While searching the Arolson archives for any Plenzler relatives, I came across Anton Plenzler as well as Thomas Plenzler. Anton was born 1 January 1911 to Wojceich and Marie Plonczak in Wiorek.
Anton was a POW of the Germans. As condition for status of former POW, he was forced to register for compulsory labor.
For Anton, a photo of him was available on a registration card for Polish civilian workers.
The German Ausländerpolizei (foreigner police) registered civilian forced laborers. Polish workers were provided a green card. Two identical cards were created: one was used by the local/city Ausländerpolizei and the other was sent to the Reich Main Security Office in Berlin. This was done to track forced laborers.
His documented work was to be employed by a George Grasslin. The document below, translated from German to English, states that Anton is single, a Pole, was ethnicially from the “Eastern Territories” (Posen), and was from Hochdorf. As a former POW, he was employed by a Georg Grässlin and was in the Reich starting 16 September 1940. It appears as if he was released from forced labor on 23 June 1944.
The date, 23 June 1944 is significant and may be a clue to why Anton was released. 23 June was a critical date for Poland, Russia launched Operation Bagration. This was a massive offence by Russia that was begun on 22 June. it was a massive summer offensive on the Eastern Front. This offensive marked the beginning of the end for Nazi control in Poland, The first Nazi concentration camp built in the Poznan area, Fort VII officially stopped operating. By June 22, remaining prisoners were being transferred to the Żabikowo camp.
The rest of Anton’s story has yet to be discovered, new documents will need to be uncovered. Unlike Thomas, his name is not listed in the Victims of the Holocaust by the United States Holocaust Museum. His fate at the end of WWII is stated as unknown.