Oflag II-C
Encyclopedia
Oflag II-C Woldenburg was a German World War II
prisoner-of-war camp
located about 1 kilometre (0.621372736649807 mi) from the town of Woldenberg, Brandenburg
(now Dobiegniew
, western Poland
). The camp housed Polish officers and orderlies and had an area of 25 hectares (61.8 acre) with 25 brick huts for prisoners and another six for kitchens, class-rooms, theater, and administration.
prisoners from the September campaign arrived to to build the camp, and who lived initially in tents. In May 1940 as the building work progressed small groups of Polish officers were transferred in from other POW camps. In July 1941 a group of officer-cadets (podchorąży) were brought from Stalag II-A
. They were divided among the 25 huts to work as orderlies, in addition to the lower ranks that were already doing this work. In April 1942 the last group of Polish officers arrived from Oflag X-C
near Lübeck
. The number of inmates reached its peak of 5,944 officers and 796 orderlies. In October 1944 a small number of higher ranking officers arrived from the Warsaw Uprising
. On 28 January 1945 the POWs were assembled and marched westward, but after two days they were liberated by the Soviet Red Army
.
In the theater a number of plays were presented by two professional directors - Kazimierz Rudzki and Jan Kocher. Some new plays were written, including a three-act drama called Mały ("The Little One") written by Andrzej Nowicki
. There was also a symphony orchestra under the direction of Józef Klonowski.
In 1942 a secret radio receiver was built and the news distributed throughout the camp in newsletters.
from July 23 to August 13. An Olympic Flag was made with a bed sheet, and pieces of colored scarves was raised.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
prisoner-of-war camp
Prisoner-of-war camp
A prisoner-of-war camp is a site for the containment of combatants captured by their enemy in time of war, and is similar to an internment camp which is used for civilian populations. A prisoner of war is generally a soldier, sailor, or airman who is imprisoned by an enemy power during or...
located about 1 kilometre (0.621372736649807 mi) from the town of Woldenberg, Brandenburg
Province of Brandenburg
The Province of Brandenburg was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia and the Free State of Prussia from 1815 to 1946.-History:The first people who are known to have inhabited Brandenburg were the Suevi. They were succeeded by the Slavonians, whom Henry II conquered and converted to Christianity in...
(now Dobiegniew
Dobiegniew
Dobiegniew is a town in Poland, in Lubusz Voivodeship, in Strzelce-Drezdenko County. It has 3,189 inhabitants .It was part of Germany until 1945. In WWII, the Oflag II-C POW camp was located nearby.-External links:*...
, western Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
). The camp housed Polish officers and orderlies and had an area of 25 hectares (61.8 acre) with 25 brick huts for prisoners and another six for kitchens, class-rooms, theater, and administration.
Camp history
Work on the camp began in October 1939 when 500 PolishPoland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
prisoners from the September campaign arrived to to build the camp, and who lived initially in tents. In May 1940 as the building work progressed small groups of Polish officers were transferred in from other POW camps. In July 1941 a group of officer-cadets (podchorąży) were brought from Stalag II-A
Stalag II-A
Camp Fünfeichen was a World War II German prisoner-of-war camp located in Fünfeichen, a former estate within the city limits of Neubrandenburg, Mecklenburg, northern Germany. Built as Stalag II-A Neubrandenburg in 1939, it was extended by the officer camp Oflag II-E in 1940...
. They were divided among the 25 huts to work as orderlies, in addition to the lower ranks that were already doing this work. In April 1942 the last group of Polish officers arrived from Oflag X-C
Oflag X-C
Oflag X-C was a World War II German prisoner-of-war camp for officers located in Lübeck in northern Germany Oflag X-C was a World War II German prisoner-of-war camp for officers located in Lübeck in northern Germany Oflag X-C was a World War II German prisoner-of-war camp for officers located in...
near Lübeck
Lübeck
The Hanseatic City of Lübeck is the second-largest city in Schleswig-Holstein, in northern Germany, and one of the major ports of Germany. It was for several centuries the "capital" of the Hanseatic League and, because of its Brick Gothic architectural heritage, is listed by UNESCO as a World...
. The number of inmates reached its peak of 5,944 officers and 796 orderlies. In October 1944 a small number of higher ranking officers arrived from the Warsaw Uprising
Warsaw Uprising
The Warsaw Uprising was a major World War II operation by the Polish resistance Home Army , to liberate Warsaw from Nazi Germany. The rebellion was timed to coincide with the Soviet Union's Red Army approaching the eastern suburbs of the city and the retreat of German forces...
. On 28 January 1945 the POWs were assembled and marched westward, but after two days they were liberated by the Soviet Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
.
Escapes
There were several escape attempts, but only two were successful. In early 1942 three officers managed to hide inside empty boxes in a truck that was unloading food supplies. They were successful. On Christmas Eve 1942 a number of officers arranged a fight outside one of the huts. While the guards were engaged in breaking up the fight, toward which the searchlights were all directed, three officers managed to cut through the barbed wire and escape from the camp. A larger scale attempt was unsuccessful. In 1943 a tunnel was being dug from a hut closest to the wires. About 150 officers were preparing to get out through it. Unfortunately, as the tunnel was within a few feet of its end it was discovered.Cultural life
Cultural life in the camp was very extensive. A large number of classes were conducted by the 80 officers who were professors or teachers in civilian life. These classes included philosophy and law, as well as French and English. Mathematics was taught by the architect Professor Jerzy Hryniewiecki. A number of the prisoners were able to complete full university courses which were recognized after the war.In the theater a number of plays were presented by two professional directors - Kazimierz Rudzki and Jan Kocher. Some new plays were written, including a three-act drama called Mały ("The Little One") written by Andrzej Nowicki
Andrzej Nowicki (writer)
Andrzej Nowicki was a Polish poet, satirical writer, and translator. He fought in the Polish September Campaign; imprisoned in the German POW camp in Woldenberg, he was engaged in organizing cultural activities there. From 1945 to 1948 he worked for the Polish Press Agency in London. He returned...
. There was also a symphony orchestra under the direction of Józef Klonowski.
In 1942 a secret radio receiver was built and the news distributed throughout the camp in newsletters.
1944 POW Olympics
In the summer of 1944 the prisoners were granted permission to stage an unofficial POW Olympics1944 Summer Olympics
The anticipated 1944 Summer Olympics, which were to be officially known as the Games of the XIII Olympiad, were cancelled due to World War II...
from July 23 to August 13. An Olympic Flag was made with a bed sheet, and pieces of colored scarves was raised.
External links
- Oflag II-C Woldenberg (1940–1945) by Przemysław Bartosik