Variation
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- Reference
The so-called gray slip (“Grauzettel”) is a predecessor of the work permit document (Arbeitserlaubnispapier). Employment offices issued either green slips (agriculture) or gray slips (trade/industry) depending on the nature of the business or company to which the person was assigned as a civilian forced laborer. From 1943 onwards, the work permit document replaced the green and gray slips. However, they can still be found later in many labor cards of civilian forced laborers, since they did not lose their validity immediately, and any existing preprinted slips were supposed to be used up gradually.
The so-called gray slip (“Grauzettel”) is a predecessor of the work permit document (Arbeitserlaubnispapier). Employment offices issued either green slips (agriculture) or gray slips (trade/industry) depending on the nature of the business or company to which the person was assigned as a civilian forced laborer. From 1943 onwards, the work permit document replaced the green and gray slips. However, they can still be found later in many labor cards of civilian forced laborers, since they did not lose their validity immediately, and any existing preprinted slips were supposed to be used up gradually.
Questions and answers
- What are considered variations in the e-Guide?
The e-Guide distinguishes between main cards and variations. The reason for this is that there are sometimes different versions of a single type of document that can vary significantly.
The documents referred to as main cards in the e-Guide are standard documents that were used especially frequently in concentration camps, DP camps, and for the registration of forced laborers, and about which a good deal of information is available. The Arolsen Archives also hold variations of these documents, however, which served the exact same purpose as the corresponding main cards, but which look different. There are various reasons for this: Some camps used their own individually produced cards instead of the standard versions. In many other cases, individual cards and forms were used before the introduction of standardized pre-printed forms.
- Do you know more about the document?
If you have any additional information about this document or any other documents described in the e-Guide, we would appreciate it very much if you could send your feedback to eguide@arolsen-archives.org. The document descriptions are updated regularly – and the best way for us to do this is by incorporating the knowledge you share with us.