Employment and industrial relations in the northern French and Belgian mines under German occupation

With 60% of the total coal production of France, the northern French territories played in the war a major role on the national level. After the defeat of France and the occupation of its territory was not the French economy all over the northern French coal production have, since the two departments of Nord and Pas-de-Calais were placed under the Military Commander in Belgium and northern France. The distribution of the resources now determined the occupying power, and most of the coal went into the German Reich. To both the German and French economic needs may, as requested by the mining companies to increase production. These increased requirements to absorb the workers, whose numbers had declined since the war began and those from now on have been imposed under the German occupation, all sorts of restrictions. Apart from increasing the working hours and the introduction of Sunday shifts were, for example, from 1942, so-called "Eastern workers" created.

The employment and industrial relations in the northern French and Belgian mines under German occupation has been so far not been adequately studied enough of the historiography. This applies especially to the Belgian mining during the study period. One task of the dissertation project will be to bridge this gap. In particular, the comparison is between the Belgian and northern French mountains in the center of the work that both were under a single military commander. If the mountain districts are treated differently? Were there any national or spot-specific differences in the response to treatment by the military authority? How important was this reaction in the context of collaboration and resistance?

A second focus will be on the study of labor relations. In particular, should be worked out whether it can be assumed on the employment of the above eastern workers out of a coercive nature of the work.

In addition to military and government sources, companies traditions form the basis of the thesis.

This project was edited by:
Nathalie Piquet