German police escorting Polish men and women into exile, Koscierzyn (Kościerzyn), c. 1940

German police escort Polish men and women into exile

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The column of simple horse-drawn carts is flanked by men in uniform. These are German police expelling Polish citizens from their homes.

With actions such as these, the Nazi regime pursued its population policy after invading Poland. To expand and consolidate their own sphere of control, the German authorities expelled the people living in Poland’s western territories. Parts of the Polish elites as well as many Polish Jews were murdered straightaway. After this action, the occupied part of Poland was settled with Germans from the Reich territories and so-called ‘Volksdeutsche’ – ‘ethnic Germans’ – from other eastern European regions and South Tyrol. ‘Volksdeutsche’ were defined as those who were not German citizens and whose families had often been living for generations in other regions, yet due to their language and culture, they were regarded as belonging to the German people. Often, ‘ethnic Germans’ were especially involved in the violence against the Polish population.

The photo adjacent to the left shows people in Łódź. They are being taken to the ghetto where the German occupying forces imprisoned Jews as well as Roma. There, tens of thousands had to work as forced labourers. Many people died of starvation.

The SS and the police as well as the civilian administration of the occupied territory was responsible for these crimes. At the dark-grey pull-out panels, you can find out which members of these institutions attended the meeting at Wannsee.