Transfer to the Reich of Germans during the Second World War and Its Connection with the Deportation of the Polish Population

Abstract

The transfer of the German ethnic minority to the Reich during the Second World War constituted a unique phenomenon in the history of migrations: never before had hundreds of thousands of people been displaced at the initiative of the country of origin, in such a short time, according to a logic of colonial conquest. Its close link with the deportation of the Polish population has not yet been analyzed systematically.
This article analyzes the transfer of ethnic Germans to the Reich between 1939 and 1944, examining the ideological foundations (Volk ohne Raum, Ostflucht), the bilateral agreements concluded with nine countries (Estonia, Latvia, USSR, Italy, Romania, Croatia), the role of the institutions (VOMI, EWZ, RKFdV), the A and O category system, and living conditions in the VOMI camps.
The analysis draws on RKFdV reports to Himmler (National Archives, NA GRMA), EWZ selection results (National Archives of Łódź), Himmler's circular of 30 January 1942, and the Dokumentation der Vertreibung der Deutschen aus Ost-Mitteleuropa (1954-1958).
The analysis shows that by January 1944, 770,577 ethnic Germans had been transferred; the EWZ processed over one million. The transfer was directly linked to the deportation of Poles: vacated lands served to install the settlers. Transferees assigned to category A (installation on Polish farms) or O (return to the industrial Reich) frequently manifested profound disillusionment, including the Lagerpsychose produced by prolonged stays in VOMI camps; some refused Reich nationality. The logic of the operation reflected the fundamental contradiction between the Volk ohne Raum slogan and the actual Ostflucht: ethnic Germans were fleeing eastern agricultural territories toward western industrial regions.