__NOTOC__ The "P" symbol or "P" badge was introduced on 8 March 1940 by the Nazi Germany General Government with relation to the requirement that

Polish Polish may refer to: * Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe * Polish language * Poles Poles,, ; singular masculine: ''Polak'', singular feminine: ''Polka'' or Polish people, are a West Slavic nation and ethnic group, w ...

workers (''

Zivilarbeiter Zivilarbeiter (German for ''civilian worker'') refers primarily to ethnic Polish residents from the General Government (Nazi-occupied central Poland), used during World War II as forced laborers in the Third Reich. Polish Zivilarbeiters The res ...

'') used during World War II as forced laborers in Germany (following the German invasion and occupation of Poland in 1939) display a visible symbol marking their ethnic origin. The symbol was introduced with the intent to be used as a cloth patch, which indeed was the most common form, but also reproduced on documents (through stamps) and posters. The badge was intended to be humiliating, and like the similar Jewish symbol, can be seen as a

badge of shame A badge of shame, also a symbol of shame, a mark of shame or a stigma, is typically a distinctive symbol required to be worn by a specific group or an individual for the purpose of public humiliation, ostracism or persecution. The term is also u ...

Design and usage

The design was introduced in the

Polish decrees Polish decrees, Polish directives or decrees on Poles (german: Polen-Erlasse, Polenerlasse) were the decrees of the Nazi Germany government announced on 8 March 1940 during World War II to regulate the working and living conditions of the Polish ...

(laws concerning Polish workers in Germany) of 8 March 1940. The symbol was a diamond with sides of five centimeters. The border (about half a centimetre wide) and the letter P (two and a half centimetres tall) were violet, while the inside of the symbol was yellow. The letter "P" badge was to be worn on the right breast of every garment worn. Those who did not obey the rules were subject to a fine of up to 150 Reichsmarks and arrested with a possible penalty of six weeks' detention. The choice of color and shape might have been chosen to avoid any association with

national symbols of Poland National symbols of Poland ( pl, Polskie symbole narodowe) are the tangible and intangible symbols, emblems or images that are found in Poland to represent the country's unique customs, traditions, cultural life and its 1000-year history. These s ...

. It was the first official, public badge-like mark intended for identification of individuals based on their racial or ethnic origin (or other social characteristics) introduced in

Nazi Germany Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...

, preceding the better-known " Jewish yellow star" badge introduced a year later, in September 1941. In January 1945 the Central Office for Reich Security proposed a new design for a Polish badge, a yellow ear of corn on a red and white label, but it was never implemented.

Examples of usage

File:Arbeitsbuch Fur Auslander 1942.jpg, ''Arbeitsbuch Für Ausländer'' (Workbook for Foreigners) identity document issued to a Polish Forced Labourer in 1942 together with a letter "P" patch that Poles were required to wear attached to their clothing File:Anti-Polish poster published by Volksbund für das Deutschtum im Ausland (Association for 'Germanness' abroad) Gauverband Danzig Westpreußen (Association of the “shire or county”, Gdansk, West Prussia).png, Anti-Polish poster published by ''Volksbund für das Deutschtum im Ausland'' (Association for 'Germanness' abroad) ''Gauverband Danzig Westpreußen'' (Association of the "shire or county", Gdansk, West Prussia)

Design and usage

Examples of usage

See also

References

Further reading