Life of German soldiers in occupied countries/cities

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Webdragon2013
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Life of German soldiers in occupied countries/cities

#1

Post by Webdragon2013 » 24 Apr 2014, 11:52

Hello
I am wondering about many questions about the life of a German soldier during occupation.
We know all about civilian lives...How they struggled to keep living with reduced food and goods, and so on.
But I know little about what was in the head of the German soldier and how HE experienced the occupation.

Whether it was in France, Belgium, Holland, Norway, Denmark, Poland, etc...
- How dangerous was it for a German soldier? Were there German deaths?
Was there a risk if you go walk around as German soldier to be shot or killed by some civilian in occupied country? Like a partisan? Were German soldiers given safety guidelines regarding the resistance?
- If you were a German soldier...Were you allowed and was it advised for example to go around Paris for a walk, even to visit some people in the local population (local friends pre-war, whatever)? Or to go to some dark alleys?
Basically were you allowed to go everywhere while garrisoned in Paris/Warsaw/etc? Or were you forced to always be with your troops?
- Was a German soldier always allowed to be armed when walking around?
- Was a German soldier allowed to speak with the population in the streets? Was a German soldier allowed a local girlfriend beyond the authorized brothels set up by the Wehrmacht?
- Was a German soldier allowed to visit everything for example in Paris or other city (Museums, cathedrals, libraries, etc)?
- In Holocaust films for example the Pianist, you see German soldiers abusing locals. Were German soldiers allowed to yell at locals, insult them, abuse them? Especially Jews?
- If a German committed a fault, for example drank too much and killed/abused a local. Would he be judged by local laws and courts, or by Wehrmacht tribunal?
- Finally...Say you're a German soldier garrisoned in Paris or Bordeaux or some other French town. What are your duties day to day? Just standing around patrolling?

Essentially...I have always had this image for German soldiers that in occupied countries it was like a holiday.
Yet the modern movies show the opposite.

What is the truth?

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seaburn
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Re: Life of German soldiers in occupied countries/cities

#2

Post by seaburn » 24 Apr 2014, 14:43

You will probably get a lot of different good book recommendations from members about this subject. The questions you pose are very general and I would presume that different locations would provide different experiences. There are many threads I'm sure in relation to the birth rates in occupied countries during the war. I also presume that experiences in the Eastern territories would differ greatly to those of the Western Front. You should search for threads on that too.

I did come across some interesting insights into the interaction of the German occupation forces with civilians in 'Iron Coffins' the autobiography of U-Boat commander Herbert A Werner. Between sorties at sea, he enjoyed all the 'charms' that the French U Boat Ports had to offer . Some interesting insights into the working of the town brothels but also accounts of romances with local 'respectable' girls he encountered. One account was about a local girl he met in a shop called Yvonne. Their romance was conducted in secret and he would call on her home, sometimes staying overnight. He did say that he always had to be alert on leaving in case of attack and he would sometimes vary his movements in this respect. After a prolonged period at sea he called back to the shop to find Yvonne had disappeared to another town to live with her aunt as her romance had brought her hostile attention from locals.

He also said that in the latter years of the war, it was hard to walk through the streets of Paris without being accosted by women offering their services, this was a source of irritation and he felt it was a consequence of wearing a uniform. He was happier to change into civilian clothes as this did not elicit the unwanted attention.


RandJS
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Re: Life of German soldiers in occupied countries/cities

#3

Post by RandJS » 26 Apr 2014, 03:14

Hi,
I can add a few details: The static infantry divisions along the coast in France at the beginning of the war dealt with boredom. Soldiers would do a watch shift, go off duty, then pull another shift. Food was good, and the men used some local café and restaurant kitchens for cooking. In 1941/42, some men helped work in the local farm fields. In late 43/44, besides their watch shifts, the men would be in the woods, sawing trees, hauling trees, and building barricades during "off" hours. Perhaps a night patrol on the beach front. They were relatively safe on the streets, and visited local cultural centers and sites. There are reports of friendly relations with locals. Soldiers had girlfriends. Officers would carry side arms. If they committed crimes, they were addressed by the military. As the war progressed, food became poorer due to the effects of bombing on rail and road supply. Divisions made up of lower caliber men were combed through again and again by divisions refitting and returning to the East front. Replacement were Volksdeutsche and Osttruppen. Treatment of Osttruppen was poor. I would imagine those Divisions in the Low Countries were similar.
Norway was a slightly different creature. Men in the Arctic Circle were allotted larger rations, however, if they got them was in question. By the end of the war, the troops were very poorly fed. They could visit local sites there also, and may have had girlfriends. They took up skiing and sauna. Boredom, isolation, bad weather. Travel for leave was difficult and took longer than normal. The Kriegsmarine even had "entertainment" ship, whose name escapes me now. I hope that helps, and that I have been able to answer most of your questions.
Regards,
Rand

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Webdragon2013
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Re: Life of German soldiers in occupied countries/cities

#4

Post by Webdragon2013 » 30 Apr 2014, 19:51

Thank you for the answers.
I found some interesting factual info online.

I found the "Merkblatt für den Aufenthalt in Paris" which is the official orders for German troops to follow in the city of Paris.
The orders seem to be very strict (I understand some German). I think the pictures of German soldiers having fun are misleading when you take into account the strictness of those orders.
Please if you understand German tell me if Im wrong. Obviously officers did not have these orders. Life was easy for them. But for the 99% of the "grunts" NCO and Enlisted there were strict orders.
- Germans had to carry proper ID at all times. You could only be in Paris if you were under orders to be part of Paris Garrison.
A soldier without ID (Ausweis) will be arrested.
- Mandatory daily patrols or "Wache" (standing in front of building) with weapon.
- Daily marching (Zapfenstreich)
- Strict use of the uniform (not unbuttoned, etc)
- Keep away from French civilians under all circumstances.
- German soldiers are forbidden to: Dance (!!!), Smoke out on the street or in tube, sit on benches in local bars, Absolutely no contact with french women and no discussion and especially no women allowed on German vehicles and so on.
Image

Another "Merkblatt" I dont fully understand...I think again guidelines to prevent contact between German soldier and French women, about STDs and diseases
Image

Another set of guidelines
Image

So it seems to me that outside of "What was allowed" (Military cinemas, brothels, etc), life for the German NCO or enlisted man was very "German military like". Very strict.

I think now it makes sense that when you see most German soldiers with women or having fun, they are officers. The 0.1 % of the German Army. But for the enlisted man life sucked.

I wonder how different this was outside France? IE: Poland.

Sluggy
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Re: Life of German soldiers in occupied countries/cities

#5

Post by Sluggy » 21 May 2014, 19:18

My dad remembers German wehrmacht soldiers walking around the streets of Amsterdam. In uniform, but unarmed.
He was only a kid then, the soldiers gave him candy.

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tigre
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Re: Life of German soldiers in occupied countries/cities

#6

Post by tigre » 10 Jun 2017, 04:28

Hello to all :D; a little complement..........................................

Sex and the stormtroopers.

The life living in close quarters with the enemy under the Vichy regime never has been forgotten. French women cavorting and partying with Nazis, or kissing SS officers in bars and cabarets, posing in bikinis on the beach and enjoying strolls under the Eiffel Tower.

Despite more than two million Frenchmen being held in prisoner-of-war camps, the birth rate boomed in 1942 with an estimated 200,000 children born to Franco-German couples. Up to 30 per cent of births were illegitimate in some parts of Paris.

There was also a theory that French prostitutes were the first rebels against the invaders by refusing to service their needs. However many of the photographs show soldiers cuddling with women in brothels and clubs. Nazi officers took over control of the brothels and expected them to have high standards of hygiene.

Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... d-War.html

Cheers. Raúl M 8-).

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