Stalag XVIII-D
Encyclopedia
Stalag XVIII-D was a German Prisoner of War camp at Maribor
(German: Marburg an der Drau) in what is now Slovenia
. It opened in the spring or early summer of 1941, operating until the end of the war.
By July 1941 Stalag XVIII-D contained nearly 4,500 British and Commonwealth prisoners captured in Greece and Crete. Conditions initially were very poor, with more than 1,000 men accommodated in tents while huts were being constructed. There was an outbreak of typhus in early 1942. However the situation improved as the war went on.
Escapes assisted by Yugoslav Partisans became increasingly common, with most escapers being led south to the Partisan base and airfield at Semič
in Bela Krajina. In August 1944, the largest mass rescue of POWs of the war in Europe took place when 132 Allied prisoners from Stalag XVIII-D were freed by Partisans in the raid at St Lorenzen
.
Between August and November 1942 there was a second camp at Maribor, Stalag XVIII- B/Z.
Footnote. Sources put the opening date as March 1941; this cannot be correct, as Yugoslavia was not invaded by Germany until 6 April.
Maribor
Maribor is the second largest city in Slovenia with 157,947 inhabitants . Maribor is also the largest and the capital city of Slovenian region Lower Styria and the seat of the Municipality of Maribor....
(German: Marburg an der Drau) in what is now Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
. It opened in the spring or early summer of 1941, operating until the end of the war.
By July 1941 Stalag XVIII-D contained nearly 4,500 British and Commonwealth prisoners captured in Greece and Crete. Conditions initially were very poor, with more than 1,000 men accommodated in tents while huts were being constructed. There was an outbreak of typhus in early 1942. However the situation improved as the war went on.
Escapes assisted by Yugoslav Partisans became increasingly common, with most escapers being led south to the Partisan base and airfield at Semič
Semic
Semič is a market town and a municipality in Slovenia in the traditional region of White Carniola in southeastern Slovenia. The municipality is included in the Southeast Slovenia statistical region. It gets its name from Semenič Castle that used to stand on a hill above the settlement...
in Bela Krajina. In August 1944, the largest mass rescue of POWs of the war in Europe took place when 132 Allied prisoners from Stalag XVIII-D were freed by Partisans in the raid at St Lorenzen
Raid at St Lorenzen
The Raid at St. Lorenzen was a single operation in August, 1944 in which a total of 132 Allied prisoners of war were freed by Yugoslav Partisans.-Background:...
.
Between August and November 1942 there was a second camp at Maribor, Stalag XVIII- B/Z.
Footnote. Sources put the opening date as March 1941; this cannot be correct, as Yugoslavia was not invaded by Germany until 6 April.