Arbeitslager

Under Nazism, the German government (and its private-sector, Axis, and collaborator partners) used forced labor extensively, starting in the 1930s but most especially during World War II.

The largest number of them held civilians forcibly abducted in the occupied countries (see Łapanka for Polish context) to provide labour in the German war industry, repair bombed railroads and bridges, or work on farms and in stone quarries.

[1] The Nazis also operated concentration camps, some of which provided free forced labor for industrial and other jobs while others existed purely for the extermination of their inmates.

Arbeitskommandos, officially called Kriegsgefangenenarbeitskommando were sub-camps under prisoner-of-war camps for holding prisoners of war of lower ranks (below sergeant), who were working in industries and on farms.

They were always under the administration of the parent prisoner-of-war camp, which maintained records, distributed International Red Cross packages and provided at least minimal medical care in the event of the prisoner's sickness or injury.

Arbeitsbuch Für Ausländer (Workbook for Foreigners) identity document issued to a Polish Forced Labourer in 1942 by the Germans, together with a letter "P" patch that Poles were required to wear to identify them to the German population.