Instructions to the Regional Labor Exchange Offices concerning the use of French and Russian prisoners of war for work

Annex 1 to the Decree of the Minister for Ordnance
THE REICH MINISTER OF LABOR '
Va 5135/1277 Nr 371_4770/41 secret
216/985
SPECIAL DELIVERY !
To the Presidents of Regional Labor Exchange Offices (including Nürnberg Branch Office)
SUBJECT: Use of Russian PWs
REFERENCE: Circular of 14 August 1941—Va 5135/1189—.
Upon personal order of the Reich Marshal, 100,000 men are to be taken from among the French PWs not yet employed in armament industry, and are to be assigned to the armament industry (airplane industry). Gaps in manpower supply resulting therefrom will be filled by Soviet PWs. The transfer of the abovenamed French PWs is to be accomplished by 1 October.
Russian' PWs can be utilized only in quite large, concentrated groups under the well-known, tougher employment conditions. In the civilian field, the regional labor exchange offices will have to determine immediately those work projects where French prisoners of war can be withdrawn and replaced by Soviet groups. For the time being, no additional assignment of Soviet prisoners of war can be considered. Initially all replacement possibilities must be completely exhausted. Similarly, all French PWs no longer needed are not to be channeled into agriculture and forestry any more, but exclusively into armament industry (aircraft industry).
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3005-PS
All branches of economic life employing French PWs, with the exception of armament industry and mining, are to be encompassed in determining those work projects where exchanges are feasible. The absolute necessity that Soviet PW replacements be employed in larger concentrated groups, requires, among other things, special checking of all larger construction projects of any kind (including construction of the Reich railroads, navigational and .cultivation projects). Reich Minister Dr. Todt has already consented to the exchange of French PWs employed by the Reich super-highways [Reichsautobahnen]. In agriculture the exchange can naturally be effected only in the case of large estates (especially estates with outlying farms). Exchange of PWs will frequently encounter resistance. The factories concerned will be reluctant to exchange the trained and proven French PWs for Soviet PWs. In such cases the labor exchange offices have to draw the factories' attention to the necessities of state, and to the directive of the Reich marshal.
As soon as the regional labor exchange offices have determined the work projects affected by the exchange, they will inform the service command headquarters, indicating how many French PWs are being made available and how many Soviet PWs will be needed to replace the French PWs. Without my express consent, not more than 120 Soviet PWs may be requested for «each 100 French PWs made available. Since the determining factor in the allocation of Soviet PWs are military and counter-intelligence considerations, final decision about the exchange rests with
service command headquarters.
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The first 100,000 French prisoners of war shall be channeled into the aircraft industry.