Die Ausbeutung der Kriegsgefangenen in der Industrie und Landwirtschaft 1939 - 1945 am Beispiel Oberschlesiens [The exploitation of prisoners of war in industry and agriculture 1939 - 1945 using the example of Upper Silesia]

Abstract

In my contribution to the discussion I would like to present the problem of the exploitation of prisoners of war by the Nazi regime during the occupation of the Katowice administrative district. I would like to focus my attention specifically on the exploitation of prisoners of war who were in the Cieszyn main camp and were subordinate to the Wehrmacht in the VIII Military District in Wrocław. Now a few words about the main camp in Cieszyn. The main camp in Cieszyn was one of the larger prisoner of war camps in the VIII Military District, alongside such camps as the main camps in Zgorzelec, Łambinowice, Żagań and Nowa Kuźnia near Opole. The beginning of the main camp in Cieszyn, called Main Camp VIII D, dates back to the spring of 1941. The majority of the prisoners were French, Belgians, Yugoslavs and, from November 1941, Poles. Other nationalities were also represented. During this period, the total number of prisoners of war in the main camp did not exceed 7,000.