U.S. military intelligence report of a Polish refugee from January 1943, shedding new light on grassroot perpetrators of the Holocaust, found by CGSG Director Thomas Weber, with recommendations on how to mend Polish-German relations in the wake of the recent Polish-German fallout over the film 'Our Mothers, our Fathers'.
7 May 2013
The Centre for Global Security and Governance would like to announce the discovery of a previously unknown U.S. military intelligence report by CGSG that sheds new light on the motivations of grassroot perpetrators - and thus invites us to revisit the common wisdom on grassroot perpetrators of the Holocaust - which is published today.
Its significance as well as recommendations about how to mend Polish-German relations in the wake of the recent Polish-German fallout over the film 'Our Mothers, our Fathers' is being discussed by Dr Weber in today's edition of the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.FAZ-Befehlsnotstand.pdf
A photographic reproduction of the report is available here: NARA-report-on-grassroot-perpetrators.pdf
Source: U.S. National Archives, College Park, Maryland, RG 165, 3000, Records of the War Department, General and Special Staffs, Military Intelligence Division ‘Regional File’, 1922-44, Germany, Box No. 1076
Based on information provided by the Zentrum für Militärgeschichte und Sozialwissenschaften der Bundeswehr - Projektbereich Auskünfte und Fachstudien in Potsdam, there is a high likelihood that the pioneer unit mentioned in the U.S. intelligence report formed part of the Reserve-Pionier-Bataillon 8 of the 148. Reserve-Division.
This is a full transcript of the report:
"MILITARY INTELLIGENCE DIVISION W.D.G.S.
Military Attaché Report: Poland, Germany, Occupied Europe.
Subject: COMMENTS OF CURRENT EVENTS. Report of an Escaped Pole.
From M.A. Lisbon Report No. 1842 Date Jan. 26, 1943
Source and degree of reliability: A Pole.
Reli – excellent.
Summary: Here enter careful summary of report, containing substance succinctly stated; include important facts, names, places, dates, etc.
- Forced employment in German munitions factories.
- Conditions in Kieff.
- German interest in Russian life and education.
- Russian booby traps.
- Extermination of Russian prisoners of war.
- Feeding Russians.
- Polish Silesia.
- Concentration camp at Oswiecim.
- German spirit of despair.
10. Training in the German Army.
11. Treatment of Polish and Czech draftees.
12. Composition and equipment of a German squad (Gruppe)
[Main body of report:]
Introduction
The following is a translation of the report of __________, a Pole born near Kattowitz (Upper-Silesia) in 1911, who, with the help of the Polish organization in France, escaped from the German Army in France on December 26th, 1942, crossed the Spanish frontier on December 29th, 1942, and is now in Barcelona, where he reported at the British Consulate as volunteer for the Polish Army in Great Britain.
______________ is a mechanic and locksmith, and from 1930 was employed in the motor-car industry in Poland. After the occupation of Poland, he was sent by the German authorities to BERLIN, where he was employed at the BOZICK factory (manufacture of the tanks and of plants for the production of synthetic gasoline).
In December, 1939, he was sent, together with other mechanics from this factory, to Warsaw. Their job was the dismantling of machinery in Polish factories, printing offices, etc., in order to supply raw material (scrap iron) to the German war industry. According to this information, Warsaw had to supply 1,500,000 tons of iron to Germany, and practically all iron (including railing, fences of gardens, doors of churches, etc.) was taken for that purpose.
In March 1941, he was transferred to Upper-Silesia and employed in the ‘Laurs’ steel work (‘Laurahuette’) in mounting a plant for the production of hand grenades. This plant was supposed to manufacture, when completed, 2000 hand grenades per day. Owing, however, to technical difficulties it was not completed, dismantled again, and the plant transferred elsewhere in Poland.
In October, 1941, ____________ was sent to Kieff (Russia) as mechanic, and remained there till December of the same year. He was then transferred again to Upper-Silesia, and employed at the FITZNER-WORKS at SIEMIANOWICE (production of tanks). In July, 1942, despite his own protests and the endeavors of the management of the factor to retain hi as a skilled workman, he was enlisted in the German Army, together with other Poles. The official explanation was that he was born in a territory which, before 1918, was a part of the ‘Reich’.
He was sent to METZ (France) where he spent 3 months, and then to a 6 week’s ‘pioneer course’ at Beaugency (near ORLEANS), and on 23 November, 1942, joined a pioneer company, the ‘Kam[p]ftruppe Linder No. 22’ at Montlucon. This company was later moved to Marseille, and there he made his escape, together with another Pole born in Silesia, ___________ ___________, a railway engineer.
Impressions and observations.
RUSSIA. (Impressions from Kieff)
It is impossible to describe the misery and persecution of the Russian people. Despite that, the Russians are absolutely convinced of victory, even if it takes 10 or 15 years. I was struck by the high technical level of the Russian workmen. Every one in 3 or 4 was a graduate from a high technical school. Even women were trained in technical jobs such as soldering, driving. etc. The majority of the people are better educated than in Germany to the astonishment of the Germans. While I was employed in the Fitzner works at Siemienowice in Silesia, a Russian woman from [N]ikolsieff was employed there as charwoman. She had once worked in the steel works and told German turners that she could work a lathe. They would not believe her, and finally gave her a trial. She proved not only to be able to work it, but also to make all the mathematical calculations and the necessary technical drawings. When asked by German technicians, she said that she was the wife of a Russian workman, and that she knew all her husband knew. When challenged, she proved to be equally good in shooting and army drill.
In the same factory, we had a number of Russian workmen, sent from prisoner-of-war camps. Whenever they did not get food or cigarettes, they refused to work, no matter how punished they were. Germans were very careful in dealing with them, and pushed them rarely, since they were very good specialties. Once when lunch was half an hour later, they would not continue work till it arrived. They worked very slowly, but German workmen never rushed them; instead they liked to talk with them and ask about life and conditions in Russia, both present and pre-war. Very often they stopped working themselves to listen to the Russians. The Russians used to say that if peace had lasted another five years, the world would have belonged to them …
Germans, especially older ones, are certain that the war is lost.
Germans in Russia are prohibited to touch, in their billers or quarters, any door handles, water taps, or similar appliances, for fear of their being charged with explosives; they have first to be inspected by their specialists. Very often, however, such inspections were not productive or results, because the explosive charges were wrapped in rubber; e.g., the biggest Kieff cinema was blasted away 3 weeks after the occupation of the town by German troops, and about 180 soldiers were inside. Many were killed or wounded. In a similar way the Kieff main railroad station was destroyed a fortnight after Kieff was occupied.
Russian prisonders of war are being robbed by the Germans; all their clothing, boots (mostly felt ones), hats, and uniforms are taken away from them. They were kept, nearly nake[d], in barns and barracks, unheated, and they were dying of cold and hunger by the thousands, every day. Those who were will were often kept for 10 and more days without food in separate barns or barracks; such barracks were afterward sprinkled with gasoline and burned – with men inside.
Russian civilian population of Kieff was fed, once daily (about 3 p.m.) from special field kitchens, but only those who worked for the Germans were allowed to eat. Other were simply dying from hunger. No shops were open in Kieff, with the exception of book shops and hairdressers. There was only one restaurant (Ukrainian) in the whole town, but they served only vodka and beer and no food; a band was playing there. The price of a small bottle of vodka was 50 roubles (officially the equivalent of 5 marks). The Russians before their withdrawal destroyed literally everything – from factory plants and food supplied to the simplest shovel. The Germans sent technical commissions and exports from Germany, but they were soon withdrawn, as they had nothing to do; all plans machinery, tools and raw material had been destroyed.
The Germans, both officers and men, were afraid of the Russians and called Russia ‘hell without issue’. Soldiers who were ordered to shoot Jews and Russians in great numbers admitted themselves that they could not eat for days afterwards, so disgusted they were; but they could not do otherwise, since the gestapo’s machine guns, pointed at them, were ready at their rear.
Polish Silesia. Very few Poles are left, since most of them are deported to the Reich. Those who remained and work, are persecuted; and often, without any reason, they are deported to concentration camps, usually to the famous camp at OSWIECIM. Fifteen per cent of all salaries in Silesia are confiscated as ‘war contribution’. From the camp at OSWIECIEM very few people get out alive, but if somebody get out, he is difficult to recognize, being blue from beating and unfit to live. Before leaving the camp, everyone is made to swear that he was not beaten or tortured and that he was well fed. He further has to swear that he will denounced to the police anyone asking for details from the camp. As an example, I may cite a miner from SIEMIANOWICE who could not got to work, being too weak. He was sent to the camp for 3 weeks. When he returned, he was not able to leave the train, and had to be taken home in a cart. His whole body was marked from beating, kicking, and bruises from rifle butts.
All former insurgents from 1919 (who took part in the uprising of Silesia against Germany then) are either shot on the spot, or sent to the OSWIECIM camp and die there. Among my friend from one small village, the following were shot: ___________, ____________, ___________, __________. Many other have disappeared, and nobody knows their fate.
GERMANY. All the population is tired of war and wants peace, but nobody admits it. People are hungry, but the feat of the GESTAPO is still predominant. Germans are afraid of everything, lest they should be denounced.
IN THE ARMY. In training, the Russian soldier was always given to us as an example to follow. Poles and Czechs were mobilized forcibly. Those who refused were sent to camps, and their families tortured and killed. Poles and Czechs were treated in the army like cattle: Everyone had the right to beat and kick them. The use of the Polish or Czech languages was punished. In spite of this, Poles and Czechs were in good spirits, and certain of victory. Their only aim is desertion or revenge at the first opportunity.
Elderly Germans NCO’s were openly saying that Germany is losing the war. In our company of 200 (including motor drivers), 120 were Poles and Czechs. Stripes were only for Party members, mostly men of 20 to 28 years of age. There were order to treat the French population well in order to get French menpower to Germany.
The Company consisted of 3 platoons, each of 3 squads of 11 men, plus two NCO’s. Each platoon had in addition a HQ squad (1 NCO plus three men, all Germans).
Armament of a squad: 12 guns with 45 rounds of ammunition (the guns were type 1898 German or French)
1 pistol 0,8 with 16 rounds,
1 MG. with 600 rounds (type 1934),
2 long shovels,
2 short shovels,
2 axes,
2 hand saws,
2 prs. of wire cutters,
1 pickaxe,
2 explosive charges (3 klgr. each), exploding 4 seconds after throwing,
1 anti-magnetic charge for armos,
Food: 500 gr. Bread, 150 gr. fat (in theory), 40 gr. cheese. Potatoes and vegetables if obtainable. Meat – 80 gr. tow or three times a week.
Pay: 240 frs. per 10 days, but about 40 frs. were deducted for various funds, such as ‘winter help,’ ‘Russian front,’ bath, etc.
COMMENTS BY M/A: 1. The above is believed to be a true portrayal of conditions in existence in places where the informant was present.
2. His evaluation of the German spirit and of lassitude toward the war is to be taken with a grain of salt.
Robert A. Solborg,
Lt. Colonel, GSC,
Acting Military Attache.
From M/A Lisbon Report No. 1842 Jan. 26, 1943 Nr. 2"