List of used references:
Table of Contents:
Archives:
Bundesarchiv:
Website of the Bundesarchiv
The archive material of the
Bundesarchiv
is the most productive source on the subject of the Reichsbetriebsnummer.
The archives collection holds a
large number of documents that contain information on the introduction, meaning and handling of the
RBNr.
In addition the most important directories which contain a clear assignment of a RBNr. to a company are
archived there.
The most extensive directory would be the Reichbetriebskartei with approx. 11500 entries.
The Reichsbetriebskartei is a collection of index cards ordered according to RBNr., which contain the importantmaster data of individual companies.
Processing status: 929 entries added to the database so far
This list from 1946 approx. 1840 companies from various sectors of the leather-producing and leather processing industry.
Processing status: 1802 entries added to the database so far.
(Unfortunately, my copy of one of the pages of the document is so blurred that the companies listed on it are not readable and could not be included in the database. If anyone has copies of this list or has the opportunity to view them in the Bundesarchiv, I would be grateful if this page can be made available to me.)
List of reassigned districts in comparison with their old distric codes - "Neue Kreiseinteilung"
This file contains the "Verzeichnis der politischen Kreise" of Jan. 17th 1945, with information on the respective District Codes. Furthermore, the file contains the "Verzeichnis der Nummerung der geographischen Einteilungen" of May 1st 1944 with a list of District Codes.
This file includes extensive correspondence between the authorities involved in the RB-Numbering process.
For example the decree by "Reichsminister für Bewaffnung und Munition 120/BIII – 13 J/Le" of June 2nd 1942 can be found there.
This file contains a variety of work instructions for keeping the Reichsbetriebskartei. Further decrees and comments on the introduction of the Reichsbetriebsnummer can be found here also.
This file is a circular for the training of staff of "Maschinelles Berichtswesen". Attached is the order to the Reichsbetriebsnummer "Maschinellen Berichtwesens Az. 69 MB (III,7)" of Jun. 25th 1943.
The various correspondence between authorities and companies of the subgroup mineral oil and mineral oil production gives an impression of the partly incorrect assignments of RBNrs.
Sächsisches Staatsarchiv:
Website of Sächsischen Staatsarchiv
In the archive
of the Free State of Saxony you will find, among other things, a list of district codes from Nov. 1942
MARCHIVUM:
Website of the MARCHIVUM
The MARCHIVUM is Mannheim's archive,
house of city history and memory.
In the official stocks there are some documents on the introduction of the Reichsbetriebsnummer at Stadtwerke Mannheim.
Company directories and address books:
Die Großunternehmen im deutschen Reich, Band 7:
Handbuch der großen GmbH., KG., OHG., Einzelfirmen (GMBH.-BUCH)
Ausgabe 1944:
This is a company directory of large German companies. In this volume, which was published in July 1944 by
Hoppenstedt & Co., the corresponding R.B.Nr. is listed for most registered companies.
The companies published in this directory form the foundation of the database on this website.
Entries that come from this book are have the marking "H.B.d.d.GmbH" as proof of source.
A list of unknown origin provided by the user "km-spain" in the collectors forum Wehrmacht Awards is a index of the entries of H.B.d.d.GmbH. At this point, I would like to thank "km-spain" once again for agreeing to use the list to create this database before I had the original source.
Processing status: With 4876 entries, completely included in the database.
In this excerpt from the book "Die Großunternehmen im deutschen Reich", it can be seen that the detail of data listed for the individual companies differs. Only companies with a specified RBNr. have been included in the database. Name, adresse and type or purpose of the companies have been noted, if availabe.
Berliner Adressbuch 1943, zweiter Band:
Branchen - Behörden
Ausgabe 1943:
In the edition of the Berlin address book from 1943, the corresponding RBNrs. were published for some of the listed companies. A digital version of the address book can be viewed on the website of the Zentral- und Landesbibliothek Berlin. Since many entries of the digital publication are difficult to read, I use an original copy of the book for research.
Entries of the database that originate from this book have the marking "Ber.Adr.B.43"
Processing status: 254 companies have been added to the database so far
In this excerpt from the Berlin address book, it can be seen that the data of the individual registered companies differ. Only companies with a specified RBNr. have been included in the database. Name, adresse and type or purpose of the companies have been noted, if availabe.
Other Sources:
Letter and invoice headers:
With the allocation of the R.B.Nr., the "Rüstungsinspektion" demanded that this had to be noted on all
letters in the letterhead.
From the end of 1942,the Reichsbetriebsnummer can be found in the letterheads and invoice heads of some
companies..
However, this demand was far from being implemented by all companies.
Nevertheless, still unkown numbers can be found in such documents again and again.
Since some companies used the same letterheads until the late 1950s,
this entry can also be found on documents dating from the period after 1945.
For all companies included in the database marked with "Eigenes Archiv", such documents were
stored as a original, or as a digital copy in my personal archive.
This invoice of E.W. Müller G.m.b.H. from Pulsnitz of Dec. 1942 shows a frequently found sample in which the R.B.Nr. 0/0155/0067 was printed in a field provided for this purpose.
Here is an example of an invoice form ofthe company Carl Hepting & Co from 1949. Even years after the end of the war, some companies still used invoice forms with the listed Reichsbetriebsnummer.
Manufacturer Markings:
Some companies provided their products with several manufacturer markings. The combination of an RBNr. and another company stamp sometimes allows a clear assignment of the makers. This can mainly be found in products produced for the military. Entries for which an assignment to a manufacturer could be made in this way are also marked with "Eigenes Archiv". The items used for this are in my private collection, or pictures of them have been stored in my personal archive.
The picture shows a pistol holster made for the Wehrmacht, which was stamped with RBNr. 0/0655/0013. Additionaly the manufacturer's abbreviation gmo is also stamped on the holster. This abbreviation can be assigned to Rahm & Kampmann from Kaiserslautern.
Links to other websites dealing with the topic of Reichsbetriebsnummer:
- www.porzellanfieber.de
Website on the subject of porcelain, which deals, among other things, with the Reichsbetriebsnummer
- www.phalerika.de
A blog in which various documents from the Bundesarchiv on the subject of the Reichsbetriebsnummer have been further explored