Certain “antisocial elements” were by special order “to be worked to death”. In the literal Gestapo language “death” was never used rhetorically or figuratively. Those who were to be killed through work were listed as “under protective arrest”. This included Jews, gypsies, Russians, and Ukrainians; Poles with more than three-year sentences; Czechs and Germans with more than eight-year sentences. (T-63.)
In these work camps frequently children of tender age were forced to toil.
“An indication of the awful conditions this may lead to is given by the fact that in the camps for eastern workers, camp for eastern workers ‘Waldlust’, Post Office Lauf, Pegnitz, there are cases of eight-year old, delicate and undernourished children put to forced labor and perishing from such treatment.” (T-99.)
Those who were imported for farm work fared no better than their factory brothers. A directive issued by the Ministry of Finance and Economy at Baden on the control of Polish farm workers in Stuttgart and Baden directed that farm workers were to be quartered in stables, and the employer was urged that “no remorse should restrict such action.” (T-47.) “Fundamentally”, this extraordinary document proclaims, “farm workers of Polish nationality no longer have the right to complain, and thus no complaints may be accepted any more by any official agency.” (T-46.)
To deprive a human being of the right to complain is in effect to classify him lower than an animal because even a beast of burden is privileged to announce his objections to harsh and cruel treatment. Nor were the Polish workers permitted the consolation and comfort in adversity which religion affords. “The visiting of churches, regardless of faith, is strictly prohibited.” The edict of the Ministry of Finance said further that this prohibition against attendance at churches even excluded the visiting of churches when no service was in progress. The visiting of theatres, motion picture shows, or other cultural entertainment also was prohibited. (T-46.)
“Gathering of farm workers of Polish nationality after work is prohibited, whether it is on other farms, in the stables, or in the living quarters of the Poles. The use of railroads, buses, or other public conveyances by farm workers of Polish nationality is prohibited.” (T-47.)
The difference between slave labor of this type and outright slavery is a margin faint and indistinguishable. There was no limit to the hours of work, and the employer was invested with the right, bestially inherent in the proprietorship of slave owners, to inflict corporal punishment on the worker “if instruction and good words failed”. Nor was there any one to determine whether good words had failed because the “employer may not be held accountable in any such cases by an official agency.” (T-47.)
Heinrich Himmler took a very active part in the slave labor program. Concerning commitment of manpower from the East, he laid down strict rules which, if violated, brought severe punishment. He decreed that—
“In severe cases, that is in such cases where the measures at the disposal of the leader of the guard do not suffice, the state police office has to act with its means. Accordingly, they will be treated, as a rule, only with strict measure, that is with transfer to a concentration camp or with special treatment.” (T-53.)
We learn further on in the directive that the “special treatment” so casually referred to as if it were some slight deprivation of comfort or convenience means nothing less than hanging!