miRS-tonpon - Sturmpanzer.com

With the advent of war, the OT administration took over allthe routine duties of Baustellenbetreuung (routine duties at theconstruction site, such as Tor example supervising distributionof hot soup at lunch time), while the DAP confined its activitiesto Lagerbetreuung (camp routine) and Sozialbetreuung (socialwelrare). These three spheres of personnel administration werepresently merged into one, and the Frontftihrung was establishedto take charge of the new arrangement.The Frontftthrer in the operational sector, as it wasstabilised in the West, is normally associated with the sectionFrontftihrung on QBL level. Important Bauleitungen (sub-sectors)may, however, have a Frontftthrer of their own, accountable to theQBL Frontftthrer. A case in point is Bauleitung Adolf (AldemeyIsle) which, although a sub-sector of OBL CiSHBOURG-, had its ownadministrative staff, the personnel of which is individuallyresponsible to it s higher echelon at CHERBOURG. In the event thatthe operational sector happens to be on a fluid front (on mobilestatus), the Frontfuhrung is relieved of the administration ofrations and billets. These functions are then taken over by theOT-firms.A3 can be noted from the above, personnel administration intheOT is intended to be an extension into conquered and annexedterritory of the DAP functions in German plants and factories.As such it was adjusted to the needs of the German worker inoccupied Europe with family connections in Germany. To give anextreme example of the opposite sort, the Russian OT worker,transported to the West, even under favourable circumstances, waslucky if he was adequately fed, not to mention family benefits,insurance, and so forth. No attempt was made for a time to setup a similar organisation to remedy, or at least to investigate,family problems of foreign workers. (An exception were "Nordics",especially of Dutch and Danish origin, whose status and treatmentdiffered little from that of German personnel). It is true thateach nationality in camp had, from the beginning, its ownBetreuungsfahrer (Morale and Welfare Officer). He, however, wasa German Frontfuhrung appointee who had proved his trustworthinessto the Germans, and was expected to justify his appointment byreporting to the Frontftthrer any conversations leading to thedisclosure of refractory elements amongst his men, and by doinggeneral spying of a similar nature.In the latter part of 1942, however, the status of theforeign worker was made uniform within the framework of Naziracial and political discrimination by a series of regulationspassed by Amt Bau-OTZ • It was not until about one year later,however, that a French Frontfuhrung organisation was set up,comparable to the German Frontffthrung in its basic functions offeeding, clothing and billeting personnel. Its status, however,remained purely that of an advisory body to the German Frontfuhrung.It was called the Service Social de Chantiers de Travaux (socialService at Work Sites), and was represented at the various OBLsby a French liaison man to the German Frontftihrung. He offeredsuggestions and gave advice on the basis of reports received fromhis "worker delegates". The new agreement officially did awayFrontfOhrer agreeable to the local administration (OBL) wereappointed by Ant Bau-OTZ to the various sectors. The DAF retainedits interests, in the person of the FrontftLhrer inasmuch as hecarries, in addition to his OT rank, the DAF rank of Hauptbetriebsobmann.Most of the Frontftthrer appointed came from the ranksof Difl? personnel already assigned to the OT; some of them alsobelonged to the SA and the SS. For them the appoiniaient merelymeant continuing their old functions under a new name, afterhaving completed a six-weeks 1 course at a Frontftthrer school.-132­