From Allies to Outcasts: Italy’s Forgotten Workers in Wartime Germany
Tens of thousands of Italians arrived in Germany between the late 1930s and 1945, initially as welcome seasonal workers, later as urgently needed industrial laborers. Their experiences reflect a complex interplay of political alliance, racist devaluation, and economic exploitation.
As the war progressed, over 600,000 Italian soldiers were declared 'Italian Military Internees' after Italy switched sides in 1943. They were stripped of their rights and forced into labor. After the war, most returned home, but some stayed, becoming the forerunners of later 'guest worker' migration.
In the 1950s and 1960s, a younger, politically aware generation arrived. They formed associations linked to Italian domestic politics and engaged in trade unions and political education. Many held strong convictions, often communist or union-affiliated.
Newly arrived workers in the 1950s faced insults like 'Badoglio traitors' and 'Itaker', reflecting lingering resentment from both German and Italian politicos. Post-1943, the picture became multilayered, with imprisoned soldiers, political deportees, forced recruits, and volunteers, all part of a history where labor, coercion, and politics were inseparably intertwined.
The story of Italians in Germany during the mid-20th century is one of change and complexity. From welcome workers to forced laborers, from political engagement to racist slurs, their experiences reflect the shifting dynamics of war, politics, and economics.
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