Arbeitskommandos, officially called
Kriegsgefangenenarbeitskommando were sub-camps under
prisoner-of-war camps for holding
prisoners of war of lower ranks (below
sergeant), who were working in industries and on farms. This was permitted under the
Third Geneva Convention provided they were accorded proper treatment. They were not allowed to work in industries manufacturing war materials, but this restriction was frequently ignored by the Germans. They were always under the administration of the parent
prisoner-of-war camp, which maintained records, distributed
International Red Cross packages and provided at least minimal medical care in the event of the prisoner's sickness or injury. The number of prisoners in an Arbeitskommando was usually between 100 and 300. One should differentiate these from sub-camps of
Nazi concentration camps operated by the
SS, which were also called
Arbeitskommando. Because of the two different types there is some confusion in the literature, with the result of occasional reports of prisoners-of-war being held in concentration camps. In some cases the two types were physically adjacent, when both POWs and KL-inmates were working at a large facility such as a coal mine or chemical plant. They were always kept apart from each other. ==See also==