Last week, I showed Maria Catherina Krumpelmann’s birth certificate and the process used to translate it. That was not the only document that was translated for us. Today, we’ll take a look at Gerhard Wellman’s service record. The same process was used as in the other document.

An original German document about the service of Gerhard Wellman in the late 1870s.

This document was simpler than the last in terms of quantity of text, but was missing bits of information, such as full dates in some places. 

 

 Nr. 47 der Truppen-Stammrolle pro 1878                    Schema 7 zu .16.
  
 Führungs-Attest
  
 Der Füsilier Joseph Wellmann
  
 Geboren m 16ten August 1857 zu Besten, Verwaltungsbezirk
 Bersenbrück Regierungsbezirk Hannover Landesstaat Preussen
  
 Hat vom 5ten Novemberg 1878 bis    ten                             1879
 bei der 10.Compagnie Grenadier RegimentsKönig Friedrich Wilheim
 IV (1. Pommerschas?) No. 2
 gedient und sich während dieser Dienstzeit gut geführt
  
 Strafen:
 a)    Gerichtliche Strafen:  keine
   
  
 b)    Disziplinar-Bestrafungen mit strengem Arrest: kein 

                                Stettin, den    ten Januar 1878 

                                         K.A.
                                         (Unterschrift nicht lesbar)
                                   
                                          Kanonier(?) Leutnant
       

It was then translated to English, giving information about when Gerhard served and which unit he served with: the 2nd Grenadier Regiment “King Friedrich Wilhelm IV” (1st Pomeranian).

 

 Nr 47 Troup-paper per 1878                                 Scheme 7 to 16
 
                               Management certificate
  
 The Füsilier Joseph Wellmann
  
 Born on August 16th, 1857 in Besten, township Bersenbrück, county Hannover, state Preussen
  
 Was enlisted in the 10th Compagnie Grenadier Regiments König Friedrich Wilheim IV (1. Pommersches) No. 2 from November 5th 1878 to ... 1879
 and performed well during this period of service.
  
 Penalties
 A)  Judicial Penalties: None
 
 B)  Disciplinary punishment with strict arrest: no            
  
 ? , the ____ of January 1878 
  
                                        K.A.
                                       (The signature is not legible)
                                        Artillery (?) Lieutenant

Digging deeper: Pomerania?

The translation also had an interesting bit that I was able to sort out later. They were unable to figure out a word in the unit he served with, hence the “Pommerschas?” Doing some research, I discovered that the word was Pommersches, which translates to Pomerania. This refers to the historic region of northeastern Europe lying along the Baltic coastal plain between the Oder and the Vistula rivers. Mostly in Poland now, part is in modern Germany. You can read more about here.