Figure 1.--

Jews were among the POW taken by the Germans in their various campaigns. There were variation from country to country as to how the Germans treated the Jewish POWs. Oor information on German efforts in this regard is still limited. We note labor brigades formed from Polish Jewish POWs. One Jewish POW reports that he was in a group of Polish Jewisg POWs that were about go be gassed. He was among a few who were still heatlty that a A SS officer selected out from the group. Those selected were used as a slave labor unit in Aktion 1005. The Danish and Norwegian armies were very small. The Dnish Army was not interned. There would have been only a handful of Jews. The Dutch POWs were allowed to return home. We do not know if there was any attempt to select out Jews. The Belgian POWs were interned. Again we do not know about efforts to select out Jews. Nor do we know about the Fench Jewish POWs. There were very few British Jews so the Germans took few British Jewish POWs. Our information on Yugolav and Greek POWs is also limited. We know more about Red Armyb Jews after Hitler invaded the Soviet Union. Red Army Jews were basically subject to the Commisar degree. This authorized any Wehrmacht soldier to shoot any Jewish soldier after he surrendered. Some commanders shot anyone who looked Jewish. Other were more restrained in how they complied with the Commisar and other extermination orders. Even if not shot at the front, there were other selections to find elected groups such as Commisars, intelectuals, and Jews. Here the Germans do not seem to have been as meticulous as the NKVD when they selected the Poles to muder as part of the Katyn masacres. The Germans did not take many American POWs. A few were taken in North Africa and then air crews during the strategic bombing campaign. We note some reports from American soldiers taken during the Bulge campaign. German propaganda blamed Jewish monied interests for Ameican hostility toward Germany. Germans tried to separate Jewish POWs from the general POW population. When Jews did not identify themselves, some officers went through the rabks and seoarated out anyone who looked Jewish. Dog tags could also be used to identify Jews. The Jewish POWs were then subjected to brutal slave labor and internment in SS concentration camps rather than POW camps.

Poland

Poland had a very large Jewish population, the largest in terms of a percentge of the population. There were thus large numbers of Jews in the Polish Army. The actuak number is unknown because Polish data either did not exist or did not survive the War. Nor is the numner of POWs taken by the Germans known with any precission Estimates based on German and the Polish-Government-in-Exil estimates range from 0.7-0.4 million men. Govenor General Frank stated in 1942 that there were still 0.4 million Polish POWs in camps in the Reich. This and other sources suggests that the Polish POWs were not treated as harshly as the Soviet POWs taken durin Brbrossa. The percentage of Jews in the Polish Army is generally agreed to be about 10 percent, some sources give a slightly lower estimate of 8 percent. That would mean that the Germans took about 50,000 Jewish prisoners (September 1939). Some sources site a slightly higher figure of 60,000. Availble sources suggest the treatment of the POWs varied wdely, depending on the individual Germn soldiers rather than detailed orders from OKW. Some German soldiers behaved correctly while others were brutal from the beginning. Many surviving POWs report the Germans asking if any of the captives were Jewish. Often those who indicated tht they were Jewish were shot. Thiappears to have been something done on the ininiative of lower ranking officers. The separation of Jews began formally at the transit camps. We note labor brigades formed from Polish Jewish POWs. One Jewish POW reports that he was in a group of Polish Jewish POWs that were about to be gassed in 1943. He was one of a small number who was still heatlty. As a result, an SS officer selected him and the other healty Jewish prisoners out from the group. Those selected were used as a slave labor unit in Aktion 1005. Most when the assignment was completed were then shot.

Denmark

The Danish and Norwegian armies were very small. The Danish Army did not resist and was not interned. This is important because when not interned, the Germans did not have an opportunity to selct out Jews. There would have, however, been only a handful of Jews.

Norway

Netherlands

The Dutch POWs were allowed to return home. We do not know if there was any attempt to select out Jews. Most were, however, arrested abd deoported as part of the Holocaust. The Gerans were especially effective in the Netherlands in destroying the Jewish population.

Belgium

The Belgian POWs were interned. Again we do not know about efforts to select out Jews.

France

Nor do we know about the French Jewish POWs. Most of the French Ary was interred in camps located troughout the Reich (1940-45). There would have been numbers of Jews among the ranks. The Germans in Poland and the Soviet Union separated the Jews for execution or harsh treatment. This does not seem to have happened with the French Jewish POWS, but hopefully some one with a more detailed command of this topic can oprovide a detailed account. We do know that German field units shot many French black African troops after they surrendered at the end of the French campaign (1940).

Britain

There were very few British Jews so the Germans took few British Jewish POWs.

British Empire

As far as we know British Empire POWs were interned with British POWs.

Yugoslavia

Our information on Yugolav and Greek POWs is also limited.

Greece

Soviet Union

We know more about Red Army Jews after Hitler invaded the Soviet Union. Poland ad the Soviet Union had the lrgest Jewish populations in Europe. Red Army Jews were basically subject to the Commisar degree. This authorized any Wehrmacht soldier to shoot any Jewish soldier after he surrendered. Some commanders shot anyone who looked Jewish. Other were more restrained in how they complied with the Commisar and other extermination orders. Even if not shot at the front, there were other selections to find elected groups such as Commisars, intelectuals, and Jews. Here the Germans do not seem to have been as meticulous as the NKVD when they selected the Poles to muder as part of the Katyn masacres.

Italy

Fascist Italy was of course a Germn ally and their were Jws in the Italian Army. Italy changed sides as the Allies invaded (September 1943). It is at this time tht the Holocaust in Irtaly begins in ernest. The Germans who already had troops in Italy, invaded in force and occupied the country. Most of the Italian Army ws interned by the Germans and sent to camps in the Reich. We do ot yet know what efforts were made to select out the Jews.

America

America unlike Britain had a substantial Jewish population. The Germans did not take many American POWs. A few were taken in North Africa and then air crews during the strategic bombing campaign. We have not yet found any indication that the Wehrmacht separated American Jewish POWs. The air crews wre geberally collected by the police. We do not know if they treated Jews differently. There appears to have been a German policy change toward American Jewish POWs, although we are not entirely sure to what extent it affected Wehrmacht POW camps. The Great Escape in Stalag Luft III may have been a factor (March 1944). We also note some reports from American soldiers taken during the Bulge campaign. A factor here may have been the involvement of the Wafen-SS, but Whermacht officrs were also involved. German propaganda blamed Jewish monied interests for Ameican hostility toward Germany. Germans tried to separate Jewish POWs from the general POW population. This could be done in part by both looks and names. Or if the POWs did not hrowayay their dog tgs, they could be used. German officers would line up POWs and asked the Jews to step forward. When Jews did not identify themselves, some officers went through the ranks and separated out anyone who looked Jewish. It was almost as if the German officers had quotas to fill. The Jewish POWs were then subjected to brutal slave labor and internment in SS concentration camps rather than POW camps. By the time of the Bulge, the death cmps were no longer operating, having ben closed by the Geras and overan by the Red Army. Conditions in the concentration camps, howevr, were terrible and deteriorating. The Germans sent Americans captured in the Bulge offensive to Berga, a Buchenwald subcamp. They sent 352 GIs there. Only 70 were actually Jewish, but the others were chosen because they 'appeared' Jewish. Prisoners at Berga were beaten and starved. Several were actually murdered. We are not sure yet if this was just one group are all the JGIs selected as Jews.

Sources

Created: 6:23 PM 11/5/2012
Last updated: 11:29 AM 1/13/2013