Stalag XIII-C
| Stalag XIII-C | |
|---|---|
| Hammelburg,Bavaria | |
  Stalag XIII-C | |
| Coordinates | 50°05′03″N9°54′09″E/ 50.08416°N 9.90249°E |
| Type | Prisoner-of-war camp |
| Site information | |
| Controlled by |  Nazi Germany |
| Site history | |
| In use | 1940–1945 |
| Garrison information | |
| Occupants | Allied POW |
Stalag XIII-Cwas aGerman ArmyWorld War IIprisoner-of-war camp(Stammlager) built on what had been the training camp atHammelburg,Lower Franconia,Bavaria,Germany.
Camp history
[edit]Hammelburg was a large German Army training camp, set up in 1893. Part of this camp had been used as a POW camp for Allied army personnel inWorld War I.After 1935 it was a training camp and military training area for the newly reconstituted German Army.
In May 1940 the camp was established in wooden huts at the south end of the training ground. The first prisoners included Belgian, Dutch and French soldiers taken during theBattle of France.In May–June 1941Yugoslavian,predominantlySerbianprisoners arrived from theBalkans Campaign,and soon after in June–July 1941Australianand otherBritish Commonwealthsoldiers arrived, captured during theBattle of Crete.
In April 1943Oflag XIII-Bwas opened nearby, with officers transferred fromOflag XIII-AatNuremberg.
As was usual for Stalags, many of the prisoners were located inArbeitslager( "Work camps" ) on farms or adjacent to factories or other industrial operations. The Stalag served as the base for distribution ofInternational Red Crosspackages and mail. ALazarett(hospital) cared for prisoners that were sick or had been injured in industrial accidents or air-raids. A number of enlisted men andNCOswere housed in the adjacent Oflag to provide necessary services.
American soldiers that had been captured during theBattle of Normandyarrived in June–July 1944, and more from theBattle of the Bulgein January 1945. In March 1945 a large group of prisoners arrived in deplorable condition after marching the 500 miles (800 km) fromStalag VIII-Din severe winter conditions. The camp was liberated by Combat Command B of theU.S. 14th Armored Divisionon 6 April 1945.
In television
[edit]The 1960s and 1970s American television programHogan's Heroeswas situated in a fictitious POW Camp called "Luft-Stalag 13" located nearHammelburg,likely based on actualLuftwaffe POW campsadministered by them for Allied POW combat pilots and aircrew shot down over German territory. However, there was no resemblance to the actual Stalags XIII-A, -B or -C other than name and location.
Footnotes
[edit] | This article includes alist of references,related reading,orexternal links,but its sources remain unclear because it lacksinline citations.(August 2017) |