Read "Non-Germans" Under the Third Reich Online
Authors: Diemut Majer
Tags: #History, #Europe, #Eastern, #Germany
28.
A typical poster was that of the People’s Association for Germandom Abroad (VDA),
Gau
association, East Prussia, undated (Institute for Western Studies, Pozna
, doc. I-631).
29.
Cf. H. G. Koehling,
Die Behandlung der Polenfrage
(undated), and the broadsheet “Die Aufgaben des Gauamtes für Volkstumsfragen im Reichsgau Wartheland” (undated, no author; Institute for Western Studies, Pozna
).
30.
As late as January 10, 1940, a week before Posen was occupied, the
Gau
Bureau of Nationhood Affairs of the NSDAP found time to prepare information notices and draft circulars by the Gauleiter to prevent relations of “alien” associations of the Wehrmacht with Germans and Poles and members of the same “nation” (note of January 10, 1945, with draft of secret circular from the Gauleiter to all local section heads, undated; draft of a “Wartheland notice on the behavior of members of the military of friendly or allied states toward Poledom,” undated) (Institute for Western Studies, Pozna
, doc. I-231).
31.
Reproduced in Łuczak,
Dyskryminacja Polaków
, 238 ff.
32.
Letter of November 11, 1940, from the Gestapo Posen to the Criminal Police Posen: “Re: Maria K., Pole, born … , domiciled in … : K. was re-arrested on October 26, 1940, for continuing to consort with a soldier. She is being held in holding camp Fort VII for further action. I now request that she be admitted to a brothel and that I be informed of the decision there by November 25, 1940. (Signed) Bischoff.” Cf. further the record of the Gestapo Posen of November 23, 1940: “Unemployed worker Maria K. appeared … and made the following statement: It has been communicated to me today that as of today’s date I have been put under moral supervision and am to take up residence in the brothel Fischerei 19…. I have been given an information sheet on prostitutes. I am to observe the rules of conduct contained therein; otherwise I shall be taken into preventive custody or transferred to a concentration camp.” See also the action report by the Criminal Police Office Posen, journal nos. 14414/40 and 13536/40: “Maria K … was today brought to the municipal health office for examination. Since she was found to be free from venereal disease, she was transferred today to brothel Fischerei 19” (Institute for Western Studies, Pozna
, doc. I-17).
33.
See letter from the Gestapo Posen of June 2, 1942, AZ II H, B. no. 1431–42—“to the District
Landräte
” requesting that in the future such procedures be not passed to the justice authorities but directly to the Gestapo (Institute for Western Studies, Pozna
).
34.
Decree issued by the Reich governor, November 14, 1940 (Institute for Western Studies, Pozna
, doc. I-131). General instruction of September 25, 1940, by the Reich governor of Posen to the HSSPF Posen; decree of April 25, 1941, by the HSSPF Posen, reproduced in
Doc. Occ.
5:306 (original in archives VIII K 607/48, District Court Posen; copy in Institute for Western Studies, Pozna
, doc I-422): “Any unauthorized relation with Polish women is dishonorable for SS men and members of the police force and is therefore most strictly forbidden. Sexual intercourse with a Polish woman is shameful for any German, since blood and honor are the basic fundaments of the national socialist weltanschauung. Maintaining the purity of the German blood is thus the primary dictate of honor. Any who are wanting here brand themselves as traitors to the national struggle and thus place themselves outside our community.” The threatened sanction was to be tried before SS and military courts for military insubordination, with a minimum punishment of four months in prison, demotion and exclusion from the SS, and in serious cases expulsion. See also the decree of February 27, 1941, by the district president of Posen to the police authorities under him (State Archive Pozna
, Gendarmerie Schrimm 104, Bl. 12). More importantly, in addition to disciplinary measures, offenders were sent to concentration camps; cf. order of the day, January 10, 1942, issued by the commander of the Gendarmerie Łód
regarding punishment of Gendarmerie officers for sexual intercourse with Polish women and other offenses (Institute for Western Studies, Pozna
). Instruction of January 22, 1941, by the
Kreisleiter
of Posen, forbidding entry to Polish bars to all members of the NSDAP, SS and police, and all employees of state offices (Institute for Western Studies, Pozna
).