Women as spoils of war at the end of World War Two | DW Documentary

Summary by Krater

This documentary explores the widespread sexual violence committed against women by Allied soldiers—including Soviet, American, British, and French troops—in Germany at the end of World War II, examining archival records, personal testimonies, and the historical silence surrounding these war crimes.

From the video

Answers: What happened to German women during the Allied occupation and end of World War II?

• World War II sexual violence
• Allied occupation of Germany
• Soviet Red Army war crimes
• French occupation forces and sexual assault
• Post-war trauma and survival
• Historical records and archives

What it concludes

• Allied soldiers, including Soviet, American, British, and French troops, committed widespread acts of sexual violence against German women after the surrender of Nazi Germany.
• Historians estimate that close to 900,000 women were raped by Soviet soldiers alone, though actual numbers may be higher due to multiple assaults.
• French occupational troops also committed widespread sexual assaults, particularly in Southwestern Germany, often influenced by the memory of the French occupation of France.
• Military authorities and commanders often tolerated or exploited sexual violence for their own military aims or allowed troops free rein as a reward or weapon of war.
• Victims faced immense social stigma, shame, and guilt, leading many to remain silent for decades and preventing widespread legal action or compensation.
• German society and postwar authorities largely ignored or suppressed the issue of wartime rape to avoid complicating national recovery and to blame the Soviet enemy.