'Improperly and amorously consorting' : post-1945 relationships between British women and German prisoners of war held in the UK
This thesis concerns transgressive gender relations in Britain in the aftermath of WW2. It examines illicit intimate relationships between British women and German prisoners of war held in the UK for several years immediately following WW2. In discussing the significance of these relationships relative to gender roles, sexual relations and war, this study seeks to re-address and add a nuanced aspect to the question of the effect of the war on British women. It is argued that in the context of the gendered dimension of the transition from war to peace, these controversial relationships highlight a neglected narrative of the conflicted early postwar years. By exploring the subjectivity of both sides, this thesis also attempts to show how these relationships demonstrate susceptibility among younger age cohorts to wartime influences on British women. Oral history testimony from the subjects themselves forms the main primary source material. These narratives, comprising interviews and correspondence with 38 former prisoners of war and 61 women, were mostly collected in the mid- to late-1980s, when many of the subjects were in their early 60s. A wide range of other sources, both primary and secondary, including
Ingham, Mary
'Improperly and amorously consorting' : post-1945 relationships between British women and German prisoners of war held in the UK. This thesis concerns transgressive gender relations in Britain in the aftermath of WW2. It examines illicit intimate relationships between British women and German prisoners of war held in the UK for several years immediately following WW2. In discussing the significance of these relationships relative to gender roles, sexual relations and war, this study seeks to re-address and add a nuanced aspect to the question of the effect of the war on British women. It is argued that in the context of the gendered dimension of the transition from war to peace, these controversial relationships highlight a neglected narrative of the conflicted early postwar years. By exploring the subjectivity of both sides, this thesis also attempts to show how these relationships demonstrate susceptibility among younger age cohorts to wartime influences on British women. Oral history testimony from the subjects themselves forms the main primary source material. These narratives, comprising interviews and correspondence with 38 former prisoners of war and 61 women, were mostly collected in the mid- to late-1980s, when many of the subjects were in their early 60s. A wide range of other sources, both primary and secondary, including
improperly consort post relationship british woman german prisoner_war hold concern transgressive gender_relation britain aftermath examines illicit intimate_relationship british woman german prisoner_war hold immediately_follow discuss significance relationship relative gender_role sexual relation war study_seek address add nuanced aspect question effect war british woman argue context gendered dimension transition war_peace controversial relationship highlight neglect narrative conflict early postwar year explore subjectivity side also attempt_show relationship susceptibility among young_age cohort wartime influence british woman oral_history testimony subject form main primary_source_material narrative comprise interview correspondence former prisoner_war woman mostly collect mid late many subject wide_range_source primary_secondary include