Oflag II-C
This article needs additional citations for verification. (January 2009) |
Oflag II-C | |
---|---|
Woldenberg, Brandenburg (now Dobiegniew, Poland) | |
Coordinates | 52°58′N 15°45′E / 52.96°N 15.75°E |
Type | Prisoner-of-war camp |
Site information | |
Controlled by | Nazi Germany |
Site history | |
In use | 1939–1945 |
Battles/wars | World War II |
Garrison information | |
Occupants | Polish officers |
Oflag II-C Woldenburg was a German World War II prisoner-of-war camp located about 1 kilometre (0.62 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 (62 acres) with 25 brick huts for prisoners and another six for kitchens, class-rooms, theater, and administration. Now it houses a museum.
Camp history
Work on the camp began in October 1939 when 500
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 metres of its end it was discovered.
In 1945, Wojciech Trojanowski escaped during the evacuation of the camp.[2]
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. 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. Units of the Polish Home Army from Piła and Krzyż secretly maintained contact with the POWs and the former smuggled Polish underground press into the camp.[3][4]
1944 POW Olympics
Thirteen pre-war Polish Olympics competitors were held in the camp.
Notable inmates
- Tadeusz Adamowski, born in Switzerland, raised in the United States, ice hockey player for Poland in 1928 Olympics.
- Stefan Flukowski, writer, poet and translator
- Stanisław Horno-Popławski, Polish painter, sculptor and pedagogue.
- Franciszek Kawa, Olympic cross-country skier[7]
- Ryszard Koncewicz, football player
- Adam Kowalski, Olympic hockey player[8]
- Kazimierz Laskowski, Olympic medalist in fencing[9]
- Witalis Ludwiczak, Olympic ice hockey player, lawyer
- Kazimierz Michałowski, archaeologist, art historian
- Ignacy Misiąg, infantry colonel
- Franciszek Niepokólczycki, colonel, co-organizer of Kedyw
- Andrzej Nowicki, poet and satirical writer.
- Kazimierz Rudzki, actor
- Jan Rzepecki, military historian, colonel
- Stanisław Sośnicki, Olympic athlete[10]
- Kazimierz Szempliński, Olympic fencer[10]
- Janusz Ślązak, Olympic medalist in rowing[2]
- Kazimierz Świtalski, politician, Prime Minister of Poland
- Wojciech Trojanowski, Olympic athlete[2]
- Józef Unrug, admiral
See also
- List of prisoner-of-war camps in Germany
- Oflag
References
- Notes
- ^ a b Zientarski, Andrzej (1986). "Jeńcy wojenni na Pomorzu Zachodnim na przełomie 1944–1945 roku". Rocznik Lubuski (in Polish). XIV. Zielona Góra: 328.
- ^ a b c Urban 2021, p. 39.
- ISBN 978-83-8229-411-8.
- ISBN 83-85003-97-5.
- ^ Urban 2021, p. 32.
- ^ Grys, Iwona (1996). "The Olympic Idea Transcending War" (PDF). Olympic Review. XXV (April–May 1996): 68. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-09-10. Retrieved 2012-06-26.
- ^ Urban 2021, p. 34.
- ^ Urban 2021, p. 35.
- ^ Urban 2021, p. 36.
- ^ a b Urban 2021, p. 38.
- Bibliography
- Urban, Renata (2021). "Polscy olimpijczycy w niemieckich obozach jenieckich". Łambinowicki rocznik muzealny (in Polish). 44. Opole. ISSN 0137-5199.
- "Zapomniany oflag II C Woldenberg" by Teofil Lachowicz - article in "Przeglad Polski" of 14 September 2001. (in Polish)
- Detailed description of camp life (in Polish)
External links
- Oflag II-C Woldenberg (1940–1945) Archived 2015-09-24 at the Wayback Machine by Przemysław Bartosik