Aktion Arbeitsscheu Reich

As part of the „Arbeitsscheu Reich“ (work-shy Reich) in April and in June 1938 in two waves of arrests more than 10.000 men as so-called "black triangle anti-social elements" to concentration camps. During the so-called June-action were also arrested about 2,500 Jews who had received previous convictions for varied reasons.

The term action, work-shy Reich can be traced back to official correspondence, which was conducted in conjunction with mass arrests. In the Buchenwald concentration camp, detainees were referred to initially as "Reich compulsory labor prisoners", later being referred to as "work shy Reich" (ASR). This term was taken up by Hans Buchheim, originally used by Wolfgang Ayass for both arrest waves and became the standard term used. The "work shy" were those who were criminals, had refused to work, or fit other descriptions deemed socially undesirable.

However, the contemporary term "June Special" for the second wave of arrests and convicted Jews was also used in addition. It was used largely in 1938, however, by no means universally used. “June Special” was used as a connotation more for Jews, while “Work Shy” was used more for general arrests.

The arrest and deportation of "asocial individuals" goes back to the "basic decree on crime prevention by the police" issued by the Ministry of the Interior on December 14, 1937. The order called for a preventive detention of those deemed professional or habitual criminals, and later was extended to any who might "endanger society with asocial behavior."

After Heinrich Himmler's plan of January 26, 1938, authorities began a "one-time, comprehensive and surprising seizure" done on the "work-shy". These were men of working age, who had twice refused a job offered to them or given up after a short time. After performing this action, the Gestapo then cooperated with the labor offices in dealing with these men.

The implementation of the action was scheduled for March, but was postponed due to the annexation of Austria. The arrest operation was far-reaching all over the Reich in the period from April 21 to 30. Overall, there were between 1500 and 2000 male "work-shy" deported to the Buchenwald concentration camp.

Those detained under the status of "Preventive Criminals" was not limited to the "work-shy", but used in arrests much more broadly. An implementing directive of the Reich Criminal code in April 1938 defined "asocial" as any person who showed continual misconduct or repeated violations of the law, who did not fit into the community and submit to the "self-evident order" the Nazi state desired. These particularly were vagrants, beggars, prostitutes, gypsies and alcoholics. Even people with untreated venereal diseases were included as well.

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Wikipedia