Rear area postal service

Germany, which had enormous manpower needs, first tried to recruit Belgian and French workers under German employment contracts to work, in order of priority, first in Germany, then in the zone of operations or rear area and finally in the Belgian General Government. Given the lack of success in recruiting foreign workers, the Germans set up a system of forced labour and incorporated the forced workers into civilian workers' battalions (Zivil Arbeiter Bataillonen or Z.A.B) created on 3rd October 1916.

A battalion was made up of 4 companies of 500 to 550 workers. Companies in the same battalion were not assigned to the same location. A company of Landsturm (territorial soldiers) was responsible for supervising and supporting for the Z.A.B..

In exchange for this work, the workers were housed, fed and paid (40 c for a labourer and 65 c for a foreman). Pay was calculated per day actually worked. Wages were paid weekly. To prevent any escape attempts, each worker was not allowed to carry more than 10 marks. Before any worker was drafted, a military doctor checked that he was fit for work and, in particular, that he was not suffering from typhus.

Finally, these workers had to wear a 10 cm wide armband on their right arm, red for the French, yellow for the Belgians and green for the Russians. Foremen were also required to wear a white armband. Workers had to wear their company number and serial number on their jackets.

With regard to civilian workers' mail in general, the German administration made a distinction between voluntary workers and forced workers (assigned to the Z.A.B.). It also took into account where these workers were employed. Free workers under German contract in the rear area were allowed to one letter (in an open envelope) of four pages (ten lines) or one card per week, sent and received. They could only receive one parcel of up to 5 kg per week, but could not send any. Postcards had to be franked at 10 c and letters at 25 c.

Forced labourers in the ZAB were entitled to receive and send one card per week from their relatives. They could receive a 5 kg parcel per month and could send 2 money orders of a minimum of 5 Frs per month. The use of a special postal stationary was compulsory.

Workers' mail was delivered to Kommandanturen which checked the frequency of delivery and the accuracy of the address and postal details. After 15 February 1917, there was to be no mention of the place in the postal address. Above all, Kommandanturen were not to apply their service stamp. They grouped the cards into dispatches and sent them to the postal control centre. The latter examined the content of the correspondence, cancelled the postage stamp, made up dispatches again and sent them via the Feldpost to the Army's postal control centre, which controlled the area where the civilian worker was working. After this new check, the mail was directed to the military service or unit employing the worker.

Mail from workers to their families was handed in to the service or military unit employing the worker. The latter checked several points

- that only the 10 c postcard was used. This card could be obtained from the service employing the civilian worker. This model card was supplied by the Lines of Communication Intendancy (Etappenintendantur);

- the worker's registration number appeared on the card;

- that no indication of place appeared on the card;

- the frequency of dispatch.

The cards were assembled into dispatches marked "Sendungen von Zivilarbeitern" (correspondence from civilian workers) and sent to the postal control centre. After checking the contents, the cards were sent via the Feldpost to the Commandantures where the addressees lived. The cards were not to bear any service stamp or even an Army Post date stamp.

VALENCIENNES (1st Army) to HASSELT (General Government of Belgium). Letter from a free worker assigned to the canal port of VALENCIENNES (Hafenamt). It is undated, but we can assume that it was written in February 1917.

Indeed, the postal control centre of the 1st Army used the stamp "Zulässig Militärische Ueberwachungsstelle des Post-und Gütterverkehrs" without the mention "1. Armee") from the beginning of February 1917.

The first postal stationery for civilian workers was issued on 1 December 1916. 2 types were printed.

MARETZ to LOURCHES (1st Army), 8th March 1917.

Addressed to a civilian worker, this card was mailed at the local Kommandantur in MARETZ where it was marked "Geprüft". It was then directed to the postal control centre of the 1st Army which applied its stamp "geprüft Militärische Ueberwachungsstelle des post-und Gütterverkehrs").

Postal stationary Type 2.

MARLY (2nd Army) to DOLHAIN (Belgium), 16 September 1917.

Many Belgians were sent to work in occupied France, but not always in the Z.A.B. Here, this worker was posted to a Wagenbau Anstalt (wagon-building factory) working for the Germans.

Postal control at VALENCIENNES by the 2nd Army, stamp "Geprüft P.Ü.St.".

Postal stationary Type 2.

Feldpostkarte used by a civilian worker on 28 November 1916.

At that date, the 10c postal stationery had not yet been issued.

The card was underfranked but not taxed.

1st Army postal control, stamp "Militärische Ueberwachungsstelle des Post-und Gütterverkehrs 1. Armee".

Zivil-Arbeiter-Bataillon 1 was created on 4 October 1916 and assigned to the 1st Army Lines of communication Inspectorate.

MOUZON (Ardennes, 3rd Army) towards VALENCIENNES (2nd Army), 2 September 1917.

Card written by a civilian worker posted to Z.A.B. No. 34 in the vicinity of MOUZON (Deutsche Feldpost 947, 9th Landwehr Division). Examined by the 3rd Army's postal control centre, Postüberwachungsstelle no. 28, which stamped "P.Ü.St. GEPRÜFT".

Postal stationary type 1.

One section of the card has been stained with ink by the postal control centre.

LEERS-NORD (Belgium, 6th Army) to the rear area of the 17th Army, 5th April 1918.

Postal examination by the 6th Army at TOURNAI, stamped "P.Ü.St.". The 17th Army does not seem to have made a second check. Feldpoststation no. 408 was at BOUCHAIN.

QUIEVRECHAIN (17th Army) to OSTERFELD, Germany, 18th April 1918. Postal stationary sent to a civilian prisoner working for the OSTERFELD-ZONDERN mine.

Postal control at MONS, stamps "P.Ü.S." and "Zulässig 6 Postüberwachungsstelle".

Residents of the Belgian General Government zone did not use civilian workers' cards, as they did not have any available. Instead, they used General Government 10c stationary.

UCCLE (Belgian General Government) to RUMIGNY (Feldpoststation no. 324, 7th Army), 6th January 1917. Postal stationary for a civilian worker who was no longer in the 7th Army zone, but in prison in VALENCIENNES (blue Schutzhaft Valenciennes).

Postal control by the 1st Army at VALENCIENNES, stamp "geprüft Militärische Ueberwachungsstelle des post-und Gütterverkehrs".

MARLY (2nd Army) to DOLHAIN (Belgium), 24 February 1918.

Postal control in VALENCIENNES by the 2nd Army, stamped "Geprüft P.Ü.St".

Probably due to a shortage of Zivilarbeiterpostkarte, the sender had to use a standard postal stationary.

From August 1917 onwards, a new model of postal stationery for civilian workers appeared. It was printed on white card to make it more difficult to write in invisible ink.

It also happened that some Belgian civilian workers in occupied France used Belgian General Government stationery, even though this was forbidden, as only stamps overprinted with "Cent" were used in the rear area.