Differences in the location and treatment of Polish, Czech and Slovak labourers working for the Third Reich

Abstract

The problem of the mass employment of foreigners in the economy of the Third Reich has been touched upon on many occasions, and presents a key element in the field of economic studies the occupational politics of Hitler’s Germany. This is undoubtedly a result of both its scale and scope (according to statistics of the Germany Ministry of Labour from 15th August 1944, foreigners constituted 26% of the total Reich labour force). The apparatus within Germany which dealt with employment policies created a complex system to exploit the foreign labour supply, which was organized primarily along the principles of race. Specific nations and ethnic groups became the objects of legislation which specified their location, existential conditions, treatment and, most importantly, isolated them from the Germans – the category of Übermenschen. Even under the conditions of total war, racial demands failed to bring about the introduction of exceptions to the ruthless strategy of exploitation, especially of Slavs, who themselves were classified as Untermenschen. Poles, a nation subject to extremely brutal and repressive legislation, were placed into the category of forced labourers, wherein their personal freedoms and rights were excessively curtailed. Such treatment was entirely different from citizens of the Czech Protectorate and Moravia, and the Slovak satellite state, who had the status of free labourers and could consequently count on more lenient treatment, the possibility to return home at the end of their contacts and better food.
The purpose of the following article is to demonstrate the process of employing foreigners of specific nations within the Germany economy, with specific emphasis placed upon the different locations, conditions of work and treatment.