Peter-M. Steinsiek: Forstliche Großraumszenarien bei der Unterwerfung Osteuropas durch Hitlerdeutschland

This article gives an idea of the role that forests and timber played in occupying Eastern Europe by Nazi Germany. After introducing to forest policies of the “Altreich”, strategies of gaining control about the European forestry and timber trade will be described. While striving for economic self-sufficiency, timber became more and more an essential raw material, especially after the Second World War had begun. In order to use the forests of the East for German purposes, structures of forest administration were established referring to German examples. Numerous prominent forest scholars participated in carrying out basic research on East European forestry. They have to be regarded as a part of injustice established by the Nazis together with a number of forest practitioners. The local population was forced to hard labour in tree-felling and afforestations. Farmers were “resettled” since they had to make room for new woods. However, these forests were also thought to support the shaping of “German” landscapes instead of the “Slavonic” ones.

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