years old.)

Also, Children had to get their own Identity Card if they wanted to travel within the Schengen Area.

(German Identity Card from November 2010 to December 2019)

2010: Biometric (Photo and 2 Fingerprints) was added to the German Identity Card and the price went up to 28.80 Euros ($34 US Dollars.)

(German Identity Card from 2019 until 2021)

2021: The price of a German Identity Card was raised to 37 Euros ($44 US Dollars.)

2025: You can only use Digital Passport Sized Pictures to get a German Identity Card.

German Citizens 16 and older have to either have a German Identity Card or a German Passport (although you can’t apply for a German Passport without first having a German Identity Card.)

Since 1990 Germans have not been forced to carry their Identity Card or Passport with them everywhere they go.