Rear area postal service

Germany, which faced enormous manpower shortages, initially attempted to recruit Belgian and French workers under German employment contracts. These workers were to be deployed in order of priority: first in Germany, then in operational zones or rear areas, and finally in the Belgian General Government. However, due to the lack of success in recruiting foreign workers voluntarily, the Germans implemented a system of forced labour, incorporating these workers into civilian labour battalions (Zivil Arbeiter Bataillonen, or Z.A.B.), which were established on 3rd October 1916.

Each battalion comprised four companies, each consisting of 500 to 550 workers. The companies within the same battalion were not assigned to the same location. A company of Landsturm (territorial soldiers) was responsible for supervising and providing support to the Z.A.B.

In return for their labour, workers were provided with accommodation, food, and wages—40 centimes for a labourer and 65 centimes for a foreman. Payment was calculated based on days actually worked and was distributed weekly. To prevent escape attempts, workers were not permitted to carry more than 10 marks. Before being conscripted, a military doctor examined each worker to ensure they were fit for labour and, in particular, free from typhus.

Furthermore, these workers were required 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 distinguished by a white armband. Workers also had to display their company number and serial number on their jackets.

Regarding civilian workers’ mail, the German administration differentiated between voluntary workers and forced labourers assigned to the Z.A.B. The administration also considered the location of their employment. Free workers under German contract in rear areas were permitted to send and receive one open-envelope letter of four pages (ten lines) or one postcard per week. They were allowed to receive one parcel of up to 5 kg per week but were not permitted to send any. Postcards required a 10-centime stamp, while letters required a 25-centime stamp.

Forced labourers in the Z.A.B. were allowed to send and receive one postcard per week from their relatives. They could receive one 5 kg parcel per month and send up to two money orders of at least 5 francs per month. The use of special postal stationery was mandatory.

Workers' mail was delivered to the Kommandanturen, which verified the frequency of correspondence and the accuracy of addresses and postal details. From 15th February 1917, the postal address was not to include any mention of location. Furthermore, Kommandanturen were instructed not to apply their service stamps. They grouped the cards into dispatches and sent them to the postal control centre, where the content was examined, postage stamps were cancelled, and the mail was forwarded via the Feldpost to the Army’s postal control centre responsible for the worker’s location. Following this secondary inspection, the mail was directed to the relevant military service or unit employing the worker.

Mail from workers to their families was submitted to the service or military unit employing them. This unit was responsible for verifying several aspects:

That only the designated 10-centime postcard was used. These postcards were supplied by the service employing the civilian worker and provided by the Lines of Communication Intendancy (Etappenintendantur);

That the worker’s registration number was correctly recorded on the postcard;

That no indication of location appeared on the card;

That the dispatch frequency was adhered to.

The postcards were assembled into dispatches labelled "Sendungen von Zivilarbeitern" (correspondence from civilian workers) and sent to the postal control centre. After a content inspection, the cards were forwarded via the Feldpost to the Kommandanturen responsible for the recipients’ areas. The cards were not to bear any service stamps 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.