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The establishment of the camp in Tur was forced by the necessity to make space in the Stalag in Szubin for the Oflag created there in August 1940. In the autumn or relatively late in the summer of 1940, work began on preparing the required infrastructure in Tur. Although it was expected to have capacity … Read more

Part 1 During the short period when US Army POWs were held in this camp, the Senior American Officer in Oflag 9A/Z was Lt. Colonel John H. Van Vliet, Jr.  The following intriguing entry in the War Diary of John H. Glendinning was made on the day these POWs were transferred to Oflag 64 in … Read more

The Kriegie’s life was made all the more difficult because his German captors supplied him with only the bare essentials of what was required by international law. If he wished to enhance his standard of living, his only resort was to make some items himself. Therefore, many POWs discovered spectacular artistic talent, be it in … Read more

The morning of March 11, 1942 greeted the French POWs of Oflag XXI B in Szubin with sad news. Captain Jacques Blanc, called Commandant by the French POWs, had died during the night. Grave of Commandant Jacques Blanc at the French Military Cemetery in Gdańsk. (fot. J. Daniluk) Jacques Alexis Blanc was born on May … Read more

We are proud to announce our latest publication: a monograph, written by the Foundation’s Jan Daniluk and Mariusz Winiecki, about the little-known German POW camp in Tur (Thure). Tur is a small village located just 6 miles north of Szubin. Before the War, it was a quite locale, with a dairy and a small glassworks. … Read more

When one thinks about the fate of Kriegies in German captivity, one often reads that their chief problem was their fight against boredom and “the wire disease.” However, food shortages constituted an equally pressing problem. German officials– especially in a blockaded and increasingly devastated Third Reich–did not view the nourishment of their ever-growing number of … Read more

During the months and years when the Western Allies prepared for the invasion of continental Europe, heavy fighting occurred in the skies. Fighter  and bomber pilots hammered at German industry, and slowly but inexorably diluted the strength of the mighty Luftwaffe. Still, waging an aerial campaign over enemy-controlled territory involved losing aircraft and men. About … Read more

    August 1942 in Szubin was warm and sunny. Just like the weather, the mood of the 1,500 French prisoners of war at Oflag XXI B was bright. Filled with anticipation and excitement, the POWs awaited the opening of their week-long exhibition, L’exposition des Provinces, about their various regions of France. In addition to the … Read more

In the United States, the third Friday of September is observed as National Prisoners of War/ Missing in Action Recognition Day. This commemoration was established in 1979 by President Jimmy Carter, chiefly to honour the more than 1,700 U.S. servicemen–presumed POWs–who had been missing since the end of the Vietnam War. All subsequent Presidents have … Read more