9 - The Impact of Compulsory Labor on German Society at War

Summary

In recent years, after decades of neglect by historians, the topic of compulsory labor has received increasing attention, not only in the international public but also in professional historical research. This interest has been due largely to class-action suits brought by American lawyers and to public debates over the issue of restitution. In the wake of Ulrich Herbert's pioneering work, a series of publications has appeared on the topic. This work has explored the many facets of the problem, particularly the role of German employers. Two major publications have provided an overview of previous research and have placed the topic in broader historical perspective. Herbert's history of compulsory labor in Germany covers developments from the First World War to the present. Mark Spoerer's volume on compulsory labor in the Third Reich presents a systematic description, replete with statistical data, of this phase of the phenomenon.

Although the general problems have now been well explored, a number of issues remain unresolved. One of these relates to compulsory labor in the occupied territories, particularly in Central and Eastern Europe. One difficulty is that statistical data are not available. Another issue concerns the fate of children and adolescents who were brought to Germany along with their parents or who were born in German labor camps. In the early years of the war, pregnant women were usually sent back home, as were sick workers and women who had been raped while doing labor service. Not much is known of their fates. That conditions were terrible in most of the nurseries, where the babies were concentrated and fell victim to epidemics or hunger, became known after the war. The fate of older children remains unclear, and little documentary evidence has come to light. Another issue is the fate of Soviet workers once they returned home in 1945.