Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
I will now give you some background information about POW camps and the letters they wrote.
We start with :
1) Military Districts (WEHRKREIS)
2) POW Camps
3) Some letters from / to POW camps
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Wehrkreis (Military Districts)
During World War II, Germany had a system of military districts (German: Wehrkreis) to relieve field commanders of as much administrative work as possible and to provide a regular flow of trained recruits and supplies to the Field Army. The Field Army (Oberbefehlshaber des Heeres) was separate from the Home Command (Heimatkriegsgebiet). The responsibilities of training, conscription, supply, and equipment were entrusted to the Home Command.
In peacetime, the Wehrkreis was the home to the army corps of the same number and all subordinate units of that formation. The corps commander also commanded the Wehrkreis. Command of the Wehrkreis passed to the corps second-in-command at the outbreak of war.
Before the start of the war, there were also four Motorized Army Corps (in effect, staffs to control the training of Panzer and Light Panzer formations). These had no corresponding military districts, but were served (as regards conscription and supplies) by the districts in which Corps headquarters or subordinate formations had their Home Garrison Stations. These Corps were:
• XIV. Armeekorps (mot.) ("XIV Army Corps (Motorized)")
• XV. Armeekorps (mot.) ("XV Army Corps (Motorized)")
• XVI. Armeekorps (mot.) ("XVI Army Corps (Motorized)")
• XIX. Armeekorps (XIX Army Corps)
Each Wehrkreis controlled a Hauptquartier ("Headquarters") and Wehrersatzbezirk Hauptquartier ("Replacement Army District Headquarters") – these Bezirk HQs corresponded to civil political districts falling within the area of the Wehrkreis –, which in turn controlled Bereich Hauptsitze ("Area Headquarters"), which controlled Unterregion Hauptsitze ("Sub-region Headquarters").
At the start of the war, there were fifteen Districts in Germany. During the war, four were added, and some Districts had territory added to them from other countries conquered by Germany.
List of Wehrkreise and subordinate HQs
The Wehrkreise of Germany:
• I – Königsberg (East Prussia, Memel, and Bialystok)
o Königsberg
? Tilsit, Gumbinnen, Treuburg, Bartenstein, Braunsberg, Allenstein, Sudauen
o Allenstein
? Lötzen, Zichenau
• II – Stettin (Mecklenburg and Pomerania)
o Köslin
? Stolp, Kolberg, Neustettin, Deutsch Krone, Woldenburg/Neumark
o Stettin
? Swinemünde; Preußisch Stargard; Greifswald; Stralsund
• III – Berlin (Brandenburg and part of Neumark)
• IV – Dresden (Saxony, Thuringia, and northern Bohemia)
• V – Stuttgart (Württemberg, part of Baden, and Alsace)
• VI – Münster (Westphalia, Rhineland, and the Eupen-Malmedy district of Belgium)
• VII – Munich (Southern Bavaria)
• VIII – Breslau (Silesia, the Sudetenland districts of Bohemia and Moravia, and southwest Poland)
• IX – Kassel (parts of Thuringia and Hesse)
o Kassel
? Kassel I, Kassel II, Korbach, Marburg (Lahn), Hersfeld, Siegen, Wetzlar, Fulda, and Giessen
o Frankfurt am Main
? Frankfurt am Main I, Frankfurt am Main II, Offenbach am Main, Aschaffenburg, Friedberg, Hanau
o Weimar
? Weimar, Sangerhausen, Gera, Rudolstadt, Mulhausen (Thuringia), Erfurt, Eisenach, Gotha, and Meiningen
• X – Hamburg (Schleswig-Holstein, part of Hanover, and Danish Slesvig)
• XI – Hanover (Braunschweig, Anhalt, and Magdeburg)
• XII – Wiesbaden (Eifel, Koblenz, Mannheim, Metz, the Palatinate, the Saar, Lorraine, Nancy, and Luxembourg)
• XIII – Nürnberg (Northern Bavaria, western Bohemia, Regensburg, and Eger)
• XVII – Vienna (Austria, southern Bohemia, and southern Moravia)
• XVIII – Salzburg (Styria, Carinthia, Tyrol, and northern Slovenia)
Wehrkreise XX and XXI were established to control Danzig and Posen: the areas which were part of the German Empire before World War I, were awarded to Poland in 1918, and were annexed by Germany after the conquest of Poland in 1939.
• XX – Danzig (Danzig Free State, Polish Corridor, Neustadt an der Dosse, Stargard in Pommern, Marienwerder, Graudenz, Bromberg, and Thorn)
• XXI – Posen (Posen, Lissa, Hohensalza, Leslau, Kalisch, and Litzmannstadt)
Two additional Wehrkreise were established after the conquest of Poland. Wehrkreis General-Government controlled the remainder of Poland. Wehrkreis Böhmen-Mähren controlled the Protectorate of Bohemia-Moravia: those parts of the Czech lands not part of the Sudetenland.
It has been speculated that the missing Wehrkreis number XIX was intended for use inside Russia if Germany had been successful in completing the invasion and additional numbers would have been assigned to the named Wehrkreis at the end of the war.
Source : WIKIpedia
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Map of military districts of Germany in 1943
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PoW camps run by the Germans during World War II.
Germany was a signatory at the Third Geneva Convention, which established the provisions relative to the treatment of Prisoners of War.
* Article 10 required that PoWs should be lodged in adequately heated and lighted buildings where conditions were the same as German troops.
* Articles 27-32 detailed the conditions of labour. Enlisted ranks were required to perform whatever labour they were asked and able to do, so long as it was not dangerous and did not support the German war effort. Senior Non-commissioned officers (sergeants and above) were required to work only in a supervisory role. Commissioned officers were not required to work, although they could volunteer. The work performed was largely agricultural or industrial, ranging from coal or potash mining, stone quarrying, or work in saw mills, breweries, factories, railroad yards, and forests. PoWs hired out to military and civilian contractors were supposed to receive pay. The workers were also supposed to get a least one day a week of rest.
* Article 76 ensured that PoWs who died in captivity were honourably buried in marked graves.
Types of Camps
* Dulag or Durchgangslager (transit camp) – These camps served as a collection point for POWs prior to reassignment.
* Dulag Luft or Durchgangslager der Luftwaffe (transit camp of the Luftwaffe – These were transit camps for Airforce POWs.
* Stalag or Stammlager (base camp) – These were enlisted personnel POW camps.
* Oflag or Offizier-Lager (officer camp) – These were POW camps for officers.
* Stalag Luft or Luftwaffe-Stammlager (Luftwaffe base camp) – These were POW camps administered by the German Air Force for Allied aircrews.
* Marlag or Marine-Lager (marine camp) – These were Navy personnel POW camps.
* Milag or Marine-Internierten-Lager (marine internment camp) – These were merchant seamen internment camps.
* Ilag/Jlag or Internierungslager (internment camp) – These were civilian internment camps.
Nomenclature
At the start of World War II, the German Army was divided into 17 military districts (Wehrkreis), which were each assigned Roman numerals. The camps were numbered according to the military district. A letter behind the Roman number marked individual Stalags in a military district.
e.g. Stalag II-D was the fourth Stalag in Military District II (Wehrkreis II).
Sub-camps had a suffix "/Z" (for Zweiglager - sub-camp). The main camp had a suffix of "/H" (for Hauptlager - main camp).
e.g. Oflag VII-C/H meant this is the main camp.
Oflag VII-C/Z meant this is a sub-camp of a main camp.
Some of these sub-camps were not the traditional POW camps with barbed wire fences and guard towers, but merely accommodation centers.
List of Camps by Military District
Military District I
* Stalag I-A Stablack
* Stalag I-B Hohenstein (Poland)
* Stalag I F Sudauen (Poland)
* Stalag Luft VI Silute/Heydekrug (Lithuania)
Military District II
* Stalag II-A Neubrandenburg
* Stalag II-B Hammerstein-Schlochau (Poland)
* Stalag II-C Greifswald
* Stalag II-D Stargard
* Stalag II-E Schwerin
* Stalag II H Raderitz
* Stalag Luft I Barth
* Stalag Luft II Litzmannstadt (Poland)
* Stalag Luft IV Tychowo/Gr. Tychow (Poland)
* Oflag II-A Prenzlau
* Oflag II-B Arnswalde
* Oflag II-C Woldenberg
* Oflag II-D Gross Born
* Oflag II-E Neubrandenburg
Military District III
* Stalag III-A Luckenwalde
* Stalag III-B Fuerstenberg/Oder
* Stalag III-C Alt-Drewitz
* Stalag III-D Berlin
* Oflag III-A Luckenwalde
* Oflag III-B Wehrmachtlager Tibor/Zuellichau
* Oflag III-C Luebben/Spree
Military District IV
* Stalag IV-A Elsterhorst
* Stalag IV-B Mühlberg (Elbe)
* Stalag IV-C Wistritz bei Teplitz
* Stalag IV-D Torgau
* Stalag IV-E Altenburg
* Stalag IV-F Hartmannsdorf
* Stalag IV-G Oschatz
* Oflag IV-A Hohnstein
* Oflag IV-B Koenigstein
* Oflag IV-C Colditz Castle
* Oflag IV-D Elsterhorst
Military District V
* Stalag V-A Ludwigsburg
* Stalag V-B Villingen
* Stalag V-C Wildberg
* Stalag V-D Strasbourg
* Stalag Luft V Halle/Saale
* Oflag V-A Weinsberg
* Oflag V-B Biberach
* Oflag V-C Wurzach
Military District VI
* Stalag VI-A Hemer/Iserlohn
* Stalag VI-B Neu-Versen
* Stalag VI-C Oberlangen/Emsland
* Stalag VI-D Dortmund
* Stalag VI-F Bocholt
* Stalag VI-G Bonn-Duisdorf
* Stalag VI-H Arnoldsweiler/Dueren
* Stalag VI-J S.A. Lager Fichtenhein/Krefeld and Dorsten
* Stalag VI-K Stukenbrock
* Oflag VI-A Soest
* Oflag VI-B Doessel-Warburg
* Oflag VI-C Eversheide/Osnabruck
* Oflag VI-D Münster
* Oflag VI-E Dorsten
Military District VII
* Stalag VII-A Moosburg
* Stalag VII-B Memmingen
* Oflag VII Laufen
* Oflag VII-A Murnau am Staffelsee
* Oflag VII-B Eichstaett
* Oflag VII-C Laufen
* Oflag VII-D Tittmoning
Military District VIII
* Stalag VIII-A Görlitz
* Stalag VIII-B Lamsdorf
* Stalag VIII-C Sagan
* Stalag VIII-D Teschen
* Stalag VIII-E/308 Neuhammer
* Stalag VIII-F Lamsdorf
* Stalag Luft III Sagan (Poland)
* Stalag Luft VIII-B Lamsdorf
* Oflag VIII-A Kreuzburg/Oppeln
* Oflag VIII-B Silberberg
* Oflag VIII-C Juliusburg
* Oflag VIII-D/Tittmoning Castle
* Oflag VIII-E Johannisbrunn
* Oflag VIII-F Mährisch-Trübau
* Oflag VIII-G Weidenau/Freiwaldau
* Oflag VIII-H/H Oberlangendorf/Sternberg
* Oflag VIII-H/Z Eulenberg/Roemerstadt
* Stalag Luft 7 Bankau (now B?ków near Kluczbork)
Military District IX
* Stalag IX-A Ziegenhain
* Stalag IX-B Wegscheide/Bad Orb
* Stalag IX-C Bad Sulza
* Oflag IX-A/H Burg Spangenberg
* Oflag IX-A/Z Rotenburg/Fulda
* Oflag IX-B Weilburg/Lahn
* Oflag IX-C Molsdorf near Erfurt
Military District X
* Stalag X-A Schleswig
* Stalag X-B Sandbostel
* Marlag und Milag Nord Sandbostel
* Stalag X-C Nienburg/Weser
* Oflag X Hohensalza
* Oflag X-A Itzehoe
* Oflag X-B Nienburg/Weser
* Oflag X-C Lübeck
* Oflag X-D Fischbeck
Military District XI
* Stalag XI-A Altengrabow
* Stalag XI-B Fallingbostel
* Stalag XI-C Bergen-Belsen
* Stalag Luft XI-B
* Oflag XI-A Osterode
Military District XII
* Stalag XII-A Limburg an der Lahn
* Stalag XII-B Frankenthal/Palatinate
* Stalag XII-C Wiebelsheim/Rhein
* Stalag XII-D Trier/Petrisberg (Trèves)
* Stalag XII-E Metz
* Stalag XII-F Forbach
* Oflag XII-A Hadamar/Limburg an der Lahn
* Oflag XII-B Mainz
Military District XIII
* Stalag XIII-A Bad Sulzbach
* Stalag XIII-B Weiden/Oberpfalz
* Stalag XIII-C Hammelburg/Mainfranken
* Stalag XIII-D Nuremberg-Langwasser
* Oflag XIII-A Nuremberg
* Oflag XIII-B Hammelburg
* Oflag XIII-D Nürnberg-Langwasser
Military District XVII
* Stalag XVII-A Kaisersteinbruch
* Stalag XVII-B Krems-Gneixendorf formerly named Dulag Gneixendorf
* Stalag XVII-C Döllersheim previously named Dulag Döllersheim
* Stalag XVII-D Pupping previously named Zweiglager Pupping, renamed Stalag 237, Stalag 397, and finally Stalag 398 Pupping
* Oflag XVII-A Edelbach
Military District XVIII
* Stalag XVIII-A Wolfsberg
* Stalag XVIII-AZ Spittal
* Stalag XVIII-B Oberdrauburg
* Stalag XVIII-C Markt-Pongau
* Stalag XVIII-D Maribor
* Oflag XVIII-A Lienz/Drau
* Oflag XVIII-B Wolfsberg/Kaernten
* Oflag XVIII-C Spittal/Drau
Military District XX
* Stalag XX-A Thorn (Poland)
* Stalag 312 Thorn (Poland)
* Stalag XX-B Marienburg (Poland)
* Stalag XXI-A Schildberg (Poland)
* Stalag XXI-B Schubin (Poland)
* Stalag XXI-B Thure (Poland)
* Stalag XXI-C/H Wollstein (Poland)
* Stalag XXI-C/Z Graetz
* Stalag XXI-D Posen (Poland)
* Oflag XXI-A Schokken (Poland)
* Oflag XXI-B Schoken (Poland)
* Oflag XXI-C Schubin/Schokken/Schildberg (Poland)
* Oflag XXI-C/Z Grune bei Lissa (Poland)
Other Camps
* Oflag 6 Tost
* Oflag 64 Schubin
* Oflag 79 Waggum, Braunschweig
* Stalag Luft Frankfurt am Main
* Stalag Luft III Zagan (Poland)
* Stalag Luft S Sudauen (Poland)
* Stalag 56 Prostken (Poland)
* Stalag 302 Gross-Born
* Stalag 307 Biala Podlaska (Poland)
* Stalag 307 Deblin (Poland)
* Stalag 313 Czarne (Poland)
* Stalag 315 Przemysl (Poland)
* Stalag 319 Chelm (Poland)
* Stalag 323 Gross-Born
* Stalag 325 Zamosc (Poland)
* Stalag 325 Rawa Ruska (Poland)
* Stalag 327 Jaroslaw (Poland)
* Stalag 328 Lemberg (Poland)
* Stalag 333 Ostrów-Komorowo (Poland)
* Stalag 351 Berkenbrugge
* Stalag 357 Kopernikus (Poland)
* Stalag 359 Poniatowa (Poland)
* Stalag 366 Siedlce (Poland)
* Stalag 369 Krakau (Poland)
* Stalag 369 Kobierzyn (Poland)
* Stalag 371 Stanislau (Poland)
* Stalag XX-A (301) Friesack, Wutzetz/Brandenburg, (Germany)
Fictional prison camps of note
* Stalag 13 - Hogan's Heroes
* Stalag 17
References
* Official list of Stalags - in German
* Official list of Oflags - in German
* List of Nazi camps for Allied POWs in Germany and occupied territories
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HockeyNut -
Thanks for sharing all of your knowledge and information with the club. I have a POW card from my collection that is scanned below from Stalag Luft III Zagan (Poland).
Linus
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You beat me to it Linus.
But before I show you some of these cards / letters one more thing.
DO NOT CONFUSE THE MILITARY DISTRICT NUMBERS WITH THE POSTAL CODE SYSTEM.
See the Next post....
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Postal System Code
The introduction of a postal code system was founded in the Second World War.
During the war, the volume of mail rose enormously due to field mail items and especially field post parcels. Most experienced postal workers who sorted the items had already moved into the Wehrmacht and had been replaced by inexperienced mail sorters and foreign workers with insufficient geographic knowledge, which led to a significant increase in delivery times.
To make matters worse, previously unknown and renamed locations, for example in the General Government as well as in the areas conquered by the Wehrmacht outside the pre-war imperial borders, which even experienced forces were barely aware of, had to be used.
On July 25, 1941, the Reich Post Ministry announced in its Official Gazette 407/1941 the introduction of "parcel routing areas". These initially applied to the parcel service. There were 24 parcel control centers with sub-control centers numbered 1 to 24. The areas generally corresponded to the Gau division and thus also to the district head offices. These were identified by two-digit, numerical postcodes, for example 21 for the province of Westphalia. On October 19, 1943, an "Instruction for the mail distribution service" appeared with the generally binding introduction of 32 leading areas in civilian postal traffic.
The zip code should appear in a circle about the size of a penny to the left of the destination, in brackets for typewriting. The destination had to be underlined additionally.
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ZIP code 13a
ZIP code 23
ZIP code 13a
ZIP code 24
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OFLAG VIII C
STALAG XIII a
OFLAG X d
STAMMLAGER II c
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STALAG X a
Even the backof those cards are interesting :
STALAG X a
With the list of goods for the soldier :
BESCHUITEN / BISCUITS
TABAK / TABACCO
SIGARETTEN / CIGARETTES
CHOCOLADE / CHOCLAT
DADELS / DATES
BOLLEN / BUNS
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OFLAG III b
The goodies the soldier got :
CARBONADE / CHOPPED STEAK
CIGARETTEN / CIGARETTES
CHOCOLADE / CHOCLAT
SARDIENTJES / SARDINES
SUIKER / SUGAR
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Just bought this one .............
Fascinating that a German prisoner of war still uses the term GREAT GERMANY (Gross Deutsches Reich) in 1944.
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Perhaps, it was safer for his family, back in Germany. Anyway, did prisoniers actually know how the war was going?
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The UK National Archives has a collection of record cards for WW2 prisoners of war
German Record cards of British and Commonwealth Prisoners of War and some Civilian Internees.
The WO 416 series includes cards of those that escaped, died, or who were exchanged with German prisoners of wars. They also provide brief glimpses into highly detailed accounts of the medical treatment received by prisoners of war and include photographs and X-rays.
May be of interest to some of our members. Not sure if the online catalogue is complete but paid research is available.
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"Perhaps, it was safer for his family, back in Germany."
Well, never thought about that. Thanks!
"Anyway, did prisoniers actually know how the war was going?"
Actually I do not know, but thinking NO.
Or it must be hearing the news from new POW's
Anyone else an idea?
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"The UK National Archives has a collection of record cards for WW2 prisoners of war
German Record cards of British and Commonwealth Prisoners of War and some Civilian Internees."
Do you have an URL of this website?
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A German POW in Russia :
He writes :
My loved ones 05-06-1947
Have had no mail from you for a long time.
I'm still healthy. Hope
that same for you !
Kind regards
Paul
Reply card, only 25 words!
Mother died on 09-04-1947
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And another one :
He writes :
09-11-1946
My dear!
I'm still healthy what I do
hope of you too!
Merry Christmas, as well as a
happy new year,
greetings, from
Your Paul!
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A very interesting and informative thread. Thank you all for sharing your expertise.
Chimo
Bujutsu
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Hello to you all.
I will now give you some background information about POW camps and the letters they wrote.
We start with :
1) Military Districts (WEHRKREIS)
2) POW Camps
3) Some letters from / to POW camps
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re: World War 2 Prisoners of War Camps in Germany
Wehrkreis (Military Districts)
During World War II, Germany had a system of military districts (German: Wehrkreis) to relieve field commanders of as much administrative work as possible and to provide a regular flow of trained recruits and supplies to the Field Army. The Field Army (Oberbefehlshaber des Heeres) was separate from the Home Command (Heimatkriegsgebiet). The responsibilities of training, conscription, supply, and equipment were entrusted to the Home Command.
In peacetime, the Wehrkreis was the home to the army corps of the same number and all subordinate units of that formation. The corps commander also commanded the Wehrkreis. Command of the Wehrkreis passed to the corps second-in-command at the outbreak of war.
Before the start of the war, there were also four Motorized Army Corps (in effect, staffs to control the training of Panzer and Light Panzer formations). These had no corresponding military districts, but were served (as regards conscription and supplies) by the districts in which Corps headquarters or subordinate formations had their Home Garrison Stations. These Corps were:
• XIV. Armeekorps (mot.) ("XIV Army Corps (Motorized)")
• XV. Armeekorps (mot.) ("XV Army Corps (Motorized)")
• XVI. Armeekorps (mot.) ("XVI Army Corps (Motorized)")
• XIX. Armeekorps (XIX Army Corps)
Each Wehrkreis controlled a Hauptquartier ("Headquarters") and Wehrersatzbezirk Hauptquartier ("Replacement Army District Headquarters") – these Bezirk HQs corresponded to civil political districts falling within the area of the Wehrkreis –, which in turn controlled Bereich Hauptsitze ("Area Headquarters"), which controlled Unterregion Hauptsitze ("Sub-region Headquarters").
At the start of the war, there were fifteen Districts in Germany. During the war, four were added, and some Districts had territory added to them from other countries conquered by Germany.
List of Wehrkreise and subordinate HQs
The Wehrkreise of Germany:
• I – Königsberg (East Prussia, Memel, and Bialystok)
o Königsberg
? Tilsit, Gumbinnen, Treuburg, Bartenstein, Braunsberg, Allenstein, Sudauen
o Allenstein
? Lötzen, Zichenau
• II – Stettin (Mecklenburg and Pomerania)
o Köslin
? Stolp, Kolberg, Neustettin, Deutsch Krone, Woldenburg/Neumark
o Stettin
? Swinemünde; Preußisch Stargard; Greifswald; Stralsund
• III – Berlin (Brandenburg and part of Neumark)
• IV – Dresden (Saxony, Thuringia, and northern Bohemia)
• V – Stuttgart (Württemberg, part of Baden, and Alsace)
• VI – Münster (Westphalia, Rhineland, and the Eupen-Malmedy district of Belgium)
• VII – Munich (Southern Bavaria)
• VIII – Breslau (Silesia, the Sudetenland districts of Bohemia and Moravia, and southwest Poland)
• IX – Kassel (parts of Thuringia and Hesse)
o Kassel
? Kassel I, Kassel II, Korbach, Marburg (Lahn), Hersfeld, Siegen, Wetzlar, Fulda, and Giessen
o Frankfurt am Main
? Frankfurt am Main I, Frankfurt am Main II, Offenbach am Main, Aschaffenburg, Friedberg, Hanau
o Weimar
? Weimar, Sangerhausen, Gera, Rudolstadt, Mulhausen (Thuringia), Erfurt, Eisenach, Gotha, and Meiningen
• X – Hamburg (Schleswig-Holstein, part of Hanover, and Danish Slesvig)
• XI – Hanover (Braunschweig, Anhalt, and Magdeburg)
• XII – Wiesbaden (Eifel, Koblenz, Mannheim, Metz, the Palatinate, the Saar, Lorraine, Nancy, and Luxembourg)
• XIII – Nürnberg (Northern Bavaria, western Bohemia, Regensburg, and Eger)
• XVII – Vienna (Austria, southern Bohemia, and southern Moravia)
• XVIII – Salzburg (Styria, Carinthia, Tyrol, and northern Slovenia)
Wehrkreise XX and XXI were established to control Danzig and Posen: the areas which were part of the German Empire before World War I, were awarded to Poland in 1918, and were annexed by Germany after the conquest of Poland in 1939.
• XX – Danzig (Danzig Free State, Polish Corridor, Neustadt an der Dosse, Stargard in Pommern, Marienwerder, Graudenz, Bromberg, and Thorn)
• XXI – Posen (Posen, Lissa, Hohensalza, Leslau, Kalisch, and Litzmannstadt)
Two additional Wehrkreise were established after the conquest of Poland. Wehrkreis General-Government controlled the remainder of Poland. Wehrkreis Böhmen-Mähren controlled the Protectorate of Bohemia-Moravia: those parts of the Czech lands not part of the Sudetenland.
It has been speculated that the missing Wehrkreis number XIX was intended for use inside Russia if Germany had been successful in completing the invasion and additional numbers would have been assigned to the named Wehrkreis at the end of the war.
Source : WIKIpedia
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re: World War 2 Prisoners of War Camps in Germany
Map of military districts of Germany in 1943
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re: World War 2 Prisoners of War Camps in Germany
PoW camps run by the Germans during World War II.
Germany was a signatory at the Third Geneva Convention, which established the provisions relative to the treatment of Prisoners of War.
* Article 10 required that PoWs should be lodged in adequately heated and lighted buildings where conditions were the same as German troops.
* Articles 27-32 detailed the conditions of labour. Enlisted ranks were required to perform whatever labour they were asked and able to do, so long as it was not dangerous and did not support the German war effort. Senior Non-commissioned officers (sergeants and above) were required to work only in a supervisory role. Commissioned officers were not required to work, although they could volunteer. The work performed was largely agricultural or industrial, ranging from coal or potash mining, stone quarrying, or work in saw mills, breweries, factories, railroad yards, and forests. PoWs hired out to military and civilian contractors were supposed to receive pay. The workers were also supposed to get a least one day a week of rest.
* Article 76 ensured that PoWs who died in captivity were honourably buried in marked graves.
Types of Camps
* Dulag or Durchgangslager (transit camp) – These camps served as a collection point for POWs prior to reassignment.
* Dulag Luft or Durchgangslager der Luftwaffe (transit camp of the Luftwaffe – These were transit camps for Airforce POWs.
* Stalag or Stammlager (base camp) – These were enlisted personnel POW camps.
* Oflag or Offizier-Lager (officer camp) – These were POW camps for officers.
* Stalag Luft or Luftwaffe-Stammlager (Luftwaffe base camp) – These were POW camps administered by the German Air Force for Allied aircrews.
* Marlag or Marine-Lager (marine camp) – These were Navy personnel POW camps.
* Milag or Marine-Internierten-Lager (marine internment camp) – These were merchant seamen internment camps.
* Ilag/Jlag or Internierungslager (internment camp) – These were civilian internment camps.
Nomenclature
At the start of World War II, the German Army was divided into 17 military districts (Wehrkreis), which were each assigned Roman numerals. The camps were numbered according to the military district. A letter behind the Roman number marked individual Stalags in a military district.
e.g. Stalag II-D was the fourth Stalag in Military District II (Wehrkreis II).
Sub-camps had a suffix "/Z" (for Zweiglager - sub-camp). The main camp had a suffix of "/H" (for Hauptlager - main camp).
e.g. Oflag VII-C/H meant this is the main camp.
Oflag VII-C/Z meant this is a sub-camp of a main camp.
Some of these sub-camps were not the traditional POW camps with barbed wire fences and guard towers, but merely accommodation centers.
List of Camps by Military District
Military District I
* Stalag I-A Stablack
* Stalag I-B Hohenstein (Poland)
* Stalag I F Sudauen (Poland)
* Stalag Luft VI Silute/Heydekrug (Lithuania)
Military District II
* Stalag II-A Neubrandenburg
* Stalag II-B Hammerstein-Schlochau (Poland)
* Stalag II-C Greifswald
* Stalag II-D Stargard
* Stalag II-E Schwerin
* Stalag II H Raderitz
* Stalag Luft I Barth
* Stalag Luft II Litzmannstadt (Poland)
* Stalag Luft IV Tychowo/Gr. Tychow (Poland)
* Oflag II-A Prenzlau
* Oflag II-B Arnswalde
* Oflag II-C Woldenberg
* Oflag II-D Gross Born
* Oflag II-E Neubrandenburg
Military District III
* Stalag III-A Luckenwalde
* Stalag III-B Fuerstenberg/Oder
* Stalag III-C Alt-Drewitz
* Stalag III-D Berlin
* Oflag III-A Luckenwalde
* Oflag III-B Wehrmachtlager Tibor/Zuellichau
* Oflag III-C Luebben/Spree
Military District IV
* Stalag IV-A Elsterhorst
* Stalag IV-B Mühlberg (Elbe)
* Stalag IV-C Wistritz bei Teplitz
* Stalag IV-D Torgau
* Stalag IV-E Altenburg
* Stalag IV-F Hartmannsdorf
* Stalag IV-G Oschatz
* Oflag IV-A Hohnstein
* Oflag IV-B Koenigstein
* Oflag IV-C Colditz Castle
* Oflag IV-D Elsterhorst
Military District V
* Stalag V-A Ludwigsburg
* Stalag V-B Villingen
* Stalag V-C Wildberg
* Stalag V-D Strasbourg
* Stalag Luft V Halle/Saale
* Oflag V-A Weinsberg
* Oflag V-B Biberach
* Oflag V-C Wurzach
Military District VI
* Stalag VI-A Hemer/Iserlohn
* Stalag VI-B Neu-Versen
* Stalag VI-C Oberlangen/Emsland
* Stalag VI-D Dortmund
* Stalag VI-F Bocholt
* Stalag VI-G Bonn-Duisdorf
* Stalag VI-H Arnoldsweiler/Dueren
* Stalag VI-J S.A. Lager Fichtenhein/Krefeld and Dorsten
* Stalag VI-K Stukenbrock
* Oflag VI-A Soest
* Oflag VI-B Doessel-Warburg
* Oflag VI-C Eversheide/Osnabruck
* Oflag VI-D Münster
* Oflag VI-E Dorsten
Military District VII
* Stalag VII-A Moosburg
* Stalag VII-B Memmingen
* Oflag VII Laufen
* Oflag VII-A Murnau am Staffelsee
* Oflag VII-B Eichstaett
* Oflag VII-C Laufen
* Oflag VII-D Tittmoning
Military District VIII
* Stalag VIII-A Görlitz
* Stalag VIII-B Lamsdorf
* Stalag VIII-C Sagan
* Stalag VIII-D Teschen
* Stalag VIII-E/308 Neuhammer
* Stalag VIII-F Lamsdorf
* Stalag Luft III Sagan (Poland)
* Stalag Luft VIII-B Lamsdorf
* Oflag VIII-A Kreuzburg/Oppeln
* Oflag VIII-B Silberberg
* Oflag VIII-C Juliusburg
* Oflag VIII-D/Tittmoning Castle
* Oflag VIII-E Johannisbrunn
* Oflag VIII-F Mährisch-Trübau
* Oflag VIII-G Weidenau/Freiwaldau
* Oflag VIII-H/H Oberlangendorf/Sternberg
* Oflag VIII-H/Z Eulenberg/Roemerstadt
* Stalag Luft 7 Bankau (now B?ków near Kluczbork)
Military District IX
* Stalag IX-A Ziegenhain
* Stalag IX-B Wegscheide/Bad Orb
* Stalag IX-C Bad Sulza
* Oflag IX-A/H Burg Spangenberg
* Oflag IX-A/Z Rotenburg/Fulda
* Oflag IX-B Weilburg/Lahn
* Oflag IX-C Molsdorf near Erfurt
Military District X
* Stalag X-A Schleswig
* Stalag X-B Sandbostel
* Marlag und Milag Nord Sandbostel
* Stalag X-C Nienburg/Weser
* Oflag X Hohensalza
* Oflag X-A Itzehoe
* Oflag X-B Nienburg/Weser
* Oflag X-C Lübeck
* Oflag X-D Fischbeck
Military District XI
* Stalag XI-A Altengrabow
* Stalag XI-B Fallingbostel
* Stalag XI-C Bergen-Belsen
* Stalag Luft XI-B
* Oflag XI-A Osterode
Military District XII
* Stalag XII-A Limburg an der Lahn
* Stalag XII-B Frankenthal/Palatinate
* Stalag XII-C Wiebelsheim/Rhein
* Stalag XII-D Trier/Petrisberg (Trèves)
* Stalag XII-E Metz
* Stalag XII-F Forbach
* Oflag XII-A Hadamar/Limburg an der Lahn
* Oflag XII-B Mainz
Military District XIII
* Stalag XIII-A Bad Sulzbach
* Stalag XIII-B Weiden/Oberpfalz
* Stalag XIII-C Hammelburg/Mainfranken
* Stalag XIII-D Nuremberg-Langwasser
* Oflag XIII-A Nuremberg
* Oflag XIII-B Hammelburg
* Oflag XIII-D Nürnberg-Langwasser
Military District XVII
* Stalag XVII-A Kaisersteinbruch
* Stalag XVII-B Krems-Gneixendorf formerly named Dulag Gneixendorf
* Stalag XVII-C Döllersheim previously named Dulag Döllersheim
* Stalag XVII-D Pupping previously named Zweiglager Pupping, renamed Stalag 237, Stalag 397, and finally Stalag 398 Pupping
* Oflag XVII-A Edelbach
Military District XVIII
* Stalag XVIII-A Wolfsberg
* Stalag XVIII-AZ Spittal
* Stalag XVIII-B Oberdrauburg
* Stalag XVIII-C Markt-Pongau
* Stalag XVIII-D Maribor
* Oflag XVIII-A Lienz/Drau
* Oflag XVIII-B Wolfsberg/Kaernten
* Oflag XVIII-C Spittal/Drau
Military District XX
* Stalag XX-A Thorn (Poland)
* Stalag 312 Thorn (Poland)
* Stalag XX-B Marienburg (Poland)
* Stalag XXI-A Schildberg (Poland)
* Stalag XXI-B Schubin (Poland)
* Stalag XXI-B Thure (Poland)
* Stalag XXI-C/H Wollstein (Poland)
* Stalag XXI-C/Z Graetz
* Stalag XXI-D Posen (Poland)
* Oflag XXI-A Schokken (Poland)
* Oflag XXI-B Schoken (Poland)
* Oflag XXI-C Schubin/Schokken/Schildberg (Poland)
* Oflag XXI-C/Z Grune bei Lissa (Poland)
Other Camps
* Oflag 6 Tost
* Oflag 64 Schubin
* Oflag 79 Waggum, Braunschweig
* Stalag Luft Frankfurt am Main
* Stalag Luft III Zagan (Poland)
* Stalag Luft S Sudauen (Poland)
* Stalag 56 Prostken (Poland)
* Stalag 302 Gross-Born
* Stalag 307 Biala Podlaska (Poland)
* Stalag 307 Deblin (Poland)
* Stalag 313 Czarne (Poland)
* Stalag 315 Przemysl (Poland)
* Stalag 319 Chelm (Poland)
* Stalag 323 Gross-Born
* Stalag 325 Zamosc (Poland)
* Stalag 325 Rawa Ruska (Poland)
* Stalag 327 Jaroslaw (Poland)
* Stalag 328 Lemberg (Poland)
* Stalag 333 Ostrów-Komorowo (Poland)
* Stalag 351 Berkenbrugge
* Stalag 357 Kopernikus (Poland)
* Stalag 359 Poniatowa (Poland)
* Stalag 366 Siedlce (Poland)
* Stalag 369 Krakau (Poland)
* Stalag 369 Kobierzyn (Poland)
* Stalag 371 Stanislau (Poland)
* Stalag XX-A (301) Friesack, Wutzetz/Brandenburg, (Germany)
Fictional prison camps of note
* Stalag 13 - Hogan's Heroes
* Stalag 17
References
* Official list of Stalags - in German
* Official list of Oflags - in German
* List of Nazi camps for Allied POWs in Germany and occupied territories
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re: World War 2 Prisoners of War Camps in Germany
HockeyNut -
Thanks for sharing all of your knowledge and information with the club. I have a POW card from my collection that is scanned below from Stalag Luft III Zagan (Poland).
Linus
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re: World War 2 Prisoners of War Camps in Germany
You beat me to it Linus.
But before I show you some of these cards / letters one more thing.
DO NOT CONFUSE THE MILITARY DISTRICT NUMBERS WITH THE POSTAL CODE SYSTEM.
See the Next post....
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re: World War 2 Prisoners of War Camps in Germany
Postal System Code
The introduction of a postal code system was founded in the Second World War.
During the war, the volume of mail rose enormously due to field mail items and especially field post parcels. Most experienced postal workers who sorted the items had already moved into the Wehrmacht and had been replaced by inexperienced mail sorters and foreign workers with insufficient geographic knowledge, which led to a significant increase in delivery times.
To make matters worse, previously unknown and renamed locations, for example in the General Government as well as in the areas conquered by the Wehrmacht outside the pre-war imperial borders, which even experienced forces were barely aware of, had to be used.
On July 25, 1941, the Reich Post Ministry announced in its Official Gazette 407/1941 the introduction of "parcel routing areas". These initially applied to the parcel service. There were 24 parcel control centers with sub-control centers numbered 1 to 24. The areas generally corresponded to the Gau division and thus also to the district head offices. These were identified by two-digit, numerical postcodes, for example 21 for the province of Westphalia. On October 19, 1943, an "Instruction for the mail distribution service" appeared with the generally binding introduction of 32 leading areas in civilian postal traffic.
The zip code should appear in a circle about the size of a penny to the left of the destination, in brackets for typewriting. The destination had to be underlined additionally.
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ZIP code 13a
ZIP code 23
ZIP code 13a
ZIP code 24
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OFLAG VIII C
STALAG XIII a
OFLAG X d
STAMMLAGER II c
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re: World War 2 Prisoners of War Camps in Germany
STALAG X a
Even the backof those cards are interesting :
STALAG X a
With the list of goods for the soldier :
BESCHUITEN / BISCUITS
TABAK / TABACCO
SIGARETTEN / CIGARETTES
CHOCOLADE / CHOCLAT
DADELS / DATES
BOLLEN / BUNS
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OFLAG III b
The goodies the soldier got :
CARBONADE / CHOPPED STEAK
CIGARETTEN / CIGARETTES
CHOCOLADE / CHOCLAT
SARDIENTJES / SARDINES
SUIKER / SUGAR
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re: World War 2 Prisoners of War Camps in Germany
Just bought this one .............
Fascinating that a German prisoner of war still uses the term GREAT GERMANY (Gross Deutsches Reich) in 1944.
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re: World War 2 Prisoners of War Camps in Germany
Perhaps, it was safer for his family, back in Germany. Anyway, did prisoniers actually know how the war was going?
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re: World War 2 Prisoners of War Camps in Germany
The UK National Archives has a collection of record cards for WW2 prisoners of war
German Record cards of British and Commonwealth Prisoners of War and some Civilian Internees.
The WO 416 series includes cards of those that escaped, died, or who were exchanged with German prisoners of wars. They also provide brief glimpses into highly detailed accounts of the medical treatment received by prisoners of war and include photographs and X-rays.
May be of interest to some of our members. Not sure if the online catalogue is complete but paid research is available.
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re: World War 2 Prisoners of War Camps in Germany
"Perhaps, it was safer for his family, back in Germany."
Well, never thought about that. Thanks!
"Anyway, did prisoniers actually know how the war was going?"
Actually I do not know, but thinking NO.
Or it must be hearing the news from new POW's
Anyone else an idea?
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re: World War 2 Prisoners of War Camps in Germany
"The UK National Archives has a collection of record cards for WW2 prisoners of war
German Record cards of British and Commonwealth Prisoners of War and some Civilian Internees."
Do you have an URL of this website?
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re: World War 2 Prisoners of War Camps in Germany
A German POW in Russia :
He writes :
My loved ones 05-06-1947
Have had no mail from you for a long time.
I'm still healthy. Hope
that same for you !
Kind regards
Paul
Reply card, only 25 words!
Mother died on 09-04-1947
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re: World War 2 Prisoners of War Camps in Germany
And another one :
He writes :
09-11-1946
My dear!
I'm still healthy what I do
hope of you too!
Merry Christmas, as well as a
happy new year,
greetings, from
Your Paul!
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re: World War 2 Prisoners of War Camps in Germany
A very interesting and informative thread. Thank you all for sharing your expertise.
Chimo
Bujutsu
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