German military brothels in World War II
The Wehrmacht took over brothels in occupied europe to use them for their soldiers (Wehrmachtsbordell). The women working there had mostly been prostitutes before or hired later, but no prisoners.[1] The leaders of the Wehrmacht were interested in running their own brothels, when sexual disease spread among the soldiers. In the controlled brothels the women frequently had a medical check for her own and the German soldiers benefit. Patrick Buisson pointed out, that under german occupation France was undergoing a sexual revolution. Because of their well trained bodies and better hygiene the German soldiers were very attractive to the french women. On shortage of food or goods women also practiced prostitution on occasion to get supplies to survive.[2] Besides sexual diseases the Wehrmacht also feared espionage. On 29. Juli 1940 came the order to regulate the soldiers sex life and prevent diseases. Now on, free prostitution was forbidden and persecuted by the French police. As before the prostitutes were paid. The soldier's had to bring up the money themself from their regular guerdon. Therefore the German soldier's brothels can not be compared to the Japanese system of comfort women. Until 1942 there were 500 bordels of this kind in France and Eastern Europa.[3]
The imagination, women were directly forced to work as prostitutes, is negated by historical research.[4] [5] Generally the women, were prostitutes before, but had to be registered.[6] Some authors claim that women were forced to work in these brothels.[7]
Notes
- ^ Eine degoutante Realität. Die Wehrmacht unterhielt während des Zweiten Weltkrieges Bordelle in den besetzten Ländern
- ^ Erotische Invasion der Wehrmacht - Der französische Politologe Patrick Buisson stellt das Bild der deutschen Besatzung in Frage
- ^ Helge Sander/Barbara Johr (Hrsg.), Befreier und Befreite - Krieg - Vergewaltigung - Kinder, Frankfurt a.M. 2005
- ^ Christl Wickert: Tabu Lagerbordell, in: Eschebach/Jacobeit/Wenk: Gedächtnis und Geschlecht, 2002, S. 54
- ^ Franz W. Seidler, "Prostitution, Homosexualität, Selbstverstümmelung - Probleme der deutschen Sanitätsführung 1939-1945; 1977, S. 154
- ^ Christl Wickert: Tabu Lagerbordell, in: Eschebach/Jacobeit/Wenk: Gedächtnis und Geschlecht, 2002, S. 43
- ^ Ruth Seifert. "War and Rape. Analytical Approaches1". Women's International League for Peace and Freedom. Retrieved 2010-03-12.
References
- Template:De icon Franz W. Seidler, "Prostitution, Homosexualität, Selbstverstümmelung - Probleme der deutschen Sanitätsführung 1939-1945
- Template:De icon Max Plassmann "Wehrmachtbordelle", in: Militärgeschichtlichen Zeitschrift Heft 1/2003, hrsg. vom MGFA