OKW Headquarters Records Administrative and Propaganda Files, 1937–1945 (Irving file T77-1051)

OKW Headquarters Records: Administrative and Propaganda Files, 1937–1945 (National Archives Microcopy T-77, Roll 1051) is a microfilmed collection of captured German military records documenting the internal administrative, financial, and propaganda-related functions of the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht (OKW) across the pre-war, wartime, and collapse phases of the Second World War.

The roll includes pre-1939 ideological publications, notably a November 1937 issue of Rassenpolitische Auslands-Korrespondenz, reflecting the integration of political doctrine and military structures prior to open conflict. It contains detailed 1939 records from the Heeres-Haushaltsabteilung (Army Budget Department), including organizational charts, departmental responsibilities, personnel assignments, and fiscal planning frameworks. These materials provide insight into the bureaucratic machinery behind mobilization, budget allocation, and interdepartmental coordination within the German armed forces.

Further content covers wartime financial oversight, personnel and salary administration, procurement and supply planning, and coordination between army, navy, and air force budgetary structures. The roll also reportedly includes monitored radio broadcast transcripts and internal reporting from April–May 1945, offering documentation of information gathering and communications assessment during the final days of the war.

Taken together, the file illustrates the structural foundations of the German military apparatus—its administrative hierarchy, fiscal systems, ideological messaging components, and late-war information operations—making it a significant primary source for the study of military bureaucracy, war economy organization, and institutional communication during the period 1937–1945.

Disclaimer

This file contains historical documents produced between 1937 and 1945 by agencies of the German Armed Forces High Command (Oberkommando der Wehrmacht / OKW). The materials reproduced herein originate from captured records preserved by the U.S. National Archives (Microcopy T-77).

Certain documents within this collection include ideological, political, and propaganda content reflective of the official doctrines and policies of the German state during the period in which they were created. These materials may contain language, concepts, or viewpoints that are offensive, discriminatory, or historically associated with crimes and human rights violations.

The documents are presented strictly for historical, archival, and research purposes. Their inclusion does not constitute endorsement, approval, or promotion of the ideas, policies, or actions described therein.

Researchers are encouraged to interpret the material within its proper historical context.

Condition Note

Format: Microfilm reproduction (National Archives Microcopy T-77, Roll 1051)
Original Medium: Typewritten and printed German documents (1937–1945)

The roll is a photographic microfilm copy of captured wartime records. Image quality is generally legible with moderate contrast typical of mid-20th-century microfilming. Some frames show:

• Light edge shadowing and minor cropping

• Occasional blur or density fluctuation

• Speckling and dust artifacts consistent with archival microfilm

• Faint stamps, annotations, and handwritten markings visible but sometimes light

Printed materials (e.g., pamphlets and publications) reproduce clearly, though fine typography may require magnification for detailed study. Typewritten administrative documents are generally sharp and readable.

Overall, the roll is in stable archival condition for research use, with minor reproduction artifacts typical of the series but no major legibility loss.

4 page sample OKW Headquarters Records Administrative and Propaganda Files, 1937–1945 (Irving file T77-1051)