Dear Lawrence:


Most likely, this is an extract of a marriage registration, and not the
registration itself. This is probably the German version of the sort of
extract we wold receive in Polish >from the local town hall if we asked for
records that are less than 100 years old. The registration and marriage
probably took place in 1908 in Zloczew, but this document probably reflects
a 1940 extract prepared by the local German authorities and send to the
couple in the US.

As for why this document was requested, my guess is that the couple needed
proof of their marriage for immigration, naturalization, social security or
other reasons. It may be worthwhile to find out what was going on in their
lives at this time to answer that question.

I do find it interesting that the German occupying civil officials responded
to the request. I do not think at this early date ghettoization of the Jews
was taking place, but the United States had not entered the War yet, so a
request >from the US for an official record may have been responded to. The
existence of the record does demonstrate that there was some sort of civil
bureaucracy in existence at the time.

Joe Ross