[31], Camps built libraries to organize their reading material and prisoners often purchased their own, but they never had enough reading material, with an average of one half book per prisoner. Constructed for prisoners, later reused for housing after the war, Fortuitously located outside a city where many locals still spoke German. [20]:110 The cinema served as an important reeducation and propaganda tool as well as entertainment, with Hollywood anti-Nazi films, cartoons such as "Herr Meets Hare", and the Why We Fight series used;[29][30] American World War II films shown mostly dealt with the Pacific War. Chelsea, MI: Scarborough House, 1996. NAZI PRISONERS OF WAR IN AMERICA is a concise and (apparently) comprehensive overview, which describes the incarceration of the roughly 375,000 captured members of the German military in 500+ camps and branch camps thoughout the United States from May 1942 to July 1946. First attempted escape by two German POWs on 5 November 1942. [12]:8–11,21–22, Although they expected to go home immediately after the end of the war in 1945, the majority of German prisoners continued working in the United States until 1946—arguably violating the Geneva Convention's requirement of rapid repatriation—then spent up to three more years as laborers in France and the United Kingdom. When the war ended in 1945, the US began transporting the prisoners back to their home countries and by 1946 they had all been repatriated. [2] The United States Department of War designated three locations as POW camps during the war: Forts McPherson and Oglethorpe in Georgia and Fort Douglas in Utah. St. Louis: Missouri Historical Society Press, 2003. A few continued into the early 1970s in Las Animas county where Trinidad is located. Here are 5 examples of POW camps in the United States during World War II. After the United States entered World War II in 1941, the government of the United Kingdomrequested American help with housing prisoners of war due to a housing shortage in Britain, asking for the USA to take 175,000 prisoners. International Encyclopedia of the First World War, Camp Atterbury — Italian and German POW Camp (Indiana), Byu.edu: Extensive overview of World War I POW life, Article describing World War I POW camp at Fort McPherson, Armistice between Russia and the Central Powers, Treaty on the Final Settlement with Respect to Germany, Rape during the Soviet occupation of Poland, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=German_prisoners_of_war_in_the_United_States&oldid=1010104279, Prisoners of war held by the United States, World War II prisoners of war held by the United States, World War II prisoner of war camps in the United States, Military history of Germany during World War II, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 3 March 2021, at 20:31. The most famous of those buried on the installation is German submariner Werner Henke, who was shot while trying to escape from a secret interrogation center at Fort Hunt, Virginia. [16], Groups of prisoners pooled their daily beer coupons to take turns drinking several at a time. Five days later, the POWs arrived in Berga, a quaint German town of 7,000 people on the Elster River, whose concentration camps appear on few World War II maps. After two years as an American POW weighed 185. Large German pow camp 2 miles outside of Thomasville. From these points, prisoners were processed then distributed to one of the main camps, which numbered over 150 by wars end, or smaller branch camps. POW Camp, Co.1, Tooele (original postage). After Kurt Rossmeisl—who had lived in Chicago for 14 years—surrendered, Gärtner was the only remaining escapee who had not been captured. [19] The three admirals and forty generals in custody were sent to Camp Shelby in Mississippi, where each had his own bungalow with a garden. German prisoners of war in the United Kingdom, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Populations at World War II prisoner-of-war camps in the United States, List of World War II prisoner-of-war camps in the United States, United States home front during World War I, United States home front during World War II, German prisoners of war in the Soviet Union, German prisoners of war in northwest Europe, "The War Department: Keeper of Our Nation's Enemy Aliens During World War I,", "Fort Douglas War Prison Barracks Three Prisoners Of War", "German Prisoners 507 Strong, Join Interned Comrades", "Wreath-laying honors WWI German prisoners buried at Fort Douglas", "Pruning the Parks: Chattanooga National Cemetery", "Cemeteries - Fort Lyon National Cemetery,", "History of Prisoner of War Utilization by the United States Army 1776-1945", "Day of mourning will honor German POWs held in U.S.", "Enemies and Friends: POWs in the Tar Heel State", "German POWs in North America: The Journey to Prison Camps", "German POWs kept in Central Florida during WWII", "German POWs in North America: Recreation", "German POWs Return to Maine in Friendship", "How Did Americans Feel About Incarcerating German POW's in W. W. II on US Soil? Valley Forge General Hospital, later the Golf Course area. [16] Often members of the Afrika Korps who had been captured early in the war during Germany's greatest military successes[14]:150–151 led work stoppages, intimidated other prisoners, and held secret kangaroo court for those accused of disloyalty. Facilities now serve as an adjunct to the state's mental health program. The camp ceased operation in early 1973, when the POWs were transferred to Hanoi for repatriation to the United States. [14]:158–159 Many devoted Nazis remained loyal to their political beliefs and expected a German victory until the Allies crossed the Rhine in March 1945; their faith amazed prisoners captured during and after the Battle of Normandy, who had more realistic views of the likely outcome of the war. [21][13] The likelihood of an escapee returning to their forces overseas was very remote;[26] the wish to avoid boredom was the reason most often given by those who attempted to escape,[14]:132,152 often hoping to reach Argentina. Thirty-three German POWs and two Italian POWs are now buried in the post cemetery. Its military had only brief experience with a limited POW population in the last world war, and was unprepared for basic logistical considerations such as food, clothing and housing requirements of the prisoners.Almost all German-speaking Americans were … All hard currency was confiscated with other personal possessions during initial processing for return after the war as mandated by the convention, as money could be used during escape attempts. Fielded Search. In 1943 the government estimated that prisoner labor cost 50 to 75% of normal free labor. Reinhold Pabel escaped on 9 September 1945 and was recaptured in Chicago in March 1953, Now Tampa International Airport and Drew Park. By 1943, Arkansas had received the first of 23,000 German and Italian prisoners of war, who would live and work at military installations and branch camps throughout the state. Its military had only brief experience with a limited POW population in the last world war, and was unprepared for basic logistical considerations such as food, clothing and housing requirements of the prisoners. A 120-foot (37 m) nearly-completed escape tunnel was discovered by authorities. Krammer, Arnold. For example, the additional remarks from Dos Palos POW Branch Camp for the period ending 12 February 1946 stated "1692 [German POWs] waiting for Repatriation CAMP CLOSED 12 February 1946. [13], Relying on Germans to discipline themselves, while efficient, also permitted committed groups of Nazi prisoners to exist despite American attempts to identify and separate them. Many demanded that the POWs be immediately killed, a sentiment the regular casualty lists in American newspapers encouraged. [6][7][8][9], After the United States entered World War II in 1941, the government of the United Kingdom requested American help with housing prisoners of war due to a housing shortage in Britain, asking for the US to take 175,000 prisoners. [21] The prisoners were provided with writing materials, art supplies, woodworking utensils, and musical instruments,[28] and were allowed regular correspondence with family in Germany. Just like other POW camps, Camp Clinton put prisoners to work. [16], Prisoners regardless of ideology often taunted their captors, such as saluting with Sieg Heils when forced to attend the lowering of the United States flag. He and other anti-Nazis were sent to Camp Ruston in Louisiana to protect them,[14]:xx,27,114–115,151,153,157,161,167–168 while an Oklahoma camp received Waffen-SS and violent prisoners. [15] While they risked being sunk by their own U-boats on the ocean, good treatment began with the substantial meals served aboard. [14]:42–45,148,163 The prisoners were usually shipped in Liberty Ships returning home that would otherwise be empty,[12]:5 with as many as 30,000 arriving per month. This list of Prisoner of War Camps, Italian Service Unit Camps, and Prisoner of War Hospitals is based on weekly reports located on NARA microfilm #66-538 (population lists June 1942-June 1946). The camp was the largest out of the 16 in the state of Kansas, with over 800 U.S. … [36] The camps for Germans were cited as precedents for various positions or failures of U.S. detainee policy during the debate over detainees at Guantanamo Bay Detention Camp. [17] Labor unions were the largest opposition to the use of the prisoner workers, citing the War Manpower Commission's rules that required union participation in worker recruitment whenever possible. This list of Prisoner of War Camps, Italian Service Unit Camps, and Prisoner of War Hospitals is based on weekly reports located on NARA microfilm #66-538 (population lists June 1942-June 1946). [3] The exact population of German POWs in World War I is difficult to ascertain because they were housed in the same facilities used to detain civilians of German heritage residing in the United States, but there were known to be 406 German POWs at Fort Douglas and 1,373 at Fort McPherson. [10][11] The United States agreed to house them,[12]:5 although it was not prepared. This was consistent with the unchanging level of confidence found in German soldiers immediately after their capture in Europe despite steady German defeats. German POWs on the American Homefront Thousands of World War II prisoners ended up in mills, farm fields and even dining rooms across the United States … The tone of their articles varied; some promoted Nazi ideology and foresaw German victory. In the United States, at the end of World War II, there were 175 Branch Camps serving 511 Area Camps con... Did you know there were German POW Camps in America? [15] Alex Funke, a former POW at Camp Algona, wrote: "We all were positively impressed" by the U.S. and that "We all had been won over to friendly relations with" the U.S.[27] Indeed, unauthorized fraternization between American women and German prisoners was sometimes a problem. Camp Concordia held roughly 4,000 prisoners on a large swath of land in north-central Kansas. The majority of these men (350,000) were from Germany. Over 400,000 foreign POWs, mostly Germans, but also some Italian and Japanese prisoners, lived and worked in the U.S. in over 700 camps. The reading material they prepared was overly intellectual and did not appeal to most prisoners, and der Ruf was unpopular as it was essentially a literary journal with little current news. [13][25][12]:33–34[16] The Germans woke their own men, marched them to and from meals, and prepared them for work;[26] their routine successfully recreated the feel of military discipline for prisoners. [34], The OPMG began a formal reeducation program for German prisoners in fall 1943. By the time the war ended, about 500,000 captured soldiers were housed in the United States, and 380,000 of those were German prisoners of war. “Our treatment was excellent. Near the end of the war approved German films from a list exchanged through the Red Cross became available. While prisoners on average worked more slowly and produced less than civilians, their work was also more reliable and of higher quality. The camp buildings are preserved in. [22][23][24] The government had difficulty in persuading the public that treating the prisoners according to the Geneva Convention made it more likely that Germany would treat American prisoners well. The camp was one of Mississippi’s most notorious because it held the highest ranking German officials. Ten of 29 British officers made their way to freedom, making this "the most successful escape from a German prison camp during the First World War". (Scholar Arnold Krammer noted that in his years of interviewing prisoners he never met one who admitted to being a Nazi, and most Germans had some knowledge of the camps; however, how much those captured in North Africa knew of the Eastern Front—where most atrocities occurred—is unclear. Following WWII, the facilities were taken over by the Veterans Administration with both a hospital and large domiciliary complement. The 25,000 graduates of these classes returned directly to Germany, instead of being used for additional labor in Europe. German POWs found conditions in the United States somewhat surprising. In all, 425,000 German prisoners lived in 700 camps throughout the United States during World War II. The United States agreed to house them:5 although it was not prepared. Camp Huntsville was the first to be set up in Texas. Prisoners who died during escape attempts usually received military funerals with US government-provided German flags. A 150-foot (46 m) electrically-lighted escape tunnel was discovered by authorities. [17][28] Reunions of camp inmates, their captors and local townspeople such as those held in Maine and Georgia have garnered press coverage and local interest for this unusual and infrequently mentioned aspect of the war on the American home front. Werner Paul Lueck escaped in November 1945 and was recaptured in Mexico City in 1954. )[16], Despite the delay in repatriation, Krammer reported that "I've yet to meet a German prisoner who doesn't tell me that it was the time of their lives. [20]:48–49[12]:34–37 Less than 1% of all prisoners of war in America attempted to escape, however—about half the rate of Italian prisoners[12]:7 and less than the rate in the civilian prison system[19]— and most were unsuccessful. The prisoners taken by the Western Allies were held in generally good conditions in camps located in Australia, New Zealand, India and the United States. The camps were located all over the US but were mostly in the South because of the higher expense of heating the barracks in other areas. [12]:22, Many future German CEOs benefited from education they received as prisoners in the United States. Before being sent home they were required to watch documentaries of the camps. The current site of the TriCity Airport (MBS), Close to Fort Lincoln and held over 5,000 confederate soldiers. [29] Movies were shown as often as four nights a week;[24] if the camp did not have a projector, prisoners often pooled their savings to purchase one. Like any country in the world America has had its share of prisoner of war camps throughout its history. Little Kohler, Town of Fredonia, Wisconsin, On site of Will Rogers World Airport, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Between Farmington and Ste. He lived under his adopted name Dennis Whiles, and wrote a book about his life, Hitler's Last Soldier in America.[39]. From 1942-1945, more than 400,000 POWs, mostly German, were housed in some 500 POW camps located in this country. Earning their keep. [20]:52–53), luxuries such as beer and wine were sometimes available, and hobbies or sports were encouraged. After V-E Day, SPD began a series of rapid classes on democracy for some of the most cooperative prisoners. The Enemy among Us: POWs in Missouri during World War II. [20]:78 They could work on farms or elsewhere only if they were also paid for their labor, and officers could not be compelled to work. Prisoner-of-war camps in the United States during World War II. [16] Georg Gärtner, who escaped from a POW camp in Deming, New Mexico on September 21, 1945 to avoid being repatriated to Silesia, occupied by the Soviet Union, remained at large until 1985. However, many prisoners accepted the films as factual: after compulsory viewing of an atrocity film, 1,000 prisoners at Camp Butner dramatically burned their German uniforms. Although a prisoner of war is usually a member of the military it is likely that in a time of crisis the civilian population as well as the POW's could be intermingled. They stayed in 700 camps[15] in 46 states; a complete list may not exist because of the small, temporary nature of some camps and the frequent use of satellite or sub-camps administratively part of larger units. As the United States sent millions of soldiers overseas, the resulting shortage of labor eventually meant that German POWs worked toward the Allied war effort by helping out in canneries, mills, farms, and other places deemed a minimal security risk. Two escaped. [16], On December 23, 1944, 25 German POWs broke out of Camp Papago Park in Arizona[32] by crawling along a 178-foot (54 m) tunnel. The YMCA printed thousands of copies of books for the camps, and even provided bookbinding material so camps could repair them due to frequent use. After the United States entered World War II in 1941, the Government of the United Kingdom requested American help with housing prisoners of war due to a housing shortage in Britain. Their nation's complete defeat in the war and subsequent division into two countries were likely much more influential than SPD reeducation in Germans' postwar rejection of Nazism.