WARTIME GUIDES

Any escape from the camp was forbidden under the threat of death. Yet, there were some people who tried to achieve that, by either flleing from main camps, which was extremaly difficult. Anyone who would approach the fence could have been killed without any warning. Some tried to escape from working camps. This way was easier, because there were fewer guards but often they had no knowledge over the lands they stay on. with no food, preparations an escape was doomed to failure.  However, there were 2 major routes which prisoners of war used to escape. Some used the route via Gdansk (Danzig) to Sweden. There was even a special organization from Bydgoszcz (Bromberg) which helped to run away f or money (ap. 2000 - 4000 Reich marks). Others like Mr Foster (his story is described further in this blog) used a way via Posen to Germany.  There was also a possibility to run away via Russia. But, the general reception of fugitives by the Russians was negative and many ...

the battle of Dunkirk At the beginning of May 1940 Hitler decided to attack the Low Countries. The Low Countries is a historical name for Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxemburg.   The British Expeditionary Force (BEF), French and Belgium troops had been situated on the French and Belgium border with Germany since September 1939, awaiting the inevitable German attack. Germans under the commander General Gerd von Rundstedt made a decision to attack the channel ports before the Allied troops could evacuate. Using the “blitzkrieg” method of attack (rapid advances by armoured columns supported by overwhelming air superiority) British, French and Belgian armies were rapidly overcome.   General Lord Gort who was in charge of the British Expeditionary Force, foresaw that the German attack would rapidly overrun the British forces and would arrive at the channel ports before the BEF could be evacuated to England. Therefore, he conducted a series of fighting retreats to the po...

Those prisoners of war who committed a crime were sent to a hard labour camp to Graudenz (ap.100km north from Thorn). Here is the list of those who were sent there on 19.06.1943 no name Date of birth occupation 1 4752 Victor Websell 9.12.17 shoemaker 2 5175 Harris Newman 7.11.12 conductor 3 5737 Frank Chaney 9.08.16 ? 4 5862 John Wright 14.08.14 worker 5 5891 Eric Mayne 2.01.14 police officer 6 6184 Alfred Hill 21.07.19 ? 7 7507 Robert Smith 24.05.08 ? 8 8662 Thomas Coles 7.10.11 ? 9 9368 William Lancaster 23.04.18 painter 10 9699 ...