Newsletter to All Former Prisoners of War in the USA from German POW Walter Schmitt Grouping
Dublin Core
Title
Newsletter to All Former Prisoners of War in the USA from German POW Walter Schmitt Grouping
Subject
Letter from an organization advocating for compensation for those who had been POWs in the United States and used as laborers there. Interesting to see the organization cite the Geneva Convention and fair treatment and compensation for prisoners in light of the German treatment of prisoners and use of prison labor during the war.
Description
Full text translated from German below:
"Community of Interests
Former Prisoner of War
in the USA - Headquarters in Cologne
Cologne, November 1950.
At Kumpchenshof 6
Long distance call 77177
Newsletter
to all former prisoners of war in the USA.
The response to the open words of our announcement in the daily press is clear evidence of the realization that the association of all former POWs to assert their claim for payment of back wages cannot be postponed any longer.
The demands of the former prisoners of war - who worked in the USA - have not yet been disputed by anyone! According to the Geneva Convention, the prisoner of war is to be treated on an equal footing with the soldiers of his own reserve army in terms of accommodation and food, i.e. that the prisoner of war under no circumstances has to pay for his own maintenance. There can therefore be no doubt that the US government was not entitled to withhold the wages the prisoners of war deserved. 6 dollars per day must be taken into account for accommodation and food. - As well as the legal situation!
The well-known dpa report from August 7th ds. Js. has drawn a lot of explanations from various places, none of which, however, should be viewed as denials. What is interesting in this context is the statement by the chairman of the Steuben-Schurz-Gesellscrafft, Mr. Mayor Braden/Geisenheim
The chairman of the German Relief Committee in the USA, Mister Hauser, wanted to try to get an amount of 300 million dollars released from the American government to support the German housing program, and that this sum corresponded to the amount of wages withheld from the former German prisoners of war ....!
The idea of using the back wages of former prisoners of war for housing construction is not bad in itself, but no one is entitled and authorized to dispose of these back wages than those who, through their work - sometimes under the most difficult conditions - have a right for the payment of a fair wage.
The question of a satisfactory regulation of the cashing of the dollar checks, which were paid out in worthless Reichsmarks by setting a deadline, is also open; According to reports, the US government transferred a sum of 76 million dollars to the federal government for the cashing of the dollar checks.
turn around!
The paths we will take have been mapped out, and we will secure the support of well-known experts in international law. The prerequisite for achieving our goal as soon as possible is the unification of all former POWs in the USA and the provision of the necessary resources to align such a large organization with the common goal and to push through the legitimate demands.
After carefully examining the resources to be spent, we have come to the decision to charge each member an expense contribution of 2 DM, which we ask to transfer using the enclosed payment card. Correct business management is guaranteed by the articles of association (see appendix).
We will present you with the declaration of accession, which must be filled out carefully as it will be used as a document for your legal claim.
Lastly, we ask them. to notify all former US prisoners of war known to you in order to register their claims or to provide us with their addresses.
We keep you updated about our work.
With comradely greetings!
Interest group for former war prisoners in the USA - headquarters in Cologne
Managing Director.
Attachments: Declaration of membership
Statutes
Payment card
and addressed envelope"
"Community of Interests
Former Prisoner of War
in the USA - Headquarters in Cologne
Cologne, November 1950.
At Kumpchenshof 6
Long distance call 77177
Newsletter
to all former prisoners of war in the USA.
The response to the open words of our announcement in the daily press is clear evidence of the realization that the association of all former POWs to assert their claim for payment of back wages cannot be postponed any longer.
The demands of the former prisoners of war - who worked in the USA - have not yet been disputed by anyone! According to the Geneva Convention, the prisoner of war is to be treated on an equal footing with the soldiers of his own reserve army in terms of accommodation and food, i.e. that the prisoner of war under no circumstances has to pay for his own maintenance. There can therefore be no doubt that the US government was not entitled to withhold the wages the prisoners of war deserved. 6 dollars per day must be taken into account for accommodation and food. - As well as the legal situation!
The well-known dpa report from August 7th ds. Js. has drawn a lot of explanations from various places, none of which, however, should be viewed as denials. What is interesting in this context is the statement by the chairman of the Steuben-Schurz-Gesellscrafft, Mr. Mayor Braden/Geisenheim
The chairman of the German Relief Committee in the USA, Mister Hauser, wanted to try to get an amount of 300 million dollars released from the American government to support the German housing program, and that this sum corresponded to the amount of wages withheld from the former German prisoners of war ....!
The idea of using the back wages of former prisoners of war for housing construction is not bad in itself, but no one is entitled and authorized to dispose of these back wages than those who, through their work - sometimes under the most difficult conditions - have a right for the payment of a fair wage.
The question of a satisfactory regulation of the cashing of the dollar checks, which were paid out in worthless Reichsmarks by setting a deadline, is also open; According to reports, the US government transferred a sum of 76 million dollars to the federal government for the cashing of the dollar checks.
turn around!
The paths we will take have been mapped out, and we will secure the support of well-known experts in international law. The prerequisite for achieving our goal as soon as possible is the unification of all former POWs in the USA and the provision of the necessary resources to align such a large organization with the common goal and to push through the legitimate demands.
After carefully examining the resources to be spent, we have come to the decision to charge each member an expense contribution of 2 DM, which we ask to transfer using the enclosed payment card. Correct business management is guaranteed by the articles of association (see appendix).
We will present you with the declaration of accession, which must be filled out carefully as it will be used as a document for your legal claim.
Lastly, we ask them. to notify all former US prisoners of war known to you in order to register their claims or to provide us with their addresses.
We keep you updated about our work.
With comradely greetings!
Interest group for former war prisoners in the USA - headquarters in Cologne
Managing Director.
Attachments: Declaration of membership
Statutes
Payment card
and addressed envelope"
Date
November 1950
Citation
“Newsletter to All Former Prisoners of War in the USA from German POW Walter Schmitt Grouping,” CIC Museum, accessed October 16, 2024, https://cicmuseum.org/items/show/25.