UROP in History: “Work, Play, and Identity: Understanding Masculinity in German POWs through Labor and Sports Programs”

Darian Abenes, a Ph.D. candidate in the history department and officer in the U.S. army, came to FSU after seven years in the military to earn an M.A. and prepare for teaching at West Point. Her research focuses on prisoner of war programs that the United States set up during World War II with a special emphasis on race relations between U.S. captors and German POWs. She examines how the presence of German POWs challenged or confirmed constructions of race.

While war propaganda had described all Germans as monsters, when they were transported to America, they looked like ‘the boy next door’ and seemed to embody the same kind of masculine ideal of physical strength as was already prevalent in the U.S. This led people who encountered the POWs to ask how different they really were ideologically, if they looked so similar.

While the concept of masculinity is important to the military profession, Abenes was curious to investigate its significance for POW programs. Her UROP project set out to investigate how cultural values of physical culture and masculinity shaped the treatment of German POWs with specific reference to the sports and labor programs at POW camps. She worked with two UROP students: Vaneza, a biomedical science major, and Enzo, a finance major. For this article, we spoke with Vaneza about her research for this project.

Vaneza: I am a biomedical science major. I was interested in history in high school, and I was considering majoring in it. But I want to be a veterinarian, which made it more important to focus on biological sciences in undergrad.

I did not find out about UROP until I was on campus. I was part of the Health Sciences Living and Learning Community and as part of that program we listened to speakers who introduced us to different aspects of campus life. One of my goals had been to do research as an undergrad, and when I found out about UROP, I decided to pursue that in my sophomore year. I applied to projects to do with either research into animal behavior or history.

I had been in the International Baccalaureate program in high school, and I wrote an extended essay on how women expressed their femininity through their ways of dressing from the 1960s to the 1980s. When I looked through the UROP project list and saw that this one was on the construction of masculinity, it stood out to me as it was both parallel and complementary to what I had done research before. That’s what made me apply.

What did you specifically look at? 

I'm looking at the role of sports among the German POW who were brought to the United States. How their strength and abilities in athletics shaped their perception of themselves. Throughout the fall and spring semesters, I have been analyzing primary and secondary sources – together with my partner who focused more on the labor aspect of being a POW.

I examined letters written at the time as well as newspapers and photos of POWs engaged in sport activities like wrestling or playing soccer. Darian sent me links to primary sources, and I researched historical websites for more material. All my sources were digital. For my secondary sources, I reviewed books, articles, and dissertations that dealt with sports and masculinity in 20th century America.

I took notes on what sports the POWs played. I wrote down how the playing of sports impacted them. Being involved in athletic activities gave them a sense of freedom from captivity, allowed them to be competitive, assert their drive and masculinity. It was good for their mental health too; it gave them an outlet and a break from routine.

The POWs organized the sports themselves with the help of their captors who provided them with equipment.

What was the most challenging thing about UROP?

The research was not that hard, but what was a challenge was balancing UROP with my other coursework. Setting aside time to look for sources and setting aside time to work on my other classes, that is what gave me some trouble in the beginning. To help me stay on top of things, I made a to-do list at the beginning of the week and put down time slots during which I would work only on UROP and at other times I would only focus on homework.

We had regular Zoom meetings, when my partner and I shared our research findings for that week, and we explained to each other what we had found out. It was really good practice having to talk out loud, it has helped me remember stuff more. Once we started working on our poster board, my partner and I met in person too.

What was your favorite part of UROP?

That it has allowed me to make connections. I am a very shy person, and it is hard for me to reach out to professors. UROP allowed me to form a good connection with my research mentor, the working together and the hand holding through the research process. Learning how to build a good relationship was one of my goals.

What advice would you give to other students about joining UROP?

If you are even slightly interested in doing research, sign up for it! It is a privilege to be able to do research in undergrad, and it is a privilege to be part of UROP. It gives you the opportunity to try out research. And there is a colloquium that goes alongside the research project. The colloquium is run by former UROP students who can provide you with additional guidance. They have been through the program and know what you are doing.

I want to continue with research after UROP. I would like to focus more on animal behavior, as that will be more directly connected to veterinary science. I feel like UROP opened the door for other research opportunities.