Part 3: The implementation of the resettlement of Germans in the fall of 1940 from all of Bukovina
Willi Kosiul
Translation by Google, Needs Editing
From the Website of Willi Kosiul
Posted with permission of the author’s son, February 15, 2021
Part 2: Preparing for the resettlement of Germans in Bukovina
The “Volksdeutsche Mittelstelle” Berlin was responsible for the preparation and implementation of the resettlement of ethnic Germans from all foreign areas. Every applicant for resettlement from the entire Bukowina into the former German Reich had to be able to prove at least one grandparent of his four grandparents with purely German descent, only with at least 25% of German descent was he entitled to resettlement.
The resettlement was only accepted by the German local representative and only allowed by the Soviet or Romanian local representative who could prove his German ancestry with documents (such as birth and marriage certificates or an ancestral passport). The resettlement was voluntary and at the request of the German families there. Many of the other residents who remained there – such as Romanians, Ukrainians, and others – envied the German resettlers being able to emigrate to a “better world” and a “better life”. A total of 95,770 German people were resettled from North and South Bukovina to the German Reich in the autumn of 1940. In addition there were 5,000 people from old Romania who were resettled in 1941 as relatives of the Buchenland-German resettlers from 1940.
According to the German-Soviet resettlement agreement of September 5, 1940, the Germans were to be resettled from northern Bukovina between September 15 and November 17, 1940 – within nine weeks. According to the German-Romanian agreement, the resettlement period was laid down more loosely and was scheduled to run until the end of 1940. Each resettler from northern Bukovina was allowed to take 50 kg of freight with them, which was transported in baggage vehicles on the special train, and 35 kg of hand luggage that the resettler had with him on the passenger train. According to the German-Romanian agreement, the cargo was unlimited for the resettlers from southern Bukovina.
The immovable property, such as the house, stable, barn, its land, craft workshops, etc. were valued everywhere, recorded on property lists and then passed into the property of the Soviet or Romanian state. These states then had to pay the value of this remaining property of the resettlers to the German Reich. The resettler was to receive this value offset against his settlement in the German Reich or be paid out in cash. The rest of the movable property was sold there to the remaining Romanians or Ukrainians and the money was paid to the German authorized representative – against a receipt – which was paid out to the resettlers in Reichsmark in installments.
The German local representative and the Soviet or Romanian local representative sat – as the mixed local resettlement commission – together at a work table where the German applicant had submitted his application for resettlement to the German Reich and submitted his necessary documents. Both sides accepted these applications, checked – each for themselves – the submitted documents, asked necessary questions to the applicant and then decided – usually – immediately whether the resettlement would be approved or not. After the approval of the application of both representatives of the mixed resettlement commission, the resettlement of this German family was registered and the resettlement was possible. Each person received a small identification card (with an eyelet and a ribbon on it) with the most important personal details, which had to be worn around the neck during transport. This German family was recognized as resettlers and was immediately under the protection of the German Empire.
After the resettlement applicants of German origin had been accepted and their registration, each of these appraisers carried out the appraisal of their immovable property at the resettler’s home, as well as their recording and registration in property lists. Each of the appraisers registered the remaining assets of the resettlers with their current value on their lists and the previous owner immediately received a copy of these property lists from the German appraiser as his proof. After that, the resettlers’ movable assets (such as furniture, tools, domestic animals, crops, etc.) were sold to the Romanians and Ukrainians there or given away to neighbors, and then the resettlement could take place.
The German authorized representative reported to the German resettlement command in Chernivtsi or Gura Humora after the registration and registration of all Germans in his local area who were willing to resettle. There these recorded resettlers were included in the transport plan and these people were divided into families on the planned special trains for northern Bukovina per 1,000 people and for southern Bukovina per 500 people. After that, the local representative received from the German resettlement command the departure times of the special trains from the station of departure for his resettlers, whom he now had to notify and organize the departure for these times.
The registrations and registrations of those willing to resettle – from the very first day – went quickly and smoothly. In many local areas this work was already carried out in two to three weeks and then the departure of the resettlers had to be organized. Each local representative then had to prepare a village report on each of his villages with the assessment of these resettlers as well as a final report on his work in the entire local area and submit these reports as well as other documents and materials to the German regional command. Only then was his job as a site representative for him and his employees completed.
On September 26, 1940, the first transport from the Soviet-occupied northern Bukovina with 998 resettlers from the local area Bu 1 = Czernowitz left for the Soviet-German border and passed the border crossing in Sanok after two days. On September 30, 1940, the cattle transport from Tereblestie left for the German Reich with 100 cattle and 50 horses as well as 18 people as carers and accompanying persons. On October 5th, 1940, the medical train departed from Chernivtsi with 237 heavily pregnant women, births and seriously ill people to the German Reich. On November 13, 1940 the 44th and last transport with 1,031 resettlers – with the remnants – from the local area Bu 1, 2, 3 and 4 left Chernivtsi and passed the Soviet / German border in Przemysl in the direction of Krakow. The removal of the resettlers from the Soviet-occupied northern Bukovina was thus completed. Around 45,000 resettlers – approx. 1,000 people per transport – from the eleven local areas of northern Bukovina in 44 transports to the German Reich. 42 of these transports were passenger trains or freight trains with a total of 44,401 resettlers, one transport was the medical train and also a cattle transport.
On the German side – for northern Bukovina – the transfer from the Soviet special train to the German special train was first in Sanok and then in Przemysl. Then it went first to Krakow, where a long stay with a formal welcome in the German Reich and where extensive warm meals and medical care for the resettlers had taken place. The respective destination station was determined there in Krakow, where the resettlers – without having to change trains – traveled to their final destination in this special train and were accommodated there in the observation camps in Silesia.
Only when all resettlers of the respective local area had left and the local representative with his employees had also done all his written work and delivered it in the “OB box”, only then was his job as local representative completed. Only then did the local representatives and their employees leave their previous local areas, return to the area command, were billeted there again and were available to the area command. On November 13, 1940, the Soviet regional representatives officially adopted the German regional command for North Bukovina in Chernivtsi in the “City” guesthouse, at a joint dinner. November 15, 1940 at 22 At midnight, the entire German regional command took a special Soviet train from Chernivtsi to the German Reich and arrived at the Deutsch-Przemysl border station on November 16 at 7:00 p.m. There in Deutsch-Przemysl, the German regional command from northern Bukovina changed over to a German special train that had six passenger cars and several closed freight cars for luggage and stake cars for motor vehicles. On November 17th at 9.00 a.m. the special train arrived in Krakow, where the resettlement command had a large military reception and a day’s stopover here. On November 18, at 6:00 a.m., they left Krakow for Berlin, where they had arrived in Berlin-Stahnsdorf on November 19 at 9:00 a.m. Here in Berlin-Stahnsdorf they had moved back to their training camp. There in Berlin, in a few days, they had prepared the employees’ written reports on their deployment and then carried out a comprehensive evaluation, and their deployment was ended. The resettlement of the Germans from the Romanian southern Bukovina was similar. The German resettlement command for South Bukovina and Dobrudscha from the German Reich arrived here on November 3rd, 1940 in the small town of Gurahumora, a small town in Buchland, Germany, and began its work there – together with the Romanian government commission. There in Berlin, in a few days, they had prepared the employees’ written reports on their deployment and then carried out a comprehensive evaluation, and their deployment was ended. The resettlement of the Germans from the Romanian southern Bukovina was similar. The German resettlement command for South Bukovina and Dobrudscha from the German Reich arrived here on November 3rd, 1940 in the small town of Gurahumora, a small town in Buchland, Germany, and began its work there – together with the Romanian government commission. There in Berlin, in a few days, they had prepared the employees’ written reports on their deployment and then carried out a comprehensive evaluation, and their deployment was ended. The resettlement of the Germans from the Romanian southern Bukovina was similar. The German resettlement command for South Bukovina and Dobrudscha from the German Reich arrived here on November 3rd, 1940 in the small town of Gurahumora, a small town in Buchland, Germany, and began its work there – together with the Romanian government commission.
The head of the German resettlement command for southern Bukovina and Dobrudscha in Gurahumora was SS-Oberführer Siekmeyer (ranked as Colonel). This central German resettlement command was subordinate to three area commands for the resettlement areas, Radautz and Gurahumora for the southern Bukovina and Konstanza for the Romanian north Dobruja, in which the German area officers with their staff and the Romanian area representatives also worked together. These three resettlement areas were also divided into individual local areas, where the resettlement of the Germans was prepared and carried out by the responsible German local representatives with the Romanian local representatives. For each of these local areas there was a German local representative with his employees and the Romanian local representative with his employees. These two representatives were responsible for the respective area – as the local joint mixed German / Romanian resettlement commission. The German authorized representative was supported by his deputy, two taxatore and a driver with a car. In addition, the local Buchenland-German shop stewards and helpers. These Germans were informed about the imminent resettlement through public calls and notices, called for resettlement and the locations of the reporting points. The Romanian local representatives also had their employees in every local area. Every resettler here had the right to take all his belongings with him from the Romanian southern Bukovina without limit, except for the living and dead inventory. Every resettler could also take their personal gold, silver and precious jewelry with them. The cash was paid – without limit – to the respective German authorized representative – against receipts – and in the German Reich it was paid out in installments to the resettlers in Reichsmarks.
Due to the years of Romanization policy and the active oppression of the German national minority there, as well as the events in northern Bukovina due to the Soviet occupation and the resettlement of the Germans there, the Germans in southern Bukovina were also quickly prepared to leave their old homeland and to the German of that time Relocate rich. The German youth in particular was enthusiastic about moving towards a better and more secure future in the German Reich. All those wishing to resettle looked for their family documents in order to prove to the local resettlement commission that they were of German origin, in order to be approved for resettlement by the Romanian representatives and accepted by the local German authorized representatives. For this, birth certificates and marriage certificates or Ancestral passports of the respective family members are necessary. The office space for these mixed German-Romanian resettlement commissions and thus the reporting points for the resettlement were located at the local seat of this mixed resettlement committee, in the local elementary school or in German houses. The rooms provided for this purpose were redesigned into offices and specially decorated for this purpose by the local German helpers. The Reich German representatives, such as the German local representative responsible there, his deputy, truck driver and the appraiser were quartered there with the German resettlers. were housed at the seat of this mixed resettlement commission, in the local elementary school or in German houses. The rooms provided for this purpose were redesigned into offices and specially decorated for this purpose by the local German helpers. The Reich German representatives, such as the German local representative responsible there, his deputy, truck driver and the appraiser were quartered there with the German resettlers. were housed at the seat of this mixed resettlement commission, in the local elementary school or in German houses. The rooms provided for this purpose were redesigned into offices and specially decorated for this purpose by the local German helpers. The Reich German representatives, such as the German local representative responsible there, his deputy, truck driver and the appraiser were quartered there with the German resettlers.
The respective head of the family wishing to resettle appeared with his or her personal documents at the responsible local representative and there applied for resettlement for his entire family. The local German authorized representative responsible there as well as the Romanian government representative checked these documents for the applicant’s German descent and either agreed or rejected it. Here, too, the German local authorized representatives, together with the Romanian representatives, had to accept the registration of the German resettlers in their local areas and to decide immediately who would be allowed or accepted for resettlement. After the approval of the Romanian representative for departure and the acceptance of the applicant for resettlement by the German authorized representative, This German family was registered as resettlers in the lists and received a small identification card for each person as a resettler ID with a ribbon, which should be worn around the neck by each person during the transport. This evacuation card was – as in northern Bukovina – a small card made of cardboard with an eyelet and a neck strap. It had the inscription “German resettled” with the surname, first name, the letters and number of his local area as well as the resettlement number of this person, with a German seal and signature. This evacuation card was – as in northern Bukovina – a small card made of cardboard with an eyelet and a neck strap. It had the inscription “German resettled” with the surname, first name, the letters and number of his local area as well as the resettlement number of this person, with a German seal and signature. This evacuation card was – as in northern Bukovina – a small card made of cardboard with an eyelet and a neck strap. It had the inscription “German resettled” with the surname, first name, the letters and number of his local area as well as the resettlement number of this person, with a German seal and signature.
With the acceptance and registration for resettlement, all these resettlers were under the protection of the German Reich and could identify themselves with the resettler ID if necessary. This was followed by a joint on-site visit at the resettler’s home, by the appraisers of both sides, the recording and appraisal as well as the registration of the remaining assets of the respective resettler. The resettler’s house, his farm buildings and the property, etc. were assessed separately by both taxators and recorded on property lists. In southern Bukovina, livestock (such as horses and cattle) as well as the harvest of 1940 were recorded and the resettler received a copy of each as his proof. The property left behind by the resettlers became the property of the Romanian state and was paid by Romania to the German Empire. The resettler was supposed to be compensated when he settled in the German Reich, but this never happened.
Now every resettler had the task of packing his or her things to take with them in specially made wooden boxes or suitcases as well as in sacks and bundles and to prepare for the departure. The large luggage came as cargo in baggage vehicles and the hand luggage was carried by the resettlers on the passenger train. Most of the resettlers only received this cargo baggage when they settled in 1941 or even 1942, when it had already been deposited. In the meantime – in coordination with the transport department of the resettlement command in Gurahumora – the special train was ordered for the resettlers from this area on a certain date and the resettlers and their luggage were then transported to the German Reich on that day from their station of departure. The Romanian government had made rail trains available for transport against payment. German special trains from the Reich were also used for this. The resettlers from southern Bukovina departed in November and December 1940 from the respective local areas according to a transport plan from the respective departure station, in 111 special trains, each with around 500 people, under the direction of a German transport leader to the destination station. Every day around four special trains departed from the various local areas of southern Bukovina for the German Reich. German nurses for medical care and members of the German People’s Solidarity were present on all of these special trains to take care of the resettlers. German special trains from the Reich were also used for this. The resettlers from southern Bukovina departed in November and December 1940 from the respective local areas according to a transport plan from the respective departure station, in 111 special trains, each with around 500 people, under the direction of a German transport leader to the destination station. Every day around four special trains departed from the various local areas of southern Bukovina for the German Reich. German nurses for medical care and members of the German People’s Solidarity were present on all of these special trains to take care of the resettlers. German special trains from the Reich were also used for this. The resettlers from southern Bukovina departed in November and December 1940 from the respective local areas according to a transport plan from the respective departure station, in 111 special trains, each with around 500 people, under the direction of a German transport leader to the destination station. Every day around four special trains departed from the various local areas of southern Bukovina for the German Reich. German nurses for medical care and members of the German People’s Solidarity were present on all of these special trains to take care of the resettlers. in 111 special trains, each with around 500 people, under the direction of a German transport driver to the destination station. Every day around four special trains departed from the various local areas of southern Bukovina for the German Reich. German nurses for medical care and members of the German People’s Solidarity were present on all of these special trains to take care of the resettlers. in 111 special trains, each with around 500 people, under the direction of a German transport driver to the destination station. Every day around four special trains departed from the various local areas of southern Bukovina for the German Reich. German nurses for medical care and members of the German People’s Solidarity were present on all of these special trains to take care of the resettlers.
The journey went from the respective home departure point – via Dorna Watra – Klausenburg (= Cluj Napoca) – Großwardein (= Oradea) – Budapest – Vienna and then to the respective destination station of the destination to accommodate the resettlers in the respective observation camps. Many transport trains went to Styria, Salzburg, Bavaria, Franconia, Sudetenland as well as Thuringia and Saxony.
At these destination stations, the resettlers were received at decorated stations with various large banners as well as many propagandistic visual agitation and also by the local population. Local officials gave welcoming speeches and the respective camp leaders, nurses and other management staff of the camp had also come to these propagandistic greetings. Only then were the resettlers who had arrived and their luggage taken to their observation camps in motor vehicles, where they were shown together with several families in their accommodations. The entire journey from the home departure station to the destination station and the accommodation camp there took around three to four days. There were also German hospital trains for heavily pregnant women, Women with small children as well as for the sick and disabled people, with doctors and nurses on board and also freight trains with closed freight wagons for the large luggage and freight of the resettlers. So in the autumn of 1940 about 50,000 people from the Romanian southern Bukovina and about 15,000 people from the Dobrudscha and then about 5,000 people in the summer of 1941 as “relatives resettlements” of the Buchenland Germans, from old Romania to the German Reich.
In every transport, the nurses of the German Red Cross as well as employees of the People’s Solidarity provided the emigrating resettlers with all questions. At the train stations in Dorna Watra, Klausenburg (= Cluj Napoca) and Budapest, larger catering bases were set up which provided the resettlers traveling through the respective transport with all the necessary materials for a planned longer stay. In Klausenburg and Budapest, there was also warm meals and food bags were given out for the onward journey to Vienna.
After the departure of the special train from his local area, the local representative prepared his required village report on the assessment of the resettlers, his final report on his activities and other statistics, packed everything in his “OB boxes” and handed over all his documents and materials to his area command Radautz or Gurahumora. This completed his task and he was still available to the area command.