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648:) which they drew from the farm kitchen. At 06:30 they washed their spoons and enameled bowls and cleaned their barracks. They shaved and washed themselves in three large wash pans filled from a single spigot which gave only cold water. The outdoor latrine was a 3-seater. At 07:00 they rode out to potato fields in horse-drawn wagons driven by "coldly hostile German farmhands" who would welcome the opportunity to shoot a "kriege." Under the watchful, armed guards they dug potatoes until 11:30 when they rode back to the farm for the noon meal. This consisted of Red Cross
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534:. At times more than 600 men were quartered in each of the three single-story barracks 45 feet (14 m) wide and 180 feet (55 m) long. Despite these extremely crowded barracks, conditions contrasted well with the Russian barracks which held as many as 1,000 POWs apiece. Barracks were divided in two by a centre washroom which had twenty taps. Water fit for drinking was available at all hours except during the last two months when it was turned off for part of the day. Bunks were the regulation POW triple-decker bunk beds with
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unsheltered on the ground; sometimes they were fortunate enough to find a heated barn. Except for one period when Red Cross food was exhausted and guards became surly, morale of the men remained at a high level. Practically all the men shaved at every opportunity and kept their appearance as neat as possible under the circumstances. From time to time weak POWs would drop out of the column and wait to be picked up by other columns which were on the move.
336:. By mid-September 1939, there were some 3,000 Polish POWs in the camp, and the number further grew afterwards. At first they lived in tents, throughout the severe winter of 1939–1940, and construction of all the huts was not completed until 1941. Cold combined with poor sanitary conditions and food rations, resulted in widespread diseases and many deaths. In May–June 1940, during and following the German invasion of
542:) for each man. In the front and rear of each barracks was a urinal to be used only at night. Three stoves provided what heat there was for the front half of each barrack, and two for the rear half. The fuel ration was always insufficient, and in December 1944 was cut to its all-time low of 26 pounds (12 kg) of coal per stove per day. On warm days the Germans withheld part of the fuel ration.
356:. Faced with poor results, the Germans subjected the Poles to starvation and terror, as well as deportations to heavy labor subcamps. Polish Jewish POWs were assigned to hard and humiliating work. In December 1940, 1,691 Polish prisoners were recorded as being there. Lack of warm clothing and malnutrition resulted in high mortality among POWs from Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Senegal,
633:), where 12 French POWs were already working without guards. Americans were billeted in a section of a large brick-floored barn. Adjoining sections were occupied by pigs, cattle and grain. POWs slept on double-decker bunk beds under two blankets. The French had a small building of their own. Guards lived in a small room opening onto the Americans' quarters.
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original plan was of little assistance. German guards ordered POWs to fall out of the barracks. When 1,200 men had assembled on the road, the remaining 500 were allowed to stay in the barracks. A disorganised column of 1,200 marched out into the cold and snow. The guards were considerate, and Red Cross food was available.
686:
almost every stop McMahan bartered coffee, cigarettes, or chocolate for potatoes which he issued to the men. Bread, the most important item, was not issued regularly. When it was needed most it was never available. The soup was, as a rule, typical watery German soup, but several times POW got a good, thick
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by German vegetable soup. Boarding the wagons at 13:00, POWs worked until 16:30. The evening meal at 17:00 consisted of Red Cross food and the farmers' issue of soup, potatoes and gravy. After this meal they could sit outdoors in the fenced-in pen of 30 feet (9.1 m) by 8 feet (2.4 m) until
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On
Sundays, the guard permitted POWs to lounge or to walk back and forth in the "yard" all day, but they spent a good deal of their time scrubbing their barracks and washing their clothing. Sunday dinner from the farm usually include a meat pudding and cheese. Once a month each POW received a large
661:. These were transmitted to distant Kommandos by rail and to nearby units by German Army trucks. Parcels were stored in the guards' room until issued. The average tour of duty on a farm Kommando lasted indefinitely. On other work detachments it lasted until the specific project had been completed.
487:
In August 1943 the Stalag was reported as newly opened to privates of the US ground forces with a strength of 451. The
Hammerstein installation acted as a headquarters for work detachments in the region and seldom housed more than one fifth of the POWs credited to it. Thus at the end of May 1944,
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After the first day, the column was broken down into three groups of 400 men each, with NCOs in charge of each group. For the next three months, the column was on the move, marching an average of 22 kilometres (14 mi) a day 6 days a week. German rations were neither regular nor adequate. At
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John M. McMahan, the "Man of
Confidence" (MOC) (a prisoner selected to liaise with the camp authorities) set up a plan of organisation based on 25-man groups and 200 man companies with NCOs in charge. On the day of the evacuation, however, POWs were moved out of camp in such a manner that the
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Without it, it is doubtful that the majority of men could have finished the march. The ability of the men to steal helped a lot. The weather was atrocious. It always seemed to be either bitter cold or raining or snowing. Quarters were usually unheated barns and stables. Sometimes they slept
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Except for housekeeping chores benefiting POWs, no work was performed in the Stalag. All men fit to work were set out to
Kommandos where conditions approximated the following: A group of 29 Americans were taken under guard to a huge farm 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) from
447:, which lasted until March 1942, claiming some 40,000-50,000 victims. The Germans decided to treat the epidemic only when the first cases of disease occurred among German personnel. A total of 38,383 Soviet POWs were held Stalag II B.
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There were attempts to escape from the camp or its subcamps. German guards shot at those escaping without warning, and POWs captured after a chase were either murdered or sent to penal subcamps and later to
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although the strength was listed as 4,807, only 1,000 of these were in the enclosure. At its peak in
January 1945, the camp strength was put at 7,200 Americans, with some 5,315 of these out on 9 major
328:, however, it was dissolved after several months, and the prisoners were deported elsewhere. In late September 1939 the camp was changed to a prisoner-of-war camp to house Polish soldiers from the
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530:— and the Americans were segregated by nationality in the North Compound. Within the American enclosure were the playing field, workshops and dispensary, showers, and
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On the initiative of the Polish POWs, a camp infirmary was organized, led by Polish doctor and POW Edmund
Mroczkiewicz. The infirmary was also the focal point of the
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On 28 January 1945, POWs received instructions to be ready to evacuate the camp at 08:00 hours the following morning. Upon receipt of these instructions,
439:, as well as Polish civilians from Soviet prisons, often accidentally classified as POWs. It was located south of the railway tracks. In November 1941 a
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subcamps in the area, to work in forestry and agriculture. Eventually POWs of various nationalities were sent to numerous forced labour subcamps (
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after an easy three-day trip, and then moved on to adjacent Marlag X-C on 16 April. Westertimke was liberated by the
British on 28 April 1945.
344:, French and Belgian prisoners began to arrive. To make room for them, many of the Poles were forced to relinquish their POW status to become
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organization Odra, and
Mroczkiewicz was its member. The organization was involved in intelligence, diversion and sabotage actions.
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Polish, French, Belgian, Serbian, Dutch, Soviet, Italian, American, Senegalese, Malagasy, Tunisian, Moroccan, Algerian and other
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705:, 800 men were sent to work on Kommandos, leaving only 133 POWs who were joined a week later by the Large Kommando Company from
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690:. Through the activity of some of the key NCOs, Red Cross food was obtained from POW camps passed by the column on the march.
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470:. From September 1943, also Italian POWs were brought to the camp. In April 1945 the camp was liberated by the Soviet
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Czajkowska, Agata (2022). "Stalag II B Hammerstein. Obóz jeńców wojennych 1939-1945 na pomorzu zachodnim".
254:
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49:
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408:
407:("East Compound") began in June 1941 to accommodate the large numbers of Soviet prisoners taken in
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The United States
Holocaust Memorial Museum Encyclopedia of Camps and Ghettos 1933–1945. Volume IV
725:, where they met the men they had left behind at Stalag II-B who had left on 18 February, reached
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Memorial to 65,000 prisoners of war who died or were murdered by the
Germans in Stalag II-B
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In August 1943 the first American prisoners arrived, having been taken prisoner in the
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1031:"Sowjetische Kriegsgefangene in deutschem Gewahrsam 1941–1945: Zahlen und Dimensionen"
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were detained in the East Compound, while the other nationalities — 16,000
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as a camp for Russian prisoners. In 1933 it was established as one of the first
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on 6–7 March the column dwindled to some 900 American POWs. On 19 March at
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fences. Additional fences formed compounds and sub-compounds. Ten thousand
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18:30, after which the guard locked them in their section for the night.
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The camp sprawled over 25 acres (10 ha) surrounded by the usual two
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situated 2.4 kilometres (1.5 mi) west of the town of Hammerstein,
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Megargee, Geoffrey P.; Overmans, Rüdiger; Vogt, Wolfgang (2022).
717:. Ten POWs were killed. The rest of the column proceeded to
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Since October 1939, Polish POWs were sent to newly formed
385:. Many POWs often recalled German abuse in the subcamps.
959:"American Prisoners of War in Germany : Stalag IIB"
364:. In April 1941, Serbian POWs were brought to the camp.
312:
The camp was situated on a former army training ground (
761:
Szultka, Zygmunt (June 1995). "Dwie wojny, dwa obozy".
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mattresses and one German blanket (plus two from the
1072:
Records of World War II Prisoners of War (1942-1947)
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United States Army Official Report, 1 November 1945
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Barrack hut of Stalag II B under construction, 1941
377:) located in various cities, towns and villages in
261:) on the north side of the railway line. It housed
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1029:Otto, Reinhard; Keller, Rolf; Nagel, Jens (2008).
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657:Red Cross food box containing four regulation
1110:World War II prisoner-of-war camps in Germany
709:. On 13 April the column was strafed by four
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765:(in Polish). No. 6 (266). p. 32.
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52:inspect POWs at Stalag II-B, 9 August 1941
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857:Stalag IIB Hammerstein, Czarne en Pologne
571:Executive Officer - Oberstleutnant Segars
989:(in Polish). Vol. 7, no. 385.
1012:United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
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352:, and some were offered to sign on the
403:The construction of the second camp,
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1038:Vierteljahrshefte für Zeitgeschichte
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506:Map of the Stalag IIB POW compounds
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878:Megargee, Overmans & Vogt 2022
795:Megargee, Overmans & Vogt 2022
581:Security Officer- Hauptmann Giesel
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584:Medical Officer- Hauptmann Wagner
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644:soup, bread and hot water (for
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964:Military Intelligence Service
929:Otto, Keller & Nagel 2008
1115:World War II sites in Poland
739:List of POW camps in Germany
316:), and had been used during
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308:Polish POWs in Stalag II-B
665:Evacuation and liberation
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1008:Indiana University Press
987:Biuletyn Informacyjny AK
348:, in a violation of the
322:Nazi concentration camps
346:civilian slave laborers
46:International Red Cross
1050:10.1524/vfzg.2008.0026
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615:Treatment of prisoners
610:- Unteroffizer Wendorf
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443:epidemic broke out in
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255:Pomeranian Voivodeship
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50:Carl Jacob Burckhardt
494:("Work Companies").
409:Operation Barbarossa
243:prisoner-of-war camp
217:Garrison information
165:Prisoner-of-war camp
44:A delegation of the
1077:Description of camp
574:Kommando Officer -
453:concentration camps
411:, including ethnic
145:53.6853°N 16.9096°E
141: /
114:Show map of Germany
1082:2018-10-30 at the
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350:Geneva Conventions
330:September Campaign
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176:Controlled by
84:Show map of Poland
1021:978-0-253-06089-1
967:. 1 November 1945
892:, pp. 17–18.
659:Red Cross parcels
650:food supplemented
468:Tunisian campaign
398:Polish resistance
360:, Madagascar and
326:German communists
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334:Pomorze Army
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300:Camp history
240:World War II
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211:World War II
207:Battles/wars
194:Site history
188:Nazi Germany
1095:(in French)
1092:Stalag II-B
1087:(in Polish)
971:29 November
859:(in French)
723:Westertimke
568:Von Keppler
558:Von Bernuth
512:barbed-wire
498:Description
457:Gross-Rosen
425:Lithuanians
417:Belarusians
324:, to house
318:World War I
314:Übungsplatz
236:Stalag II-B
199:In use
148: /
124:Coordinates
108:Stalag II-B
78:Stalag II-B
19:Stalag II-B
1104:Categories
745:References
727:Stalag X-B
719:Marlag X-C
715:Dannenberg
562:Commandant
552:Commandant
483:The prison
421:Ukrainians
354:Volksliste
136:16°54′35″E
133:53°41′07″N
1058:144568410
995:1233-8567
771:0238-9045
763:Pomerania
711:Spitfires
707:Lauenberg
640:food and
638:Red Cross
602:Feldwebel
598:Lager NCO
576:Hauptmann
540:Red Cross
536:excelsior
455:, mainly
445:Lager-Ost
433:Estonians
405:Lager-Ost
379:Pomerania
362:Indochina
247:Pomerania
222:Occupants
202:1939–1945
31:Pomerania
1080:Archived
863:27 March
733:See also
697:Thus at
578:Springer
532:delouser
528:Belgians
522:, 1,600
516:Russians
472:Red Army
461:Stutthof
429:Latvians
413:Russians
291:American
342:Belgium
287:Italian
275:Serbian
271:Belgian
1056:
1018:
993:
769:
699:Dahlen
671:M/Sgt.
646:coffee
642:potato
629:(then
627:Słupsk
604:Kohler
594:Krause
566:Oberst
526:, 900
520:French
338:France
283:Soviet
267:French
263:Polish
259:Poland
251:Czarne
227:Allied
185:
27:Czarne
1054:S2CID
1034:(PDF)
713:near
703:Tramm
631:Stolp
524:Serbs
437:Finns
279:Dutch
249:(now
1016:ISBN
991:ISSN
973:2011
865:2021
767:ISSN
459:and
340:and
289:and
161:Type
1046:doi
29:),
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1042:56
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1014:.
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1006:.
961:.
936:^
897:^
855:.
814:^
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753:^
721:,
600:-
590:-
564:-
554:-
474:.
463:.
435:,
431:,
427:,
423:,
419:,
415:,
296:.
285:,
281:,
277:,
273:,
269:,
265:,
257:,
253:,
1060:.
1048::
1024:.
997:.
975:.
867:.
773:.
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