Figure 1.--

Large numbers of French soldiers were taken prisoner during the German western offensive and the resulting fall of France (May-June 1940). The Germans after the French surrender (June 1940), interned the French Army, some 2 million men, in POW camps. The men were transported to camps in the Reich. Conditions at German POW camps varied widely. Conditions for Poles and Soviet POWs were essentially death camps and survival rates were very low. Conditions for the Western Allies were very different. Conditions were spartan, but survivable. The French were the largest group of POWs and from the Western Allies and confined the longest period. The Germans kept the French POWs throughout the entire War, despite entrties from Vichy authorities to repatriate them. I'm not sure why the Germans did this. Perhaps it gave them leverage with Vichy. Perhaps they were seen as a valuable source of labor. A major factor was probably that POWs would have been a likely group to have helped organize the Resistance which by 1943 was beginning to become increasingly troublesome to the Germans. The French POWs were kept in camps in both Germany and Austria. A French reader tells us about a visit from the Petits Chanteurs à la Croix de Bois in 1943. Another reader writes, "It is actually amazing that this French boys choir was allowed to sing for French forced-laborers and POWs during the War. I remember pictures in the Dutch newspapers during the German occupation of the French actors and entertainers Maurice Chevallier and Danielle Darrieux, performing in such German camps. One can call it collaboration, but there had to be some sort of collaboration, also from the part of the NAZIi authorities, to make these events possible. I believe the Germans still saw this sort of propaganda of value even when people all over Europe had come detest them. As for the French, the prisoners enjoyed it tremendously. I still see the picture of the POW, who tried to kiss a laughing Maurice Chevallier. It was a snapshot I never forget." [Stueck] There were other visitors, such as a French boy choir that sung to the POWs. The Germans in violation of the Geneva Conventions forced French and Belgian POWs to work. This was often farm labor which few POWs objected because it usually meant they were able to get some extra work. Others were employed in war industries. Many French POWs were given seasonal jobs with farm work outside the camps. One Austrian girl remembers two French POWs that worked on her family farm in the Tyrol during Summer 1942. She was 8-years old and lived in the city, but her uncle still worked the farm. She became friendly with the French soldiers. She recalls that one was a priest and the other was younger and had red hair. In the evening she and her cousins would sit with the French POWs and have fun learning each other's language. After the harvest, the girl and her mother returned home and the French were returned to a POW camp. After school one day she saw German shoulders marching POWs down the street. Then she noticed one of the POWs was the red-haired Frenchman. He saw her and cried out, "Isabella, Isabella." One of the guards then beat his viciously with the butt of his rifle. The little girl was horrified and screamed. She ran home sobbing and told her mother and was surprised when her mother wanted to know if anyone saw her and knew who she was. It wasn't until after the war that she understood her mother's reaction. [McCracken] The French POWs were not able to go home until the Allies liberated the camps (1945). The Germans treated the Free French like the resisrtance as illegal combatants give that France had signe an armistace. France after D-Day reformed the French Army. At this time both the Resistahnce and the French began taking German POWs. We are not sure to what extent German treatment of French POWs being taken may have changed.

Fall of France

Internment

Large numbers of French soldiers were taken prisoner during the German western offensive and the resulting fall of France (May-June 1940). The Germans after the French surrender (June 1940), interned the French Army, some 2 million men, in POW camps.

Location

The men were transported to camps in the Reich. The French POWs were kept in camps in both Germany and Austria.

Conditions

Conditions at German POW camps varied widely. Conditions for Poles and Soviet POWs were essentially death camps and survival rates were very low. Conditions for the Western Allies were very different. Conditions were spartan, but survivable.

Duration (1940-45)

The French were the largest group of POWs and from the Western Allies and confined the longest period. The Germans kept the French POWs throughout the entire War, despite entrties from Vichy authorities to repatriate them.

German Policy

I'm not sure why the Germans did this. Perhaps it gave them leverage with Vichy. Perhaps they were seen as a valuable source of labor. A major factor was probably that POWs would have been a likely group to have helped organize the Resistance which by 1943 was beginning to become increasingly troublesome to the Germans.

Visits

A French reader tells us about a visit from the Petits Chanteurs à la Croix de Bois in 1943. Another reader writes, "It is actually amazing that this French boys choir was allowed to sing for French forced-laborers and POWs during the War. I remember pictures in the Dutch newspapers during the German occupation of the French actors and entertainers Maurice Chevallier and Danielle Darrieux, performing in such German camps. One can call it collaboration, but there had to be some sort of collaboration, also from the part of the NAZIi authorities, to make these events possible. I believe the Germans still saw this sort of propaganda of value even when people all over Europe had come detest them. As for the French, the prisoners enjoyed it tremendously. I still see the picture of the POW, who tried to kiss a laughing Maurice Chevallier. It was a snapshot I never forget." [Stueck] There were other visitors, such as a French boy choir that sung to the POWs.

Work

The Germans in violation of the Geneva Conventions forced French and Belgian POWs to work. This was often farm labor which few POWs objected because it usually meant they were able to get some extra work. Others were employed in war industries. Many French POWs were given seasonal jobs with farm work outside the camps. One Austrian girl remembers two French POWs that worked on her family farm in the Tyrol during Summer 1942. She was 8-years old and lived in the city, but her uncle still worked the farm. She became friendly with the French soldiers. She recalls that one was a priest and the other was younger and had red hair. In the evening she and her cousins would sit with the French POWs and have fun learning each other's language. After the harvest, the girl and her mother returned home and the French were returned to a POW camp. After school one day she saw German shoulders marching POWs down the street. Then she noticed one of the POWs was the red-haired Frenchman. He saw her and cried out, "Isabella, Isabella." One of the guards then beat his viciously with the butt of his rifle. The little girl was horrified and screamed. She ran home sobbing and told her mother and was surprised when her mother wanted to know if anyone saw her and knew who she was. It wasn't until after the war that she understood her mother's reaction. [McCracken]

Ressistance Fighters

The Germans treated the Free French like the resisrtance as illegal combatants give that France had signe an armistace. France after D-Day reformed the French Army. At this time both the Resistahnce and the French began taking German POWs. We are not sure to what extent German treatment of French POWs being taken may have changed.

Liberation

The French POWs were not able to go home until the Allies liberated the camps (1945).

Sources

McCracken, Isabella. "A lesson in living with fear," i>The Washington Post (May 28, 2004), p. W11.

Stueck, Rudi.

Created: 6:28 PM 6/28/2013
Last updated: 6:28 PM 6/28/2013