Figure 1.--Gen. Eusenhower's orders prohibiting fraternization with German children and other civukians quickly fell by the way side. Scenes like this with American sldiers did not occur in the Soiviet occupation zone with Rd army soldiers. There the non-fraternization orders were rigidly enforced. And there were few if any war brides returning to the Soviet Union.

Fraternization was an issue from the time the Allies drove into Germany territory. The orgy of rape that followed in the wake of the Red Army did not occur in the western occuppation zones. This was because it was not tolerated by Allied commanders. Nor were Allied soldiers interested in gang rape. That is not to say that there was no crimes commitd by individual Allied soldiers, but there were no toleration of wide spread rape or other actions. Also force usually was not necessary. American GIs were well supplied with cigarettes, chocolate, and othervhard to get items. Military authorities at the very beginning of occupation issued strict rules prohibiting fraternization. This varied among the occupying powers. General Eisenhower ensured a strict non-fraternization policy was enforced throughout all commands of Allied occupation troops in Germany. This coverned all Allied forces, including the Britih, Canadian, French, and other Allie forces. This policy proved unenforceable and was widely ignored. As a result, it was very rapidly relaxed in stages. The first step was relaxing the prohibition on speaking with German children (June 1945). Children would commonly apprach Allied soldiers out of interest and knowing that there was candy to be had. Expecting Allied soldiers to ignore the friendly approaches of charming little chilren was absurd from the beginning. And quickly afterwards, Allied soldiers were allowed to speak to German adults in certain circumstances (July 1945). Gen. Eisenhower finally escended the whole effort to enforce a strict no frternization policy (September 1945). Efforts continued to limit contact. As the three Westrn allies set up their separate occupation zones, rules were established by national authorities. As regards fraternization, the British authorities were less strict than the Americans while the French were more strict. Soviet authorities tended to be the most strict. The most obvious type of fraterization was liasons between Alliedsoldiers and German women. And soon children were involved and mothers having a very difficult time in the desperate condition of defeated Germany. The usually destitute mothers wre unable to get child support. American soldiers were not allowed to pay maintenance even if they admitted being a father. This was at first put in the 'aiding the enemy' category. There were so much fraterniztion, that Allied authorities very quickly relented. American authorities began permitting marriages between U.S. soldiers and Austrian women (January 1946). The same step was taken in Germany (December 1946). [Biddiscombe] Evebtually, Americn soldiers woukd bring large numbers of war brides home.

Entering the Reich

Fraternization was an issue from the time the Allies drove into Germany territory. The orgy of rape that followed in the wake of the Red Army did not occur in the western occuppation zones. This was because it was not tolerated by Allied commanders. Nor were Allied soldiers interested in the gang rapes committed by Red army soldiers. That is not to say that there was no crimes commitd by individual Allied soldiers, but there were no toleration of wide spread rape or other actions. Also force usually was not necessary. American GIs were well supplied with cigarettes, chocolate, and othervhard to get items. Military authorities at the very beginning of occupation issued strict rules prohibiting fraternization. This varied among the occupying powers.

Eisenhower Non-FraterniztionnPolicy

General Eisenhower ensured a strict non-fraternization policy was enforced throughout all commands of Allied occupation troops in Germany. Eisenhower was the Supreme Commbder. Thus he could set policy for all the Western gorces entering Germany. This coverned all Allied forces, including the British, Canadian, French, and other Allied forces. It is not exactly clear what the purpose of the order was. This in part the goal od the Allied occupation ws not yet set. There were some who wanted yo punish the Germans, especially as the concentration camps were liberated and details of NAZI attrocities becme kniwn in detail. The Allied non-fraterniztion policy was, however, very different than the Soviet policy. Stalin did not want the Soviet people know how well people lived in the West least they begin to onder why theirvSoviet worker's paradise was so poor. Thus non-fraternuzation was a desire to reducevintractions and the exposure of Red army soldiers tonthecrelatuve afflience in the West, even in defeated Germany. Just the opposite was true un tge allied occupation zones. The Allies wanted the Germns to lernnabout life in free socities so they could adopt a democratic system. Thus non fraternization policy did nor make sense.

Undoing the Policy

Gen. Eisenhower's non-fraternization policy proved unenforceable and was widely ignored, especially by independen-minded GIs. As a result, it was very rapidly relaxed in stages. The first step was relaxing the prohibition on speaking with German children (June 1945). From the beginning it was very rare to punish soldier who interacted with the children. We are not sure about the Soviet occuoation zome, but was certibly the case withthe Wesrern Allies. Children would after the Allies moved into an rea begin to tentatively approach Allied soldiers out of interest and specialy after learning that there was candy to be had. Sugar was rationd in Germny during the War and cndy becme more and more rare as the War contunued. Expecting Allied soldiers to ignore the friendly approaches of charming little chilren was absurd from the beginning. Away from home and loney, mny American soldiers found the children to beva welcome interlude in a dangrrous or borihg day. And quickly after the children broke the ice. And the allure of German women was probably even more enticing, especially after the occupation set in. This of course has been the case for armies since the dawn if time. Gen. Eisenhower began to modify the regultions concerning adults. Allied soldiers were allowed to speak to German adults in certain circumstances (July 1945). Gen. Eisenhower finally rescended the whole effort to enforce a strict non-frternization policy (September 1945).

Country Occupation Zones

Efforts continued to limit contact. As the three Westrn allies set up their separate occupation zones, rules were established by national authorities. As regards fraternization, the British authorities were less strict than the Americans while the French were more strict. Soviet authorities tended to be the most strict. The most obvious type of fraterization was liasons between Alliedsoldiers and German women. And soon children were involved and mothers having a very difficult time in the desperate condition of defeated Germany. The usually destitute mothers wre unable to get child support. American soldiers were not allowed to pay maintenance even if they admitted being a father. This was at first put in the 'aiding the enemy' category. There were so much fraterniztion, that Allied authorities very quickly relented. American authorities began permitting marriages between U.S. soldiers and Austrian women (January 1946). The same step was taken in Germany (December 1946). [Biddiscombe] Evebtually, Americn soldiers woukd bring large numbers of war brides home.

Sources

Biddiscombe, P. "Dangerous liaisons: The anti-fraternization movement in the U.S. Occupation Zones of Germany and Austria, 1945–1948," Journal of Social History (2001) Vol. 34, No. 3, pp. 611–47.

Created: 2:17 AM 3/16/2015
Last updated: 10:34 AM 3/30/2015