German PoW policies by nationality ?

[5th Horseman]

Which military or political arm determined German PoW policy during the war?
I have read about Soviet, British and American PoWs.
But what about countries that had surrendered like Belgium, Denmark and Greece?
Were those soldiers held for the duration or were some paroled and sent home?
Was there different policy for different nationalities?

[Peter d T]

There are a number of good books on German occupation policies. Alexander Dallin's German Rule in Russia is still a good starting point, but I have seen a few new books on this recently. From my reading, the short answer is that treatment of POWs was a function of Nazi racial policies, political/military expediency and (later in the war) fear of consequences. So the policy was to eliminate (murder) the educated Polish and work the rest to death, immediately murder Soviet party members, and then kill the rest by starvation or forced labour (only one third of Soviet POWs survived the war - this contrasts with the two-thirds of German POWs who survived Soviet captivity - despite the food and medical situation being much worse in Russia).

French POWs were held hostage against the behaviour of Vichy, although I think there were some limited releases. Later they were drafted as forced labour (as were Belgians, Dutch etc). British and US POWs were mostly treated correctly.

Treatment of forced labour became somewhat more lenient in the very last stages of the war - although the term lenient is only relative.

Within this general framework there was some accomodation to local circumstances - particularly in the Balkans and in the treatment of Soviet minority POWs.

[nota]

there was also the policy by service in germany
pilots and aircrews were not held by the army
and had better condition's then army POW's fellows

did captured navy men rate their own system ?

did any allied nation follow this plan
the only such plan I have heard of is some U-boat men
were held separately but that was most to keep their U - boats capture secret

[Qvist]

There are a number of good books on German occupation policies. Alexander Dallin's German Rule in Russia is still a good starting point, but I have seen a few new books on this recently. From my reading, the short answer is that treatment of POWs was a function of Nazi racial policies, political/military expediency and (later in the war) fear of consequences. So the policy was to eliminate (murder) the educated Polish and work the rest to death, immediately murder Soviet party members, and then kill the rest by starvation or forced labour (only one third of Soviet POWs survived the war - this contrasts with the two-thirds of German POWs who survived Soviet captivity - despite the food and medical situation being much worse in Russia).

French POWs were held hostage against the behaviour of Vichy, although I think there were some limited releases. Later they were drafted as forced labour (as were Belgians, Dutch etc). British and US POWs were mostly treated correctly.

Treatment of forced labour became somewhat more lenient in the very last stages of the war - although the term lenient is only relative.

Within this general framework there was some accomodation to local circumstances - particularly in the Balkans and in the treatment of Soviet minority POWs.

The attitude to Soviet POWs did change considerably, as the German economy became increasingly reliant on foreign (including POW) Labor. Ideologically based unconcern didn't prevent them from realising the basic connection between nutrition and productivity, and apparently conditions improved considerably during 1942-43.

cheers