As the Second World War progressed, German men were drafted into the armed forcesWehrmacht
Look up term. At the same time, the war effort required an increase in production. To make up for the shortfall in male workers, German industries increasingly relied on women, foreigners, enslaved Jews, and prisoners-of-war.
Workforce Demographics Overview
The tables in this section is a summary of the tables shown in the later sections.
All industries by sex
Workforce demographics for all industries by sex.1Kräftebilanz der gewerblichen Wirtschaft. NARA T78 R145. 2Statistischen Schnellberichte zur Kriegsproduktion : Stand: Januar 1945. BArch R 3/1730. Pages 55-57.
| Month |
Male |
Female |
| 1939-05 |
74.6% |
26.4% |
| 1940-05 |
71.0% |
29.0% |
| 1943-08 |
58.2% |
41.8% |
| 1943-11 |
58.3% |
41.7% |
| 1944-02 |
58.4% |
41.6% |
| 1944-05 |
57.8% |
42.2% |
| 1944-08 |
57.3% |
42.7% |
| 1944-11 |
56.4% |
43.6% |
Armaments industry by sex
Workforce demographics for armaments industry by sex.3. Überblick über die rüstungswirtschaftlichen Grundlagen der Fertigung : Stand 1. Dezember 1942. Wa Stab I a St/Nr. 2000/42 g.Kdos. NATA T78 R155 H 15/22. Pages 68-71. 4Statistischen Schnellberichte zur Kriegsproduktion : Stand: Januar 1945. BArch R 3/1730. Pages 55-57.
| Month |
Male |
Female |
| 1941-03 |
80.5% |
19.5% |
| 1941-06 |
77.4% |
22.6% |
| 1941-09 |
76.6% |
23.4% |
| 1941-12 |
76.3% |
23.7% |
| 1942-03 |
76.5% |
23.5% |
| 1942-06 |
75.7% |
24.3% |
| 1942-09 |
74.1% |
25.9% |
| 1942-12 |
73.6% |
26.4% |
| 1943-07 |
69.4% |
30.6% |
| 1943-08 |
68.6% |
31.4% |
| 1943-09 |
68.4% |
31.6% |
| 1943-10 |
68.7% |
31.3% |
| 1943-11 |
68.5% |
31.5% |
| 1943-12 |
68.7% |
31.3% |
| 1944-01 |
68.9% |
31.1% |
| 1944-02 |
68.9% |
31.1% |
| 1944-03 |
68.7% |
31.3% |
| 1944-04 |
68.8% |
31.2% |
| 1944-05 |
68.8% |
31.2% |
| 1944-06 |
68.7% |
31.3% |
| 1944-07 |
68.6% |
31.4% |
| 1944-08 |
67.9% |
32.1% |
| 1944-09 |
66.3% |
33.7% |
| 1944-10 |
65.4% |
34.6% |
| 1944-11 |
64.8% |
35.2% |
| 1944-12 |
64.3% |
35.7% |
All industries by ethnicity
Workforce demographics for all industries by ethnicity.5Statistischen Schnellberichte zur Kriegsproduktion : Stand: Januar 1945. BArch R 3/1730. Pages 55-57.
| Month |
German |
Foreign workers and Jews |
POWs |
| 1943-08 |
77.1% |
17.9% |
5.0% |
| 1943-11 |
75.1% |
18.5% |
6.4% |
| 1944-02 |
74.7% |
18.7% |
6.6% |
| 1944-05 |
75.6% |
18.1% |
6.3% |
| 1944-08 |
75.0% |
18.7% |
6.3% |
| 1944-11 |
74.9% |
19.8% |
5.3% |
Armaments industry by ethnicity
Workforce demographics for armaments industry by ethnicity.6. Überblick über die rüstungswirtschaftlichen Grundlagen der Fertigung : Stand 1. Dezember 1942. Wa Stab I a St/Nr. 2000/42 g.Kdos. NATA T78 R155 H 15/22. Pages 68-71. 7Statistischen Schnellberichte zur Kriegsproduktion : Stand: Januar 1945. BArch R 3/1730. Pages 55-57.
| Month |
German |
Foreign workers and Jews |
POWs |
| 1943-07 |
69.2% |
27.1% |
3.8% |
| 1943-08 |
68.8% |
27.7% |
3.5% |
| 1943-09 |
68.7% |
27.7% |
3.6% |
| 1943-10 |
67.3% |
27.2% |
5.5% |
| 1943-11 |
67.0% |
27.4% |
5.7% |
| 1943-12 |
66.3% |
27.4% |
6.4% |
| 1944-01 |
65.6% |
27.7% |
6.7% |
| 1944-02 |
65.2% |
27.9% |
6.9% |
| 1944-03 |
65.3% |
27.9% |
6.9% |
| 1944-04 |
65.6% |
27.6% |
6.8% |
| 1944-05 |
65.7% |
27.6% |
6.7% |
| 1944-06 |
65.0% |
28.2% |
6.7% |
| 1944-07 |
64.6% |
28.6% |
6.8% |
| 1944-08 |
64.3% |
29.5% |
6.2% |
| 1944-09 |
63.8% |
31.7% |
4.5% |
| 1944-10 |
63.4% |
32.4% |
4.2% |
| 1944-11 |
62.9% |
32.9% |
4.2% |
| 1944-12 |
62.4% |
33.5% |
4.1% |
Size and Demographics, 1943-1944
Demographics of the workforce employed in Germany's industries. Foreign workers and Jews were counted as a single category. Prisoners-of-war were not divided by sex in the original documents and are all included under male workers in the total. Not all numbers are available for all months. The numbers are rounded to the nearest thousand. For different months, numbers were gathered at the middle and end of the month, respectively. From February 1944 the numbers include Reichgau Wartheland in occupied Poland.8Statistischen Schnellberichte zur Kriegsproduktion : Stand: Januar 1945. BArch R 3/1730. Pages 55-57.
| Month |
German |
Foreign workers and Jews |
POWs |
Total by sex |
Total |
| Male |
Female |
Male |
Female |
Male |
Female |
| 1943-07 |
|
|
|
|
1 528 000 |
|
|
|
| 1943-08 |
11 916 000 |
10 512 000 |
3 540 000 |
1 659 000 |
1 462 000 |
16 918 000 |
12 171 000 |
29 089 000 |
| 1943-09 |
11 693 000 |
10 449 000 |
3 587 000 |
1 698 000 |
|
|
|
|
| 1943-11 |
11 418 000 |
10 337 000 |
3 613 000 |
1 732 000 |
1 855 000 |
16 886 000 |
12 069 000 |
28 955 000 |
| 1943-12 |
11 477 000 |
10 381 000 |
3 640 000 |
1 738 000 |
|
|
|
|
| 1944-02 |
11 290 000 |
10 218 000 |
3 628 000 |
1 757 000 |
1 901 000 |
16 819 000 |
11 975 000 |
28 794 000 |
| 1944-03 |
11 996 000 |
11 022 000 |
3 657 000 |
1 787 000 |
|
|
|
|
| 1944-05 |
11 968 000 |
11 056 000 |
3 715 000 |
1 815 000 |
1 917 000 |
17 600 000 |
12 871 000 |
30 471 000 |
| 1944-06 |
11 922 000 |
11 194 000 |
3 831 000 |
1 905 000 |
|
|
|
|
| 1944-08 |
11 795 000 |
11 144 000 |
3 814 000 |
1 908 000 |
1 930 000 |
17 539 000 |
13 052 000 |
30 591 000 |
| 1944-09 |
11 633 000 |
11 304 000 |
3 944 000 |
1 975 000 |
|
|
|
|
| 1944-11 |
11 432 000 |
11 207 000 |
4 016 000 |
1 978 000 |
1 596 000 |
17 044 000 |
13 185 000 |
30 229 000 |
Armaments Industry, 1941-1944
Demographics of the workforce employed in Germany's armaments industry. Foreign workers and Jews were counted as a single category. Prisoners-of-war were not divided by sex in the original documents and are all included under male workers in the total. Not all numbers are available for all months. In 1941 and 1942 the numbers were in exact numbers, while the 1943 and 1944 numbers were rounded to the nearest thousand. For different months, numbers were gathered at the beginning, middle, and end of the month, respectively.9. Überblick über die rüstungswirtschaftlichen Grundlagen der Fertigung : Stand 1. Dezember 1942. Wa Stab I a St/Nr. 2000/42 g.Kdos. NATA T78 R155 H 15/22. Pages 68-71. 10Statistischen Schnellberichte zur Kriegsproduktion : Stand: Januar 1945. BArch R 3/1730. Pages 55-57.
| Month |
German |
Foreign workers and Jews |
POWs |
Total by sex |
Total |
| Male |
Female |
Male |
Female |
Male |
Female |
| 1941-03 |
|
|
|
|
|
3 775 404 |
915 020 |
4 690 424 |
| 1941-06 |
|
|
|
|
|
3 346 420 |
979 292 |
4 325 712 |
| 1941-09 |
|
|
|
|
|
3 498 322 |
1 067 349 |
4 565 671 |
| 1941-12 |
|
|
|
|
|
3 515 218 |
1 088 906 |
4 604 124 |
| 1942-03 |
|
|
|
|
|
3 590 604 |
1 103 268 |
4 693 872 |
| 1942-06 |
|
|
|
|
|
3 515 401 |
1 129 056 |
4 644 457 |
| 1942-09 |
|
|
|
|
|
3 629 004 |
1 265 399 |
4 894 403 |
| 1942-12 |
2 651 977 |
|
840 844 |
|
216 060 |
3 708 881 |
1 330 115 |
5 038 996 |
| 1943-07 |
2 515 000 |
1 209 000 |
1 022 000 |
437 000 |
202 000 |
3 739 000 |
1 646 000 |
5 385 000 |
| 1943-08 |
2 300 000 |
1 151 000 |
966 000 |
426 000 |
176 000 |
3 442 000 |
1 577 000 |
5 019 000 |
| 1943-09 |
2 391 000 |
1 203 000 |
1 000 000 |
451 000 |
190 000 |
3 581 000 |
1 654 000 |
5 235 000 |
| 1943-10 |
2 378 000 |
1 213 000 |
992 000 |
460 000 |
296 000 |
3 666 000 |
1 673 000 |
5 339 000 |
| 1943-11 |
2 399 000 |
1 237 000 |
1 014 000 |
472 000 |
307 000 |
3 720 000 |
1 709 000 |
5 429 000 |
| 1943-12 |
2 418 000 |
1 238 000 |
1 023 000 |
487 000 |
352 000 |
3 793 000 |
1 725 000 |
5 518 000 |
| 1944-01 |
2 341 000 |
1 190 000 |
1 005 000 |
484 000 |
361 000 |
3 707 000 |
1 674 000 |
5 381 000 |
| 1944-02 |
2 343 000 |
1 193 000 |
1 021 000 |
495 000 |
372 000 |
3 736 000 |
1 688 000 |
5 424 000 |
| 1944-03 |
2 474 000 |
1 268 000 |
1 071 000 |
528 000 |
393 000 |
3 938 000 |
1 796 000 |
5 734 000 |
| 1944-04 |
2 542 000 |
1 291 000 |
1 078 000 |
534 000 |
396 000 |
4 016 000 |
1 825 000 |
5 841 000 |
| 1944-05 |
2 571 000 |
1 306 000 |
1 094 000 |
537 000 |
396 000 |
4 061 000 |
1 843 000 |
5 904 000 |
| 1944-06 |
2 575 000 |
1 312 000 |
1 132 000 |
556 000 |
402 000 |
4 109 000 |
1 868 000 |
5 977 000 |
| 1944-07 |
2 564 000 |
1 320 000 |
1 148 000 |
569 000 |
408 000 |
4 120 000 |
1 889 000 |
6 009 000 |
| 1944-08 |
2 553 000 |
1 368 000 |
1 210 000 |
591 000 |
375 000 |
4 138 000 |
1 959 000 |
6 097 000 |
| 1944-09 |
2 484 000 |
1 451 000 |
1 329 000 |
625 000 |
277 000 |
4 090 000 |
2 076 000 |
6 166 000 |
| 1944-10 |
2 452 000 |
1 496 000 |
1 358 000 |
656 000 |
262 000 |
4 072 000 |
2 152 000 |
6 224 000 |
| 1944-11 |
2 374 000 |
1 502 000 |
1 362 000 |
667 000 |
256 000 |
3 992 000 |
2 169 000 |
6 161 000 |
| 1944-12 |
2 265 000 |
1 470 000 |
1 338 000 |
664 000 |
245 000 |
3 848 000 |
2 134 000 |
5 982 000 |
Workforce by Industry, 1939-1940
Work force numbers and changes between 31 May 1939 and 31 May 1940, by industry.11Kräftebilanz der gewerblichen Wirtschaft. NARA T78 R145.
| Industry |
31 May 1939 |
Conscripted men |
Natural inflow and military service outflow |
31 May 1940 |
| Men |
Women |
Total |
Men |
Women |
Total |
Men |
Women |
Total |
| Industrial |
7 953 340 |
2 665 570 |
10 618 910 |
1 361 249 |
497 790 |
-64 094 |
433 696 |
7 089 881 |
2 601 476 |
9 691 357 |
| Crafts |
4 176 290 |
973 139 |
5 149 429 |
794 288 |
-354 493 |
-31 480 |
-385 973 |
3 027 509 |
941 659 |
3 969 168 |
| Trade |
1 558 717 |
1 263 572 |
2 822 289 |
360 038 |
-63 051 |
-52 050 |
-115 101 |
1 135 628 |
1 211 522 |
2 347 150 |
| Transportation |
1 760 639 |
127 816 |
1 888 455 |
176 478 |
18 412 |
87 928 |
106 340 |
1 599 573 |
215 744 |
1 815 317 |
| Tourism |
322 363 |
414 700 |
747 063 |
47 520 |
-62 610 |
-34 433 |
-97 043 |
222 233 |
380 267 |
602 500 |
| Energy |
214 185 |
17 254 |
231 439 |
40 502 |
8 304 |
4 277 |
12 581 |
181 987 |
21 531 |
203 518 |
| Banking |
170 579 |
51 453 |
222 032 |
50 619 |
-1 616 |
18 471 |
16 855 |
118 344 |
69 924 |
188 268 |
| Insurance |
78 154 |
30 912 |
109 066 |
25 828 |
-2 938 |
3 468 |
530 |
49 388 |
34 380 |
83 768 |
| Total |
16 244 267 |
5 544 416 |
21 788 683 |
2 859 522 |
39 798 |
-67 913 |
-28 115 |
13 424 543 |
5 476 503 |
18 901 046 |
References
- Kräftebilanz der gewerblichen Wirtschaft. Statistisches Reichamt, Abteilung VI, 1940. NARA T78 R145. Back
- Statistischen Schnellberichte zur Kriegsproduktion : Stand: Januar 1945. Plannungsamt - Hauptabteilung Planstatistik, 1945. BArch R 3/1730. Pages 55-57. Back
- . Überblick über die rüstungswirtschaftlichen Grundlagen der Fertigung : Stand 1. Dezember 1942. Heereswaffenamt, 1942. Wa Stab I a St/Nr. 2000/42 g.Kdos. NATA T78 R155 H 15/22. Pages 68-71. Back
- Statistischen Schnellberichte zur Kriegsproduktion : Stand: Januar 1945. Plannungsamt - Hauptabteilung Planstatistik, 1945. BArch R 3/1730. Pages 55-57. Back
- Statistischen Schnellberichte zur Kriegsproduktion : Stand: Januar 1945. Plannungsamt - Hauptabteilung Planstatistik, 1945. BArch R 3/1730. Pages 55-57. Back
- . Überblick über die rüstungswirtschaftlichen Grundlagen der Fertigung : Stand 1. Dezember 1942. Heereswaffenamt, 1942. Wa Stab I a St/Nr. 2000/42 g.Kdos. NATA T78 R155 H 15/22. Pages 68-71. Back
- Statistischen Schnellberichte zur Kriegsproduktion : Stand: Januar 1945. Plannungsamt - Hauptabteilung Planstatistik, 1945. BArch R 3/1730. Pages 55-57. Back
- Statistischen Schnellberichte zur Kriegsproduktion : Stand: Januar 1945. Plannungsamt - Hauptabteilung Planstatistik, 1945. BArch R 3/1730. Pages 55-57. Back
- . Überblick über die rüstungswirtschaftlichen Grundlagen der Fertigung : Stand 1. Dezember 1942. Heereswaffenamt, 1942. Wa Stab I a St/Nr. 2000/42 g.Kdos. NATA T78 R155 H 15/22. Pages 68-71. Back
- Statistischen Schnellberichte zur Kriegsproduktion : Stand: Januar 1945. Plannungsamt - Hauptabteilung Planstatistik, 1945. BArch R 3/1730. Pages 55-57. Back
- Kräftebilanz der gewerblichen Wirtschaft. Statistisches Reichamt, Abteilung VI, 1940. NARA T78 R145. Back
Sources
- Kräftebilanz der gewerblichen Wirtschaft. Berlin : Statistisches Reichamt, Abteilung VI, 1940. 19 p. NARA T78 R145.
- Statistischen Schnellberichte zur Kriegsproduktion : Stand: Januar 1945. Plannungsamt - Hauptabteilung Planstatistik, 1945. 57 p. BArch R 3/1730.
- . Überblick über die rüstungswirtschaftlichen Grundlagen der Fertigung : Stand 1. Dezember 1942. Heereswaffenamt, 1942. 90 p. Wa Stab I a St/Nr. 2000/42 g.Kdos. NATA T78 R155 H 15/22.