Ngerman pows in russia after the war books

Walter warda, a soldier in the german army during world war ii, was captured by the russians and held in a soviet pow camp until 1950, surviving typhoid fever and years of unspeakable brutality. Based on documents in the russian archives grigori f. One often finds statements that soviet pows who survived german captivity were accused by the soviet authorities of collaboration with the nazis31 or branded as traitors under order no. What happened to the german pows that were captured at stalingrad. Amazing read about german prisoners of war in russia after wwii. My mother, a german pow, held in an open air prison camp for years after the war, if still alive, would have much to dispute with your simple minded assessment of post war prison camps. Half of the german pows in the west were imprisoned by us forces, half by the british. The treatment of former red army pows after wwii soviet.

Nazi germany had occupied much of its prewar agricultural land, and the tremendous demands of the soviet military resulted in food shortages within the civilian economy, and ultimately, the pow camps as well. References containing information about prisoners of war of the japanese in world war ii adbc site. When the russians started pushing the germans out of russia, the german pow were treated equally lousily. I suppose you intended the 2 million pows who, once they were repatriated after the war, were either immediately executed by the cheka or sent to the gulags. Many german prisoners will remain in russia after the end of war, not voluntarily, but because the russians need them as workers. German prisoners of war packed into the nonant le pin prisoner camp, 1944. According to data, almost 15% of axis pows died in soviet captivity. On this date in 1944, wehrmacht oberst rudolf korpert, his deputy hauptmann carl frister, and officers fritz musenthin, otto mader, richard seidlitz and kurt wohlfarth, were shot in the soviet union for their treatment of russian prisoners of war at stalingrad. It was not until 1976 that one of the bodies was positively identified. Once the pows landed in the united states, after being under the sole control of the army, different agencies were drawn into the pow program to pursue. Officially, the soviet union took 2,388,000 germans and 1,097,000 combatants from other european nations as prisoners during and just after the war. After the peace treaty, prisoners of war should be dismissed into their homeland within shortest period. The uboat war in world war two kriegsmarine, 19391945 and world war one kaiserliche marine, 19141918 and the allied efforts to counter the threat.

Apr 19, 2011 in wwii, when the germans surrendered after the battle of stalingrad, what exactly happened to them. How did the soviets treat liberated allied pows during world. As these posters pointed out, there are many books from the german point of view. Mar 05, 2018 that sent kerr on a course of research that resulted in two books about the pows local experiences and how the war affected local residents everyday lives. Many prisoners held in american camps in the usa were, without doubt, considered paradise to those being held in germany, france, england, or worse, russian. He didnt have accurate data on the soviets strength.

German treatment of soviet pows world war ii today. I have an interest in german which was started by my interest in american pows. An investigation into the mass deaths of german prisoners at the hands of the french and americans after world war ii 3rd ed. The following cases stand out in the history books because they are rare. Books in japanese pow research network japan english website. Still, german pows prisoners of war in the soviet union lived much. A german prisoner of war escorted by a soviet soldier with a ppsh41, 1943. Aug 10, 2014 approximately three million german prisoners of war were captured by the soviet union during world war ii, most of them during the great advances of the red army in the last year of the war. How many german pows died in russian custody after the end. After their six week journey from north africa the pows ended up at one of the two embarkation points, camp shanks, new york or norfolk, virginia from which the next and last stage of the journey would take place. Approximately three million german prisoners of war were captured by the soviet union during world war ii, most of them during the great advances of the red army in the last year of the war.

For a time it looked like the germans had continued their winning ways, but the russians were springing a trap that upset the entire war. That is not only perfectly legal, but also prevents the danger of the returning prisoners of war becoming the core of a new national movement. In the communist realms, the conditions that german pows, many just kids, endured on the eastern front were beyond grim and did not follow any accepted protocol for treatment of captured soldiers. Forced labor of germans in the soviet union wikipedia. In the years following world war ii, large numbers of german civilians and captured soldiers were forced into labour by the allied forces. The liberation of the pows world war ii prisoners of war. As other answers indicate pows who escaped and went east, or were liberated by soviet advances, were generally treated well. Given the circumstances in europe at the end of the war, however, a 2,000calorie diet. First published in 1992, soldiers of misfortune proclaims to tell the story of washingtons secret betrayal of americans pows in the soviet union. After the fall of the communism, the russians opened their war archives and actively helped the italians in the research of the fate of the italian pow as well as in the locations of many war graves. After the third reichs fortunes shifted decisively in the lost battle for moscow in december 1941, the allies began to inflict grievous defeats on the german army, which resulted in millions of casualties and prisoners of war pows. The repatriation of pows from the soviet union began shortly after the war, when in 1946 the sick and disabled were sent to their home countries. Each ww2 veteran has an unique story of his war experience.

Krivosheev in his 1993 study listed 2,389,600 german nationals taken as pows and the deaths of 450,600 these german pows including 356,700 in nkvd camps and 93,900 in transit. The pows themselves constituted an important economic force, both as labourers within. Soviet archival documentsfrom an earlier era after world war iireveal that americans were detained, and even perished, in the vast soviet gulag. Stalag luft i was north of berlin, so it was unsure at first which of the allied fronts would reach them first. I dont know the total number of the romanian pows in russia and i also dont know how many of them returned back home after ww2 ended. In the first eight months after operation barbarossa, it must have been far higher. After scanning the book, turning the images into text though optical. I have several books describing this and the comparision to german camps is. German army veteran of world war ii remembers the eastern front.

As late as 1953, however, at least 20,000 german pows remained in russia. Most of them died during 1941 only later would they be recognised as a useful source of labour and allowed to survive in order to work, on a starvation diet, for the germans. German civilians in germany and eastern europe were deported to the ussr after world war ii as forced laborers, while ethnic germans living in the ussr were deported during. At the end, karl heinz was handed a transcript of the interrogation, in russian.

Oct 07, 2012 nonetheless, between 1941 and 1952, almost a million german pows died in the camps. The ww2 russian prisoner of war holocaust dark history. During the war in russia german forces captured 5,700,000 russian pows. Hong kong veterans commemorative assocation books on allied pows. Post ww ii european history the sorry fate of german pows.

As in western allied military personnel taken prisoner. Although it was one of the most common experiences of combatants in world war i, captivity has received only a marginal place in the collective memory of the great war and has seemed unimportant compared with the. As the wehrmacht drove quickly into russia in the second half of 1941, millions of russian soldiers were captured. In this photograph, a red army solider is seen marching a german solider into captivity after the battle of stalingrad. Seven years as a soviet prisoner of war 0884998458384. A german prisoner of war escorted by a soviet soldier, stalingrad, 1943.

Romanian pows in soviet union world war 2 pictures in color. Jan, 2006 i like to know if they are any books in english that discuss what happened to the german pows taken by the russians including germans taken after the war was over for raparations. Historian traces story of area german pows local news. I like to know if they are any books in english that discuss what happened to the german pows taken by the russians including germans taken after the war was over for raparations. Having delved into the issue of prisoners of war pows and those listed as missing in action mia during the cold war era, i found myself tracking down this book.

In german prisonerof war camps for red army soldiers, the death rate over the course of the war was 57. Joint winner of fraenkel prize for contemporary history 2001, london. That is not only perfectly legal, but also prevents the danger of. Jan 11, 2017 after the fall of the communism, the russians opened their war archives and actively helped the italians in the research of the fate of the italian pow as well as in the locations of many war graves. Aug 07, 2015 the question of the pows was a very important topic already in nazi germany. In late april, 1945 as the war in europe was nearing its end, the russians were approaching from the east and the british and americans from the west in a race to get to hitlers headquarters in berlin. First and foremost,hitler never should have attacked russia. North vietnam shipped as many as 300 american prisoners of war to the former soviet union. What happened to the returning german soldiers that were. German pows and their destiny after all the guns of wwii fell. Russias illegal prisoners of war the washington post. There was no peace treaty in place at the end of the war. Wwii german prisoners return home 1955 british pathe youtube.

Nazi germany had occupied much of its pre war agricultural land, and the tremendous demands of the soviet military resulted in food shortages within the civilian economy, and ultimately, the pow camps as well. What gis mapping reveals about german pows in soviet russia. How did the soviets treat liberated allied pows during. Agent says vietnam pows were shipped to russia upi archives. News desk 24th june 2000michael walsh british and allied troops appearing as defendants in war crimes trials with brutal serbs and former red army thugs is well overdue, says 20 th century analyst, michael. The question of the pows was a very important topic already in nazi germany. German pows were labelled disarmed enemy forces def rather than prisoners of war in order to skirt provisions of the hague land warfare convention which mandated humane treatment, including that which stated. About 2 million prisoners were repatriated from 1946 to 1955. Ten years after the war ended and families are still hoping the. Jan 15, 2011 a russian world war 2 vet wishes the world to know how a group of american prisoners of war risked their lives to help him and his comrades. After the war, the vast majority of ordinary germans in east and west believed that they had suffered the most during world war ii, and pows were the very symbol of defeat and german victimization.

Allied troops, as well as axis troops, committed terrible atrocities during the war. And why the russians gave the german red cross now just 43,000. Approximately three million german prisoners of war were captured by the soviet union during. Although it was one of the most common experiences of combatants in world war i, captivity has received only a marginal place in the collective memory of the great war and has seemed unimportant compared with the experiences of soldiers on the. In the morning when the russians came into the barracks, they counted how. In german prisonerofwar camps for soldiers of the western allies, the death rate was less than five percent. Recommended books of general interest in the study of the pows. The soviet union captured almost 3 million german pows and. There was severe punishment for escape attempts, there were meager rations and drafty bunkhouses, and there were irregular deliveries of packages from the red cross.

Winner of talmon prize, israel, awarded by the israeli academy of sciences. A german prisoner of war escorted by a soviet soldier, stalingrad, 1943 a german prisoner of war escorted by a soviet soldier with a ppsh41, 1943. Books about internment camps in asia during wwii books about civilian internees and camps. Ww ii european history the sorry fate of german pows. When they were finally released, their country had been divided into east and. German pows on the american homefront history smithsonian. Pows were able to complain about these conditions to the swiss legation which protected german interests. As other answers indicate pows who escaped and went east. Most of the deaths occurred during the war years, when there was a serious lack of food, warm clothes and adequate housing. The pows were employed as forced labor in the soviet.

The immense suffering germany and her axis partners had caused surely played a key role in the treatment of enemy pows. The topic of using germans as forced labour for reparations was first broached at the tehran conference in 1943, where soviet premier joseph stalin demanded 4,000,000 german workers. Use of defeated germans as slave labor and postwar. At the time of the german surrender, on 8 may 1945, approximately twenty nations allied against former nazi. Mar 01, 2017 according to available russian records, a total of 2. Soviet prisoners of war held by the germans had it no better than the german prisoners held by the soviet union. German pows and their destiny after all the guns of wwii. After the battle of moscow and the retreat of the german forces the number of prisoners in the soviet prisoner of. German army veteran of world war ii remembers the eastern. T he germans were hardly the genial hosts, whether you were a pow during world war i or world war ii. He took us to where there were other german prisoners.

Mistreatment of german women pows axis history forum. German pows in forcedlabor camps after the end of world war ii through 1956. By the end of 1946, a significant number of german pows had been released. In the first months of operation barbarossa, few germans were captured by soviet forces.

In german prisonerofwar camps for red army soldiers, the death rate over the course of the war was 57. A german prisoner of war escorted by a soviet soldier. The last of the surviving pows 10,000 men were released from the soviet union in 1955, after a decade of forced labor. 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. According to the office of public administration part of federal ministry of the interior, compensation for germans used as forced labor after the war cannot be claimed in germany since september 29, 1978, due to the statute of limitations. The wwii prisoners are released from the soviet union, a country which. A russian world war 2 vet wishes the world to know how a group of american prisoners of war risked their lives to help him and his comrades. Hildebrandt said she decided to publish the names in books that the public.

I watched an interesting documentary on the thousands of us servicemen liberated from the germans in ww2 by the red army who subsequently were never returned. The german 6th army surrendered in the battle of stalingrad, 91,000 of the survivors became prisoners of war raising the number to 170,000 6 in early 1943. At the heart of the matter is a great and engrossing mystery. In addition, we list those books that specifically give an overview of an area, combat zone, or issue of dispute. Germans taken prisoner by the soviet union numbered around 3,250,000, and about 36 percent of them 1,200,000 vanished there, the rest of them trickling back to germany in the years after war. German pows were impressed into forced labor during and after world war ii by the soviet union. That sent kerr on a course of research that resulted in two books about the pows local experiences and how the war affected local residents everyday lives. This contrasts sharply with the actions of my grandfather who, on the declaration of war immediately left his wife and children and pissed off, first to france, then north africa, italy, france again and finally germany. Given the circumstances in europe at the end of the war, however, a 2,000 calorie diet.

Some years after the war a mass grave was discovered just west of the city of nuremberg. Walter warda, a soldier in the german army during world war ii, was captured by the. Apr 24, 2011 my mother, a german pow, held in an open air prison camp for years after the war, if still alive, would have much to dispute with your simple minded assessment of post war prison camps. I know that a lot of them were sent to forced labour camps all of the soviet, but i read somewhere that some were sent to towns in russia and forced to rebuild the. In german prisonerof war camps for soldiers of the western allies, the death rate was less than five percent. That being said, the majority of german pows actually survived their time in soviet pow camps.

After the battle of moscow and the retreat of the german forces the number of prisoners in the soviet prisoner of war camps rose to 120,000 by early 1942. How many german pows died in russian custody after the end of. According to available russian records, a total of 2. The guns of distant battles fell silent long ago, but unanswered questions concerning united states servicemen missing. The hardship, hunger, suffering mr holl and his fellow soldiers went through was amazing and horrifying. British pows liberated by the russians army rumour service. I would not wish on my worst enemy, the treatment we gave to post war pows in germany, or worse, russia. Ive always enjoyed to talk with ww2 veterans, especially with former pows. The following books are recommended as they are based upon valid research, sufficient facts, and dialogue to give an understanding of the pow experience.

Back in romania years ago i could speak with some ww2 veterans who had been. I know that 9 were captured or killed, and when the war ended that only about 6000 or so actually made it back to germany. The prisoners were a mix of nationalities, including germans who were. What happened to the german pows that were captured at. German prisoners of war packed into the nonant le pin. Clearly the authors story was one of thousands of men who were held captive after the war. In wwii, when the germans surrendered after the battle of stalingrad, what exactly happened to them. Dec 24, 2014 and if it does, my client is russias pow. It provided an interesting perspective on what it was like in postwar russia and the endurance of the german pows. German prisoners of war in the soviet union wikipedia. Forced labor of germans after world war ii wikipedia. Pows in the soviet union, and in soviet occupied countries such as poland, had the worst luck.

But even if the war were solely between the ukrainian government and the rebels, it is still governed by the geneva conventions as an internal armed. Nonetheless, between 1941 and 1952, almost a million german pows died in the camps. German prisoners of war in the soviet union youtube. Forced labor of germans in the soviet union was considered by the soviet union to be part of german war reparations for the damage inflicted by nazi germany on the soviet union during world war ii. Extreme cold and hunger were always a constant but their will to live and get back to germany was amazing. I know that type of research would require open soviet papers and i doubt that the soviets would be open to discuss real treatment of pows and numbers perished. Jan 28, 2011 as the bbc pointed out, she bravely remained in london beside her husband during the war. This article has highlighted the diverse situation of more than 2 million pows held throughout russia during and after the first world war, whose numbers were decimated by extraordinarily high death tolls in comparison with pows held by other warring powers. After the war, investigators from various countries, and with varying political motives, calculated the number of civilians killed to be as little as 8,000 to more than 200,000.