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Background history
Kriegsgefangenenlagergeld, popularly called Lagermarks, were the alternative money which – in the Wehrmacht-run POW camps – performed the role of the means of payment in the inner circulation. The German military authorities introduced the currency already in 1939 to pay POWs in return for their work for the Third Reich. The alternative currency introduced into the circulation exclusively in camps was meant to make it difficult for POWs to use it outside camps, thus also to stop them from escaping. The financial means which POWs had at their disposal in the Wehrmacht-run camps were scanty. POWs’ wages fluctuated within the limits of 67-90% of those earned by German citizens at that time. The height of the pay depended also on the POWs’ belonging to an individual national army. The isolated soldiers who came from the states of Western Europe and the United States received much more than their counterparts in Polish or Soviet uniforms for doing the same kind of work. A contractor who employed POWs transferred the pay for their work to the relevant camp, where after deducing taxes, it was entered on the POWs’ accounts. The deductions which comprised accommodation and board amounted to from 30% to 60% of the earned wages. In turn, the height of the soldier’s pay fluctuated between Reichsmark 72 (RM) for a second lieutenant and RM 210 in the case of a major general. They were sums paid out quarterly and were also subject to taxation. Moreover, the officer cadre decided on voluntary self-taxation for the benefit of private soldiers, who did not receive pay, but stayed in the same oflags with the officers. Finally, POWs’ income amounted to about RM 15-20 monthly on the average. Exchanging the alternative money for the currency in regular circulation was possible solely in the case when POWs were sending the money outside the camp. Then, the purchase value of one Lagermark was one Reichsmark. In the case of General Government, the value of one Lagermark equaled that of two Zloty, whereas in the case when the money was transferred abroad, one Lagermark was worth one British Pound. The coupons were issued with the following denominations: 1, 10 and 50 pfennigs and 1, 2, 5 and 10 RM. Individual denominations possessed the serial number, differed in the size and color of the paper, but all were marked with a red triangle and bore the information: “This coupon is a tender for prisoners-of-war and can be spent and received by them only within the camp area or selected labor squads in special sales centers. Exchange of the coupons for legal tenders can take place only at relevant cashiers run by camp administration. Failing to abide by the regulations, forging or falsifying shall be punishable.” The center of the circulation of money was the camp canteen, where POWs could purchase small food articles, such as: lemonade or articles of daily use: personal care products, stationery, and even musical instruments. In compliance with the Geneva Convention, POWs remaining in captivity could receive parcels from outside. This resulted in that in the camps, especially those where POWs of the western allied states were interned, luxurious articles, as for the times, like cigarettes or chocolate, were available. With time, because of the cropping up difficulties with supplying canteens there throve the so-called black market within almost each camp. It was based on bartering, where cigarettes most frequently made the unit of account. Lagermarks gained in value and became an attractive means of payment within the camp, including even the German personnel. This was taking place in nearly all POW camps. Ultimately, in order to put an end to such practices, the German military authorities issued the order on the power of which Lagermarks were withdrawn from the circulation, beginning with 1 October 1944. The Museum is in possession of seventy pieces of Lagermarks of different denominations.
Prepared by: Anna Wickiewicz
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Lagermarks – the camp currency
Source of acquisition
The Lagermarks were presented to the Museum by former POWs.
Description of the item
A rectangular coupon of 4cm x 8.5cm, of the denomination of RM 2, printed on thin paper of poor quality. Poor graphic design. The coupon had its obverse only – the front side. The reverse was empty.
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