- Oflag X-B
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Oflag X-B was a World War II German POW camp for officers located near Nienburg am Weser in northwestern Germany.
Contents
Timeline
The camp was built in June 1940 to house French officers from the Battle of France.In September and October 1943 Italian officers arrived after the Italian capitulation.
The camp was closed in April 1945.
Details of the camp
The camp was built in low-lying, often swampy ground. It was laid out in a square pattern, about 300 meters on a side. There were 4 guardtowers, located at each corner of the square. There were 2 perimeter fences, with an electrically-charged wire in addition between the barbed-wire fences.[1]
The open areas outside the buildings were given to the French officers for gardening and rabbit breeding.
One of the officers, Emile Goué organized an orchestra and choir, which performed 18 symphonic concerts during the five years of captivity.
There was a daily rollcall at 0600 hrs and at 1700 hrs; otherwise there was little assigned duty or schedule for the internees. French officers were placed in charge of the kitchen, the mailroom and the supply cabinet.
The camp was directed by a Colonel of the German Army; he himself had been a prisoner of war (in Russia during the Great War). Possibly because of his experiences, several French officers later stated that he treated them with respect and courtesy.
References
Notable prisoners
- Lt. Emile Goué - composer and musician
- Bienheureux Père Marian Konopiński
- Pierre Jacobsen, French General and International UN civil servant
Sources
See also
- oflag
- List of German WWII POW camps
Categories:- World War II prisoner of war camps
- World War II stubs
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