Post by connie on Aug 17, 2021 10:25:44 GMT -5
OVERVIEW of CAMPS that Held Members of the 106th 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/752/thread
MAP of GERMAN POW CAMPS: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/4961/thread
FINDING a POW's WORK CAMP: jrwentz attached two helpful posts near the bottom of the following thread: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/4942/thread
Stalag IV-B- east of Elbe
WIKIPEDIA NOTES: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stalag_IV-B
Stalag IV-B was one of the largest prisoner-of-war camps in Germany during World War II.
The main camp was located 8km NE of the town Mühlberg in Brandenburg, just east of the Elbe river and about 30 miles (50 km) north of Dresden.
From 1944 to 1945 it belonged to the Province of Halle-Merseburg. Now, the area is in Brandenburg.
A branch camp, sometimes identified as Stalag-IVB/Z, was located at Zeithain, 10 km to the south in Saxony.
At the end of December 1944 about 7,500 Americans arrived from the Battle of the Bulge.
At least 3,000 of them were transferred to other camps, mostly to Stalag VIII-A....
23 April 1945 the Red Army liberated the camp. Altogether soldiers from 33 nations passed through this camp.
Of the 7,500 men from the Battle of the Bulge originally housed here, about 3,000 were transfered to other camps, mostly Stalag VIII-A.
A later Wikipedia note may alter the final liberation date for Americans if it is true: " It is not widely known, but the Soviet liberators were in no hurry to repatriate the British and American prisoners to their homelands. In fact they were held in the camp for over a month. Individual soldiers "escaped" from the camp and made their way on foot to the American lines."
A UK Wartime memory project has some info and personal stories from men at IV B, including some from the 106th:
www.wartimememoriesproject.com/ww2/allied/division.php?pid=8027
2017 UPDATE ON PRESERVATION OF IV-B. 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/4414/thread
Finding a POW's Work Camp: jrwentz attached two helpful posts near the bottom of the following thread: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/4942/thread
Work Camps near IVB: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/3816/thread
In answering a question on this subject, Carl Wouters wrote: Men from IV-B were put to work in a number of 'Arbeitskommandos' or work details/camps in the vincinity of the Stalag. This meant that they were usually not billeted in the camp barracks themselves, but in barns or other facilities near their work site. I know one 423/B veteran who was in Stalag IV-B and later part of an 'Arbeitskommando' in a benzene plant. They were housed in a barn in the town of Gleina.
106th CONNECTIONS:
List of 423 Infantry Regiment POW's: www.indianamilitary.org/106ID/Rosters/REFERENCES/64%20-%20423rd%20roster/64.htm
Sidebar List of POW Camps & some names of POW's there www.indianamilitary.org/German%20PW%20Camps/SoThinkMenu/GermanPW-START.htm
Sidebar List of Diaries, Obits, & Articles, etc. alphabetically on the Indiana Military Site: www.indianamilitary.org/106ID/SoThinkMenu/106thSTART.htm
Akey, Homer L. "Gub" 590-B, POW IVB 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/5300/thread
Barnes, Kenneth Ralph, Cpl., 423-E, POW IV-B, work detachment near Lobau, hospital in Goerlitz, hard labor near Hohnstein link to compelling 2-part video interview: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/4827/thread ...Next came a march to Prüm where they spent the freezing night sleeping in a cattle yard followed by another 30 km march to the box cars at Gerolstein-- and their first food: a cup of soup and a piece of bread. He notes the loading of 68 men into boxcars meant for 40 men or 8 horses where they would remain from December 21 to 29 (without further food or water) as they traveled. They were parked in the rail yard that was hit by Allied bombers on Christmas Eve before arriving for processing at Stalag IV-B in Muhlberg. There they and their clothing were steam cleaned and the clothing marked in indelible ink with equilateral triangles that designated them as Prisoners of War.
From there he, his friend, and 34 others were shipped on Jan 10 to a work detachment at Vobau, near the Polish border where they worked in a blanket factory. Here life was a little better than at Stalag IV-B. Here he come down with Bronchitis and was running a fever. He was briefly shipped to a hospital in Goerlitz (sp?) on the Polish border & then returned to the blanket factory. He speaks of his train passing the beautiful city of Dresden when traveling in one direction; and the bombed city of Dresden in the other. His next account is about life in a hard labor camp near Hohnstein where they worked on repairing damaged rail tracks. Finally in early May as Russian troops approached, he tells of the guards taking them out of this camp and then abandoning them to find their own way back toward allied lines... There ends a brief summary of the first of his two-part interview. If the second is as compelling as the first it will be worth the time investment.
Baron, Robert Weapons Platoon K Company 422nd POW IV-B spent 4 months @ IV-B. His POW account is detailed. Here's a bit of his account of daily life at IV-B: "Life in the Stalag was a boring routine. Up in the morning, and outside for roll call. Then, we were issued our morning ration of ersatz coffee, made from burnt barley. It was awful stuff, but because it was hot, it was used mostly for shaving. Lunch was usually a slice of brot, as thick as our Kriegsgefangener (or "Kriegie") dogtag was wide, a cup of rutabaga soup, and four or five walnut-sized boiled potatoes..."
Apr. 23 Russians announced liberation; May 23 or 25 trucked to west of Riesa where they were met by U.S. troops www.indianamilitary.org/German%20PW%20Camps/Prisoner%20of%20War/PW%20Camps/Stalag%20IV-B%20Mulberg/Robert%20Baron/BaronRobert-422.htm
Bendle, Harold L 422-H POW IVB 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/4281/thread
Harry Urner's son mentions this friend of his father's in a discussion board post. He is listed in the Indiana Military Site Roster as having been a POW at IV B
Birdsall, Clifford H., 422 Anti-tank Co. POW IV-B, work camp-94 minute audio interview: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/4827/thread
This Ohio native, born in 1924, enrolled in Ohio State U in Columbus Ohio, hoping to get as much college as possible in before he was drafted. He was drafted in January 1943 and did his basic training in Field Artillery at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. He then went into the ASTP program, studying first at Drexil Institute in Philadelphia, Pa. before joining 360 other enlisted men in a program at Amherst College in Massachusetts. From there he was sent to help fill the ranks of the 106th Infantry Division at Camp Atterbury, Indiana. From there the division headed for Camp Myles Standish in Massachusetts & he sailed for England from NY on the Aquitania. He noted that when they replaced the men of the 2nd Division on the front on December 11th, they had no winter equipment. After the surrender of the 422 on the 19th of December he noted being taken to a holding area for the night and then being loaded on 40 and 8 boxcars. He was at Limburg when that railroad station was bombed. His box car was not hit. He was taken to Muhlburg for processing and then sent to a brick factory work camp. He knew it was in the vicinity of Whittenburg because, as they walked through the city, someone in the group pointed out the church where Luther had posted his thesis. (Later in the interview he went into much detail about his efforts on a return trip to Europe to locate his POW work camp. He spoke of their liberation, his time at Camp Lucky Strike working on recovery after his loss of 50 pounds, and briefly mentioned that he traveled back to the states on a Liberty Ship. He arrived in the states on June 19, 1945 -- his 21st birthday. His call home was when his father learned that he was still alive...
Black, Ewell Jr (Rev. ) 422-A POW XII A, IV B, work camp at Gleina www.indianamilitary.org/German%20PW%20Camps/Prisoner%20of%20War/PW%20Camps/Stalag%20XII-A%20Limburg/Ewell%20Black/Ewell%20Black.htm
Surrendered noon Dec. 18; He writes:" We arrived at Stalag XII—A in Limburg about dark on December 30th or 31st. Housing was in large medical tents which had been captured. We slept on the ground with no heat in the tents (we had no heat in any of the various places which we were housed during the march). The following night we received “grass soup”, which was our first meal since Koblenz. New Year’s of 1944 was spent at XII—A and several days following. We were loaded in box cars for turned out to be a five or six day ride to Stalag IVB at Muhlberg." His stay in Muhlberb was followed by time at a work camp 3 Km from Zeitz in in the small farming community of Gleina about three km. from Zeitz (arriving 3rd wk of January) With about 120 men he was above a home and barn in what had been a pre-war night club. They worked daily in cleaning a bombed out factory. He was liberated Friday April 13. video interview: memory.loc.gov/diglib/vhp/story/loc.natlib.afc2001001.50158/
Notes on this discussion Board: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/5026/thread
Block, Robert Stewart, Sgt. 423/ 3rd BN/I, POW IV-B link to video interview: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/4827/thread
Bloom, Jack Tech Sgt 422 POW IV B : 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/3930/thread
Prior to his arrival at IV B, he experienced the bombings of the railroad yard near near Limburgh See Limburgh for other links to this event: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/4081/thread
Bohde, Edward 422/ L, POW Stalags IV-B, VIII A www.indianamilitary.org/German%20PW%20Camps/Prisoner%20of%20War/PW%20Camps/Stalag%20VIII-A%20Gorlitz/Edward%20Bohde/Edward%20Bohde.htm
captured in small mixed group/ was here as his first POW camp stop; stayed 1 night; moved to VIIIA
Bradley, Fay, Sgt 423/E POW 1VB, III B, and IIIA 106thdivision.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=looking&action=display&thread=422
note from granddaughter: I'm wondering if anyone remembers Sgt Fay Bradley, 423/E. He was captured during the battle of the bulge and was in 3 different POW camps -- IVB Muhlberg, IIIB Furstenberg, IIIA Luckenwalde. He was part of the Brat March from Furstenberg to Luckenwalde. I've gathered most of his official paperwork, but would love to hear from anyone who remembers him or experienced any of these places. I have some photos from his time in Indiana before being shipped out and would love to gather more.
Brumfield, Vernon E, PFC 589 C POW IVB Muhlberg, Leipzig work camp link to video: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/4827/thread
Brutus, Glen J. PFC 1st BN HQ Co 423rd POW IVB, IIIA, IIIB, unknown camp
list of POW Camps found under his name in Roster: www.indianamilitary.org/106ID/Rosters/RosterZOHO.htm
notes and link 79 minute audio interview: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/4827/thread
Bugner, Thomas F, S/Sgt, 590-B, POW IV-B Thread with link to other info 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/5120/thread
Captured December 19 & marched to train
Brief quote from Cub article listed here: We were then put on a train. "We stopped in Limburg, Germany, where we were caught in an air-raid bombing, and we lost a lot of men there. My friend and I got away, but the Germans caught us again and put us back in the boxcars, and they nailed the doors shut so we could not get out again.” It was not a Merry Christmas for Tom. He was in captivity for nearly five months. He stated, “when I walked out of the prison camp in 1945, a free man once more, my weight had dropped from 175 pounds to 96 pounds.”
Byrnes, Vincent Joseph, 423/ SVC POW IV-B; IIIA, work camp near Magdenburg- www.indianamilitary.org/German%20PW%20Camps/Prisoner%20of%20War/PW%20Camps/Stalag%20III-A%20Luckenwalde/Byrnes-Vincent/Byrnes-Vincent.pdf Notes from Account by Byrnes' Daughter: Eventually, they arrived at Stalag IV-Muhlberg,Germany. Here the were tagged, registered as P.O.W''s, fed for what it was worth. After a short period, my Dad was transferred to Stalag III-A Luckenwalde, Germany. The conditions here were as bad as those in Muhlberg. On this site a tent or tents were constructed for the overflow of prisoners. They slept on hay in a field under these tents. Cold, lice, dysentery, and numerous other issues plagued these men. There were few to no drops of essentials for these men. Being told in most cases the German's kept much of what was dropped to the Prisoners by the American Red Cross. My Dad worked on the railroad, building the tracks that would eventually connect ( my summation one area of Germany, vital to the War effort to another). In my Father's words, he eventually devised a way to break the hammers, in a fashion the German's would not comprehend, thus limiting their time working on the railroad. At this point we assumed from words of another P.O.W. they were in a work camp somewhere in the vicinity of Magdeburg near the Elbe River.
Collins, John F. 423-M POW IV-B.Jim Wentz mentioned a John Collins in 423 M who was a friend of his father's. There are numbers people with that first and last name, but the one with the middle initial F, appears to be the only one from 423M listed in the roster. Here's the link to the Wentz post which mentions him:: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/5275/thread
Dimas, Pete G. 423-B POW IVB: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/4045/thread
In recounting the initial hours after his capture, Dimas noted: "That night, the prisoners of war walked through a ruined city, and someone started singing God Bless America. We kept on singing and singing and singing and singing. And walking and walking, and we just wanted to let the Germans know that we weren't licked yet,"
Doxsee, Gifford B., Cpl., 423rd, 3rd Battalion Hq Co, Signal Corps Unit; POW IV B, Slaughter House 5, Gorbitz, Dresden 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/2766/thread
Discussion board thread on Doxsee with links to his Veterans History Project interviews, notes on his experiences at Slaughterhouse 5, and more...
Eisenhard, Daniel A. PFC, 423-2nd BN HQ Co. POW IVB see notes from son in post below: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/5227/thread
Ferguson Richard C Sgt. T/4 590-HQ, POW IVB, III B, III A www.indianamilitary.org/German%20PW%20Camps/Prisoner%20of%20War/PW%20Camps/Stalag%20III-A%20Luckenwalde/Richard%20Ferguson/Richard%20Ferguson.htm IV-B was the first stop on his POW journey. Here he spent 7 days and was officially interviewed, fingerprinted, etc. His second stop was III B; third stop III A.Multiple links on this board: 106thdivision.proboards.com/thread/1032/ferguson-richard-590th-hq
Fisher, Elburn Quincy 422nd L- POW IV: 106thdivision.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=looking&action=display&thread=66
note on this discussion board in 2008: My Grandfather was Elburn Quincy Fisher, from Okmulgee OK. He was captured and sent to Stalag 4B. All I know is that he carried the" BAR" and was wounded by a grenade and froze his feet on the march to Germany. He died in 1969,and is buried in the veterans circle in Okmulgee OK. I was wondering if anyone might remember him.
Grant, Kenneth, S/Sgt 422 Hq 3rd BN HQ POW Stalag IVB, III-B, IIIA Grant was in an anti-tank platoon within HQ Co of the 3rd Bn of the 422nd.
BIO & DIARY: www.indianamilitary.org/106ID/Diaries/Stalag%20IV-B%20Mulberg/Grant-Kenneth-422HQ-4B-3B-3A/Grant-Krnneth-422HQ-4B-3B-3A.pdf
He was in a forward position, captured on 12-19-44. A brief glimpse at the detailed diary listed above: Dec. 27, 1944We got to where we were going today (Stalag IV-B Muhlberg) and had to stand out in the cold before we got a bath and our clothes deloused. We then had to go and get registered and searched. After that was over we finally were split up and put into huts with some R.C.A.F. boys. They had some hot soup and a cigarette waiting for us. They gave us a bed to sleep in. I mean a sort of a bed. They were boards with a little straw on them.
Grant's son converses with Bradley's granddaughter: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/1397/thread
Frank Grant notes: My father was captured on 12-19-44 and was liberated on 5-5-45. He was a Staff Sgt. and had a dog tag from Stalag IV-B. 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/753/thread
More collected info on Grant: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/5050/thread
Honkomp, Elmer D. "Bud", Lt., 422 K. POW IV-B was Captain Niel Stewart's Executive Officer: note from son: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/1496/thread
Kline, John P, Sgt 423 M-Heavy Machine Gun Squad Leader, POW XII-A, IV-B, VIII A and long march to Braunschweig 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/2959/thread
Notes from Kline's diary www.indianamilitary.org/German%20PW%20Camps/Prisoner%20of%20War/PW%20Camps/Stalag%20VIII-A%20Gorlitz/John%20Kline/Kline-John.pdf Captured 19 December, 1944 - Marched 110 miles to Stalag XII-A, Limburg, Germany... Some details of that journey follow. 12/21/44 Arrived in Dockweiler Dries 2300. Billeted in an old German barracks. During the three days there, he spoke of the food and a nearby bombing... 12/30/44 Arrived Stalag XII-A, Limburg, Germany 1030 in the morning. This was a large prisoner transit camp. Large circus style tents and what seemed to be adequate food. We were still not registered as Prisoners of War. This would be a brief stop of 5 1/2 hours. They were given bread but no water. Then they were shipped out in railroad boxcars. 01/07/45 Arrived Stalag IV-B, Mühlberg, Germany - Thirty-two miles northwest of Dresden. We finally had a shower and had our clothes deloused. We were given some medication injected into the muscle area of the left chest. I never did learn what that medication was, possibly it was to prevent typhus or tetanus. We were billeted in small barracks, with sanitary conditions that matched those in the train. The sanitary conditions were deplorable....Here he was finally registered as a POW. 01/12/45 We left Stalag IV-B (Muhlberg) in box cars. We were given a good portion of bread and water and traveled all night.01/13/45 We arrived at Stalag VIII-A Görlitz, Germany. Görlitz, Germany is located about 70 miles east northeast of Dresden on the Polish border, a few miles north of the Czech border and about 135 miles southeast of Berlin. Görlitz straddles the River Neisse in the territory of Lower Silesia, Germany... In early 1945 the Russian advance approaching the Oder was the cause for evacuation of prisoners from Poland and Upper Silesia. This situation caused cramped quarters in Stalag VIII-A, and the food supply dwindled to meager rations. On February 14th, 1945 after several false starts, the first party of a large number of Americans (We were told there were sixteen hundred Americans in our column that left February 14th, 1945) and nearly 200 British were evacuated to the West. On February 15th twelve hundred British set out following the first party that departed on February 14. (Kline was in the 1st party). As various groups went on their way from Duderstadt, they went in one of two directions, Northwest to Stalag XI-B, Fallingbostel. Or, like me, north to Braunschweig. The groups that went to Stalag XI-B were liberated on or about April 5, 1945. Our group was liberated on April 13, 1945, just a few miles east of Braunschweig.
Lane, Weldon V. 423/2nd Bn.HQ Co/ Anti-tank Platoon IV-B, work camps: unnamed & L-71: www.indianamilitary.org/German%20PW%20Camps/Prisoner%20of%20War/PW%20Camps/Stalag%20IV-B%20Mulberg/Weldon%20Lane/Weldon%20Lane.htm
Lane and Lawler appear to have followed the same route marching to a train & experiencing the bombing of the rail yard at Limburg. "We finally arrived at Stalag IVB on December 30, 1944. After disembarking from the train, we were assembled in a building near the gate that we had come through when entering into the Stalag. Sometime during the night we were taken to another building where we were told to strip for showers and delousing. We then went into a large shower room. I had heard about the gas chambers and I remember the fear I felt that we might be in for more than a shower. After the shower, we were given an inoculation. The shot was given in the chest. Again, a fearful experience. By the time everyone had been processed, dawn was breaking on the last day of 1944, a very eventful year.At this point, we were assigned and escorted to a barracks (Building No. 10), where we joined prisoners who had been in the camp for a long time. These prisoners were mostly British; however, I recall there were also a few Yugoslav POWs also. The British had been there since they were captured in North Africa. That night to celebrate New Years Eve, the barracks had a party. The British put on a show and welcomed the newly arrived Americans. The theme of the show was that we hoped we would welcome 1946 in a more joyous manner than we were welcoming 1945.... On another occasion, I was assigned to a work detail outside the camp. A group of us were given a wooded wagon with steel rimmed wheels and a tongue on the front to steer and pull it. We pushed and pulled the wagon to a field filled with mounded rows of potatoes topped with straw. These rows were filled with layers of straw and potatoes covered by dirt. We filled the wagons with potatoes and returned to camp..."
"...sometime in January, 1945, I was shipped out to Arbeit Kommando L-71A, in Bokwitz, Germany along with about 90 other American POWs... The Americans were divided into a number of work details. I was assigned to a work group to work in a factory where they processed brown stage coal into coal brickettes, to be burned like hard coal. One group of GI’s, for what reason I don’t know, were chosen to go to school to become machinists. They attended school with preteen age German kids. They were given a block of steel and a file. Their task was to file the cube flat and square. This was their task the whole time they were in school.We worked six days a week, Sunday was our day off. A typical day: we were awakened at about 4:45 a.m., allowed about a half hour to wash up and get ready to move out, and at about 5:15 a.m. we fell out to march to the factory. The group consisted of thirty-one Americans and three Russians. At the same time we fell out, there was a group of Russians that went to work at the same time we did. When we arrived at the factory there was about a half hour before we had to go to work. We started work at 7:00 a.m. There was a small heated building with tables and benches that was used by the factory workers to eat their lunch. We were allowed to rest there until we started work. We worked until about 5:00 p.m., at which time we were marched back to our compound. Our time was our own for the rest of the night."
Lawler, Loy Dean, Pfc. 423 E, 1st platoon POW IV-B, Arbeitskommando L71A: www.ericsiegmund.com/fireant/2017/06/170608-loysstory.html
back-up copy of this wartime bio of Lawler: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/5058/thread
Lawler saw the sadness and tears on the face of Col. Cavender when he announced they were going to surrender... After a march... "The morning of December 21st we were given a piece of bread and put in boxcars." After stopping at Limburg, he experienced the bombing of that site....We arrived at Stalag IVB about December 30th and was assigned to barracks December 31st. Several of the men were too weak to move and had to be carried off the boxcar. ...Here they were "deloused before being given a small bowl of warm oatmeal. That was the best meal I ever had-and the last for several months." While at IVB, we were in bunks (hard planks) that were so close together we could hardly turn over. There was a latrine at the end of the barracks with two barrels outside the door. With so much dysentery, most of us couldn't wait our turn and had to go in the barrels... Our diet at IVB was watery soup with very little solids.
About the middle of January, 1945, I was transferred to a Russian work camp, arbeit Kommando L71A near Boxwitz, Germany. We were close enough to Dresden to see the lights and the bombing of that city. I was with a group of 100 Americans and 400 Russians. Thirty-one of us and four Russians were assigned to work 6 days a week, 12 hours a day, in a coal brickette factory in Boxwitz (or Bockwitz). It was called Fabrique Eine und Zwie. We got out of bed at 4:30 in the morning, stood outside in formation for roll call. The guard would hit anyone with their hand in their pockets because it was not soldier-like. This was before daylight. We then walked one hour to work, before the 12-hour workday.
Litchfield, Seymour 422-I, 3rd squad, 3rd platoon, POW IVB, III A, III B www.indianamilitary.org/German%20PW%20Camps/Prisoner%20of%20War/PW%20Camps/Stalag%20III-B%20Furstenberg/Seymour%20Lichtenfeld/Lichtenfeld-Seymour.pdf
author of Kriegie 312330: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/3955/thread
also go to this discussion board for more links: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/3954/thread
O'Meara, John P. Pfc, 423rd / 3rd BN / HQ Co POW IV-B and work camp near Dresden 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/5043/thread
Granddaughter posted here with informal photo with friends (at Atterbury) & names of other friends.
Also: note from a Cub Magazine was on the Indiana Military Site Roster under John O'meara's name:
Gifford Doxsee and I were together when our train was bombed on a rail siding on our way to Stalag IV-B. We were lying in an open field as three bombs fell around us, holding hands and praying. We were okay, but five of the others who had broken out of the rail car were killed. I lost track of Gifford when we were sent to different work camps near Dresden. CUB 12/2016
granddaughter's notes on work camp: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/4925/thread
Gifford Doxsee left a treasure of resources. Turns out my grandfather was one of the three he mentions during the march after being captured who laid a coat on the ground in a barnyard and huddled together for warmth. They were still together when the rail cars were bombed in Limburg, but lost touch after they were sent out to separate Arbeitskommandos near Dresden (Doxsee to Slaughterhouse V and my grandfather to a paper mill near Freital)
Parker, Richard B, 1 Lt, 422-AT- 1st platoon. POW Stalag IV-B, Oflag 64 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/5036/thread www.indianamilitary.org/German%20PW%20Camps/Prisoner%20of%20War/PW%20Camps/Oflag%2064%20Schubin/RichardParker/ParkerWarDiary.htm
Parker experienced the bombing of Limburg. Then..."We left Limburg on the 26th (December 1044)...We crept through Germany for five days, stopping frequently and always moving slowly. I might add at this point that it is extremely uncomfortable not to be able to lie down for nine days....
On the 30th of December we arrived at Stalag IV B, Muehlberg. We stood in the open for three hours before finally entering the delousing chamber, but it was worth it - for here we had the most wonderfully hot shower of our lives. It was so hot that we all felt faint and light-headed upon emerging from it...After the delousing we were processed and taken to a barracks. There was no American compound at IV B so we were taken in by RAF non-coms. They had hot tea and soup waiting for us, and water to shave in. Those boys were wonderful to us... It was almost amusing to find that I was in a barracks with my platoon. How that group managed to stick together I don't know, but it certainly was good to see them, even if they were ragged and haggard. I'll never see a nicer, more cooperative platoon...
We stayed in the IVB ten days, receiving one Red Cross package (English) per two men.... We left Muehlberg on January 8 for Of lag 64, a camp for American officers at Szubin, Poland. That trip was fraught with trials, We occupied half of each box car and the guards occupied the other half. There was a barbed wire fence between us. When we had a "rest stop", we either had to climb over the fence to the guard's door or have them get out and open the door on our side...
We arrived at Oflag 64 on the 10th of January. I found that Colonel Goode, who lived across the street at Ft. Leavenworth, was the senior American officer, that each man got a parcel a week, that cigarettes were plentiful and that it was colder than hell. Hesse and I moved into a cubicle with 6 other officers. One a high school classmate of my brother's, and another a good friend of Hesse's. I got a wool undershirt and two blankets, got a copy of Gibbon's "Decline and Fall" from the camp library, crawled into my sack...
When the Russian drive commenced, we all speculated on what the future held for us. That the Germans would evacuate us we didn't doubt for a minute, but as each day came and the Russians drew nearer, we saw no signs of our impending departure other than a constant stream of refugees pouring down the roads in wagons, trucks, cars, carriages and on. foot. Finally, on the morning of the 20th (January), we were told to be prepared to move at any time.
Podlaski, Edmond P. PFC 422-H POW IVB & work camp listed in Indiana Military Site as being a POW at IV B /Zietz Coal Mines: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/752/thread
Purington, Charles O., PFC, 423 H, POW 1V-B & more link to brief history and 2020 obituary: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/4635/thread
also mentions receiving a commendation, along with PFC Alfred Colebourn, for capturing 2 escaped German soldiers while still in England; Likely this was PFC Alfred V. Colburn also of 423 H , who is listed in the Roster.
Setter, Leon J. 422/ 2nd Bn Hq POW IVB & work camp in Gleina: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/4203/thread
spent time at IV B before being sent to work in Gleina, a farm village
"Setter was captured on December 19, 1944 during the Battle of the Bulge. As a prisoner of war, he was led into the small village of Schoenburgh and held for a short time in the town’s Catholic Church. He was moved through the German cities of Prum, Mayen and Koblenz before arriving at POW Stalag in Limburg and finally Stalag IV-B. Mr. Setter was eventually selected by his captors for work duty in the small farm village of Gleina, Germany, where he was held until liberation on April 14, 1945. It took three to four months for him to recuperate from his injuries and malnourished condition..."
Shelton, Hubert P. PVT 423 B POW IVB Muhlberg, Sachsen 52-13 known as Slaughter House #5: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/4306/thread
Also see book review notes on Shadows of Slaughter House Five by Ervin Szpek: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/1046/thread
Southam, George F. 423 B POW IV-A, IV-B: www.heroesforever.nl/George%20F%20Southam.htm
This bio says "Private Southam was sent to Stalag IV-A & IV-B Muhlberg Sachsen 51-13 till the end of the war. His records list his status as "Returned to Military Control, Liberated or Repatriated" and show as his "Latest Report Date" July 12, 1945."
Strong, George W. Pvt, 423 INF/HQ, POW IVB, Slaughterhouse Five named on the list of those at Slaughterhouse 5: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/4800/thread d. 2-2-15;
thread with links to his story, memoriam notes, etc. 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/4231/thread
Smith, Wayne C., Staff Sgt 592nd-A, Fwd Observer, POW IV-B & VIII-A, son looking to connect with anyone with more info.--especially on activity leading up to his captivity; 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/4651/thread and also: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/4652/thread. also see post on POW questions related to a march from VIII A: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/4955/thread
Thornley, Cleo C 590-C POW IV-B & "Death March www.indianamilitary.org/German%20PW%20Camps/Prisoner%20of%20War/PW%20Camps/Stalag%20IV-B%20Mulberg/Thronley-Cleo/Thornley-Cleo.htm was here only briefly before he joined others in what became known as the Death March.He was liberated en-route on this endless march on April 13.
After unloading from the train the prisoners were sent to a prison camp about 13 miles from the Russian front. [He sent my aunt a Red Cross postcard from Stalag IV B, but said they were actually in the camp for just a few days. They could hear the Russians shelling the enemy. The prisoners were given orders to get in a column and march. There were 4 to 5 prisoners across as they went down the road. Later this march was referred to as the “Death March.” About 1,500 men started out, but only 400-500 finished it. Following are some things Daddy remembers about that march...
Urner, Harry, Cpl. machine gunner 422-H POW IV-B 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/4281/thread
son posts memories of a friend of Harry( Harold Bendle) then gives his father's name two posts down: I'm Mark, my father was a machine gunner in H Co. of the 422nd...My dad is Harry Urner, he appears on the roster. He was an original 106th man from inception until his discharge. Dad was at IVB as well. I suspect he and Harold were together from before deployment to liberation.
Watson, Robert L, Pfc 423-B,POW IV-B? & IV-G 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/5231/thread
Wentz, William J 423-M POW IV-B,work camp L-71 at lignite mines, IV D, time in hospital in Liebenwerda (near Mühlberg) 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/4941/thread
(The Roster lists William Wentz as being at 4-B, 4-A Hohnstein, Saxony, KDO4, months a POW but his son has found nothing in the info from to indicate time spent at 4-A or Hohnstein)
In my father's tiny notepad he had as a POW he recorded his locations as: Arrived 4B 12-28 Muhlberg on Elbe, Moved 4D 1-18 Muckenberg
There is also an unreadable section on the scan that appears to relate to Liebenwerda and from other papers and what he told us he spent a little time at a "hospital" in Liebenwerda, which was near Muhlberg.
Nothing in the information he left for us indicates anything about 4-A or Hohnstein. We know he was in a work camp strip mining lignite (brown coal). I did find there were lignite mines near 4-A. Researching Muckenberg on modern maps returned a location in the far north of Germany. Dad told us his camp was between Berlin and Dresden, and mentioned being able to see the glow in the sky when Dresden was bombed.
Near the bottom of the page he scanned I can make out L 71 A, which turns out to be the ID for his work camp, most often listed as L-71. Dad had told me there were two separate work groups at his camp mining lignite. Their quarters were in the same area, but apparently they worked in different locations and had A & B designations."We know he was in a work camp strip mining lignite (brown coal). I did find there were lignite mines near 4-A. Researching Muckenberg on modern maps returned a location in the far north of Germany. Dad told us his camp was between Berlin and Dresden, and mentioned being able to see the glow in the sky when Dresden was bombed..." Prior to his time in POW camps Wentz also experienced the bombings of the railroad yard near near Limburgh See Limburgh for other links to this event: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/4081/thread
Zak, George K., Cpl 422M; POW Muhlberg; Lobau; 4A,Pirna 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/2798/thread
link to thread with connections to his book (Soldier Boy), his veterans history project video interview, and more
Please add to a post below below any notes or questions related to this camp
MAP of GERMAN POW CAMPS: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/4961/thread
FINDING a POW's WORK CAMP: jrwentz attached two helpful posts near the bottom of the following thread: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/4942/thread
Stalag IV-B- east of Elbe
WIKIPEDIA NOTES: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stalag_IV-B
Stalag IV-B was one of the largest prisoner-of-war camps in Germany during World War II.
The main camp was located 8km NE of the town Mühlberg in Brandenburg, just east of the Elbe river and about 30 miles (50 km) north of Dresden.
From 1944 to 1945 it belonged to the Province of Halle-Merseburg. Now, the area is in Brandenburg.
A branch camp, sometimes identified as Stalag-IVB/Z, was located at Zeithain, 10 km to the south in Saxony.
At the end of December 1944 about 7,500 Americans arrived from the Battle of the Bulge.
At least 3,000 of them were transferred to other camps, mostly to Stalag VIII-A....
23 April 1945 the Red Army liberated the camp. Altogether soldiers from 33 nations passed through this camp.
Of the 7,500 men from the Battle of the Bulge originally housed here, about 3,000 were transfered to other camps, mostly Stalag VIII-A.
A later Wikipedia note may alter the final liberation date for Americans if it is true: " It is not widely known, but the Soviet liberators were in no hurry to repatriate the British and American prisoners to their homelands. In fact they were held in the camp for over a month. Individual soldiers "escaped" from the camp and made their way on foot to the American lines."
A UK Wartime memory project has some info and personal stories from men at IV B, including some from the 106th:
www.wartimememoriesproject.com/ww2/allied/division.php?pid=8027
2017 UPDATE ON PRESERVATION OF IV-B. 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/4414/thread
Finding a POW's Work Camp: jrwentz attached two helpful posts near the bottom of the following thread: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/4942/thread
Work Camps near IVB: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/3816/thread
In answering a question on this subject, Carl Wouters wrote: Men from IV-B were put to work in a number of 'Arbeitskommandos' or work details/camps in the vincinity of the Stalag. This meant that they were usually not billeted in the camp barracks themselves, but in barns or other facilities near their work site. I know one 423/B veteran who was in Stalag IV-B and later part of an 'Arbeitskommando' in a benzene plant. They were housed in a barn in the town of Gleina.
106th CONNECTIONS:
List of 423 Infantry Regiment POW's: www.indianamilitary.org/106ID/Rosters/REFERENCES/64%20-%20423rd%20roster/64.htm
Sidebar List of POW Camps & some names of POW's there www.indianamilitary.org/German%20PW%20Camps/SoThinkMenu/GermanPW-START.htm
Sidebar List of Diaries, Obits, & Articles, etc. alphabetically on the Indiana Military Site: www.indianamilitary.org/106ID/SoThinkMenu/106thSTART.htm
Akey, Homer L. "Gub" 590-B, POW IVB 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/5300/thread
Barnes, Kenneth Ralph, Cpl., 423-E, POW IV-B, work detachment near Lobau, hospital in Goerlitz, hard labor near Hohnstein link to compelling 2-part video interview: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/4827/thread ...Next came a march to Prüm where they spent the freezing night sleeping in a cattle yard followed by another 30 km march to the box cars at Gerolstein-- and their first food: a cup of soup and a piece of bread. He notes the loading of 68 men into boxcars meant for 40 men or 8 horses where they would remain from December 21 to 29 (without further food or water) as they traveled. They were parked in the rail yard that was hit by Allied bombers on Christmas Eve before arriving for processing at Stalag IV-B in Muhlberg. There they and their clothing were steam cleaned and the clothing marked in indelible ink with equilateral triangles that designated them as Prisoners of War.
From there he, his friend, and 34 others were shipped on Jan 10 to a work detachment at Vobau, near the Polish border where they worked in a blanket factory. Here life was a little better than at Stalag IV-B. Here he come down with Bronchitis and was running a fever. He was briefly shipped to a hospital in Goerlitz (sp?) on the Polish border & then returned to the blanket factory. He speaks of his train passing the beautiful city of Dresden when traveling in one direction; and the bombed city of Dresden in the other. His next account is about life in a hard labor camp near Hohnstein where they worked on repairing damaged rail tracks. Finally in early May as Russian troops approached, he tells of the guards taking them out of this camp and then abandoning them to find their own way back toward allied lines... There ends a brief summary of the first of his two-part interview. If the second is as compelling as the first it will be worth the time investment.
Baron, Robert Weapons Platoon K Company 422nd POW IV-B spent 4 months @ IV-B. His POW account is detailed. Here's a bit of his account of daily life at IV-B: "Life in the Stalag was a boring routine. Up in the morning, and outside for roll call. Then, we were issued our morning ration of ersatz coffee, made from burnt barley. It was awful stuff, but because it was hot, it was used mostly for shaving. Lunch was usually a slice of brot, as thick as our Kriegsgefangener (or "Kriegie") dogtag was wide, a cup of rutabaga soup, and four or five walnut-sized boiled potatoes..."
Apr. 23 Russians announced liberation; May 23 or 25 trucked to west of Riesa where they were met by U.S. troops www.indianamilitary.org/German%20PW%20Camps/Prisoner%20of%20War/PW%20Camps/Stalag%20IV-B%20Mulberg/Robert%20Baron/BaronRobert-422.htm
Bendle, Harold L 422-H POW IVB 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/4281/thread
Harry Urner's son mentions this friend of his father's in a discussion board post. He is listed in the Indiana Military Site Roster as having been a POW at IV B
Birdsall, Clifford H., 422 Anti-tank Co. POW IV-B, work camp-94 minute audio interview: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/4827/thread
This Ohio native, born in 1924, enrolled in Ohio State U in Columbus Ohio, hoping to get as much college as possible in before he was drafted. He was drafted in January 1943 and did his basic training in Field Artillery at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. He then went into the ASTP program, studying first at Drexil Institute in Philadelphia, Pa. before joining 360 other enlisted men in a program at Amherst College in Massachusetts. From there he was sent to help fill the ranks of the 106th Infantry Division at Camp Atterbury, Indiana. From there the division headed for Camp Myles Standish in Massachusetts & he sailed for England from NY on the Aquitania. He noted that when they replaced the men of the 2nd Division on the front on December 11th, they had no winter equipment. After the surrender of the 422 on the 19th of December he noted being taken to a holding area for the night and then being loaded on 40 and 8 boxcars. He was at Limburg when that railroad station was bombed. His box car was not hit. He was taken to Muhlburg for processing and then sent to a brick factory work camp. He knew it was in the vicinity of Whittenburg because, as they walked through the city, someone in the group pointed out the church where Luther had posted his thesis. (Later in the interview he went into much detail about his efforts on a return trip to Europe to locate his POW work camp. He spoke of their liberation, his time at Camp Lucky Strike working on recovery after his loss of 50 pounds, and briefly mentioned that he traveled back to the states on a Liberty Ship. He arrived in the states on June 19, 1945 -- his 21st birthday. His call home was when his father learned that he was still alive...
Black, Ewell Jr (Rev. ) 422-A POW XII A, IV B, work camp at Gleina www.indianamilitary.org/German%20PW%20Camps/Prisoner%20of%20War/PW%20Camps/Stalag%20XII-A%20Limburg/Ewell%20Black/Ewell%20Black.htm
Surrendered noon Dec. 18; He writes:" We arrived at Stalag XII—A in Limburg about dark on December 30th or 31st. Housing was in large medical tents which had been captured. We slept on the ground with no heat in the tents (we had no heat in any of the various places which we were housed during the march). The following night we received “grass soup”, which was our first meal since Koblenz. New Year’s of 1944 was spent at XII—A and several days following. We were loaded in box cars for turned out to be a five or six day ride to Stalag IVB at Muhlberg." His stay in Muhlberb was followed by time at a work camp 3 Km from Zeitz in in the small farming community of Gleina about three km. from Zeitz (arriving 3rd wk of January) With about 120 men he was above a home and barn in what had been a pre-war night club. They worked daily in cleaning a bombed out factory. He was liberated Friday April 13. video interview: memory.loc.gov/diglib/vhp/story/loc.natlib.afc2001001.50158/
Notes on this discussion Board: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/5026/thread
Block, Robert Stewart, Sgt. 423/ 3rd BN/I, POW IV-B link to video interview: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/4827/thread
Bloom, Jack Tech Sgt 422 POW IV B : 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/3930/thread
Prior to his arrival at IV B, he experienced the bombings of the railroad yard near near Limburgh See Limburgh for other links to this event: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/4081/thread
Bohde, Edward 422/ L, POW Stalags IV-B, VIII A www.indianamilitary.org/German%20PW%20Camps/Prisoner%20of%20War/PW%20Camps/Stalag%20VIII-A%20Gorlitz/Edward%20Bohde/Edward%20Bohde.htm
captured in small mixed group/ was here as his first POW camp stop; stayed 1 night; moved to VIIIA
Bradley, Fay, Sgt 423/E POW 1VB, III B, and IIIA 106thdivision.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=looking&action=display&thread=422
note from granddaughter: I'm wondering if anyone remembers Sgt Fay Bradley, 423/E. He was captured during the battle of the bulge and was in 3 different POW camps -- IVB Muhlberg, IIIB Furstenberg, IIIA Luckenwalde. He was part of the Brat March from Furstenberg to Luckenwalde. I've gathered most of his official paperwork, but would love to hear from anyone who remembers him or experienced any of these places. I have some photos from his time in Indiana before being shipped out and would love to gather more.
Brumfield, Vernon E, PFC 589 C POW IVB Muhlberg, Leipzig work camp link to video: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/4827/thread
Brutus, Glen J. PFC 1st BN HQ Co 423rd POW IVB, IIIA, IIIB, unknown camp
list of POW Camps found under his name in Roster: www.indianamilitary.org/106ID/Rosters/RosterZOHO.htm
notes and link 79 minute audio interview: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/4827/thread
Bugner, Thomas F, S/Sgt, 590-B, POW IV-B Thread with link to other info 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/5120/thread
Captured December 19 & marched to train
Brief quote from Cub article listed here: We were then put on a train. "We stopped in Limburg, Germany, where we were caught in an air-raid bombing, and we lost a lot of men there. My friend and I got away, but the Germans caught us again and put us back in the boxcars, and they nailed the doors shut so we could not get out again.” It was not a Merry Christmas for Tom. He was in captivity for nearly five months. He stated, “when I walked out of the prison camp in 1945, a free man once more, my weight had dropped from 175 pounds to 96 pounds.”
Byrnes, Vincent Joseph, 423/ SVC POW IV-B; IIIA, work camp near Magdenburg- www.indianamilitary.org/German%20PW%20Camps/Prisoner%20of%20War/PW%20Camps/Stalag%20III-A%20Luckenwalde/Byrnes-Vincent/Byrnes-Vincent.pdf Notes from Account by Byrnes' Daughter: Eventually, they arrived at Stalag IV-Muhlberg,Germany. Here the were tagged, registered as P.O.W''s, fed for what it was worth. After a short period, my Dad was transferred to Stalag III-A Luckenwalde, Germany. The conditions here were as bad as those in Muhlberg. On this site a tent or tents were constructed for the overflow of prisoners. They slept on hay in a field under these tents. Cold, lice, dysentery, and numerous other issues plagued these men. There were few to no drops of essentials for these men. Being told in most cases the German's kept much of what was dropped to the Prisoners by the American Red Cross. My Dad worked on the railroad, building the tracks that would eventually connect ( my summation one area of Germany, vital to the War effort to another). In my Father's words, he eventually devised a way to break the hammers, in a fashion the German's would not comprehend, thus limiting their time working on the railroad. At this point we assumed from words of another P.O.W. they were in a work camp somewhere in the vicinity of Magdeburg near the Elbe River.
Collins, John F. 423-M POW IV-B.Jim Wentz mentioned a John Collins in 423 M who was a friend of his father's. There are numbers people with that first and last name, but the one with the middle initial F, appears to be the only one from 423M listed in the roster. Here's the link to the Wentz post which mentions him:: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/5275/thread
Dimas, Pete G. 423-B POW IVB: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/4045/thread
In recounting the initial hours after his capture, Dimas noted: "That night, the prisoners of war walked through a ruined city, and someone started singing God Bless America. We kept on singing and singing and singing and singing. And walking and walking, and we just wanted to let the Germans know that we weren't licked yet,"
Doxsee, Gifford B., Cpl., 423rd, 3rd Battalion Hq Co, Signal Corps Unit; POW IV B, Slaughter House 5, Gorbitz, Dresden 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/2766/thread
Discussion board thread on Doxsee with links to his Veterans History Project interviews, notes on his experiences at Slaughterhouse 5, and more...
Eisenhard, Daniel A. PFC, 423-2nd BN HQ Co. POW IVB see notes from son in post below: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/5227/thread
Ferguson Richard C Sgt. T/4 590-HQ, POW IVB, III B, III A www.indianamilitary.org/German%20PW%20Camps/Prisoner%20of%20War/PW%20Camps/Stalag%20III-A%20Luckenwalde/Richard%20Ferguson/Richard%20Ferguson.htm IV-B was the first stop on his POW journey. Here he spent 7 days and was officially interviewed, fingerprinted, etc. His second stop was III B; third stop III A.Multiple links on this board: 106thdivision.proboards.com/thread/1032/ferguson-richard-590th-hq
Fisher, Elburn Quincy 422nd L- POW IV: 106thdivision.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=looking&action=display&thread=66
note on this discussion board in 2008: My Grandfather was Elburn Quincy Fisher, from Okmulgee OK. He was captured and sent to Stalag 4B. All I know is that he carried the" BAR" and was wounded by a grenade and froze his feet on the march to Germany. He died in 1969,and is buried in the veterans circle in Okmulgee OK. I was wondering if anyone might remember him.
Grant, Kenneth, S/Sgt 422 Hq 3rd BN HQ POW Stalag IVB, III-B, IIIA Grant was in an anti-tank platoon within HQ Co of the 3rd Bn of the 422nd.
BIO & DIARY: www.indianamilitary.org/106ID/Diaries/Stalag%20IV-B%20Mulberg/Grant-Kenneth-422HQ-4B-3B-3A/Grant-Krnneth-422HQ-4B-3B-3A.pdf
He was in a forward position, captured on 12-19-44. A brief glimpse at the detailed diary listed above: Dec. 27, 1944We got to where we were going today (Stalag IV-B Muhlberg) and had to stand out in the cold before we got a bath and our clothes deloused. We then had to go and get registered and searched. After that was over we finally were split up and put into huts with some R.C.A.F. boys. They had some hot soup and a cigarette waiting for us. They gave us a bed to sleep in. I mean a sort of a bed. They were boards with a little straw on them.
Grant's son converses with Bradley's granddaughter: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/1397/thread
Frank Grant notes: My father was captured on 12-19-44 and was liberated on 5-5-45. He was a Staff Sgt. and had a dog tag from Stalag IV-B. 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/753/thread
More collected info on Grant: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/5050/thread
Honkomp, Elmer D. "Bud", Lt., 422 K. POW IV-B was Captain Niel Stewart's Executive Officer: note from son: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/1496/thread
Kline, John P, Sgt 423 M-Heavy Machine Gun Squad Leader, POW XII-A, IV-B, VIII A and long march to Braunschweig 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/2959/thread
Notes from Kline's diary www.indianamilitary.org/German%20PW%20Camps/Prisoner%20of%20War/PW%20Camps/Stalag%20VIII-A%20Gorlitz/John%20Kline/Kline-John.pdf Captured 19 December, 1944 - Marched 110 miles to Stalag XII-A, Limburg, Germany... Some details of that journey follow. 12/21/44 Arrived in Dockweiler Dries 2300. Billeted in an old German barracks. During the three days there, he spoke of the food and a nearby bombing... 12/30/44 Arrived Stalag XII-A, Limburg, Germany 1030 in the morning. This was a large prisoner transit camp. Large circus style tents and what seemed to be adequate food. We were still not registered as Prisoners of War. This would be a brief stop of 5 1/2 hours. They were given bread but no water. Then they were shipped out in railroad boxcars. 01/07/45 Arrived Stalag IV-B, Mühlberg, Germany - Thirty-two miles northwest of Dresden. We finally had a shower and had our clothes deloused. We were given some medication injected into the muscle area of the left chest. I never did learn what that medication was, possibly it was to prevent typhus or tetanus. We were billeted in small barracks, with sanitary conditions that matched those in the train. The sanitary conditions were deplorable....Here he was finally registered as a POW. 01/12/45 We left Stalag IV-B (Muhlberg) in box cars. We were given a good portion of bread and water and traveled all night.01/13/45 We arrived at Stalag VIII-A Görlitz, Germany. Görlitz, Germany is located about 70 miles east northeast of Dresden on the Polish border, a few miles north of the Czech border and about 135 miles southeast of Berlin. Görlitz straddles the River Neisse in the territory of Lower Silesia, Germany... In early 1945 the Russian advance approaching the Oder was the cause for evacuation of prisoners from Poland and Upper Silesia. This situation caused cramped quarters in Stalag VIII-A, and the food supply dwindled to meager rations. On February 14th, 1945 after several false starts, the first party of a large number of Americans (We were told there were sixteen hundred Americans in our column that left February 14th, 1945) and nearly 200 British were evacuated to the West. On February 15th twelve hundred British set out following the first party that departed on February 14. (Kline was in the 1st party). As various groups went on their way from Duderstadt, they went in one of two directions, Northwest to Stalag XI-B, Fallingbostel. Or, like me, north to Braunschweig. The groups that went to Stalag XI-B were liberated on or about April 5, 1945. Our group was liberated on April 13, 1945, just a few miles east of Braunschweig.
Lane, Weldon V. 423/2nd Bn.HQ Co/ Anti-tank Platoon IV-B, work camps: unnamed & L-71: www.indianamilitary.org/German%20PW%20Camps/Prisoner%20of%20War/PW%20Camps/Stalag%20IV-B%20Mulberg/Weldon%20Lane/Weldon%20Lane.htm
Lane and Lawler appear to have followed the same route marching to a train & experiencing the bombing of the rail yard at Limburg. "We finally arrived at Stalag IVB on December 30, 1944. After disembarking from the train, we were assembled in a building near the gate that we had come through when entering into the Stalag. Sometime during the night we were taken to another building where we were told to strip for showers and delousing. We then went into a large shower room. I had heard about the gas chambers and I remember the fear I felt that we might be in for more than a shower. After the shower, we were given an inoculation. The shot was given in the chest. Again, a fearful experience. By the time everyone had been processed, dawn was breaking on the last day of 1944, a very eventful year.At this point, we were assigned and escorted to a barracks (Building No. 10), where we joined prisoners who had been in the camp for a long time. These prisoners were mostly British; however, I recall there were also a few Yugoslav POWs also. The British had been there since they were captured in North Africa. That night to celebrate New Years Eve, the barracks had a party. The British put on a show and welcomed the newly arrived Americans. The theme of the show was that we hoped we would welcome 1946 in a more joyous manner than we were welcoming 1945.... On another occasion, I was assigned to a work detail outside the camp. A group of us were given a wooded wagon with steel rimmed wheels and a tongue on the front to steer and pull it. We pushed and pulled the wagon to a field filled with mounded rows of potatoes topped with straw. These rows were filled with layers of straw and potatoes covered by dirt. We filled the wagons with potatoes and returned to camp..."
"...sometime in January, 1945, I was shipped out to Arbeit Kommando L-71A, in Bokwitz, Germany along with about 90 other American POWs... The Americans were divided into a number of work details. I was assigned to a work group to work in a factory where they processed brown stage coal into coal brickettes, to be burned like hard coal. One group of GI’s, for what reason I don’t know, were chosen to go to school to become machinists. They attended school with preteen age German kids. They were given a block of steel and a file. Their task was to file the cube flat and square. This was their task the whole time they were in school.We worked six days a week, Sunday was our day off. A typical day: we were awakened at about 4:45 a.m., allowed about a half hour to wash up and get ready to move out, and at about 5:15 a.m. we fell out to march to the factory. The group consisted of thirty-one Americans and three Russians. At the same time we fell out, there was a group of Russians that went to work at the same time we did. When we arrived at the factory there was about a half hour before we had to go to work. We started work at 7:00 a.m. There was a small heated building with tables and benches that was used by the factory workers to eat their lunch. We were allowed to rest there until we started work. We worked until about 5:00 p.m., at which time we were marched back to our compound. Our time was our own for the rest of the night."
Lawler, Loy Dean, Pfc. 423 E, 1st platoon POW IV-B, Arbeitskommando L71A: www.ericsiegmund.com/fireant/2017/06/170608-loysstory.html
back-up copy of this wartime bio of Lawler: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/5058/thread
Lawler saw the sadness and tears on the face of Col. Cavender when he announced they were going to surrender... After a march... "The morning of December 21st we were given a piece of bread and put in boxcars." After stopping at Limburg, he experienced the bombing of that site....We arrived at Stalag IVB about December 30th and was assigned to barracks December 31st. Several of the men were too weak to move and had to be carried off the boxcar. ...Here they were "deloused before being given a small bowl of warm oatmeal. That was the best meal I ever had-and the last for several months." While at IVB, we were in bunks (hard planks) that were so close together we could hardly turn over. There was a latrine at the end of the barracks with two barrels outside the door. With so much dysentery, most of us couldn't wait our turn and had to go in the barrels... Our diet at IVB was watery soup with very little solids.
About the middle of January, 1945, I was transferred to a Russian work camp, arbeit Kommando L71A near Boxwitz, Germany. We were close enough to Dresden to see the lights and the bombing of that city. I was with a group of 100 Americans and 400 Russians. Thirty-one of us and four Russians were assigned to work 6 days a week, 12 hours a day, in a coal brickette factory in Boxwitz (or Bockwitz). It was called Fabrique Eine und Zwie. We got out of bed at 4:30 in the morning, stood outside in formation for roll call. The guard would hit anyone with their hand in their pockets because it was not soldier-like. This was before daylight. We then walked one hour to work, before the 12-hour workday.
Litchfield, Seymour 422-I, 3rd squad, 3rd platoon, POW IVB, III A, III B www.indianamilitary.org/German%20PW%20Camps/Prisoner%20of%20War/PW%20Camps/Stalag%20III-B%20Furstenberg/Seymour%20Lichtenfeld/Lichtenfeld-Seymour.pdf
author of Kriegie 312330: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/3955/thread
also go to this discussion board for more links: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/3954/thread
O'Meara, John P. Pfc, 423rd / 3rd BN / HQ Co POW IV-B and work camp near Dresden 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/5043/thread
Granddaughter posted here with informal photo with friends (at Atterbury) & names of other friends.
Also: note from a Cub Magazine was on the Indiana Military Site Roster under John O'meara's name:
Gifford Doxsee and I were together when our train was bombed on a rail siding on our way to Stalag IV-B. We were lying in an open field as three bombs fell around us, holding hands and praying. We were okay, but five of the others who had broken out of the rail car were killed. I lost track of Gifford when we were sent to different work camps near Dresden. CUB 12/2016
granddaughter's notes on work camp: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/4925/thread
Gifford Doxsee left a treasure of resources. Turns out my grandfather was one of the three he mentions during the march after being captured who laid a coat on the ground in a barnyard and huddled together for warmth. They were still together when the rail cars were bombed in Limburg, but lost touch after they were sent out to separate Arbeitskommandos near Dresden (Doxsee to Slaughterhouse V and my grandfather to a paper mill near Freital)
Parker, Richard B, 1 Lt, 422-AT- 1st platoon. POW Stalag IV-B, Oflag 64 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/5036/thread www.indianamilitary.org/German%20PW%20Camps/Prisoner%20of%20War/PW%20Camps/Oflag%2064%20Schubin/RichardParker/ParkerWarDiary.htm
Parker experienced the bombing of Limburg. Then..."We left Limburg on the 26th (December 1044)...We crept through Germany for five days, stopping frequently and always moving slowly. I might add at this point that it is extremely uncomfortable not to be able to lie down for nine days....
On the 30th of December we arrived at Stalag IV B, Muehlberg. We stood in the open for three hours before finally entering the delousing chamber, but it was worth it - for here we had the most wonderfully hot shower of our lives. It was so hot that we all felt faint and light-headed upon emerging from it...After the delousing we were processed and taken to a barracks. There was no American compound at IV B so we were taken in by RAF non-coms. They had hot tea and soup waiting for us, and water to shave in. Those boys were wonderful to us... It was almost amusing to find that I was in a barracks with my platoon. How that group managed to stick together I don't know, but it certainly was good to see them, even if they were ragged and haggard. I'll never see a nicer, more cooperative platoon...
We stayed in the IVB ten days, receiving one Red Cross package (English) per two men.... We left Muehlberg on January 8 for Of lag 64, a camp for American officers at Szubin, Poland. That trip was fraught with trials, We occupied half of each box car and the guards occupied the other half. There was a barbed wire fence between us. When we had a "rest stop", we either had to climb over the fence to the guard's door or have them get out and open the door on our side...
We arrived at Oflag 64 on the 10th of January. I found that Colonel Goode, who lived across the street at Ft. Leavenworth, was the senior American officer, that each man got a parcel a week, that cigarettes were plentiful and that it was colder than hell. Hesse and I moved into a cubicle with 6 other officers. One a high school classmate of my brother's, and another a good friend of Hesse's. I got a wool undershirt and two blankets, got a copy of Gibbon's "Decline and Fall" from the camp library, crawled into my sack...
When the Russian drive commenced, we all speculated on what the future held for us. That the Germans would evacuate us we didn't doubt for a minute, but as each day came and the Russians drew nearer, we saw no signs of our impending departure other than a constant stream of refugees pouring down the roads in wagons, trucks, cars, carriages and on. foot. Finally, on the morning of the 20th (January), we were told to be prepared to move at any time.
Podlaski, Edmond P. PFC 422-H POW IVB & work camp listed in Indiana Military Site as being a POW at IV B /Zietz Coal Mines: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/752/thread
Purington, Charles O., PFC, 423 H, POW 1V-B & more link to brief history and 2020 obituary: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/4635/thread
also mentions receiving a commendation, along with PFC Alfred Colebourn, for capturing 2 escaped German soldiers while still in England; Likely this was PFC Alfred V. Colburn also of 423 H , who is listed in the Roster.
Setter, Leon J. 422/ 2nd Bn Hq POW IVB & work camp in Gleina: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/4203/thread
spent time at IV B before being sent to work in Gleina, a farm village
"Setter was captured on December 19, 1944 during the Battle of the Bulge. As a prisoner of war, he was led into the small village of Schoenburgh and held for a short time in the town’s Catholic Church. He was moved through the German cities of Prum, Mayen and Koblenz before arriving at POW Stalag in Limburg and finally Stalag IV-B. Mr. Setter was eventually selected by his captors for work duty in the small farm village of Gleina, Germany, where he was held until liberation on April 14, 1945. It took three to four months for him to recuperate from his injuries and malnourished condition..."
Shelton, Hubert P. PVT 423 B POW IVB Muhlberg, Sachsen 52-13 known as Slaughter House #5: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/4306/thread
Also see book review notes on Shadows of Slaughter House Five by Ervin Szpek: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/1046/thread
Southam, George F. 423 B POW IV-A, IV-B: www.heroesforever.nl/George%20F%20Southam.htm
This bio says "Private Southam was sent to Stalag IV-A & IV-B Muhlberg Sachsen 51-13 till the end of the war. His records list his status as "Returned to Military Control, Liberated or Repatriated" and show as his "Latest Report Date" July 12, 1945."
Strong, George W. Pvt, 423 INF/HQ, POW IVB, Slaughterhouse Five named on the list of those at Slaughterhouse 5: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/4800/thread d. 2-2-15;
thread with links to his story, memoriam notes, etc. 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/4231/thread
Smith, Wayne C., Staff Sgt 592nd-A, Fwd Observer, POW IV-B & VIII-A, son looking to connect with anyone with more info.--especially on activity leading up to his captivity; 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/4651/thread and also: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/4652/thread. also see post on POW questions related to a march from VIII A: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/4955/thread
Thornley, Cleo C 590-C POW IV-B & "Death March www.indianamilitary.org/German%20PW%20Camps/Prisoner%20of%20War/PW%20Camps/Stalag%20IV-B%20Mulberg/Thronley-Cleo/Thornley-Cleo.htm was here only briefly before he joined others in what became known as the Death March.He was liberated en-route on this endless march on April 13.
After unloading from the train the prisoners were sent to a prison camp about 13 miles from the Russian front. [He sent my aunt a Red Cross postcard from Stalag IV B, but said they were actually in the camp for just a few days. They could hear the Russians shelling the enemy. The prisoners were given orders to get in a column and march. There were 4 to 5 prisoners across as they went down the road. Later this march was referred to as the “Death March.” About 1,500 men started out, but only 400-500 finished it. Following are some things Daddy remembers about that march...
Urner, Harry, Cpl. machine gunner 422-H POW IV-B 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/4281/thread
son posts memories of a friend of Harry( Harold Bendle) then gives his father's name two posts down: I'm Mark, my father was a machine gunner in H Co. of the 422nd...My dad is Harry Urner, he appears on the roster. He was an original 106th man from inception until his discharge. Dad was at IVB as well. I suspect he and Harold were together from before deployment to liberation.
Watson, Robert L, Pfc 423-B,POW IV-B? & IV-G 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/5231/thread
Wentz, William J 423-M POW IV-B,work camp L-71 at lignite mines, IV D, time in hospital in Liebenwerda (near Mühlberg) 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/4941/thread
(The Roster lists William Wentz as being at 4-B, 4-A Hohnstein, Saxony, KDO4, months a POW but his son has found nothing in the info from to indicate time spent at 4-A or Hohnstein)
In my father's tiny notepad he had as a POW he recorded his locations as: Arrived 4B 12-28 Muhlberg on Elbe, Moved 4D 1-18 Muckenberg
There is also an unreadable section on the scan that appears to relate to Liebenwerda and from other papers and what he told us he spent a little time at a "hospital" in Liebenwerda, which was near Muhlberg.
Nothing in the information he left for us indicates anything about 4-A or Hohnstein. We know he was in a work camp strip mining lignite (brown coal). I did find there were lignite mines near 4-A. Researching Muckenberg on modern maps returned a location in the far north of Germany. Dad told us his camp was between Berlin and Dresden, and mentioned being able to see the glow in the sky when Dresden was bombed.
Near the bottom of the page he scanned I can make out L 71 A, which turns out to be the ID for his work camp, most often listed as L-71. Dad had told me there were two separate work groups at his camp mining lignite. Their quarters were in the same area, but apparently they worked in different locations and had A & B designations."We know he was in a work camp strip mining lignite (brown coal). I did find there were lignite mines near 4-A. Researching Muckenberg on modern maps returned a location in the far north of Germany. Dad told us his camp was between Berlin and Dresden, and mentioned being able to see the glow in the sky when Dresden was bombed..." Prior to his time in POW camps Wentz also experienced the bombings of the railroad yard near near Limburgh See Limburgh for other links to this event: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/4081/thread
Zak, George K., Cpl 422M; POW Muhlberg; Lobau; 4A,Pirna 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/2798/thread
link to thread with connections to his book (Soldier Boy), his veterans history project video interview, and more
Please add to a post below below any notes or questions related to this camp
