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CONTENTS

1           INTRODUCTION  

 

These pages explain the post-war division of Germany into four zones of occupation, and the four-power Allied Control Council which was responsible for establishing and directing policy for the whole of Germany.  It will also describe some of the specific objectives of the British Zone

 

  • The Occupation of Germany

  • The Allied Control Council

  • Allied Zones of Occupation

  • British Zone Objectives

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2          CCG ORGANISATION

 

These pages explain the functioning of this complex organisation operating at arms-length from Ministers and policy-makers in London, with its continuously evolving structure spread over multiple locations, and subject to continual staff turnover.

              

  • Creation

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  • ​Evolution

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  • Locations​

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Appendices:

  • German Central Ministries & CCG Counterpart Divisions

  • CCG Organisation Charts

  • CCG Locations in the British Zone

 

3            FUNCTIONS

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These pages aim to answer the question 'what did they do?' by describing CCG's many functions.  Some sections are still to be completed, while several will be updated after further research.  Click on the blue underlined headings for completed sections 

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  • Education

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  • Public Safety

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  • Transport [to come]

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  • Manpower [to come]

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  • Public Health [to come]

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  • Trade and Industry [to come]

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4          WORKING FOR CCG

 

This two-part section aims to answer the ‘who were they?’ question, and describes in detail how thousands of existing civil servants, new recruits and former military personnel were absorbed into a single organisation; and the conditions on which they were employed.

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I.  APPOINTMENTS                                                               

  • Introduction

  • Planning

  • Filling posts:

    • An autonomous Control Service?

    • The ‘normal machinery’

    • Internal Transfers

    • Lower level staff

    • External recruitment

    • Military recruitment

    • Ad Hocs

    • CCG’s German employees

  • Skills, Experience & Training

  • Quality of CCG appointees

  • CCG’s German employees

  • Cutting down

  • Conclusion

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Linked documents

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II.  CONDITIONS OF SERVICE                                

 

  • Introduction

  • Grade structure

  • Gender

  • Pay & Allowances

  • Working Hours and Leave

  • Dress Code

  • Conduct

  • Conclusion

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Linked documents

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5          LIFE IN THE BRITISH ZONE           

 

This multi-part section describes life in the British Zone for CCG personnel and their families between 1945-1949, and the conditions which governed every aspect of their lives under Military Government. 

  • Introduction​

  • Family Life

    • Housing: policy, scales, furniture, requisitioning

    • Domestic servants

    • Food and shopping: rationing

    • Money: BAFSVs, transition to German economy

  • Travel and Transport

  • Leisure: cinema, theatre, clubs, hobbies, sport, leave centres

  • Health: hospitals, GPs, epidemics

  • Schools

  • Religion

  • Black Market

  • Bill Yeadell's Diaries

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Linked Documents

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6          BRITISH-GERMAN RELATIONS    

 

These pages will describe official policies towards the Germans and how these evolved over time; and will explore the reality of relations between the British and the Germans.

  • Fraternisation & marriage

  • Requisitioning

  • German population welfare & rationing programs

  • In the workplace

  • In domestic settings

  • In social settings: Anglo-German clubs; children’s parties; sport

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7          CONTEMPORARY PERCEPTIONS OF CCG         

 

These pages will provide a glimpse of how people perceived CCG at the time, including politicians and the public in the UK, as well as CCG employees and the views of Germans about their British occupiers

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  • British public opinion/press/parliament

  • CCG employees

  • The German view: politicians, public opinion/press; CCG German employees

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8          LÜBBECKE’S EXPERIENCE

 

This section describes the experience of Lübbecke, the small town in Westphalia which became CCG’s Headquarters between 1945-1949

  • The choice of Lübbecke

  • Lübbecke under the Nazis

  • Arrival of the Allies

  • Establishing control

  • Lübbecke in April 1945

  • Shortages

  • Making ends meet

  • Requisitioning

  • Relations between the Military Government & German civil authorities

  • Meeting the British

  • Working for the British

  • Back to school

  • Entertainment

  • Freedom of expression

  • New beginnings

  • Lübbeckers’ perceptions of their occupation experience

                                                                     

9     WHY IS THERE NO OFFICIAL HISTORY OF CCG?

 

10      WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? – LIFE AFTER CCG      

 

This section will explain what happened to CCG employees and their tasks when Military Government ended in 1949

  • Downsizing

  • Transfer of functions and personnel to High Commission & FO German Section

  • Residual Tasks:

    • 1949-1955: British Frontier Service; Service Liaison Office; more?

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11     CONCLUSION

 

This section will attempt to stand back and consider the role in and contribution of CCG in supporting the economic revival of west Germany, and establishing democracy and good government; as well as the ongoing relationship between Britain and Germany.

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