Ruhrpolen

"Ruhrpolen" (“Ruhr Poles”) is a German umbrella term for Silesians, Masurians and ethnic Poles who migrated to the rapidly-industrializing areas of the Ruhr Valley, mainly from historical eastern Germany, that is the Prussian provinces of Posen, (Upper) Silesia, and East and West Prussia. This migration wave known as the Ostflucht begun in the late 19th century. The migrants found employment in the mining, steel and construction industries. In modern times it is estimated that roughly 150,000 inhabitants of the Ruhr Area (out of roughly 5 millions) are of Polish descent. Famous "Ruhrpolen" include the unlikely selection of Erich Kempka, Adolf Hitler’s chauffeur, as well as players of FC Schalke 04 - Fritz Szepan and Ernst Kuzorra etc.

References

*Mark Terkessidis, "Migranten", EVA, 2000