Arbeitsbuch für Ausländer – Nikolai Bigunow – Berlin Zehlendorf – OST Worker Insignia Visible

Nikolai Bigunow was born on the 9th of May 1920 in Odessa in Ukraine. His Work Book, states he is from the occupied eastern sector and that his nationality is not fully known, but to be considered as a Eastern Worker. 

On Bigunow’s picture his patch on his jacket can be clearly seen, OST. Standing for Ostarbeiter/Eastern Worker. The Reichssicherheitshauptamt (Reich Main Security Office) created a set of guidelines to be followed when dealing with Ostarbeiter. Seen as enemies of the German state, they were to be taken by forceful means and shipped via train to Germany. In Germany, they were treated like prisoners, kept in camps that were guarded. Bigunow was sent to work for a company in Berlin-Weißensee in mid 1943, by 1945 he was sent to a Camp in Berlin Zehlendorf where he worked for a building company. 

This item is featured in a book on the Battle of Berlin 1945, featured alongside 100s of other IDs and items from Berlin.