WARLUX nodegoat database, on recruits of Schifflange/Luxembourg, Luxembourg Centre for Contemporary and Digital History/University of Luxembourg

Project WARLUX - Soldiers and their communities in WWII: The impact and legacy of war experiences in Luxembourg is a research project based at the Luxembourg Centre for Contemporary and Digital History (C²DH) (University of Luxembourg). The projects focuses on the war experiences of male Luxembourgers born between 1920 and 1927 who were recruited and conscripted into Nazi German services (Reichsarbeitsdienst (RAD) and Wehrmacht) under the Nazi occupation in Luxembourg during the Second World War. 

Data Sample

While over 12,000 men and women were affected by the conscription, Project WARLUX focuses on a case study of 304 recruits from Schifflange and their families. In total, the data sample includes around 1200 persons, recruits and their family members. 

Origin of the data 

The dataset primarily consists of compiled archival documentation, including organizational and official documents, statistics, and standardized fiches and cards. These sources are primarily sourced from the Luxembourgish National Archives and other relevant repositories.

In addition to basic information such as name, birth date, and residence, the (internal) dataset also incorporates military records sourced from German archives. Furthermore, supplementary information related to captivity, repatriation, and compensation was collected in the post-war period. The surveys and statistics conducted by the Luxembourgish state provide valuable insights into the experiences and trajectories of the war-affected generation.

It is important to note that the dataset is a composite of multiple heterogeneous sources, reflecting its diverse origins. 

Database

The researchers involved in the WARLUX project opted for the utilization of a relational database, nodegoat.

The WARLUX project adheres to an object-oriented approach, which is reflected in the core functionalities provided by nodegoat. Given the project's specific focus on the war experiences of recruited Luxembourgers within Nazi services such as the Wehrmacht and RAD, the included data model (warlux data model file) represents only a partial depiction of the comprehensive nodegoat environment employed in the WARLUX project. Within this data model, the interconnected objects and their respective sub-objects are presented, with particular emphasis placed on the individual profiles of recruits and their involvement in military service.

As the data can not be published due to restriction, the team provides a pseudonymized dataset as an example of the data structure. 

The provided dataset shows the male recruits (and conscripts) of the Case Study Schifflange (born between 1920 and 1927). It includes

• nodegoat ID
• their birthdate
• information on death if it occurred during the war
• whereabout after the war (unknown, missing, KIA, returned etc.)

The dataset also includes references to their recruitment into 

• the Wehrmacht and/or the RAD as well as their subsequent activities such as 
• being captured as a Prisoner of War (POW)
• serving for the Allied Forces
• desertion, or 
• draft evasion (réfractaire).

The access to the WARLUX nodegoat database, on recruits of Schifflange/Luxembourg is restricted due to sensitive data. For further questions please contact warlux@uni.lu

The project is funded by the Fond National de la Recherche Luxembourg (FNR).