Polish, French, British, Yugoslav (Serbian), Belgian, Italian, American, Soviet prisoners of war
Initially the camp served as a place of internment for several thousand soldiers and NCOs from Poland, France, Britain, Yugoslavia and Belgium. From 1943, a number of Italian POWs were also held there. From 1944, soldiers from the United States of America were kept there too. The majority of the Soviet prisoners (up to 12,000) were killed or starved to death. Most of the lower rank prisoners were sent to Arbeitskommandos to work in industry and on farms in Brandenburg. However the administration stayed with the Stammlager.[2]
June 1940: the camp was established 6 km (3.7 mi) from Küstrin (Kostrzyn nad Odrą) for Belgian and French prisoners from the Battle of France.
May to June 1941: Yugoslavian prisoners and British prisoners arrived from the Balkans Campaign.
July 1941: Soviet prisoners taken during Operation Barbarossa arrived. They were held in separate facilities and suffered severe conditions and starvation. They were not accorded the treatment required by the Third Geneva Convention. Thousands of them died of starvation and disease.
September 1943: Italians who had been interned because of the Italian Armistice arrived.
September 1944: the first Americans arrived, taken prisoner as a result of the failure of Operation Market Garden or during the advance of the U.S. Army towards Germany.
1 December 1944: the roster showed[3] 2,036 Americans, 631 Belgians, 1,416 British, 17,568 French, 1,046 Italian, 2 Polish, 1,591 Serbian, and 13,727 Soviet prisoners.
December 1944: more American prisoners arrived, taken prisoner in the Battle of the Bulge.
January 31, 1945: the camp was freed by the Red Army. Many Americans escaped during the January 31, 1945 assault. The remaining American and British prisoners were eventually moved by train to Odessa on the Black Sea for repatriation.
Escapesedit
Joseph Beyrle was a paratrooper in the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division. Captured in Normandy in June 1944 he was taken to a POW camp. He escaped twice, and when recaptured he was sent to Stalag III-C. Early in January 1945 he escaped again and made his way to a Soviet tank battalion. He convinced the legendary tank brigade commander Alexandra Samusenko (allegedly the only female tank officer of that rank in World War II) to allow him to fight with them. He is believed to be the only American serviceman to have actually fought in a Soviet unit.[4] Wounded during a German air attack, he was evacuated to a Soviet military hospital, from where he was sent to Moscow to the U.S. Embassy. (His son, John Beyrle, returned there to serve as United States Ambassador to Russia 2008–2012.)
Walter Mehlhaff was captured 19 September 1944 while fighting with the 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, on the German border. Imprisoned at Stalag III-C, he escaped from a work group early in January 1945. He made his way towards Poland and finally was taken to Odessa for repatriation.[5]
^"Kostrzyn nad Odra History". Information Portal to European Sites of Remembrance. 2013. Retrieved 11 October 2013.
^. tourist-info-kostrzyn.de. 2013. Archived from the original on 26 October 2019. Retrieved 11 October 2013.
^. Archived from the original on 2020-03-26. Retrieved 2006-10-07.
^Taylor, Thomas (2004). Behind Hitler's Lines: The True Story of the Only Soldier to Fight for both America and the Soviet Union in World War II. Presidio Press. ISBN0-89141-845-8.
^Testimonies from the Midwest 2006-10-09 at the Wayback Machine (Registration required)
External linksedit
. The Wartime Memories Project. 2012. Archived from the original on 21 August 2013. Retrieved 11 October 2013.
Marsh, Harold (2008). "Diary of Harold Marsh, captured Normandy, June 1944". pegasusarchive.org. Retrieved 11 October 2013.
. American Ex-POW. June 2003. Archived from the original on 24 August 2013. Retrieved 11 October 2013.
Earl Chrudimsky receives medals 61 years after being wounded 2007-06-19 at the Wayback Machine
April 10, 2024
stalag, german, army, world, prisoner, camp, allied, soldiers, located, plain, near, village, drewitz, küstrin, then, located, neumark, province, brandenburg, drzewice, kostrzyn, odrą, poland, about, east, berlin, drewitz, brandenburg, drzewice, kostrzyn, odrą. Stalag III C was a German Army World War II prisoner of war camp for Allied soldiers It was located on a plain near the village of Alt Drewitz bei Kustrin then located in the Neumark of the province of Brandenburg now Drzewice Kostrzyn nad Odra Poland about 50 mi 80 km east of Berlin 1 Stalag III CAlt Drewitz Brandenburg now Drzewice Kostrzyn nad Odra Poland Stalag III CShow map of PolandStalag III CShow map of GermanyCoordinates52 37 31 N 14 36 10 E 52 6254 N 14 6028 E 52 6254 14 6028TypePrisoner of war campSite informationControlled by Nazi GermanySite historyIn use1939 1945Battles warsWorld War IIGarrison informationOccupantsPolish French British Yugoslav Serbian Belgian Italian American Soviet prisoners of warInitially the camp served as a place of internment for several thousand soldiers and NCOs from Poland France Britain Yugoslavia and Belgium From 1943 a number of Italian POWs were also held there From 1944 soldiers from the United States of America were kept there too The majority of the Soviet prisoners up to 12 000 were killed or starved to death Most of the lower rank prisoners were sent to Arbeitskommandos to work in industry and on farms in Brandenburg However the administration stayed with the Stammlager 2 Contents 1 Timeline 2 Escapes 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksTimeline editJune 1940 the camp was established 6 km 3 7 mi from Kustrin Kostrzyn nad Odra for Belgian and French prisoners from the Battle of France May to June 1941 Yugoslavian prisoners and British prisoners arrived from the Balkans Campaign July 1941 Soviet prisoners taken during Operation Barbarossa arrived They were held in separate facilities and suffered severe conditions and starvation They were not accorded the treatment required by the Third Geneva Convention Thousands of them died of starvation and disease September 1943 Italians who had been interned because of the Italian Armistice arrived September 1944 the first Americans arrived taken prisoner as a result of the failure of Operation Market Garden or during the advance of the U S Army towards Germany 1 December 1944 the roster showed 3 2 036 Americans 631 Belgians 1 416 British 17 568 French 1 046 Italian 2 Polish 1 591 Serbian and 13 727 Soviet prisoners December 1944 more American prisoners arrived taken prisoner in the Battle of the Bulge January 31 1945 the camp was freed by the Red Army Many Americans escaped during the January 31 1945 assault The remaining American and British prisoners were eventually moved by train to Odessa on the Black Sea for repatriation Escapes editJoseph Beyrle was a paratrooper in the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division Captured in Normandy in June 1944 he was taken to a POW camp He escaped twice and when recaptured he was sent to Stalag III C Early in January 1945 he escaped again and made his way to a Soviet tank battalion He convinced the legendary tank brigade commander Alexandra Samusenko allegedly the only female tank officer of that rank in World War II to allow him to fight with them He is believed to be the only American serviceman to have actually fought in a Soviet unit 4 Wounded during a German air attack he was evacuated to a Soviet military hospital from where he was sent to Moscow to the U S Embassy His son John Beyrle returned there to serve as United States Ambassador to Russia 2008 2012 Walter Mehlhaff was captured 19 September 1944 while fighting with the 16th Infantry Regiment 1st Infantry Division on the German border Imprisoned at Stalag III C he escaped from a work group early in January 1945 He made his way towards Poland and finally was taken to Odessa for repatriation 5 See also editList of German World War II POW campsReferences edit Kostrzyn nad Odra History Information Portal to European Sites of Remembrance 2013 Retrieved 11 October 2013 Tourist Information Kustrin Nationalpark Warthemundung tourist info kostrzyn de 2013 Archived from the original on 26 October 2019 Retrieved 11 October 2013 Kriegsgefangenenlager Alt Drewitz Stalag III C Archived from the original on 2020 03 26 Retrieved 2006 10 07 Taylor Thomas 2004 Behind Hitler s Lines The True Story of the Only Soldier to Fight for both America and the Soviet Union in World War II Presidio Press ISBN 0 89141 845 8 Testimonies from the Midwest Archived 2006 10 09 at the Wayback Machine Registration required External links edit Stalag 3C POW Camp The Wartime Memories Project 2012 Archived from the original on 21 August 2013 Retrieved 11 October 2013 Marsh Harold 2008 Diary of Harold Marsh captured Normandy June 1944 pegasusarchive org Retrieved 11 October 2013 Stalag III C Reunion American Ex POW June 2003 Archived from the original on 24 August 2013 Retrieved 11 October 2013 Earl Chrudimsky receives medals 61 years after being wounded Archived 2007 06 19 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Stalag III C amp oldid 1193372845, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
