Oldtimer gallery. Number plates. Germany (pre-1945).
Click to the pictures to see big picture.
(Shown are maximal registration numbers I found.)
Whole Germany plates (military and of some ministries):
WH-1752866 (1935-1945) - Wehrmacht-Heer (land army), this page is in Russian only
WL-803860 (1935-1945) - Wehrmacht-Luftwaffe (air force), this page is in Russian only
WM-110442 (1935-1945) - Wehrmacht-Kriegsmarine (navy)
RW-54064 (1923-1935) - Reichswehr (army), in 1935 rename into Wehrmacht
SS-944252 (1936-1945) - SS-Verfügungstruppen und SS-Wachverbände (transport and forces of SS)
Pol-174217 (1937-1945) - Polizei (police and Gestapo)
DR-102115 (1934-1945) - Deutsche Reichsbahn (railway department)
RAD-50423 (1941-1945) - Reichsarbeitsdienstes (labour front, German citizens only)
LC-222176 (1936-1939) - Legion Condor (German forces in Spain)
RP-700203 (1923-1945) - Reichspost (post department)
OT-142100 (1943-1945) - Organisation Todt, till late 1944 (half-military building organisation for foreing workers)
WT-25-3624 - Wehrmacht Transport, since late 1944
WP - Wehrmacht-Polizei, since late 1944(?)
FG - Feldgendarmerie, since late 1944(?)
RK - (1943-1945) Rotes Kreuz (Red Cross)
Fp.-Nr. 05160 - temporary 1940 year plate for trophy vehicles (Fp.-Nr. = Feldpost Nummer , see the end of WH-series list).
KURIER - don't know what is on the rear plate, Weimar, 1938.
In 1914-1923 military plates system was very complicated:
XVIII-2046 (1918), Kr.A1-124 (1918), M.K.III-8575 (1918), XI-2338.
Civilian series of provinces and government districts, civilian- and military administrations of occupied territories:
Preussen:
IA-341452 - (1906-1945) Landespolizeibezirk Berlin, this page is in Russian only
A-238 - (1901-1906) Berlin
IB-16526 - (1922-1938) Provinz Grenzmark, Posen, Westpreussen
IC-173342 - (1906-1945) Provinz Ostpreussen
C - (1902-1906) Ostpreussen
ID-8 - (1906-1930?) Provinz Westpreussen
D - (1902-1906) Westpreussen
IE-300117 - (1906-1945) Provinz Brandenburg
E - (1901-1906) Brandenburg
IH-177554 - (1906-1945) Provinz Pommern, this page is in Russian only
H - (1902-1906) Pommern
J - (1902-1906) Posen
IK-522416 - (1906-1945) Provinz Schlesien, this page is in Russian only
K - (1902-1906) Schlesien
IL-3769 - (1906-1945) Regierungs Bezirk Hohenzollern (Sigmaringen)
IM-381152 - (1906-1945) Provinz Sachsen
M - (1902-1906) Sachsen
IP-158100 - (1906-1945) Provinz Schleswig-Holstein
P - (1902-1906) Schleswig-Holstein
IS-291243 - (1906-1945) Provinz Hannover, this page is in Russian only
S - (1901-1906) Hannover
IT-235838 - (1906-1945) Provinz Hessen-Nassau
T - (1902-1906) Hessen-Nassau
IX-450932 - (1906-1945) Provinz Westfalen, this page is in Russian only
X - (1902-1906) Westfalen
IY-297805 - (1928-1945) Regierungs Bezirk Düsseldorf, this page is in Russian only
IY - (1906-1920) Posen
IZ-301407 - (1906-1945) Rheinprovinz ausser Regierungs Bezirk Düsseldorf (since 1928 excluding Regierungs Bezirk Düsseldorf, in 1940-1945 including Eupen and Malmedy)
Z - (1901-1906) Rheinprovinz
Bayern:
IIA-74325 - (1906-1945) Stadtbezirk München
IIB-374240 - (1906-1945) Regierungs Bezirk Oberbayern
IIC-405359 - (1906-1945) Regierungs Bezirk Niederbayern
IID-94280 - (1906-1945) Regierungs Bezirk Pfalz
IIE-555305 - (1906-1945) Regierungs Bezirk Oberpfalz und Regensburg
IIH-103346 - (1906-1945) Regierungs Bezirk Oberfranken
IIM - (1910-1919) Für die Kraftfahrzeuge der Militaerverwaltung - for vehicles of military control
IIN-49566 - (1906-1945) Stadtbezirk Nürnberg und Fürth
IIP - (1910-1919) Für die Kraftfahrzeuge der Postverwaltung - for post department vehicles
IIS-11972 - (1906-1945) Regierungs Bezirk Mittelfranken
IIU-68900 - (1906-1945) Regierungs Bezirk Unterfranken und Aschaffenburg (Mainfranken)
IIZ-227115 - (1906-1945) Regierungs Bezirk Schwaben und Neuburg
Sachsen:
I-141225 - (1901-1945) Landraete Bautzen, Löbau, Zittau, Kamenz
II-141890 - (1901-1945) Polizeipräsident Dresden, Landräte Dresden, Freilberg, Pirna, Meissen, Grossenhein, Dippoldiswalde, Sanda
III-117580 - (1901-1945) Regierungs Bezirk Leipzig
IV-94648 - (1901-1945) Regierungs Bezirk Chemnitz
V-62514 - (1901-1945) Regierungs Bezirk Zwickau
Württemberg:
IIIA-49076 - (1906-1945) Polizeipräsident Stuttgart
IIIC-22029 - (1906-1945) Landräte Backnang, Besigheim, Böblingen, Brackenheim, Esslingen
IIID-25419 - (1906-1945) Landräte Leonberg, Ludwigsburg, Marbach, Maulbronn, polizeidirektor Heilbronn
IIIE-18218 - (1906-1945) Landräte Heilbronn, Neckarsulm, Vaihingen an der Enz, Weiblingen, Kreis Stuttgart
IIIH-6454 - (1906-1945) Landräte Balingen, Calw, Freudenstadt, Herrenberg, Horb am Neckar, Nagold
IIIK-13270 - (1906-1945) Landräte Neuenburg, Nüttingen, Oberndorf, Reutlingen, Rottenburg
IIIM-5251 - (1906-1945) Landräte Rottweil, Spaichingen, Sulz, Tübingen, Tuttlingen, Urach
IIIP-4170 - (1906-1945) Landräte Aalen, Crailsheim, Ellwangen, Gaildorf, Gerabronn
IIIS-13238 - (1906-1945) Landräte Schwäbisch-Gmünd, Schwäbisch-Hall, Heidenheim, Künzelsau
IIIT-9585 - (1906-1945) Landräte Mergentheim, Neresheim, Öhringen, Schorndorf, Welzheim
IIIWP - (1912-1919) Für die Kraftfahrzeuge der Postverwaltung - for post department vehicles
IIIX-25594 - (1906-1945) Landräte Biberach an der Riss, Blaubeuren, Ehingen (Donau), Geislingen, Göppingen, Kirchheim, Ulm
IIIY-10880 - (1906-1945) Landräte Laupheim, Leutkirch, Münsingen, Ravensburg, Riedlingen
IIIZ-38339 - (1906-1945) Landräte Friedrichshafen, Saulgau, Tettnang, Waldsee, Wangen, Polizeidirektor Ulm
Baden:
IVB-186046 - (1906-1945) Baden, this page is in Russian only
IVSt - (1941-1945) Strassburg
IVT - (1941-1945) Thann, Mühlhausen, Altkirch
IVU - (1941-1945) Erstein, Molsheim, Schlettstadt
IVX-14233 - (1941-1945) Gebweiler, Kolmar, Rappoltsweiler
IVZ - (1941-1945) Hagenau, Zabern, Weissenburg
Elsass-Lothringen (without lands included into Baden, and series of 1906-1920):
Wm-380682 - (1941-1945) Westmark (Lothringen) (I saw only Wm-380xxx series)
VIA - (1906-1920) Unter-Elsass
VIB - (1906-1920) Ober-Elsass
VIC - (1906-1920) Lothringen
Hessen:
VH-125914 - (1937-1945), Hessen
VO-9457 - (1906-1937) Prowinz Oberhessen
VR-20172 - (1906-1937) Prowinz Rheinhessen
VS-22114 - (1906-1937) Prowinz Starkenburg
Thüringen:
Th-135308 - (1922-1945) Thüringen
T - (1920-1922) Thüringen-Freistaat (Free Republic of Thüringen)
CG - (1909-1920) Sachsen-Coburg-Gotha
RA - (1906-1920) Reuss ältere Linie
RJ - (1906-1920) Reuss juengere Linie
S-579 - (1906-1920) Sachsen-Weimar
SA-285 - (1906-1920) Sachsen-Altenburg
SM - (1905-1920) Sachsen-Meiningen
SR - (1906-1920) Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt
SS - (1906-1920) Schwarzburg-Sondershausen
Reichsgaue und kleinere Länder (State areas and small lands):
A-120015 - (1901-1945) Anhalt
B-111040 - (1906-1945) Braunschweig
HB-87396 - (1906-1945) Hansestadt Bremen
HH-78206 - (1906-1945) Hansestadt Hamburg
HL-2356 - (1906-1937) Hansestadt Lübeck
L-14647 - (1906-1945) Lippe
M-86910 - (1934-1945) Mecklenburg
MI-22644 - (1906-1934) Mecklenburg-Schwerin
MII-3738 - (1906-1934) Mecklenburg-Strelitz
OI-74898 - (1906-1945) Herzogtum Oldenburg
OII-2190 - (1906-1937) Fürstentum Oldenburg-Luebeck
OIII - (1906-1937) Fürstentum Oldenburg-Birkenfeld
SAAR-72334 - (1935-1945) Saarland
SL-2375 - (1901-1945) Schaumburg-Lippe
W - (1902-1929) Waldeck
DW-111784 - (1940-1945) Danzig-Westpreussen
DZ-2687 - (1919-1939) Danzig (Free city of Danzig (Gdansk), plates were in "German" standard)
Lux-18001 ... Lux-27000 - (1941-1945) Luxemburg
Österreich (Austria):
K-65667 - (1939-1945) Kärnten
Nd-55450 - (1939-1945) Niederdonau
Od-110998 - (1939-1945) Oberdonau
Sb-9085 - (1939-1945) Salzburg
St-91163 - (1939-1945) Steiermark
TV-161971 - (1939-1945) Tirol mit Vorarlberg
P-14232 - (1939-1945) Wartheland
W-206528 - (1939-1945) Wien
Pre-1938 and 1945-1946 standard:
A-65.742 - (since 1906) Polizeidirektor Wien
V - (1938) Polizeidirektor Wien (this series has been intended, but never implemented)
B 68.876 - (since 1906) Niederdonau (ausser (excluding) Burgenland)
BP 1255 - (since 1937) post department vehicles
C 15.338 - (since 1906) Oberdonau (ausser (excluding) Linz)
D 8028 - (since 1906) Salzburg
E - (since 1906) Tirol
F 12.915 - (since 1906) Kärnten
H - (since 1906) Steiermark (ausser (excluding) Graz und Burgenland)
K 5017 - (since 1930) Polizeidirektor Graz
L - (since 1930) Polizeidirektor Linz
M - (since 1921) Burgenland
OB - (since 1937) railway department vehicles
W-85885 - (since 1920) Vorarlberg
Sudetenland:
S-143363 - (1938-1945) Sudetenland (ausser (excluding) Südböhmen und Südmähren)
S-1 ... S-100, S-54001 ... S-57000, S-75001 ... S-79000, S-100001 ...(S-138477)... S-195000 - Aussig
S-101 ...(S-13608)... S-50000, S-250000 ... S-282000 - Troppau
S-50001 ...(S-51432)... S-54000, S-57001 ...(S-71664)... S-75000, S-79001 ... S-100000, S-200001 ... S-218000 - Eger
Protektorat Böhmen-Mähren:
PA-40043 - (1940-1945) Böhmen
PB-39871 - (1940-1945) Mähren-Schlesien
PC - (1941-1945) Post und Eisenbahn (post and railway)
PD - (1940-1945) Prag
PS - (1941-1945) Sicherheitsorgane (security forces)
PV - (1941-1945) Regierungstruppe (state forces)
Generalgouvernement:
(eastern and south-eastern areas of contemporary Poland, see comment below)
Ost-112141 - (1939-1943) Generalgouvernement
IOst - (1943-1945) Krakau
IIOst - (1943-1945) Lublin
IIIOst - (1943-1945) Radom
IVOst - (1943-1945) Warschau
VOst - (1943-1945) Galizien
Other occupied territories:
BM-2319 - Belorussija? - GAZ-AA, Smolensk, VIII 1941.
GI-0392 - (1940-1945) - Guernsey Insel (Great Britain).
KR-3472 - (1941-1944) - Kreta (Crete, Greece).
MB-12033 - (1941-1945) Mil.Befh. Belgien und Nordfrankreich
MD - (1941-1945) Befh. der deutschen Truppen in Dänemark
MF - (1941-1945) Mil.Befh. in Frankreich
MG-1078 - (1941-1945) Mil.Befh. in Generalgouvernement
MH-8917 - (1941-1945) Wehrmachtsbefehlhaber in den Niederlanden
MN - (1941-1945) Wehrmachtsbefehlhaber Norwegen
MO-128 - (1941-1945) Wehrmachtsbefehlhaber Ostland
MR - (1941-1945) Deutsche Heeresmission Rumänien
MS-23 - (1941-1945) Wehrmachtsbefehlhaber Südost
MU - (1941-1945) Wehrmachtsbefehlhaber Ukraine
RK-2277 - (1941-1945) Reichskomissariat (Norway, Netherlands)
RO-70475 - (1942-1945) Reichskomissar Ost (Latvia, Estonia, Lietuva)
RO-10000...RO-26999 - Estland
RO-30000...RO-49999 - Lettland
RO-50000...RO-????? - Litauen
RU - (1942-1945) Reichskomissar Ukraine
ZB - (1943-1945) Zivilverwaltung Belgien und Nordfrankreich
ZF-40340 - (1943-1945) Zivilverwaltung in Frankreich
ZO - (1943-1945) Zivile Kraftfahrzeuge im Operationsgebiet Osten
Some sizes of registration plates are clear from this pre-war catalog of plate frames: IM-45627.
Although the standard was not very strict.
Comment on Generalgouvernement.
Boundaries for early 1941.
Big boundary towns by perimeter (names are given according to 1941 road map of Germany):
Warschau - Petrikau - Tschenstochau - Krakau - Neu-Sandez - Jaroslau - Tomaszow-Lubelski - Hrubieszow - Chelm - Warschau
Outer boundaries (big boundary towns on the opposite side of boundary, in line)
On the USSR side: Przemysl - Brest - Lomza - Grodno
On Germany side: Memel - Tilsit - Sudauen - Schröttersburg - Litzmannstadt - Bendsburg - Sosnowitz.
Sources of photos, literature and credits:
Werner Oswald's book "Kraftfahrzeuge und Panzer der Reichwehr,Wehrmacht und Bundeswehr", 1982, Motorbuch Verlag Stuttgart.
Reinhard Frank's book "Lastkraftwagen der Wehrmacht", PODZUN-PALLAS, 1992.
Reinhard Frank's book "Personenkraftwagen der Wehrmacht", Karl Müller Verlag.
Sergei Cheremisin (Kirovograd, Ukraine)
Hans-Peter Hommes, Germany (this is a link to his site)
Jan Szatan, Poland (this is a link to his site)
Vladimir Kolotovkin (Moscow, Club RKKA, VARS),
Aleksej Popov (Riga)
Spencer Pollard ("Military In Scale" magazine in England)
Gary Edmundson (Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, Canada).
Reinhard Popp, South-Eastern Bavaria, Germany.
Matthias Rinecker, Germany.
Rex Schneider (Cottbus, Germany).
Petr Lukin.
Patrick Vaudreville (France).
Article of Pavel Lipatov in "Avto" magazine, N 25-26, 1997, Russia.
Archive of Vjacheslav Motorin (Smolensk).
Eesti Antiikautode Galerii.
avto-nomer.ru.
Entrance Gallery Number plates Sale Links
Last updated 4 IV 2024. Andrei Bogomolov. Contact Information.
WH-1752866 (1935-1945) - Wehrmacht-Heer (land army), this page is in Russian only
RP-700203 (1923-1945) - Reichspost (post department)
IE-300117 - (1906-1945) Provinz Brandenburg
IX-450932 - (1906-1945) Provinz Westfalen, this page is in Russian only