FOREIGN WORKERS IN GERMANY

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23586, 13 March 1942, Page 7

FOREIGN WORKERS IN GERMANY

WORKING AND LIVING CONDITIONS

(8.0. W.) RUGBY, March 11. The conditions under which more than 2,000,000 foreign civilian workers and nearly 2,000,000 prisoners are employed In Germany were described by u Ministry of Economic Warfare official. “In many cases,” he said, "workers are gathered from the occupied countries by trickery, and have well-founded grievances against methods of recruitment, working conditions. and living conditions. "Foreign workers are sent to north and north-west Germany—the most vulnerable area from a bombing point of view. With regard to wages, they have about one-third of their pay deducted for various purposes. They are often defrauded when attempting to send remittances home. In some cases they arc not allowed to send anything hpme for two years. Their families have to be supported at home by charity, and are often driven to suicide. , , , “Some of them work much longer hours than German workers. Promised holidays are frequently not given. Many foreign workers have been in Germany for two years without being allowed to go home. "Living conditions are deplorable. Workers are often housed in unused factories, with bare walls and cold floors. There are many complaints that the food is insufficient and unpalatable. To make matters worse, they are poorly clad, since no foreign workers arc alWed clothing. There is even no distinction— particularly m the case of Poles —between their treatment and that of prisoners.” -