To chosen aspects of the Voluntary Labour Service and its reflection in reports of British "official places"
Abstract
The Voluntary Labour Service (Der freiwillige Arbeitsdienst - FAD) was established in Germany in 1931. In its framework the unemployed could (especially young people) work on various activities relating to the cultivation of land or settlement of rural areas, construction of transport infrastructure or various sports grounds.
Initially, the access to the FAD was restricted only to certain groups of unemployed. The change came only with a reform of the Voluntary Labour Service in 1932 that led to the increase in the number of participants.
The British governmental officials, diplomats and politicians were concerned by the development of the FAD. Some officials even paid a visit to the voluntary labour service camps.
Their assessment of the FAD (especially before 1933) was quite positive. After Hitler's seizure of power, the British focused their attention on military capacity of Germany and military elements of the labour service.