Polish Forced Labour (Zwangsarbeiter/Fremdarbeiter) collection

[StefanM]

Polish PoWs wearing the letter "P" patch celebrate Christmas.

[Adrian Stevenson]

A nice image. I suspect they had little to celebrate except their Faith.

Cheers, Ade.

[StefanM]

New additions: Studio portrait including his cigarette(?) ration card marked with "P" indicating a ration allowance for a Pole.

[StefanM]

Wohnlager Ausweis:



Posted earlier but have included the reverse, showing that the "Lagerausweis" was typed on the back of some other type of "Wohnlager" document:

[StefanM]

It was the bear that enticed me into acquiring this studio photo of a group of Polish workers — 7 August 1940. Burgstädt, Saxony, Germany.





He has the look of a Stieff (below is 1920s Stieff)

[A.J. Zawadzki]

Yes, it does look like a Steiff bear Interesting that the "P"s are not displayed. Perhaps because this is an early wartime photo and this regulation may not have been fully implemented yet, or the regulation was relaxed at certain times?

Congrats on your new acquisition.

Regards,
Tony

[StefanM]

Yes, it does look like a Steiff bear Interesting that the "P"s are not displayed. Perhaps because this is an early wartime photo and this regulation may not have been fully implemented yet, or the regulation was relaxed at certain times?

Congrats on your new acquisition.

Regards,
Tony

Good point Tony.

I have a number of group photos where some are wearing the obligatory "P" patch and others in the same group are not, two examples below:




I wondered if those wearing the patch had the patch stitched on that particular piece of clothing and that was all they had to wear out, and those not wearing a patch had versions they adapted that could be pinned on and could removed at times....or as you said the regulations were not applied forcefully at all times.

Very surprising that the regulations would be relaxed as the German fraternising with the racially inferior Poles could open themselves to severe disciplinary actions if caught so doing.

[StefanM]

Below, after a very long time (4 years!) I have finally managed to find the second of two "propaganda" photo montages produced by BAYER that shows Polish female forced workers happy in their Leverkusen factory provided barrack homes:




Below: The first montage photo of the Forced Labour Camp run by IG Farben-Bayer at Leverkusen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.

[StefanM]

Would welcome any thoughts about the "axe" badge this Polish PoW is wearing on his left breast pocket, what does it represent military or factory symbol/badge?

[A.J. Zawadzki]

. . . Polish female forced workers happy in their Leverkusen factory provided barrack homes . . .

Happy, yes, just look at all those beaming smiles!

Stefan, congratulations on finding this long sought after piece!

Cheers,
Tony