COPY
The Commissioner for the Four Year Plan Department Arbeitseinsatz
Berlin SW 11, Saarlandstr. 96, 29 Jan 1942
V a 552/27
Express Letter!
To:—
The Government of the Government-General Main Labor Division, Cracoiv:
The Reich Commissioner for the occupied Norwegian territories,
Labor and Social Division, Oslo
via the bureau of the Reich Commissioner for the occupied Norwegian territories.
The Reich Commissioner for the occupied Dutch territories, The Hague;
The Military Administrator for Belgium and Northern France,
Economic Division, Group VII (Arbeitseinsatz), Brussels. The Military Administrator in France,
Administrative Staff, Economic Division, Paris;
The Plenipotentiary for Economics in Serbia Command Officer, Semlin near Belgrade;
The Chief of the Civilian Administration in Luxemburg; The Chief of the Civilian Administration in Lorraine, Metz; and
The Chief of the Civilian Administration in Alsace, Strasz-burg.
Subject: Increased mobilization of man-power for the German Reich from the occupied territories and preparations for mobilization by force.
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1183—PS
On the one hand, the labor shortage which was rendered more acute by the draft for the Wehrmacht, and on the other hand, the increased scope of the armament problem in the German Reich, render it necessary that man-power for service in the Reich be recruited from the occupied territories to a much greater extent than heretofore, in order to relieve the shortage of labor. Therefore, any and all methods must be adopted which make possible the transportation, without exception and delay, for employment in the German Reich, of man-power in the occupied territories which is unemployed or which can be released for use in Germany after most careful screening.
To the High Command of the Armed Forces Wi Rue Amt Berlin W 35 [Page 2]
This mobilization shall first of all, as heretofore, be carried out on a voluntary basis. For this reason, the recruiting effort for employment in the German Reich must be strengthened considerably. But if satisfactory results are to be obtained, the German authorities, who are functioning in the occupied territories, must be able to exert any pressure necessary to support the voluntary recruiting of labor for employment in Germany. Accordingly, to the extent that may be necessary, the regulations in force in the occupied territories in regard to shift in employment and withdrawal of support upon refusal to work, must be tightened. Supplementary regulations concerning shift in employment must above all ensure that older personnel who are freed must be exchanged for younger personnel to make up for it, so that the latter may be made available for the Reich. A far-reaching decrease in the amount of relief granted by Public Welfare must also be effected in order to induce laborers to accept employment in the Reich. Unemployment relief must be set so low that the amount in comparison with the average wages in the Reich and the possibilities there for sending remittances home may serve as an inducement to accept employment in the Reich. When refusal to accept work in the Reich is not justified, the compensation must be reduced to an amount barely enough for subsistence, or even be cancelled. In this connection, partial withdrawal of ration cards and assignment to particularly heavy obligatory labor may be considered.
However, all misgivings must give way before the necessity of supplying the deficit in man-power caused by excessive draft calls into the Armed Forces, in order to avoid detriment to the arma-
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II83-PS
ment industry. For this purpose the forcible mobilization of workers from the occupied territories cannot be disregarded, in case the voluntary recruiting is unsuccessful. The mere possibility of mobilization by force will, in many cases, make recruiting easier.
[Page 3]
Therefore, I ask you immediately to take any measures in your district which will promote the employment of workers in the German Reich on a voluntary basis. I herewith request you to prepare for publication regulations applying to forced mobilization of laborers from your territory for Germany, so that they may be decreed at once, in case recruiting on a voluntary basis will not have the desired result, that is relief of the man-power shortage in the Reich. I request you to inform me of the measures taken by you.
Copy for cognizance. Signed : Dr. Mansfeld
Attested by: [signature illegible]
employee
TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT II83-PS
Date: Date Unknown
Total Pages: 2
Language of Text: English
Source of Text: Nazi conspiracy and aggression (Office of United States Chief of Counsel for Prosecution of Axis Criminality. Washington, D.C. : U.S. Government Printing Office, 1946.)
Evidence Code: PS-II83
HLSL Item No.: Unknown