Work Commando 311/I: American Paratroopers Become Forced Laborers for the Nazis

by Claire E. Swedberg

Relates the experiences of captured American paratroopers who were placed in a forced labor detachment and faced danger from both the Gestapo and Allied air attacks

224 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1995

Reviews

[Kristi]

This book was loaned to me by the daughter of one of the POW's in this story. I am a huge reader of WWII history, but the personal connection will make the book all the more significant. Making POW's perform "slave labor" for the Reich was against the Geneva Convention. Key Provisions in 1942 based upon the 1929 Convention: 1. Defined POW status: Covered members of regular armed forces, militia, and volunteer units, as well as certain civilians accompanying armed forces (e.g., war correspondents, supply contractors). 2. Prohibited reprisals and collective penalties. 3. Guaranteed humane treatment: POWs had the right to honor and respect. 4. Set rules for capture: Prisoners could be required to give their name and rank, but not to provide more information; personal possessions (except arms and horses) could not be taken. 5. Organized prisoner work: Allowed labor but prohibited dangerous or war-related tasks. 6. Established protecting powers: Neutral states or the International Committee of the Red Cross could inspect camps and ensure compliance. Germany signed and ratified the Geneva Convention. Japan signed the convention, but it was never ratified by the government. Mortality rates: 80%- Chinese POWs under the Japan - Estimates as to the number of Chinese POWs is difficult - fatalities as ranging from 267,000 to as many as a million; this is a middle-range estimate of 400,000 dead ( 10,000,000 to 20,000,000 Chinese were simply murdered by the Japanese ( in or out of battle ). 57% - Soviet POWs under Nazi captivity Death rate for 3.3–3.7 million out of 5.7 million Red Army prisoners; policies often amounted to extermination. (The Soviet Union suffered approximately 26.6 million deaths during World War II, including both military and civilian casualties. ) 40% - American POWs under Japan- Estimate provided by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. This is a higher-end estimate; a more conservative estimate used by the Tokyo Tribunal has been suggested at 33% (approximately 7,000 out of 21,000). (Remember that surrender was regarded as worse than death for Japanese soldiers - this also affected their inclination to kill or capture. ) 40% - Polish POWs under Soviet Union - Polish soldiers were taken prisoners by the Soviet Union following its co-invasion of Poland in 1939 alongside Germany. 5%-American POWs under Germany General mortality rate.: 5  A lower estimate has been presented by Gerlach, at 1%. Sources are multiple including: Moore, Bob (2022-05-05). Prisoners of War: Europe: 1939-1956. Oxford University Press - Gerlach, Christian (2016-03-17). The Extermination of the European Jews. Cambridge University Press. During World War II, the United States housed over 425,000 prisoners of war in more than 700 camps across the country, with the majority being German soldiers, totaling around 371,683 by the end of the war. The Office of the Provost Marshal General (OPMG) supervised the 425,000 German prisoners. They stayed in 700 camps. The exact number of German POWs who died in U.S. captivity is not definitively known, but estimates suggest that between 56,000 and 78,000 German prisoners of war died during their captivity in the U.S. (I grew up near Algona, Iowa - During WWII, Algona, Iowa was the site of a base camp for prisoners of war. This camp was ‘home’ to a total of 10,000 German prisoners from April 1944 to February 1946. The value of the work done by the prisoners in the 4 state region was estimated at $3,506,000. A total of 34 branch camps were supervised from Algona. The average monthly camp system population was 3,216, although the number kept in the Algona camp rarely exceeded 2,500. ( Labor was not forced, but provided a small income and benefits at the camp store - calories could be supplemented along with other amenities. ) Some of the POW's carved an almost life-sized manger scene. My first association with the idea of a POW camp happened in around 1954 when my parents took me to see the creche which was on display for Christmas at the fairgrounds. There is now a museum in Algona I watched a documentary on a satellite camp at Mankato, MN southwest of the Twin Cities a few months ago. The officials were setting up classes for the prisoners. Who do I see but Dr. Howard Hong - a professor from St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN which I attended and later taught psychology for many years. He was my contemporary in both cases from 1966 to 1978. (Camp Algona Website ). Howard Hong was one of the nation's leading experts on the philosopher Kierkegaard; he died on March 16, 2010 at the age of 97. ) I have read extensively about POW Camps in the U. S. Unfortunately there were German soldiers in prison and then there were also hard core Nazis in captivity. There were many instances were a POW died because he was murdered by fellow prisoners for disloyalty - some committed suicide because of persecution by the Nazis. Some were tried and executed for killing fellow POW's. I am not trying to say that we were angels in our treatment of POW's. Nutrition was not the greatest. (We were trying to feed our allies in Europe (especially Britain) and the Soviets as well as our own people .) I am sure that some individuals died while working - the vast majority in Iowa did farm labor - in Minnesota at least one camp was dedicated to logging. There was a least one instance where a guard lost control and fired on the prisoners. We were not perfect, but my reading showed that locally the prisoners were largely well cared for and many enjoyed being part of farm families. After World War II ended in 1945, the U.S. government was legally required to repatriate all prisoners of war under the Geneva Convention. However, about 1% of the over 425,000 Axis POWs held in the U.S. — roughly 4,000–5,000 Germans — chose to remain. Some feared Nazi punishment if they went home; many realized they were returning to an extensively destroyed country...... How many American POW's wanted to remain in the hands of the Japanese or Nazis??? But enough..... I am excited about beginning this book!!!

[Ali Mickelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an incredible story

[Kenneth Barber · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book deals with paratroopers from the. 82nd airborne division that were captured in holland and spent the rest of the war as prisoners of the Germans. It chronicals their struggle to survive the work camp they were sent to and the deprivations they suffered. I know have a better understanding of what Tom brokow called the greatest generation. But one needs to remember all the men who have fought for our country and have died or been prisoners of war.