Figure 1.--This photograph was taken by a German soldier somewhere in Poland. Unfortunately the location and date is not indicated. We suspect that it was taken fairly early in the War, probanly during 1940 or 41, but that is only a guess. The image suggests friendly interaction between the children and the soldiers.

The Germans in Poland conducted one of the most horendous occupations in modern history. Children were especially vulnerble. This was obviously the case of Jewish children. Non-Jewish Polish children also suffered. Large numbers of Polish chilren tht had blond hair and blue eyes were collected under the Lebensborn progrm. Children also suffered as a result of NAZI programs expelling Poles from the areas of western Poland annexed to the Reich. And they suffered as a result of food shortages in the Government General and eastern Poland seized during Barbarossa (June 1941). NAZI policy during the War was to ship food to the Reich regardless of the local food situation. Food shortages tended to affect children and the elderly more than the general population because of their more tenuous health situation. Clothing became difficult to obtain. And we see many children dressed in rags. Poland was not a rich country before the War, but it was not a counry of ragged children either. We do not fully understand the attitude of Polish children toward the German soldiers. We see some photogrphs taken by German soldiers showing friendly relations with children. This is sometimes difficult to assss, but clearly many children did not fear the Germans. These are not propaganda photographs, but snapshots taken by individual soldiers. Many of these photographs turned up in albums compiled by the soldiers. We are not sure how to evaluate these photographs and how represenative they are. Nor do we know how this relationshp changed over time.

Soldier Photographers

Front-line German soldiers were not susposed to carry cameras. This regulation does not seem to have been stringently enforced. And apparently soldiers on occupation duties could carry cameras. Thus many German soldiers compiled photographic albums of their military careers. We have found whole albums of such photographs. Often they photographed themselves and their comnrads. Other took tourist type phitographs. Many took photographs of the locals especially the children. We can not know what was on their minds. We do not think that many even knew about Generalplan Ost and that their Government was planning to kill many of the Polish children that they were pgoitigraphing. We think thatmany of the German soldiers were struck with how primotive the East was. And this was true in Polsnd even before they entered the Soviet Union. Weare not sire if this affected their thinking bout the war. It may have confirmed their pre-existing attitudes of German superiority. It does not seem to have generated sny sympsthybgor the comquered people, evem the children. One of the subjects they photographed in Poland and other occupied countries were the children they encountered. Poland under NAZI rule became what was referred to as the Government General. And the Germans began deporting Poles from the western areas annexed to the Reich.

German Occupation Policies

The Germans in Poland conducted one of the most horendous occupations in modern history. Children were especially vulnerble. This was obviously the case of Jewish children. Non-Jewish Polish children also suffered. Large numbers of Polish chilren tht had blond hair and blue eyes were collected under the Lebensborn progrm. Children also suffered as a result of NAZI programs expelling Poles from the areas of western Poland annexed to the Reich. And they suffered as a result of food shortages in the Government General and eastern Poland seized during Barbarossa (June 1941). NAZI policy during the War was to ship food to the Reich regardless of the local food situation. Food shortages tended to affect children and the elderly more than the general population because of their more tenuous health situation. Clothing became difficult to obtain. And we see many children dressed in rags. Poland was not a rich country before the War, but it was not a counry of ragged children either.

Children's Attiudes

We do not fully understand the attitude of Polish children toward the German soldiers. We see some photogrphs taken by German soldiers showing friendly relations with children. This is sometimes difficult to assess, but the expressions on their faces provide some clues to their fellings. Clearly many Polish children did not fear the Germans. And of course, most younger children love to be photographed. These are not propaganda photographs, but snapshots taken by individual soldiers. Many of these photographs turned up in albums compiled by the soldiers. We are not sure how to evaluate these photographs and how represenative they are. Nor do we know how this relationshp changed over time. The images do, however, provide a fascinating glimse of occupied Poland.

Individuals

We are looking for accounts of childhood experiences during the German or Soviet occupation. Hopefully HBC readers will assist in this search. We note one boy, Edward Piskozub, doing his First Communion in 1942. He had been injured some time before the event.

Created: 8:39 PM 3/3/2008
Last updated: 10:48 AM 8/20/2014