3500 German Civilians

They carried cargo, shovelled coal, carried out repackaging, driving, cleaning, building, cooking, or repair works – the daily operation of the British airfield in Berlin-Gatow would have been unimaginable without German workers. The number of German civilian employees drastically increased due to the Berlin Airlift. The RAF Gatow’s Operations Record Book counted 1400 German workers in late June 1948, and 3500 by late July. The British airfield was considered an attractive workplace: Post-war Berlin was destroyed and the airfield provided a safe income, good working conditions, and lunch.