German economic policy towards the landed gentry in the General Government 1939–1945

Abstract

It should be noted that the German economic policy towards the gentry was focused on the rapid growth of agricultural production, although there were also long-term accents that were to prepare the ground for German colonization. The policy of tax, financial and operational preferences served this purpose. Landowners in the face of the desire to improve the economic situation and the German pressure, became the recipient of this policy. Tens of thousands of items agricultural machinery and tools, efficient crop and livestock varieties were imported to the GG. Well developed German agricultural apparatus supervised the implementation of preferential agricultural policy. Its main task was to intercept agricultural production for German needs. Excessive exploitation of Polish agriculture after 1942 increased the resistance of the Polish landowner and peasant. Resistance was fought using a whole range of repression and harassment (including flogging, fines, confiscation of property and deportations to camps).