Their everyday life was tough and dangerous: the Geretsried Historical Working Group has published a booklet about the living and working conditions of the workers in the armaments factories.
Geretsried - It was the special situation of women that interested Elgard Hartung. When she realized that research on the workers in the two armaments factories was a broad field, Thomas Holzer got on board. Now, after two and a half years of intensive work, the members of the historical Geretsried working group presented their work: The new Geretsried booklet (number 7.5) of the series “Two ammunition factories in Wolfratshauser Forst”.
When the construction of the ammunition factories began in 1939, the main focus was on recruiting workers for the construction project.
Because the company's own workforce was insufficient, so-called conscripts were assigned via the employment office.
"At first it was mostly Germans, soon more and more foreigners were forced to work," reported author Hartung.
The construction workers were housed in camps on the Böhmwiese (Buchberg camp), in Waldram (Föhrenwald camp) and in Stein.
Employees and engineers lived in specially built settlements.
Women are taking over from men
Production in the factories began in November 1940 (DAG) and April 1941 (DSC). Three quarters of the construction workers came from abroad. "After most of the construction work had been completed, many of the male employees were replaced by women," added Holzer. Most of them were German conscripts and French women. Employment contracts of up to 24 months were signed. Holzer: “These wanted to be extended by the armaments industry. Most French workers were not prepared to do this after the promised working conditions were not true. "
The pressure to produce in the armaments industry grew and the employment offices could no longer meet the demand for workers.
After all, 75 percent of the primer production for the needs of the Wehrmacht came from Geretsried.
The obligation of all residents of the occupied eastern territories to do work for the occupiers was made by decree in December 1941.
In order to meet the contingents, the German occupiers increasingly intervened with acts of terrorism.
Even passers-by on the street, participants in festivals and church services were seized and taken to assembly points.
The highly toxic crystals of picric acid entered the body almost unhindered through the skin or breathing.
Author Elgard Hartung
A total of almost 8,000 people were employed in the armaments factories during the war. They were divided into the groups of volunteers, conscripted workers and forced laborers, and “differentiated according to their origin and race and also treated differently,” reported Hartung. "According to the racist value system of the National Socialists, Poles and especially foreigners from the Soviet Union, who made up a large part of the workforce, were at the lowest level."
According to Holzer, the working conditions were strictly regulated for all employees. Accompaniment to and from work by the works security was obligatory, as was supervision during working hours. It was worked in two, later in three shifts. A working time of twelve hours was not uncommon. "Despite protective clothing and breathing masks, it was almost impossible to protect yourself from this aggressive powder when processing the explosives," says Hartung. "The highly toxic crystals of picric acid entered the body almost unhindered through the skin or breathing." However, the clothes did not protect them from the yellow discolouration of the skin, hair and clothing. They were called "canaries" by other workers. The workers received half a liter of milk a day for detoxification.
The canteen kitchens were also supplied by local suppliers.
Josef Hack, also known as “Gaderbauer” from Gelting, had to deliver a head of cattle every month.
In addition, farmers were obliged to grow cereals, potatoes and rapeseed, for example.
“At the Einödhof, cabbage was grown on large areas, which also served to provide food for the workers, especially those from the East,” said Holzer.
The wages paid for conscripted Germans were above the average Bavarian wage.
Women, who mostly did the same job as men, only received 75 percent of the hourly wage.
The worst paid: the Eastern workers.
+
Proud of their work: the author duo Elgard Hartung and Thomas Holzer.
© Sabine Hermsdorf-Hiss
Friendships and relationships between German and foreign workers were strictly forbidden.
Nevertheless, these did not fail to materialize, and pregnancies occurred that were often kept secret for months.
Many stillbirths in the maternity hospital
The birth was given by a midwife.
The women only came to the hospital in an emergency.
Some children saw the light of day in the camps or in a maternity home that was built in Gelting.
"It has been proven that there were a noticeably high number of stillbirths in the maternity hospital or that the children sometimes only lived for a few days," reported Hartung.
It is very likely that the children of Eastern workers and Polish women came from official channels to foreign child care centers so that the women could return to work immediately. Holzer: "It is known that in many cases the children were cared for to death because of extremely poor hygienic conditions and an absolutely poor diet." “But you also have to consider: What would the mostly young Ukrainian women have expected if they had returned to their homeland as pregnant women,” said Hartung. "Many saw it as a big problem."
In order to pay respect to the many women in the camps, the booklet is written in gender-sensitive language.
It can be purchased in the online shop of the working group: www.arbeitskreis-historisches-geretsried.de
no
Wolfratshausen-Geretsried-Newsletter: Everything from your region!
Our brand new Wolfratshausen-Geretsried newsletter informs you regularly about all the important stories from the region - including all the news about the corona crisis in your community.
Sign up here.