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Germany's Catholic Church employed forced labourers during war

The Catholic Church in Germany employed nearly 6000 foreign forced labourers under the Nazis during the Second World War, according to research commissioned by the church, which has evoked little reaction in the country, reports Ecumenical News International. The research has been published in a book, "Zwangsarbeit und katholische Kirche 1939-1945" (Forced labour and the Catholic Church 1939-1945). It documents the fate of forced labourers, their compensation and the reconciliation efforts of the church. Most forced labourers were employed in the agricultural and home sectors of the church. Their number is a small percentage of the estimated 13 million forced labourers - mostly from Eastern Europe - employed during the Nazi era.

[04/30/2008]

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