Stalag VIII-C
Encyclopedia
Stalag VIII-C was a World War II
German
POW camp adjacent to the famous Stalag Luft III
near Sagan, Germany, (now Żagań
, Poland). It was built at the beginning of World War II and occupied 48 ha (120 acres).
prisoners from the German September 1939 offensive. In a ruthless breach of the Third Geneva Convention
most of these prisoners were deprived of their P.O.W. status in June 1940 and transferred to labor camps.
French
and Belgian soldiers taken prisoner during the Battle of France
took their place, many of them from Algeria
, Morocco
and Senegal
. In 1941 more prisoners arrived from the Balkans Campaign mostly British
, Canadian, Greek
and Yugoslav
. These were followed by Soviet prisoners from Operation Barbarossa
. In late 1941 nearly 50,000 prisoners were crowded into space designed for one third that number. Conditions were appalling, starvation, epidemics and ill-treatment took a heavy toll of lives.
By early 1942 the Soviet prisoners had been transferred to other camps, particularly to Stalag VIII-E
, Neuhammer. New prisoners arrived form the Western Desert Campaign
in north Africa, especially after the fall of Tobruk
in December 1941. These were principally Australians, South Africans (both white and black) and Poles.
entered the camp. They later used the camp to house German prisoners.
In 1961 a monument was erected at the cemetery in remembrance of the thousands who died and are buried here. In 1971 the "Martyrdom Museum of Allied prisoners of War" was established on the site of the camp to house mementos and records of both Stalag VIII-C and Stalag Luft III
.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
POW camp adjacent to the famous Stalag Luft III
Stalag Luft III
Stalag Luft III was a Luftwaffe-run prisoner-of-war camp during World War II that housed captured air force servicemen. It was in the German Province of Lower Silesia near the town of Sagan , southeast of Berlin...
near Sagan, Germany, (now Żagań
Zagan
Zagan may refer to:*Zagan - a demon in the Ars Goetia*Żagań - a town in west Poland...
, Poland). It was built at the beginning of World War II and occupied 48 ha (120 acres).
Timeline
The camp was built in September 1939 to house several thousand PolishPoland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
prisoners from the German September 1939 offensive. In a ruthless breach of the Third Geneva Convention
Third Geneva Convention
The Third Geneva Convention, relative to the treatment of prisoners of war, is one of the four treaties of the Geneva Conventions. It was first adopted in 1929, but was significantly updated in 1949...
most of these prisoners were deprived of their P.O.W. status in June 1940 and transferred to labor camps.
French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Belgian soldiers taken prisoner during the Battle of France
Battle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
took their place, many of them from Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
, Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
and Senegal
Senegal
Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...
. In 1941 more prisoners arrived from the Balkans Campaign mostly British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, Canadian, Greek
Greeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
and Yugoslav
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
. These were followed by Soviet prisoners from Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa was the code name for Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II that began on 22 June 1941. Over 4.5 million troops of the Axis powers invaded the USSR along a front., the largest invasion in the history of warfare...
. In late 1941 nearly 50,000 prisoners were crowded into space designed for one third that number. Conditions were appalling, starvation, epidemics and ill-treatment took a heavy toll of lives.
By early 1942 the Soviet prisoners had been transferred to other camps, particularly to Stalag VIII-E
Stalag VIII-E
Stalag VIII-E was a Second World War German POW camp located 12 km south of the famous Stalag Luft III near Sagan, Germany, . It was built on the large German Army training grounds next to the village of Neuhammer, today called Świętoszów, that are still in use today by the Polish Armed Forces-...
, Neuhammer. New prisoners arrived form the Western Desert Campaign
Western Desert Campaign
The Western Desert Campaign, also known as the Desert War, was the initial stage of the North African Campaign during the Second World War. The campaign was heavily influenced by the availability of supplies and transport. The ability of the Allied forces, operating from besieged Malta, to...
in north Africa, especially after the fall of Tobruk
Tobruk
Tobruk or Tubruq is a city, seaport, and peninsula on Libya's eastern Mediterranean coast, near the border with Egypt. It is the capital of the Butnan District and has a population of 120,000 ....
in December 1941. These were principally Australians, South Africans (both white and black) and Poles.
Evacuation and Repatriation
In early February 1945, many of the prisoners, particularly British and Commonwealth, were marched westward ahead of the Soviet offensive. The German camp command destroyed all documentation and evidence of the crimes committed. 14 February the Red ArmyRed Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
entered the camp. They later used the camp to house German prisoners.
In 1961 a monument was erected at the cemetery in remembrance of the thousands who died and are buried here. In 1971 the "Martyrdom Museum of Allied prisoners of War" was established on the site of the camp to house mementos and records of both Stalag VIII-C and Stalag Luft III
Stalag Luft III
Stalag Luft III was a Luftwaffe-run prisoner-of-war camp during World War II that housed captured air force servicemen. It was in the German Province of Lower Silesia near the town of Sagan , southeast of Berlin...
.
Sources
See also
- List of German WWII POW camps