Jump to content

Stalag III-D

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Stalag III-D
Berlin
Stalag III-D is located in Germany
Stalag III-D
Stalag III-D
Coordinates52°24′38″N 13°19′16″E / 52.4106°N 13.3210°E / 52.4106; 13.3210
TypePrisoner-of-war camp
Site information
Controlled by Nazi Germany
Site history
In use1940–1945
Battles/warsWorld War II
Garrison information
OccupantsBelgian, British, French, Yugoslav, Soviet, Polish, American, Italian, Czechoslovak prisoners of war

Stalag III-D was a World War II German Army prisoner-of-war camp located in Berlin.

Camp history

[edit]

The camp was established on 14 August 1940 on the corner of Landweg and Osdorfer Straße in Berlin-Lichterfelde. The commandant and camp administration offices (Kommandantur) were later located at Belle-Alliance-Straße 106-107, in Kreuzberg. With prisoners from Belgium, United Kingdom, France, Yugoslavia, Soviet Union, Poland, United States, Italy and Czechoslovakia, the camp's maximum capacity was 58,000 men. Prisoners were mostly allocated to sub-camps (Zweiglager) and work details (Arbeitskommando) in and around the city. Their medical needs were provided by Reserve Lazarett ("Reserve Hospital") 119 at Neukölln and RL 128 at Berlin-Biesdorf.[1]

Sub-camps

[edit]

Prisoners of Stalag III-D were also housed in a number of sub-camps (Zweiglager),[1] designated Stalag III-D/Z:[2]

Two further sub-camps; Stalag III-D/999 in Zehlendorf West, Berlin, and Stalag III-D/517 at Genshagen, Ludwigsfelde, were created in May–June 1943 as "Holiday Camps", offering better living conditions, and a steady diet of propaganda, in an attempt to persuade prisoners into joining the British Free Corps. The Germans particularly sought out former members and sympathizers of the British Union of Fascists, but the attempt was largely a failure with the unit never numbering more than about 30 men at any time. A small number of men from these camps also joined the staff of the Ministry of Propaganda, working for radio stations and magazines.[3] A similar camp at Friesack, designated Stalag XX-A (301), was established to recruit Irishmen serving in the British Army.

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Mattiello, G.; Vogt, Wolfgang (1986). Deutsche Kriegsgefangenen-und Internierten einrichtungen 1939–1945 [German prisoners of war and internee facilities 1939-1945] (in German). Koblenz: Selbstverlag.
  2. ^ "Kriegsgefangenenlager Liste (List of POW Camps)". Moosburg Online (in German). 2012. Retrieved 11 January 2012.
  3. ^ Seymer, V.H. (27 March 1945). "MI5 report on the British Free Corps". stephen-stratford.com. Retrieved 11 January 2012.