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'''Kidnapping of Polish children by Germany''' – was an event in which circa 200.000 ] were kidnapped by German state in Poland during ]. Only 30.000 were rescued from their German captors after the war ended. The aim of the kidnapping was to gain children with alledged ] traits, who were considered by German officials to be descendants of German settlers and immigrants in Poland. Those “racialy valuable” were to be forcefully ] into Germans, while those that were determined to be racialy un-German, were to be exterminated in concentration camps or serve as living test subjects in German medical experiments. '''Kidnapping of Polish children by Germany''' ({{lang-pl|Rabunek dzieci}}) was a programme in ] in which ] ] were abducted from ] to ] for the purpose of "]". The aim of the ] was to gain children with supposed ] traits, who were considered by German officials to be descendants of German settlers and immigrants in Poland. Those “racialy valuable” were to be forcefully ] into Germans, while those that were determined to be racialy un-German, were to be exterminated in concentration camps or serve as living test subjects in German medical experiments.


Kidnapping of Polish children was a larged part of the genocidal ] plan which envisioned the end of Polish nation. The children were kidnapped by force, often their parents were ]. Later they were sent to special centers and institutions or to as Germans called them “children village’s”-which in reality selection camps were their “racial values” were tested(''Kindererziehungslager''). There, their original metrics of birth were destroyed, and their names were changed from Polish to German ones. It was there that initial germanisation took place. Those children who were classified as ‘of little value” were sent to ] or to ] Kidnapping of Polish children was a large part of the ] ] plan which envisioned the end of Polish nation<ref name="Volk"> ] "Germans and Poles 1871–1945" in "Germany and Eastern Europe: Cultural Identities and Cultural Differences", Rodopi 1999</ref>. The children were kidnapped by force, often their parents were ]ed. Later they were sent to special centers and institutions or to as Germans called them “children village’s”-which in reality selection camps were their “racial values” were tested (''Kindererziehungslager''). There, their original metrics of birth were destroyed, and their names were changed from Polish to German ones. It was there that initial germanisation took place. Those children who were classified as ‘of little value” were sent to ] or to ]
⚫ A separate operation within the program was the ] performed by German Army Group Center and 9th Army on territory of Poland and Ukraine, during which 40 to 50.000 children were kidnapped. It is estimated that the whole number of child victims of German kidnapping reaches 200. 000<ref>Nowa Encyklopedia Powszechna PWN, Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN, Warszawa, 2004, tom 2, ISBN 83-0114-181-6, s. 613</ref><ref>Czesław Madajczyk ''"Generalna Gubernia w planach hitlerowskich. Studia"'',Państwowe Wydawnictwo Naukowe, Warszawa, 1961, s. 49</ref><ref>Roman Z. Hrabar ''"Hitlerowski rabunek dzieci polskich. Uprowadzanie i germanizowanie dzieci polskich w latach 1939-1945"'', Śląski Instytut Naukowy w Katowicach, Wydawnictwo Śląsk, Katowice, 1960, s. 93</ref> and from that number only 30.000 were rescued.


⚫ A separate operation within the program was the ] performed by German ] and ] on territory of Poland and ], during which 40 to 50.000 children were kidnapped. According to official Polish estimates, the whole number of Polish children abducted by the Nazis is about 200.000<ref>Nowa Encyklopedia Powszechna PWN, Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN, Warszawa, 2004, tom 2, ISBN 83-0114-181-6, s. 613</ref><ref>Czesław Madajczyk ''"Generalna Gubernia w planach hitlerowskich. Studia"'',Państwowe Wydawnictwo Naukowe, Warszawa, 1961, s. 49</ref><ref>Roman Z. Hrabar ''"Hitlerowski rabunek dzieci polskich. Uprowadzanie i germanizowanie dzieci polskich w latach 1939-1945"'', Śląski Instytut Naukowy w Katowicach, Wydawnictwo Śląsk, Katowice, 1960, p. 93</ref>, although there are lower estimates; a book about Australia has claimed that only 20,000 Polish children were kidnapped, with the explanation that the other estimate "seems too high"..<ref>A. Dirk Moses, ''Genocide and Settler Society: Frontier Violence and Stolen Indigenous Children in Australian History'', </ref>
⚫ The operation was determined during ] as a crime of ] .

⚫ The operation was determined during ] as a ''part of a systematic programme of genocide'' .


==History== ==History==
{{See also|Occupation of Poland (1939–1945)}}
{{See also|Nazi crimes against ethnic Poles}}


The person responsible for policy regarding population on occupied territories was ] by decree of ] made on 7th November 1939. His full title was “ ''Reichskomissar für die Festigung deutschen Volkstums'’. The person responsible for policy regarding population on occupied territories was ] by decree of ] made on 7th November 1939. His full title was ''Reichskomissar für die Festigung deutschen Volkstums'’.
The plan to kidnapp Polish children most likely was created in so called ''Rassenpolitisches Amt der NSDAP''. This office already in 25th of November 1939 sent to Heinrich Himmler a full 40-page long document called “The issue of treatment of population in former Polish territories from racial-political view” <ref>Nazwa opracowania: Roman Zbigniew Hrabar ''"Hitlerowski rabunek dzieci polskich. Uprowadzanie i germanizowanie dzieci polskich w latach 1939-1945"'', Śląski Instytut Naukowy w Katowicach, Wydawnictwo Śląsk, 1960 s. 28</ref>. The last chapter of this work concerns “racially valuable” Polish children and plans to forcefully acquire them for German plans: The plan to kidnapp Polish children most likely was created in so called ''Rassenpolitisches Amt der NSDAP''. This office already in 25th of November 1939 sent to Heinrich Himmler a full 40-page long document called “The issue of treatment of population in former Polish territories from racial-political view” <ref>Nazwa opracowania: Roman Zbigniew Hrabar ''"Hitlerowski rabunek dzieci polskich. Uprowadzanie i germanizowanie dzieci polskich w latach 1939-1945"'', Śląski Instytut Naukowy w Katowicach, Wydawnictwo Śląsk, 1960 p. 28</ref>. The last chapter of this work concerns “racially valuable” Polish children and plans to forcefully acquire them for German plans:


: ''"...we should exclude from deportations racially valuable children and raise them in old Reich in proper educational facilities or in German family care. The children must not be older then eight or ten years, because only till this age we can truly change their national identification, that is “final germanization”. A condition for this is complete seperation from any Polish relatives. Children will be given german names, their ancestry will be led by special office”. ''<ref>: Roman Zbigniew Hrabar ''"Hitlerowski rabunek dzieci polskich. Uprowadzanie i germanizowanie dzieci polskich w latach 1939-1945"'', Śląski Instytut Naukowy w Katowicach, Wydawnictwo Śląsk, 1960 p. 28</ref> : ''"...we should exclude from deportations racially valuable children and raise them in old Reich in proper educational facilities or in German family care. The children must not be older then eight or ten years, because only till this age we can truly change their national identification, that is “final germanization”. A condition for this is complete separation from any Polish relatives. Children will be given german names, their ancestry will be led by special office”. ''<ref>: Roman Zbigniew Hrabar ''"Hitlerowski rabunek dzieci polskich. Uprowadzanie i germanizowanie dzieci polskich w latach 1939-1945"'', Śląski Instytut Naukowy w Katowicach, Wydawnictwo Śląsk, 1960 p. 28</ref>


In ] special directives were defined considering the kidnapping of Polish children that was to be performed. They were formulated on 15th May 1940 in document called “A few thoughts about treatment of alien people in the East” <ref>: Roman Zbigniew Hrabar ''"Hitlerowski rabunek dzieci polskich. Uprowadzanie i germanizowanie dzieci polskich w latach 1939-1945"'', Śląski Instytut Naukowy w Katowicach, Wydawnictwo Śląsk, 1960 s. 29</ref> (german:. ''Einige Gedanken ueber die Behandlung der Fremdenvoelker im Osten''); it included some core points: In ] special directives were defined considering the kidnapping of Polish children that was to be performed. They were formulated on 15th May 1940 in document called “A few thoughts about treatment of alien people in the East” <ref>: Roman Zbigniew Hrabar ''"Hitlerowski rabunek dzieci polskich. Uprowadzanie i germanizowanie dzieci polskich w latach 1939-1945"'', Śląski Instytut Naukowy w Katowicach, Wydawnictwo Śląsk, 1960 s. 29</ref> (german:. ''Einige Gedanken ueber die Behandlung der Fremdenvoelker im Osten''); it included some core points:
⚫ *On territory of Poland only four grade schools would remain, in which counting would be tought only till 500, writing your name, and teaching that ] Poles to serve Germans. Writing was determined to be unnecessary for Polish population.
⚫ *Parents wanting to better educate their children would have to apply for special permit to SS and police. On the basis of the document specialists would check if the child is “racially valuable”. If it would be, then it would be taken away to Germany to be germanised. Even then its fate would be determined by loyalty and obedience to serve German state by its parents. A child that would be determined ‘of racialy little value’ wouldn’t receive any further education
⚫ *Annual selection would be made every year among children from six to ten years old according to German racial standards, those children that would pass it, would be taken away to German where they would be further germanised after changing their names.


⚫ The aim of the plan was destruction of Polish people, while leaving on Polish territories a considerable slave population to be used within 10 years(eventually Poles would be removed completely within 15-20 years). Those directives were approved by Adolf Hitler on 20th of June 1940, who ordered to make copies of Himmler’s document to chief organs of SS, Gauleiters in the Eastern occupied territories, and gouvernor of ]-commanding that kidnapping of Polish children to seek aryan descendants for germanisation be treated as one of priority operations in occupied territories..
⚫ *On territory of Poland only four grade schools would remain, in which counting would be tought only till 500, writing your name, and teaching that God commanded Poles to serve Germans. Writing was determined to be unnecessary for Polish population.
⚫ *Parents wanting to better educate their children would have to apply for special permit to SS and police. On the basis of the document specialists would check if the child is “racially valuable”. If it would be, then it would be taken away to Germany to be germanised. Even then its fate would be determined by loyalty and obedience to serve German state by its parents. A child that would be determined ‘of racialy little value’ wouldn’t receive any further education
⚫ *Annual selection would be made every year among children from six to ten years old according to German racial standards, those children that would pass it, would be taken away to German where they would be further germanised after changing their names.

⚫ The aim of the plan was destruction of Polish people, while leaving on Polish territories a considerable slave population to be used within 10 years(eventually Poles would be removed completely within 15-20 years). Those directives were approved by Adolf Hitler on 20th of June 1940, who ordered to make copies of Himmler’s document to chief organs of SS, Gauleiters in the Eastern occupied territories, and gouvernor of General Gouvernment-commanding that kidnapping of Polish children to seek aryan descendants for germanisation be treated as one of priority operations in occupied territories..


==Conditions of transfer== ==Conditions of transfer==
{{See also|Expulsion of Poles by Germany}}

{{See also|Untermensch}}
Many children were kidnapped during expulsions of Poles made by Germans. For example in Zamojszczyzna Germans expelled 30,000 children, out of which 4445 were chosen for Germanisation and sent to German Reich. Many children were kidnapped during expulsions of Poles made by Germans. For example in ] County Germans expelled 30,000 children, out of which 4445 were chosen for Germanisation and sent to German Reich.
Over 10.000 children died in camps of Zwierzyńc, Zamość, Auschwitz, Majdanek or during transport in cattle wagons. Thousands of them were sent by railway to Gawrolin, Mrozów, Sobolew, Łosic, Chełm and other cities. Over 10.000 children died in camps of ], ], ], ] or during transport in ]. Thousands of them were sent by railway to ], ], ], Łosic, ] and other cities.
The conditions of transfer were very harsh, as the children didn’t receive food or water for many days. Polish railway workers, often risking their lives tried to feed the imprisoned children or to give them warm clothes. Sometimes the German guards could be bribed by jewelry or gold to allow the supplies to go through, in other cases they sold some of the children to Poles. After the war a memorial plate was made in ] to railway workers who tried to save Polish children from German captivity<ref> "Dzieciństwo zabrała wojna" Marek J. Szubiak.</ref> The conditions of transfer were very harsh, as the children didn’t receive food or water for many days. Polish railway workers, often risking their lives tried to feed the imprisoned children or to give them warm clothes. Sometimes the German guards could be bribed by jewelry or gold to allow the supplies to go through, in other cases they sold some of the children to Poles. After the war a memorial plate was made in ] to railway workers who tried to save Polish children from German captivity<ref> "Dzieciństwo zabrała wojna" Marek J. Szubiak.</ref>



==Selection== ==Selection==
⚫ The children were placed in special temporary camps of health depertment, or ] E.V, child camps (german: ''Kindererziehungslager''). Aferwards they went through special “quality selection” or “racial selection”-a detailed racial examination, combined with psychological tests and medicine exams made by experts from RuSHA or doctors from Gesundheitsamt. The child’s racial value determine to which of 11 racial types it would belong, documentation with results contained 62 points that informed about body proporations, eye colour, hair colour, the shape of the skull.

⚫ The children were placed in special temporary camps of health depertment, or Lebensborn E.V, child camps (german: ''Kindererziehungslager''). Aferwards they went through special “quality selection” or “racial selection”-a detailed racial examination, combined with psychological tests and medicine exams made by experts from RuSHA or doctors from Gesundheitsam. The child’s racial value determine to which of 11 racial types it would belong, documentation with results contained 62 points that informed about body proporations, eye colour, hair colour, the shape of the skull.
During those tests children were divided into follwing groups: During those tests children were divided into follwing groups:
<ref> Roman Z. Hrabar ''"Hitlerowski rabunek dzieci polskich. Uprowadzanie i germanizowanie dzieci polskich w latach 1939-1945"'' , Śląski Instytut Naukowy w Katowicach, Wydawnictwo Śląsk, Katowice, 1960, p. 43</ref>: <ref> Roman Z. Hrabar ''"Hitlerowski rabunek dzieci polskich. Uprowadzanie i germanizowanie dzieci polskich w latach 1939-1945"'' , Śląski Instytut Naukowy w Katowicach, Wydawnictwo Śląsk, Katowice, 1960, p. 43</ref>:
⚫ * Group that was “desired population growth” (German ''erwuenschter Beveolkerungszuwachs'')
⚫ * Group that was "acceptable population growth” (German.'' tragbarer Bevoelkerungszuwachs'')
⚫ * Group that was "undesired population growth” (German ''unerwuenschter Beveolkerungszuwachs'')


⚫ Because the racial examps determined the fate of children, and their unfavourable result could mean death or being put into concentration camp and other consequences:<ref>" Roman Z. Hrabar ''"Hitlerowski rabunek dzieci polskich. Uprowadzanie i germanizowanie dzieci polskich w latach 1939-1945"'' , Śląski Instytut Naukowy w Katowicach, Wydawnictwo Śląsk, Katowice, 1960, s. 43</ref> for example forceful taking of the child away from parents, an instruction was made to perform them in secret and disguise, for example as “medical exams <ref>" Roman Z. Hrabar ''"Hitlerowski rabunek dzieci polskich. Uprowadzanie i germanizowanie dzieci polskich w latach 1939-1945"'' , Śląski Instytut Naukowy w Katowicach, Wydawnictwo Śląsk, Katowice, 1960, p. 44</ref>:
⚫ * Group that was “desired population growth” stanowiąca "pożądany przyrost ludności" (German ''erwuenschter Beveolkerungszuwachs'')
⚫ * Group that was "acceptable population growth” (German.'' tragbarer Bevoelkerungszuwachs'')
⚫ * Gropu that was "undesired population (German. ''unerwuenschter Beveolkerungszuwachs'')

⚫ Because the racial examps determined the fate of children, and their unfavourable result could mean death or being put into concentration camp and other consequences:<ref>" Roman Z. Hrabar ''"Hitlerowski rabunek dzieci polskich. Uprowadzanie i germanizowanie dzieci polskich w latach 1939-1945"'' , Śląski Instytut Naukowy w Katowicach, Wydawnictwo Śląsk, Katowice, 1960, s. 43</ref> for example forcefull taking of the child away from parents, an instruction was made to perform them in secret and disguise, for example as “medical exams <ref>" Roman Z. Hrabar ''"Hitlerowski rabunek dzieci polskich. Uprowadzanie i germanizowanie dzieci polskich w latach 1939-1945"'' , Śląski Instytut Naukowy w Katowicach, Wydawnictwo Śląsk, Katowice, 1960, s. 44</ref>:


==German medical experiments on kidnapped children== ==German medical experiments on kidnapped children==
Those children who didn’t pass harsh Nazi exams and criteria <ref>Kamila Uzarczyk Podstawy ideologiczne higieny ras, Wydawnictwo Adam Marszałek, Toruń, 2002, ISBN 83-7322-287-1, p. 286</ref>) selected during the operation, weresent as test subjects for experiments in special centers. Children sent there ranged from eight months to 18 years. Two such centers were located in German occupied Poland. One of them ''"Medizinische Kinderheilanstalt"'' was in ] in ] – in this center children were also subject to forced ] <ref> Kamila Uzarczyk "Podstawy ideologiczne higieny ras", Wydawnictwo Adam Marszałek, Toruń, 2002, ISBN 83-7322-287-1, p. 285 do 289</ref> , while the second was located in ]. Children were given psychoactive drugs, chemicals and other substances for medical tests, although it was generally known that the true purpose of those procedures was their mass extermination<ref>Kamila Uzarczyk Podstawy ideologiczne higieny ras, Wydawnictwo Adam Marszałek, Toruń, 2002, ISBN 83-7322-287-1, p. 285 do 289</ref>.


Those children who didn’t pass harsh Nazi exams and criteria <ref>Kamila Uzarczyk Podstawy ideologiczne higieny ras, Wydawnictwo Adam Marszałek, Toruń, 2002, ISBN 83-7322-287-1, s. 286</ref>) selected during the operation, was sent as test subjects in experiments in special centers. Children sent there had from eight months to 18 years. Two such centers were located in German occupied Poland. One of them ''"Medizinische Kinderheilanstalt"'' was in ] in ] – in this center children were also subject to forced ] <ref> Kamila Uzarczyk "Podstawy ideologiczne higieny ras", Wydawnictwo Adam Marszałek, Toruń, 2002, ISBN 83-7322-287-1, s. 285 do 289</ref> , while the second was located ]. Children were given psycho-active drugs, chemicals and other substances for medical tests, although it was generally known that the purpouse of those procedures was their mass extermination<ref>Kamila Uzarczyk Podstawy ideologiczne higieny ras, Wydawnictwo Adam Marszałek, Toruń, 2002, ISBN 83-7322-287-1, s. 285 do 289</ref>. Weaker children subject to experiments usually died in relatively short time from doses of drugs, those however that survived brought great curiosity; all side effects were recorded as well as their beheaviour. As most died, the documentation was forged to conceal traces of experiments, for example giving the cause of death as from a lung infection, or a weak heart. Based on statistics of deaths in the special camp in ], it was estimated that from the 235 children between ages 10 to 14 who received shots of luminal, 221 died<ref>Kamila Uzarczyk Podstawy ideologiczne higieny ras, Wydawnictwo Adam Marszałek, Toruń, 2002, ISBN 83-7322-287-1, p. 289</ref>. From August 1942 until November 1944, 94% of children subject to German medical experiments died.

Weaker children subject to experiments usually died in relatively short time from doses of drugs, those however that survived brought great curiosity, all of side effects were recorded as well as their beheaviour. As most died, the documentation was forged to conceal traces of experiments, fo example giving the cause of deat lung infection, or weak heart. Based on statistics of deaths in special camp in Lublin, it was estimated that from 235 children in age from 10 to 14 who received shots of luminal, 221 died<ref>Kamila Uzarczyk Podstawy ideologiczne higieny ras, Wydawnictwo Adam Marszałek, Toruń, 2002, ISBN 83-7322-287-1, s. 289</ref>. From August 1942 till November 1944 the precentage of deaths among children subject to German medical experiments was 94 %.


==Post-war== ==Post-war==
After the war the kidnapping of children by the Nazis was dealt with in the so-called ]. Out of the abducted only 10-15% returned home.<ref>Tadeusz Piotrowski, ''Poland's Holocaust: Ethnic Strife, Collaboration with Occupying Forces and Genocide in the Second Republic, 1918-1947'', </ref>

After the war the kidnapping of children by Germany was subject to so-called ]. Out of 200.000 Polish children kidnapped by Germans only 30.000 returned home.


==See also== ==See also==

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==External links== ==External links==
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== References ==

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Revision as of 23:18, 28 November 2007

Kidnapping of Polish children by Germany (Template:Lang-pl) was a programme in World War II in which Polish children were abducted from Poland to Nazi Germany for the purpose of "Germanisation". The aim of the kidnapping was to gain children with supposed aryan traits, who were considered by German officials to be descendants of German settlers and immigrants in Poland. Those “racialy valuable” were to be forcefully Germanised into Germans, while those that were determined to be racialy un-German, were to be exterminated in concentration camps or serve as living test subjects in German medical experiments.

Kidnapping of Polish children was a large part of the genocidal Generalplan Ost plan which envisioned the end of Polish nation. The children were kidnapped by force, often their parents were murdered. Later they were sent to special centers and institutions or to as Germans called them “children village’s”-which in reality selection camps were their “racial values” were tested (Kindererziehungslager). There, their original metrics of birth were destroyed, and their names were changed from Polish to German ones. It was there that initial germanisation took place. Those children who were classified as ‘of little value” were sent to Auschwitz or to General Gouvernment

A separate operation within the program was the Heu-Aktion performed by German Army Group Centre and 9th Army on territory of Poland and Ukraine, during which 40 to 50.000 children were kidnapped. According to official Polish estimates, the whole number of Polish children abducted by the Nazis is about 200.000, although there are lower estimates; a book about Australia has claimed that only 20,000 Polish children were kidnapped, with the explanation that the other estimate "seems too high"..

The operation was determined during Nuremberg Trials as a part of a systematic programme of genocide .

History

See also: Occupation of Poland (1939–1945) See also: Nazi crimes against ethnic Poles

The person responsible for policy regarding population on occupied territories was Heinrich Himmler by decree of Adolf Hitler made on 7th November 1939. His full title was Reichskomissar für die Festigung deutschen Volkstums'’. The plan to kidnapp Polish children most likely was created in so called Rassenpolitisches Amt der NSDAP. This office already in 25th of November 1939 sent to Heinrich Himmler a full 40-page long document called “The issue of treatment of population in former Polish territories from racial-political view” . The last chapter of this work concerns “racially valuable” Polish children and plans to forcefully acquire them for German plans:

"...we should exclude from deportations racially valuable children and raise them in old Reich in proper educational facilities or in German family care. The children must not be older then eight or ten years, because only till this age we can truly change their national identification, that is “final germanization”. A condition for this is complete separation from any Polish relatives. Children will be given german names, their ancestry will be led by special office”.

In 1940 special directives were defined considering the kidnapping of Polish children that was to be performed. They were formulated on 15th May 1940 in document called “A few thoughts about treatment of alien people in the East” (german:. Einige Gedanken ueber die Behandlung der Fremdenvoelker im Osten); it included some core points:

  • On territory of Poland only four grade schools would remain, in which counting would be tought only till 500, writing your name, and teaching that God commanded Poles to serve Germans. Writing was determined to be unnecessary for Polish population.
  • Parents wanting to better educate their children would have to apply for special permit to SS and police. On the basis of the document specialists would check if the child is “racially valuable”. If it would be, then it would be taken away to Germany to be germanised. Even then its fate would be determined by loyalty and obedience to serve German state by its parents. A child that would be determined ‘of racialy little value’ wouldn’t receive any further education
  • Annual selection would be made every year among children from six to ten years old according to German racial standards, those children that would pass it, would be taken away to German where they would be further germanised after changing their names.

The aim of the plan was destruction of Polish people, while leaving on Polish territories a considerable slave population to be used within 10 years(eventually Poles would be removed completely within 15-20 years). Those directives were approved by Adolf Hitler on 20th of June 1940, who ordered to make copies of Himmler’s document to chief organs of SS, Gauleiters in the Eastern occupied territories, and gouvernor of General Gouvernment-commanding that kidnapping of Polish children to seek aryan descendants for germanisation be treated as one of priority operations in occupied territories..

Conditions of transfer

See also: Expulsion of Poles by Germany See also: Untermensch

Many children were kidnapped during expulsions of Poles made by Germans. For example in Zamość County Germans expelled 30,000 children, out of which 4445 were chosen for Germanisation and sent to German Reich. Over 10.000 children died in camps of Zwierzyniec, Zamość, Auschwitz, Majdanek or during transport in cattle wagons. Thousands of them were sent by railway to Garwolin, Mrozów, Sobolew, Łosic, Chełm and other cities. The conditions of transfer were very harsh, as the children didn’t receive food or water for many days. Polish railway workers, often risking their lives tried to feed the imprisoned children or to give them warm clothes. Sometimes the German guards could be bribed by jewelry or gold to allow the supplies to go through, in other cases they sold some of the children to Poles. After the war a memorial plate was made in Lublin to railway workers who tried to save Polish children from German captivity

Selection

The children were placed in special temporary camps of health depertment, or Lebensborn E.V, child camps (german: Kindererziehungslager). Aferwards they went through special “quality selection” or “racial selection”-a detailed racial examination, combined with psychological tests and medicine exams made by experts from RuSHA or doctors from Gesundheitsamt. The child’s racial value determine to which of 11 racial types it would belong, documentation with results contained 62 points that informed about body proporations, eye colour, hair colour, the shape of the skull. During those tests children were divided into follwing groups: :

  • Group that was “desired population growth” (German erwuenschter Beveolkerungszuwachs)
  • Group that was "acceptable population growth” (German. tragbarer Bevoelkerungszuwachs)
  • Group that was "undesired population growth” (German unerwuenschter Beveolkerungszuwachs)

Because the racial examps determined the fate of children, and their unfavourable result could mean death or being put into concentration camp and other consequences: for example forceful taking of the child away from parents, an instruction was made to perform them in secret and disguise, for example as “medical exams :

German medical experiments on kidnapped children

Those children who didn’t pass harsh Nazi exams and criteria ) selected during the operation, weresent as test subjects for experiments in special centers. Children sent there ranged from eight months to 18 years. Two such centers were located in German occupied Poland. One of them "Medizinische Kinderheilanstalt" was in Lubliniec in Upper Silesia – in this center children were also subject to forced euthanasia , while the second was located in Cieszyn. Children were given psychoactive drugs, chemicals and other substances for medical tests, although it was generally known that the true purpose of those procedures was their mass extermination.

Weaker children subject to experiments usually died in relatively short time from doses of drugs, those however that survived brought great curiosity; all side effects were recorded as well as their beheaviour. As most died, the documentation was forged to conceal traces of experiments, for example giving the cause of death as from a lung infection, or a weak heart. Based on statistics of deaths in the special camp in Lublin, it was estimated that from the 235 children between ages 10 to 14 who received shots of luminal, 221 died. From August 1942 until November 1944, 94% of children subject to German medical experiments died.

Post-war

After the war the kidnapping of children by the Nazis was dealt with in the so-called RuSHA Trial. Out of the abducted only 10-15% returned home.

See also

External links

References

  1. Volker R. Berghahn "Germans and Poles 1871–1945" in "Germany and Eastern Europe: Cultural Identities and Cultural Differences", Rodopi 1999
  2. Nowa Encyklopedia Powszechna PWN, Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN, Warszawa, 2004, tom 2, ISBN 83-0114-181-6, s. 613
  3. Czesław Madajczyk "Generalna Gubernia w planach hitlerowskich. Studia",Państwowe Wydawnictwo Naukowe, Warszawa, 1961, s. 49
  4. Roman Z. Hrabar "Hitlerowski rabunek dzieci polskich. Uprowadzanie i germanizowanie dzieci polskich w latach 1939-1945", Śląski Instytut Naukowy w Katowicach, Wydawnictwo Śląsk, Katowice, 1960, p. 93
  5. A. Dirk Moses, Genocide and Settler Society: Frontier Violence and Stolen Indigenous Children in Australian History, Google Print, p.260
  6. Nazwa opracowania: Roman Zbigniew Hrabar "Hitlerowski rabunek dzieci polskich. Uprowadzanie i germanizowanie dzieci polskich w latach 1939-1945", Śląski Instytut Naukowy w Katowicach, Wydawnictwo Śląsk, 1960 p. 28
  7. : Roman Zbigniew Hrabar "Hitlerowski rabunek dzieci polskich. Uprowadzanie i germanizowanie dzieci polskich w latach 1939-1945", Śląski Instytut Naukowy w Katowicach, Wydawnictwo Śląsk, 1960 p. 28
  8. : Roman Zbigniew Hrabar "Hitlerowski rabunek dzieci polskich. Uprowadzanie i germanizowanie dzieci polskich w latach 1939-1945", Śląski Instytut Naukowy w Katowicach, Wydawnictwo Śląsk, 1960 s. 29
  9. "Dzieciństwo zabrała wojna" Marek J. Szubiak.
  10. Roman Z. Hrabar "Hitlerowski rabunek dzieci polskich. Uprowadzanie i germanizowanie dzieci polskich w latach 1939-1945" , Śląski Instytut Naukowy w Katowicach, Wydawnictwo Śląsk, Katowice, 1960, p. 43
  11. " Roman Z. Hrabar "Hitlerowski rabunek dzieci polskich. Uprowadzanie i germanizowanie dzieci polskich w latach 1939-1945" , Śląski Instytut Naukowy w Katowicach, Wydawnictwo Śląsk, Katowice, 1960, s. 43
  12. " Roman Z. Hrabar "Hitlerowski rabunek dzieci polskich. Uprowadzanie i germanizowanie dzieci polskich w latach 1939-1945" , Śląski Instytut Naukowy w Katowicach, Wydawnictwo Śląsk, Katowice, 1960, p. 44
  13. Kamila Uzarczyk Podstawy ideologiczne higieny ras, Wydawnictwo Adam Marszałek, Toruń, 2002, ISBN 83-7322-287-1, p. 286
  14. Kamila Uzarczyk "Podstawy ideologiczne higieny ras", Wydawnictwo Adam Marszałek, Toruń, 2002, ISBN 83-7322-287-1, p. 285 do 289
  15. Kamila Uzarczyk Podstawy ideologiczne higieny ras, Wydawnictwo Adam Marszałek, Toruń, 2002, ISBN 83-7322-287-1, p. 285 do 289
  16. Kamila Uzarczyk Podstawy ideologiczne higieny ras, Wydawnictwo Adam Marszałek, Toruń, 2002, ISBN 83-7322-287-1, p. 289
  17. Tadeusz Piotrowski, Poland's Holocaust: Ethnic Strife, Collaboration with Occupying Forces and Genocide in the Second Republic, 1918-1947, Google Print, p.22
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