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Cambridge University Press 978-1-107-01350-6 - Niemandsland: A History of Unoccupied Germany, 1944–1945 Gareth Pritchard Index More information

Index

AAM (Antifaschistische Arbeitergruppe Schneeberg 82–3, 86, 87, 98–9, 130, Mitteldeutschlands) 6, 13 204; Schönheide 149, 150, 154; Abertamy (Czech Republic) see Abertham Schwarzenberg 76, 86, 87, 88, 89, 101, Abertham (Czechoslovakia) 43 102–4, 105, 132, 142, 153, 154; Sosa accommodation and housing 2, 10, 12, 18, 189, 190; Stollberg 87; Tellerhäuser 62, 171 99; Zschocken 88; Zschorlau 135; and the action committees 111–12, 114, Zwönitz 87, 88 119–20, 138, 163 see also accommodation and housing, under Soviet occupation 198, 199 American Army, antifascists, churches action committees (in Niemandsland) 2, 4, and Christians, Communists, de- 28–9, 36, 81, 85, 207, 213–14 Naziﬁcation, District Action authoritarianism of 90, 96, 97, 98–9, 100, Committee, electricity, food, foreign 105, 107, 112, 119–21, 123, 136, 168, workers, gas, industry, liberals, local 176–8, 191, 217, 229 government, Niemandsland, police, composition 79, 82, 86–9, 221 prisoners of war, public order, Red dissolution and afterlife 180–1, Army, refugees, schools and education, 189–91, 217 Social Democrats, transport, water, effectiveness 117–21 Wehrmacht, women, workplace propaganda and public information 76, councils 80, 84–5, 135, 153, 155, 157–60, 164, advisory committees 154–5, 176 171, 173, 176 Affalter (western Erzgebirge) 87, 89, 186, public meetings 112, 153–4, 155, 156, 187, 222 160, 164, 173, 176, 214 AFO (Antifaschistische Organisation) 6, 8 unrepresentative nature 93–4, 127–8, AfW (Ausschüss für Wiederaufbau) 6, 9, 152, 216, 217, 228 13, 22–3 in speciﬁc localities: Affalter 87, 189; air raids (impact of) 52–3, 59, 100, 110, 173, Albernau 88; Aue 82, 87, 120–1, 123–4; 177, 220 Beierfeld 80–1, 88, 102, 131–2, 145–6, Albernau (western Erzgebirge) 86, 88, 197; Bermsgrün 87, 88, 154; Bockau 160, 182 88; Breitenbrunn 98, 102; Claussnitz Altenhain, Richard (industrialist) 124, 87, 131–2; Eibenstsock 87, 88, 98, 103, 146, 148 111, 123, 135, 140, 142, 169, 186, 189; American Army 6, 58, 64, 69, 70, 78, 84, 98, Grünhain 88, 102; Grünstädtel 99; 115, 117, 197, 222 Hundshübel 104, 130, 142, 149, and the action committees 81, 82, 83, 97–8, 150; Jahnsdorf 88; Johanngeorgenstadt 103–4, 109, 112–13, 122, 128–31, 135, 102, 148; Lauter 103; Lössnitz 88; 141–2, 144, 150, 151 Markersbach 99, 118, 142; and the antifascist committees 4, 10, 15, Meinersdorf 84–5, 88, 107; 16–23, 26, 114 Niederwürschnitz 88; Oberschlema 78, forays into Niemandsland 55, 81, 83, 103, 87, 194; Pöhla 142; Raschau 79, 98, 110, 113, 128–9, 131, 157 103, 104, 142, 143, 153, 168; and the general population 57, 68, 110, Rittersgrün 104–5, 142, 144; 129, 132, 135, 197

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© in this web service Cambridge University Press www.cambridge.org Cambridge University Press 978-1-107-01350-6 - Niemandsland: A History of Unoccupied Germany, 1944–1945 Gareth Pritchard Index More information

Index 241

and local government 19, 20, 21–2, 81–4, attitudes to the Red Army 131–3, 197–202 92, 107, 114–15,127, 131, 133, 190, collapse of antifascist unity 203–8, 211 225–6 disagreements amongst 83–5, 122, 129, military operations 6, 21, 52–7, 60, 65–7, 132–3, 144–5, 148, 150–1 73, 81, 179 experiences of antifascists under the military units: Third Army 53; Seventh Third Reich 5, 6, 8, 41–8, 75, 91, Army 56; Ninth Army 115; 89th 117–18, 169–70 Infantry Division 54–5 formative experiences 35–41, 90–1 see also de-Nazification, Niemandsland privileges of after 1945 15, 126, 169–70 American zone of occupation 18, 133, relationship with the general population 171–2, 225 41, 48, 51, 86, 118, 120–1, 122, 129, see also western zones of occupation 133, 152–78, 197, 199, 200–2, 207–12, Andreas, Albert (mayor of Beierfeld) 80–1 216–17, 219–223, 228–9 Annaberg (western Erzgebirge) 39, 68, 104, self-understanding 37–8, 48, 51, 162, 109, 114, 116, 129, 131–2, 135, 142, 168–71, 176–8, 219, 227 144, 190 taking power in Niemandsland 2, 3, 52, Annaberger Tageblatt 144 67, 73–94, 216, 218, 223 Anthonsthal (western Erzgebirge) 183 see also action committees, antifascist anti-Communism 131, 220, 221–2, 226, 229 committees, Communists, de- Antifa-Bewegung (County of Nazification, local government, Social Schwarzenberg) 155–7, 161–2, 163, Democrats, women 176, 180, 191 Army Group Centre (Wehrmacht) 56 Antifa-Front-Aue 155–7, 162, 169, 170, Aue (western Erzgebirge) 1, 31, 35, 54, 66, 176, 180 82, 86 antifascist committees (antifas) 4–29, 86, before 1933 32, 34, 37, 50, 51 88, 90 from 1933 to 8 May 1945 41, 47, 53, 57, historiography of 23–8, 150–1, 213–19 58, 61, 64 in specific localities: Berlin 24; Bottrop under antifascist rule 37, 48, 81–2, 85, 87, 12; Bremen 6, 7, 9, 10, 13, 19; 89, 120, 121, 123–5, 133, 136, 137, Chemnitz 6, 9, 14, 20; Coelsfeld 8; 138, 142, 144, 145, 146, 148, 155–6, Dortmund 11, 13; Dresden 4, 7; 157, 174, 184 Eilenburg 7; Flöha 9, 14; Frankfurt 4, under Soviet occupation 163, 179, 6, 8, 10; Friedersdorf 9; Halle 5–6, 13; 181, 182, 187, 190, 191, 192, 196, Hamburg 8–9, 12, 13; Hanover 6, 9, 200, 204, 206, 207, 209, 210, 221–2 13, 19, 22–3; Leipzig 5, 7, 12, 13, 19, at Zero Hour 69–70, 73, 109, 128 21–2; Limbach 6; Mansfeld 4; Meissen Auerbach (western Erzgebirge) 55, 129, 12, 20; Merseburg 5–6, 13; Munich 130, 133 13–14; Niederwiesa 6; Oberstdorf 8, Austria 56 14; Olbernhau 6–7, 15; Siegburg 9; Solingen 20; Stuttgart 9, 12, 15, 19, 20; Bach, Paul (KPD) 78–9, 190 Velbert 9; Weimar 6 Baring, Arnulf (historian) 228 see also accommodation and housing, Bauer, Anton (KPD) 187 American Army, antifascists, British Bauer, Robert (NSDAP) 143 Army, churches and Christians, de- Baumann, Kurt (KPD) 37–8, 47 Nazification, electricity, food, foreign Bautzen (Saxony) 194, 195 workers, gas, Communists, liberals, Bavaria 8, 14, 56, 86, 219 local government, police, prisoners of BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) 2 war, public order, Red Army, SED, BdM (Bund deutscher Mädel) 57, 70 Social Democrats, transport, water, Beierfeld (western Erzgebirge) Wehrmacht antifascists take power in 77, 79–81, 94 antifascists before 8 May 1945 62, 69 alleged abuses of power by 120–1, 138, under antifascist rule 102, 109, 113, 143, 175, 178, 209, 210, 216 131–2, 134, 136, 145–6 attitudes to Nazis and Nazism 8, 51, under Soviet occupation 197, 200, 138–41, 149, 153, 158–60, 164–8, 204, 206 177, 182, 192–3, 196–7, 213, 221 Beratende Ausschüsse see advisory committees

242 Index

Beratungsausschüsse see advisory committees and the antifascist committees 8, 9 Berlin 23, 24–5, 148, 182, 183, 187 under allied occupation 181, 184, 195–6, Bermsgrün (western Erzgebirge) 200, 204, 225–6 before 8 May 1945 32, 39–40, 41, 42 see also industrial committees, industry under antifascist rule 75, 87, 88, 89, 90, 116, 125, 127, 143, 154 Cannstatt (Baden-Württemberg) 15 under Soviet occupation 184, 204 Catholic Church see churches and Christians Bernatzky, Oskar (Wehrmacht) 64 CDU (Christliche Demokratische Bernsbach (western Erzgebirge) 34, 63, 115, Union) see Christian Democrats 196–7 Centre Party see Zentrum Bernstein, Eduard (SPD) 25 chambers of commerce 22, 226 Bessel, Richard (historian) 16, 48 Chemnitz (Saxony) 6, 9, 14, 20, 31, 58, Betriebsräte see workplace councils 73, 98 Bevin, Ernest 17–18 children see young people and children Beyer (pastor) 134, 136 Christian Democrats 23, 147, 181–2, 190, Bezirks-Aktionsausschuss see District Action 204, 205, 211, 222, 226 Committee churches and Christians Biddiscombe, Perry (historian) 39, 115 and the action committees 82, 87, 122, black market 97, 121, 221 133–6, 150, 151, 203 Bley, Heinrich (SPD) 47, 83–5, 91, 93, and the antifascist committees 7, 8, 10, 140–1, 145, 170, 190, 192 12, 135 Bockau (western Erzgebirge) 44, 59, 88, 186 in the Western Erzgebirge 32, 38–9, 49, Boehling, Rebecca (historian) 10, 25–6, 54, 134 150, 217, 225 in the western zones of occupation Bohemia (Czechoslovakia) 62 221, 226 Bolsheviks 24, 218 under Soviet occupation 181–2, 184, bomb plot of 20 July 1944 46, 91, 150 203–4 Borsdorf, Ulrich (historian) 29 Churchill, Winston 58 Bottrop (North Rhine-Westphalia) 12 circles of friends see Freundschaftskreise Brandt, Otto (KPD) 145, 161, 174, 210 Claussnitz (Saxony) 73, 87, 131–2 Brandt, Peter (historian) 25 Clay, Lucius (US Army) 18 Breitenbrunn (western Erzgebirge) 98, 102, Cliff, Tony (Trotskyist) 26, 217–18, 219 182, 198, 222 coal 2, 100–1 Breitenhof (western Erzgebirge) 114 co-determination 124, 125 Breitscheid, Rudolf (SPD) 137 Coelsfeld (North Rhine-Westphalia) 8 Bremen 6, 7, 9, 10, 13, 19 Cold War 56, 206 Britain 1, 25, 26, 42, 158, 179 Communist Party of Czechoslovakia 91 British Army 1, 13, 70, 222 Communists (western Erzgebirge) 2, 156, and the antifascist committees 4, 8, 10, 177–8, 219 11, 12, 15, 16–23, 26 before 1933 32, 33–4, 50, 79, 90–1, 184 and local government 19, 225, 226 from 1933 to 1941 41–4 British zone of occupation see western zones from 1941 to 8 May 1945 44–8, 68 of occupation role in taking power 74–6, 78–81, 93 Brown, Wes (US Army) 54–5, 66 role in the action committees 79, 82–5, 87, Brünlos (western Erzgebirge) 67 88, 90–1, 98, 102–4, 105, 132, 145–6, Buchenland (Rumania) 110 149, 155, 165, 169, 171, 176, 186, 191, Buchenwald see concentration camps 203, 213, 216 Büchner, Robert (historian) 20 role in local government 84, 122, 123–4, Bürger, Private (Wehrmacht) 64 125, 131, 138, 145, 146–51, 154, 185, Bürgerwehr (Schwarzenberg) 75–6 186, 190, 203–7, 211, 227 Bukowina see Buchenland role in workplace councils 125, 127 Burgstädt (Saxony) 130 under Soviet occupation 87, 163, 176, Burgthann (Bavaria) 66 181, 182, 183–8, 190–1, 194, 196, 197, businessmen and businesses 200, 202, 203–7, 208, 209, 210–11, and the action committees 47, 79, 83, 84, 217, 221 87, 97–9, 100–1, 118–19, 127, 133, relations with other parties 149, 150, 184, 136, 138, 145, 154–5, 158 186, 188, 203–6, 211

Index 243

see also antifascists, local government, SED de-Nazification (elsewhere in Germany) 11, Communists (elsewhere in Germany) 12, 14, 15–16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 221 and the antifascist committees 5, 6–7, Deutschland (coal mine) 127 9–11, 19, 20, 21, 23, 28 DFW (Deutsches Frauenwerk) 57 before 1945 5, 10–11, 35–41, 91, 137, Die Linke see PDS 169, 183, 185–6, 214 District Action Committee 89–90, 93, 107, from 1945 to 1946 19, 147–9, 182, 118, 125–6, 156, 162, 190, 215 183–4, 185–6, 187–8, 191, 203, 218, DNVP (Deutschnationale Volkspartei) 50 221, 226, 227 Döbeln (Saxony) 8, 95, 133, 140, 190 KPD ‘initiative groups’ 23, 148 Dönitz, Karl (German Navy) 1, 56, 70 Community of Need see Notgemeinschaft Dörfel, Ernst (KPD) 184 concentration camps 13, 15, 41, 46, 64, 75, Dortmund (North Rhine-Westphalia) 11, 13 153, 154, 173, 193, 220 Dresden (Saxony) 4, 7, 30, 37, 59, 71, 98, returning inmates 15, 91, 155, 169, 214 113, 193, 194, 204 specific camps: Buchenwald 91, 137; Dude, Georg (Landrat in Stollberg) 73, Dachau 173; Sachsenburg 91; 83–5, 127 Sachsenhausen 91, 103, 190, 204–5 crime see public order East Germany see GDR Crimea 45 East Prussia 17, 59, 132, 138, 220 curfews 30, 61, 105, 107, 120 Eaton, Richard (US Army) 21, 22 Czech Republic 31 education see schools and education Czechoslovakia 1, 43, 46, 65, 110, 111 Eibenstock Czech border 31, 32, 42–3, 44, 73, 198 before 8 May 1945 34, 40, 44, 45 Czerny, Jochen (historian) 34 under antifascist rule 87, 88, 98, 103, 107, 111, 123, 135, 140, 142, 147, 169, 186 Dachau see concentration camps under Soviet occupation 179, 181, 186, DAF (Deutsche Arbeitsfront) 49, 125, 187, 189, 193, 200, 222 126, 140 Eilenburg (Saxony) 7 Daily Express 2 electricity 14, 101, 210 Daily Herald 56 Eley, Geoff (historian) 26, 150, 217 DDP (Deutsche Demokratische Partei) 87, emergency money 71, 101 88, 147 Epstein, Catherine (historian) 35–6, 48 death marches 64–5, 91, 190 Erlabrunn (western Erzgebirge) 209 Delos (Greece) 45 Erla-Crandorf (western Erzgebirge) 34, 50, de-Nazification (western Erzgebirge) 122, 183, 186, 204 127, 150, 191 Erler, Peter (historian) 188 arrest of Nazis 75, 76–7, 83, 92, 103, 120, Erzgebirgischer Volksfreund 127, 130–1, 140, 141–5, 191, 193, 194 after 8 May 1945 106–7, 120, 129, 135, controversies over the extent of 144–5, 140, 145, 146, 157–60, 162, 164, 151, 192–3, 196–7 165–6, 167, 174–5 hunting Nazi fugitives 2, 105, 143–4, 214 before 8 May 1945 57, 61, 70, 71, 157 ideological de-Nazification 120, 135, 139, Eschenburg, Theodor (historian) 27, 214 151, 157, 158–60 European Advisory Commission 179 punitive measures against Nazis 119, 126, evangelical churches see churches and 138–9, 145, 169, 191, 197 Christians rehabilitation of nominal Nazis 139, 156 removal of books, images, statues, street FAB (Freiheits-Aktion-Bayern) 13–14 names, etc. 102, 136–7 Fachkommissionen see advisory committees removal of Nazi officials and managers 71, farmers 65, 69, 79, 87, 96, 98, 99, 114, 119, 82, 83, 84, 92, 101, 102, 124, 125, 126, 120, 123, 144, 154, 161, 184, 200 127, 140–1, 145–6, 191–2, 196, 214 Federal Republic of Germany 24, 27, seizure of Nazi property and funds 125, 196, 226 126, 127, 135, 137–8, 141, 183, 194 Fedgenhäuer, Alfred (KPO/KPD) 155 under Soviet occupation 181, 191–7 Fellisch, Alfred (SPD) 158, 190 see also local government, Nazis, NSDAP Fichtelberg (mountain) 105, 144

244 Index

ﬁrewood 2, 101 Gottes Segen (coal mine) 127 Firma Auerswald (Grünhain) 45–6, 76 Griessbach (western Erzgebirge) 222 Firma Bernhard Hiltmann (Aue) 124–5 Gross, Werner (historian) 142 FirmaPaulSchmich(Johanngeorgenstadt)127 Grünhain (western Erzgebirge) First World War see World War I antifascists take power in 74, 76–7, 79, 80, Flensburg (Schleswig-Hollstein) 1 83, 93, 94, 216 Flöha (Saxony) 9, 14 before 8 May 1945 32, 45 food under antifascist rule 88, 102 and the action committees 82, 86, 95–9, under Soviet occupation 184, 185, 100, 104, 105–6, 117, 118, 119–21, 186, 190 122, 129, 130, 131, 135, 153, 154, Grünstädtel (western Erzgebirge) 99, 204 162–3, 169, 214 Günther, Paul (KPD, Schneeberg) 82 and the antifascist committees 11, 14, Günther, Paul (KPD, Schwarzenberg) 91, 15, 18 102–3, 190–1, 205 scarcity of 1, 2, 52, 58–9, 62–3, 68, 114, 117, 171, 224 Halle (Saxony-Anhalt) 5–6, 13 under Soviet occupation 199–200, Hamburg 8–9, 12, 13, 115, 195 208–9, 210 Hammer (Gestapo) 140 see also rations and rationing Hänel (NSDAP) 80 foreign workers Hänel, Rudolf (KPD) 155 and the action committees 82, 95, 102, Hänichen, Friedrich (Landrat in 103, 108–9, 113, 117, 122, 129–30, Schwarzenberg) 132, 214 before 8 May 1945 50–1, 58, 62–9, 71–2, and the antifascist committees 5, 73, 223 15, 21 under antifascist rule 79, 82, 83, 92, 93, in the western Erzgebirge to May 1945 2, 108, 109, 119, 123, 132, 133, 136, 45–6, 60, 62, 64, 99 138, 215 France 1, 42, 50, 218 under Soviet occupation 181, 194, Franconia (Bavaria) 63, 65–6 199, 211 Frankfurt (Hesse) 4, 6, 8, 10, 15 Hanover (Lower Saxony) 6, 9, 13, 19, 22–3 French Army 4, 14, 16, 26, 225, 226 Harsch, Donna (historian) 38 French zone of occupation see western zones Härtel, Paul (SAP/SPD) 78 of occupation Hartenstein (western Erzgebirge) 54, 55, 65 Freudewald, Emil (LDPD) 95, 133, 190 Haubrich (mayor of Schneeberg) 82, 83 Freundlich, Hannelore (historian) 20 Herfurth (SS) 116, 132 Freundschaftskreise 5, 6, 44 Heym, Stefan (writer) 24, 28, 216 Friedersdorf (Saxony) 9 Himmler, Heinrich 39 Friedrich (mayor of Stollberg) 66–7, 84 Hitler Youth 43, 54–5, 57, 63, 80, Fritz, Stephen (historian) 63 114, 115 Fulbrook, Mary (historian) 172 see also BdM, young people and children Hitler, Adolf 1, 29, 39, 41, 46, 57, 101, Gärtner (mayor of Raschau) 79 137, 139, 149, 159, 164, 165, 166, gas 14, 59, 101 167, 169, 170, 188, 195, 197, 201, GDR (German Democratic Republic) 24, 202, 208 27, 131, 171, 178, 194, 195, 214, 215, death of 51, 67, 69–70, 71, 94 216, 228 Hof (Bavaria) 86 GEG Bürstenfabrik (Schönheide) 195 Höhl, ‘Red Commissar’ 149, 150 Geipel, Paul (mayor of Aue) 81, 82 hospitals 59, 78, 101, 105 Geringswalde (Saxony) 73 housing see accommodation and housing German Christian movement 134 Hundshübel (western Erzgebirge) German Democratic Republic see GDR before 8 May 1945 62, 64 German Labour Front see DAF under antifascist rule 104, 107, 113–4, Gestapo 5, 19, 43, 44, 46, 63–7, 75, 140, 130, 142, 149, 150 141, 172, 218 under Soviet occupation 160, 179, 180–1, Goebbels, Joseph 198 186, 199, 200, 222

Index 245

Imperial Germany see Kaiserreich Krauss, Karl Louis (industrialist) 33, 49 India 173 Krausswerke (Schwarzenberg) 33, 49, 99, industrial committees 123–4, 127, 146, 148 125, 127, 196, 199 industry 52, 59, 82, 100, 122–8, 150, 223 Krieger, Leonard (historian) 7, 172 see also businessmen and businesses, industrial committees land reform 182 initiative groups see Communists Landrat’soffice (county of Schwarzenberg) International Socialists 26 110, 146, 196 Irfersgrün (Saxony) 73 Landrat’soffice (county of Stollberg) 141 Irmisch, Willy (KPD) 74, 76, 120, 131, 135, Lang, Gerhard (Wehrmacht) 199–200 153, 154, 191, 205 Lange, Fritz (antifascist) 204 Isbell, Edward (POW) 60–1, 70–1 Langenickel, Friedrich (CDU) 205 Italy 56, 218 Lauter (western Erzgebirge) before 8 May 1945 42, 43, 45, 46, 62 Janhsdorf (western Erzgebirge) 85, 88 under antifascist rule 75, 89, 103, 125, Jehovah’s Witnesses 150 141, 162 Jews 172 under Soviet occupation 182, 195, 199, Johanngeorgenstadt (western Erzgebirge) 201, 206, 208 before 8 May 1945 32, 36, 41, 43, 64, LDPD (Liberal-Demokratische Partei 65, 73 Deutschlands) 23, 87, 147, 181, 182, under antifascist rule 102, 111, 127, 137, 190, 211, 221–2 141, 148, 160–1 League of German Girls see BdM under Soviet occupation 163–4, 184, 185, Lehm, Walter (LDPD) 83, 133, 145, 190, 186, 202, 207, 209–10 204–5, 211 Leipzig (Saxony) 5, 7, 12, 13, 19, Kaiserreich 41, 159, 177, 223 21–2, 91 Kapp, Wolfgang 36, 50 Leiser, Ernie (journalist) 110, 113, 129 Karlovy Vary (Czech Republic) see Karlsbad Lenin League 9 Karlsbad (Czechoslovakia) 46 Lenin, Vladimir 25, 93, 131 Kautsky, Karl (SPD) 25 Leonhard, Wolfgang (KPD) 7, 24–5 KdF (Kraft durch Freude) 125, 126 Leubnitz (Saxony) 30 KgF (Kampfgemeinschaft gegen den Ley, Hermann (antifascist) 20 Faschismus) 6, 7, 9, 10, 13 Ley, Robert (NSDAP) 49 Kiessling, Wolfgang (Beierfeld) 69, 80–1, liberals 6, 7, 81, 82, 83, 88, 145, 150, 109, 113, 134, 197, 198 203–4, 227 Kirchberg (western Erzgebirge) 55, 64 see also DDP; LDPD KJVD (Kommunistische Jugendverband Lichtenau (western Erzgebirge) 107 Deutschlands) 45 Lichtenstein (western Erzgebirge) 63 Kloss, Paul (antifascist) 21 Limbach (Saxony) 6 Knautkleeberg (Saxony) 21 Lindenau (western Erzgebirge) 86 Knauer, Klaus (eye-witness) 198 Lobeck, Lenore (historian) 48, 119, 138 Kolko, Gabriel (historian) 25 local government (western Erzgebirge) Korb, Paul (KPD) and the action committees 81–5, 90, before 8 May 1945 44, 68–9 91–3, 118–19, 144–5, 180, 215 in Niemandsland 75, 89, 102–4, 105, before May 1945 50–1, 52, 58–9, 62–3, 108, 109, 116, 120, 132, 154–5, 171 65–7, 71–2, 77 under Soviet occupation 191, 205 dismissal/appointment of mayors 74–84, KPD (Kommunistische Partei 92–3, 116, 130, 145–7, 153, 186, 190, Deutschlands) see Communists 204, 205, 215 KPO (Kommunistische Partei Opposition) under Soviet occupation 183, 187, 9, 34, 87, 155 189–97, 200–5, 211 see also splinter parties see also action committees, antifascist Krause, Willy (KPD) 74, 76, 191, 205 committees, antifascists, Communists, Krauss, Friedrich Emil (industrialist) 49, de-Nazification, police, Red Army, 50, 127, 144, 194, 196, 211, 223 Social Democrats

246 Index

local government (elsewhere in Germany) nationalisation 12, 181, 182, 183, 195–6 14, 19, 21–3, 215, 223–7 Nazis see also action committees; American and the antifascist committees 8, 11, 13, army; antifascist committees; 15–16, 20, 21, 22 antifascists; British army; atrocities committed by 52, 63–7, Communists; de-Naziﬁcation; 84, 157 police; Red Army; Social Democrats during the ﬁnal months of war 13, 14, 52, Löhr, Christian (historian) 57 57–9, 60–1, 63, 69–71, 76, 94, 95, 96, London 1, 2, 179 100, 110, 117 looting see public order in Niemandsland 2–3, 71, 73–85, 93–4, Lössnitz (western Erzgebirge) 40, 45, 46, 101, 102, 103, 105, 115–16, 119, 124–8 66, 88, 207 (passim), 130, 134–7 (passim), 138–46, Loth, Wilfried (historian) 227 151, 156, 169, 197, 214 Lötzsch, Richard (KPD) 79–81, 131–2, 197 persecution of antifascists by 8, 22, Luftwaffe 52 23, 41–8, 75, 118, 124, 137, 150, Lutheran churches see churches and 169–70, 177 Christians relations with conservative elites 49–51, Luxemburg, Rosa (SPD/KPD) 24, 25 93, 119, 196, 208, 218, 219, 221, 223 resistance of antifascists to 42–8, 131, Major, Patrick (historian) 220, 225 169–70, 171, 188 Manchester Guardian 115 seizure of power 5, 37, 40, 41, 48, 142, Mansfeld (Saxony-Anhalt) 4 147, 183 maquis 8 under Soviet occupation 181, 183, 191–4, Markersbach (western Erzgebirge) 99, 105–6, 196–7, 200, 202, 206 118, 142, 182, 184, 186, 190, 200, 204 under the Weimar Republic 32, 38–41, Marshall, Barbara (historian) 15–16, 225 169, 177 März, Oskar (SPD) 47 Nazi period (1933–45) 48, 51, 93, 102, 152, mayors see local government 167, 185, 193, 195, 220, 222 Mecklenburg 1, 23, 39 Nazi regime 141, 150, 170, 172, 177, 218, medical supplies 129, 133, 190 219, 223 Meier (NSDAP) 140 Nazism 8, 11, 12, 14, 39, 41, 48, 80, 84, Mein Kampf 165 106, 124, 137–8, 140, 153, 158–60 Meinersdorf (western Erzgebirge) 84–5, (passim), 182, 193, 201, 213, 218 88, 107 responses and attitudes to Nazism 48, 62, Meissen (Saxony) 12, 20 70–1, 84, 130, 134, 135, 152, 164–9, Merseburg (Saxony-Anhalt) 5–6, 13 172–3, 175–6, 177, 188, 196–7, 202, Merson, Alan (historian) 5 208, 210–11, 221 Methodist Church 135 Neef, Theodor (mayor of Oberschlema) 194 Michelmann, Jeanette (historian) 27 Neisse (river) 100 Mitbestimmung see co-determination Neubert, Max (antifascist) 104–5 Mittweida (Saxony) 130 Neustädtel (western Erzgebirge) Moscow 10, 23, 98 106–7, 129 Mosley, Leonard (journalist) 224 newspapers 29, 44, 50, 135, 144, 155, motor vehicles see transport 157–60, 164, 173, 176, 192, 214: Müller, Dr (Raschau) 157 see also Annaberger Tageblatt; Daily Müller, Manfred (historian) 65 Express; Daily Herald; Erzgebirgischer Münnich, Adolf (pastor) 134, 135 Volksfreund; Manchester Guardian; Mulde (river) 55 Sächsische Volkszeitung; Schönheider Munich (Bavaria) 13–14 Wochenblatt; Schwarzenberger Mutschmann, Frau 143–4 Tageblatt; Schwarzenberger Zeitung; Mutschmann, Martin (NSDAP) 49, 71, 99, Stars and Stripes; Stollberger Anzeiger 143, 144, 196 und Tageblatt; Thalheimer Zeitung Nicholls, A. J. (historian) 27, 214 Nähstuben see sewing rooms Niederhasslau (western Erzgebirge) 86 Naimark, Norman (historian) 27, 55, 173, Niederschlema (western Erzgebirge) 222 214, 217 Niederwiesa (Saxony) 6

Index 247

Niederwürschnitz (western Erzgebirge) Pabst, Helena (KPD) 86 85, 88 Patton, George S. (US Army) 53 Niemandsland PDS (Partei des Demokratischen conflict communities within 30–1, 35–7, Sozialismus) 188, 216 48–51, 147, 212, 223 petrol 2, 100 difficulties of entering and leaving 1, 55, 60, Pieck, Wilhelm (KPD) 23 62, 68, 97–8, 110, 128, 130, 131, 133 Pirna (Saxony) 149 failure of Allies to occupy 55–7, 68, 74, Plauen (Saxony) 46 132, 136 plundering see public order health of population 95 Pöhla (western Erzgebirge) 138, 142, 204 historical significance 3, 28–9, 71, 86, 90, Poland 45, 109, 110 213–29 police historiography 119, 131, 215–16 antifascist police and militia 15, 45, 76, location, size, population, economy and 79, 80–3, 102–6, 108, 114, 116, 120, geography 1, 2, 31–3, 73 139, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148, primary sources 3, 28–9, 67, 86, 93, 116, 190, 197 131, 164, 171, 217 before 8 May 1945 37, 43, 64, 81 see also action committees, American de-Nazification of 14, 20, 21, 75, 83, Army, antifascists, Communists, food, 84, 102 foreign workers, Gestapo, local under Soviet occupation 185, 191, 194, government, prisoners of war, public 195, 196, 200 order, refugees, Red Army, Social see also public order Democrats, SS, trade unions, Pomerania 220 Wehrmacht postal services 30, 56, 101 Niethammer, Lutz (historian) 25, 29 Potscher, Paul (LDPD) 190 NKFD (Nationalkomitee Freies Prague 53 Deutschland) 5, 7, 12, 13, 21–2 prisoners of war 2, 5, 15, 60, 62, 64, 70–1, Notgemeinschaft (county of Stollberg) 155– 82, 95, 108–9, 117, 214 7, 168, 169, 176, 180, 192 Protestant churches see churches and NSDAP (Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Christians Arbeiterpartei) 38, 39, 40, 41, 49, Prowe, Diethelm (historian) 27 50, 51, 57, 60, 69, 70, 71, 75, 92, public order 119, 134, 137–8, 139, 140, 141, 142, breakdown of in 1945 2, 18, 21, 52, 146, 156, 165, 166, 172, 192, 193, 59–60, 68–9, 108, 198, 223 194, 196 role of action committees in restoring 85, NSDAP-Abwicklungsstelle see Office for the 102–7, 117, 122, 214 Liquidation of the NSDAP role of antifascist committees in restoring 15 Nuremberg (Bavaria) 66 see also police punishment battalions 45 Oberhohenkirchen (Saxony) 73 Oberschlema (western Erzgebirge) 31–2, Radio Moscow 47, 214 69, 77–8, 79, 87, 94, 194 railways see transport Oberstdorf (Bavaria) 8, 14 Raschau (western Erzgebirge) Oberwiesenthal (western Erzgebirge) 71 antifascists take power in 75, 77, 78–9, October Revolution see Russian Revolution 94, 190 Oder (river) 17, 110 before May 1945 34 Oelsnitz (western Erzgebirge) 100–1, 109, under antifascist rule 98, 103, 104, 137, 127, 156, 170 142, 143, 153, 157, 168, 170–1, 184 Office for the Liquidation of the NSDAP under Soviet occupation 182, 183, 204 (Aue) 138, 148 rations and rationing 60, 96–7, 112, 113, Olbernhau (western Erzgebirge) 6–7, 15 117, 123, 139–40, 143, 191 Operation Gitter see bomb plot of July 1944 Red Army 1, 14, 56, 58, 59, 60, 70, 91, 149, OSS (Office of Strategic Services) 10, 16 157, 215, 225, 228 Ostarbeiter see foreign workers and the antifascist committees 6, 15, Ott, Arthur (antifascist) 144 16–23, 26, 227

248 Index

Red Army (cont.) Russia see Soviet Union and political parties 23, 27–8, 147–8, 163, Russian Federation 27 187–8, 191, 203, 227 Russian Revolution 218 see also SMA Red Army (western Erzgebirge) 47, 70, 78, SA (Sturmabteilung) 21, 39, 43, 44, 50, 81, 117, 135, 179 119, 142 and the action committees 68, 97–8, Sachsenburg see concentration camps 103–4, 109, 112–13, 114, 116, 122, Sachsenhausen see concentration camps 128–30, 131–3, 142, 144, 151, 180–1 Sächsische Volkszeitung 210 attacks on German civilians 111, 132, Salzmann, Oskar (Wehrmacht) 63 199–200, 202 SAP (Sozialistische Arbeiterpartei) 9, 34, forays into Niemandsland 55, 103, 128–9 78, 87, 88, 147, 187 and the general population 68, 110, 113, Saxony 129, 132, 136, 197–202, 207–8, 209, before 1933 50, 91, 158, 185 210, 211–12, 216, 222–3 from 1933 to March 1945 39, 49, 133, 196 and local government 23, 107, 189–91, from April to June 1945 1, 2, 6–7, 9, 12, 201–2 14, 15, 20, 23, 30, 31, 53, 71, 99, 143, occupation of western Erzgebirge 85, 102, 149, 179 133, 134, 146, 149, 160, 163, 178, from July 1945 133, 179, 185, 190, 193, 179–212, 217, 229 194, 195–6, 203 political arrests by 193–5, 196, 200, 204, Schefﬂer, Ernst (KPD) 90–1, 92, 93, 102, 205, 207 154, 155, 184, 187, 190, 191, 194, and political parties 181 202, 204 see also de-Naziﬁcation, Niemandsland Schieck, Oskar (SPD) 89, 90, 158 Red Cross 105 Schlema (western Erzgebirge) 64, 65, 190 Red Guards (Russian Revolution) 218 Schlemmer, Hermann (SPD) 74 refugees 1, 2, 31, 52, 59–60, 61, 62, 68, 101–2, Schleswig-Holstein 39 109–10, 117, 133–4, 160, 223–4 Schlettau (western Erzgebirge) 73 and the action committees 82, 95, 110–13, Schlosser, Richard (SPD) 190 117, 129, 132, 138, 143, 153, 163, 214 Schmiedl (NSDAP) 140 Reichsbahn 110, 112 Schmitz, Karsten (International Socialists) 26 Reichspost see postal services Schneeberg (western Erzgebirge) 1, 31, Reichstag 32, 137, 158 35, 106 Reinstrom & Pilz (Lauter) 125, 195 antifascists take power in 81, 82–3 reparations 167, 197, 199, 201 before 8 May 1945 34, 41, 42, 54, 62 Rhine (river) 17 under antifascist rule 37, 85, 86, 87, 98–9, Rhineland 8, 9, 219 130, 133, 145, 154, 170 Rhodes (Greece) 45 under Soviet occupation 179, 184, 190, Richter, Klaus (Wehrmacht) 53, 58 204, 211, 222 Riederwald (Hesse) 6, 8, 10 Schönheide (western Erzgebirge) 34, 65, Riesa (Saxony) 113 149, 150, 154, 195, 207 Rietzsch, Ernst (NSDAP) 37, 50, 71, 75, 76, Schönheider Wochenblatt 157 119, 194, 211, 222 schools and education 59, 101–2, 109, 111, Rietzsch, Frau 194 135, 182, 182, 197, 199 Rittersgrün (western Erzgebirge) 71, 104–5, Schörner, Ferdinand (Wehrmacht) 56, 61, 70 142, 144 Schreiber, Arthur (KPD) 155 road transport see transport Schumacher, Kurt (SPD) 206–7 Rogers, Daniel (historian) 27, 28 Schwalbe (SS) 67 Röhner, Walter (CDU) 47, 66–7, 83–4, Schwarz, Hans-Peter (historian) 27, 214 192, 204, 211 Schwarzenberg (county) Roosevelt, Franklin D. 56, 58 before 8 May 1945 39, 40, 41, 50, 59, 73 rubble clearing (antifascists and) 14, 15, under antifascist rule 82, 83, 88, 92, 93, 100, 139–40 102–3, 107, 118, 133, 155, 156–7, Ruhr 12, 219 190, 191 Rumania 110 under Soviet occupation 147, 180, 182, rumours 119, 161, 162, 174–5, 210 183, 185, 187, 190, 203

Index 249

Schwarzenberg (novel) 28, 216 Socialist Workers Party (UK) 26 Schwarzenberg (town) 1, 32, 35, 36, 39, 40, Solingen (North Rhine-Westphalia) 20 48, 50, 54, 77, 78 Sonthofen (Bavaria) 143 antifascists take power in 74–6, 79, 80, 83, Sosa (western Erzgebirge) 39, 116, 182, 93, 94, 141, 191, 216 189, 190, 192–3, 204 before 1933 33–4, 49, 50, 90 Soviet Union 1, 23, 24, 42, 45, 50, 148, 179, from 1933 to 8 May 1945 41, 42, 44, 50, 183, 199, 206 53, 60–1, 91, 119, 134 Soviet zone of occupation 20, 23, 28, 110, under antifascist rule 33, 86, 87, 88, 89, 132, 147–9, 176, 178, 180, 182–3, 187, 90, 91, 95, 99, 101, 102–4, 105, 108–9, 188, 190, 193, 199, 203, 206, 207, 208, 114, 116, 120, 123, 125, 127, 131, 132, 222, 227, 229 133, 135, 141–2, 144, 153, 154–5, 157, Soviets see Red Army 162–3, 184 Spartacists 25, 33 under Soviet occupation 163, 179, 190, SPD (Sozialdemokratische Partei 194, 195–6, 199, 204, 205, 209, 222 Deutschlands) see Social Democrats in the GDR 195 splinter parties 8, 10, 34, 84, 87, 88 at Zero Hour 59, 68–9, 70, 71, 128 see also KPO, Lenin League, SAP Schwarzenberger Tageblatt 157 SS (Schutzstaffel) 43, 55, 63–7, 84, Schwarzenberger Zeitung 146, 157–60, 162, 91, 172 164, 165, 174–5, 190 SS bands after 8 May 1945 2–3, 69, 95, Schwarzenberg-Neuwelt 33, 69 103, 115–16, 132, 144 Schwarzwasser (river) 33 see also de-Naziﬁcation, Nazis Second World War see World War II St George’s church (Schwarzenberg) 134 SED (Sozialistische Einheitspartei St Wolfgang’s church (Schneeberg) 54 Deutschlands) 187–8, 190, 191, 205, Stahlhelm 21, 50, 51 206, 207, 208, 211, 222–3, 227 Stalin, Joseph 23, 25, 197, 227 Segeberg Forest (Schleswig-Hollstein) 115 Stalingrad 5 Seifert, Ilona (historian) 65 stamps 101 sewing rooms 163 Stangengrün (western Erzgebirge) 53 Siegburg (North Rhine-Westphalia) 9 Stars and Stripes 110, 113 Silesia 59, 132, 143, 220 Stoll, Eberhard (historian) 60 slave workers see foreign workers Stollberg (county) 73, 84, 85, 91, 93, 103, SMA (Soviet Military Administration) 27, 140–1, 145, 155, 156, 169–70, 180, 132, 147, 208, 212, 217 190, 192 Social Democrats (western Erzgebirge) 2, Stollberg (town) 1, 31, 35 156, 219 antifascists take power in 81, 83–5, 127 before 8 May 1945 32, 33–4, 41–8, 90, 158 April 1945 47, 54–5, 66–7, 73, 76, relations with Communists 148, 149, 150, 83–4, 190 183, 186, 188, 204, 205–7, 211 under antifascist rule 87 role in action committees 79, 82, 84–5, under Soviet occupation 192, 204, 211 87, 88, 89, 101, 148, 176, 180, 203, 213 Stollberger Anzeiger und Tageblatt 157,166, 170 role in local government 81, 82, 83, 84, Strang, William 17–18 118, 133, 140–1, 147, 183, 203, 204 Strasser, Georg (NSDAP) 39 role in taking power 74–6, 83, 84 Stunde Null see Zero Hour role in workplace councils 124, 125, 127 Stuttgart (Baden-Württemberg) 9, 12, 15, under Soviet occupation 87, 181, 182–3, 19, 20 186, 190, 194, 204, 211, 222 Sudetenland (Czechoslovakia) 42–3, 110, 220 see also action committees, antifascists, SED Switzerland 56 Social Democrats (elsewhere in Germany) and the antifascist committees 5, 6–7, 9, Taura (Saxony) 73 10–11, 20, 22, 23 telephones 16, 30 before 1945 5, 35–41, 137, 183 Tellerhäuser (western Erzgebirge) 99, 144 from 1945 to 1946 182–3, 187–8, 203, Tetzner, Karl (?) 78, 190 206, 218, 221, 226, 227, 229 Thalheim (western Erzgebirge) 85 see also antifascist committees, Thalheimer Zeitung 157 antifascists, local government Thälmann, Ernst (KPD) 137

250 Index

Third Reich 5, 12, 27, 41–8, 49, 53, 126, 131, up to 8 May 1945 47, 53–5, 61–3, 137, 141, 150, 153, 159, 164, 165, 169, 66–7, 117 171, 172, 175, 193, 220, 221 Weigel, Max (SPD) 190 see also Nazi period, Nazi regime, Nazis, Weimar (Thuringia) 6, 98 Nazism, NSDAP Weimar Republic 8, 9, 11, 21, 34, 38, 41, third way (debates about) 24, 28, 48, 50, 85, 124, 158, 172, 177, 182, 215–19, 229 183, 185, 223 Thuringia 20, 39, 149 Weitz, Eric (historian) 226 Totzauer, Rudolf (KPD) 45–6, 76 Wellard, James (journalist) 115 trade unions and trade unionists Wernesgrün (western Erzgebirge) 65 in the western Erzgebirge 33, 36, 37, 41, Werwolf 76, 104, 115, 116, 143, 144, 199 47, 84, 90, 126 West Germany see Federal Republic of in Germany 5, 10, 22, 28, 124, 221, 226, Germany 227, 229 Western Erzgebirge see Niemandsland transport 14, 16, 30, 52, 53, 58, 59, 60, 62, western zones of occupation 28, 179, 190, 99–100, 110, 112, 117, 223 193, 207, 208, 226, 229 Trotsky, Leon 218 Wildenau (western Erzgebirge) 54 Truman, Harry 56, 58 Wilhelm II 164 Wilhelmine Germany see Kaiserreich Uhlig, Gerda (Stollberg) 67 Wilkau (western Erzgebirge) 133 Ukraine 109 Wilke, Manfred (historian) 188 Ulbricht, Walter (KPD) 23, 24, 148, 227 Winkler, Paul (KPD) 125 Unger, Felix (SAP/KPD) 34, 87, 147, Wolfsgrün (western Erzgebirge) 54, 149, 150 187, 193 women United Kingdom see Britain and the action committees 74, 86, 87, 94, US zone of occupation see American zone of 120, 160–4, 166–7 occupation attitudes of male antifascists to 38, 86, USA 1, 25, 129, 130, 136, 179 161, 161–4, 177, 220–1 USSR see Soviet Union under Soviet occupation 184, 185,196, 198, 209 Vaihingen (Baden-Württemberg) 9, 20 women’s antifascist committees 163–4 Velbert (North Rhine-Westphalia) 9 workplace councils 124–8, 151, 195, 227 Vierling, Hans (mayor of Leipzig) 21 World War I 33, 35, 36, 38, 90 Volkssturm 13, 60, 61, 62, 76–7, 80, 83 World War II 1, 5, 11, 13–14, 17, 21, 24, 29, 30, 42, 44–8, 52–72, 73, 95, 117, Waffen-SS see SS 171, 224 Waldheim (Saxony) 91 Waschleithe (western Erzgebirge) 204 Yalta Conference (January 1945) 57, 179 Washington 18 young people and children 43, 45, 59, Wasserstoff-Sauerstoff-Werk 106–7, 143, 163, 185, 198 (Schwarzenberg) 125 service in Wehrmacht and Volkssturm 13, water 14, 120 53, 54–5, 58, 61, 78, 80 Weber, Rudolf (mayor of Lössnitz) 66 see also BdM, Hitler Youth, schools and Wehler, Hans-Ulrich (historian) 228 education, Werwolf Wehrmacht 6, 13–14, 17, 50, 56–7, 58, 70, 115, 138, 150, 157, 164, 220 Zentrum 6, 87, 88 Wehrmacht (western Erzgebirge) Zero Hour 30, 67–72 abandoned weapons 69, 75, 104, 106–7, Ziegler, Max (SPD) 82, 133, 190, 204 114–15, 117 Zschocken (western Erzgebirge) 65, 88 disposal of Wehrmacht property 69, 96, Zschopauer Mulde (river) 73 100, 127, 163 Zschorlau (western Erzgebirge) 39, 135 dissolution and disarming of 2, 79, 81, Zwickau (Saxony) 37, 53, 58, 65, 101, 114, 117, 128 103–4, 129, 131, 136, 142 unsurrendered troops 2–3, 69, 78, 95, 102, Zwickauer Mulde (river) 73 105, 113–15, 117, 122, 144, 199–200 Zwönitz (western Erzgebirge) 87, 88, 136–7