A Dangerous Game: The Forbidden Relationships between French POWs and German Women During World War II

Abstract

The term ‘forbidden relationships’ refers to contact between German civilians and prisoners of war present on the Reich’s territory during World War II. Any unnecessary contact was banned, both for military security reasons and in the name of the National Socialist racial ideology. Drawing on a substantial body of court files related to these ‘crimes’, this article analyses the romantic and sexual relationships between German women and French prisoners of war. It sheds a light on the gap between prescribed behaviours and the social reality during this period. At the intersection of gender and law during World War II, this article reflects the difficulties of controlling the civilian population during times of conflict and the agency of these actors.