Polish Forced Labour (Zwangsarbeiter/Fremdarbeiter) collection

**AxisDoc** · 10-25-2011, 01:37 AM

Here is an ID for a Ukrainian man who worked at the Blohm & Voss shipyards in Hamburg.

**StefanM** · 11-23-2011, 11:06 AM

Hi Axisdoc,
Do you have any similar documents for French, Dutch and other West European forced workers that you can share? I only really collect Polish forced labour artifacts but I am interested in whole subject of Forced Labour but don't often see docments for West European labour.

**StefanM** · 11-23-2011, 11:24 AM

Recently added an interesting little forced labour group belonging to PoW from 63 Pułk Piechoty.

I don't know anything at all aboutthe 63 Pułk Piechoty?

I am assuming it is actually 63 Toruński Pułk Piechoty?

The group photo shows "5 kompania" 1932 which is when Michal Witek (the PoW) enlisted with 63 PP but I cannot read the last line of the hand-written caption board text. Any thoughts?

The <P> patch which is sewn around a stiff cardboard square is actually the one he is wearing on his coat in his "Ausländer" workbook so is quite unsual to have that

**StefanM** · 11-23-2011, 11:38 AM

A studio portrait which illustrates the diversity of the Polish forced labour experience.

These photo-postcards were sent as reassuring messages to the families back home— Everything is fine you don't have to worry about me—but these 'Sunday Best' type of posed studio portraits mask the underlying criminal nature of the Nazi forced labour policy—that of the racist subjugation of the Slavic East Europeans which is why the men are still wearing their <P> patches!

**AxisDoc** · 11-24-2011, 02:51 AM

4thskorpion, All of my forced labor docs are also from East Europe except the following two which are from France and Belgium. In the first the man was a prisoner of war from Belgium sent to Stammlager 1A in East Prussia near Stablack in May of 1943.

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The second was for a POW sent to Srammlager VI G Berglish-Gladbach near Bonn. I don't know if he was from France or Belgium. These show up for auction every now and then on Delcampe and ebay.

**richard1984** · 11-24-2011, 09:41 PM

hi

i dont have any documents to really share on this subject except a couple of photos

these to photos are of my great auntie, the photos were taken when she was in a german forced labour camp in Koeningsberg, which I think is modern day Kalingrad

**StefanM** · 12-07-2011, 11:24 AM

I am not sure if this Polish political prisoner badge could have been produced during WWII or is a veteran badge?

It is made of a grey "plastic type" substrate (although it is colour-aged on the front surface). It is approx. 55mm W x 35mm H and about 3mm thick and has a pin fitting heat fixed into place.

The "P" and number "311" appear to be screen printed onto the badge or maybe with some kind of thermographic print process, its hard to determine. Either way it seems odd to "print" a number which presumably would have changed with prisoner allocation or could it be "311" was the number of a German firm or barracks or work camp or....??

A possibility is that "311" refers to Bergen-Belson in some way as this was originally a PoW camp Stalag 311 which on December 2, 1944 was officially designated a concentration camp. So maybe the badge commemorates being a survivor of Bergen-Belson?

Anyone seen a similar plastic type "P" badge?

Any thoughts/insights would be appreciated

**hillblade** · 12-08-2011, 07:05 AM

I am new here. I was searching for information on a few badges (sew on patches) I've aquired. I see the same badges I have, in your posts showing Polish workers WWII . I have several "P" and "OST" badges and also some olive drab with gold bars on them. the gold bar badges are not cut apart yet and are still attached in a "string" of them. Yes, I can post photos, but some of these sites are VERY difficult to post photos and I am busy person. I have a question for the collectors, are these badges real common? I got these in among some things a GI brought back from ETO. I would like to talk to someone who knows about these badges. email me please.

(Hillblade, I have edited out your phone number, as it's best not to leave direct personal contacts on the web ... I'm sure if your contacted by e-mail that would really be best in the first instance. ... Regards Gary J. and welcome to the forum .... Moderator)

**Adrian Stevenson** · 12-08-2011, 09:40 AM

Hi and welcome to the forum!

The badges you describe are US Army overseas service bars. Worn on the cuff of the four pocket tunic or Ike jacket. Some can be seen here:

Hayes Otoupalik

Cheers, Ade.

**hillblade** · 12-08-2011, 07:13 PM

by hillblade

I am new here. I was searching for information on a few badges (sew on patches) I've aquired. I see the same badges I have, in your posts showing Polish workers WWII . I have several "P" and "OST" badges and also some olive drab with gold bars on them. the gold bar badges are not cut apart yet and are still attached in a "string" of them. Yes, I can post photos, but some of these sites are VERY difficult to post photos and I am busy person. I have a question for the collectors, are these badges real common? I got these in among some things a GI brought back from ETO. I would like to talk to someone who knows about these badges. email me please.

(Hillblade, I have edited out your phone number, as it's best not to leave direct personal contacts on the web ... I'm sure if your contacted by e-mail that would really be best in the first instance. ... Regards Gary J. and welcome to the forum .... Moderator)

this is test of posting photos here. sorry . if this works, it's pretty easy. I'll try to photo the badges I have and post.... also, Gary J. thanks for looking after this newbeee.