Distances from Stalag to work camps?

Discussion in 'Prisoners of War' started by Tim091, Apr 2, 2021.

  1. Tim091

    Tim091 Active Member

    Looking at my relatives Mi9 card and transferring the places to Google maps I have realised that whilst in 1940/41 he was attached to Stalag xxa in Torun, Poland his work camps were nearly 1000Km in Germany between Munich and Stuttgart.

    His letters from the period (in which he mentions, for example, working on road-making) give his address as XXA with the work camp in brackets after so he was still "attached" to XXA.

    I always assumed that work camps were roughly in the vicinity of the "parent" Stalag. Untitled.jpg
     
    Lindele likes this.
  2. Lindele

    Lindele formerly HA96

    Talking of today - The STALAG was the "company". Whenever The Reich needed strong young men to e.g. for road works, the men had to go into a "home office" to "construct" roads. I guess that was sometimes not a bad choice. Sharing food and drinks with the German engineers next to the site for example.
    Stefan.
     
  3. Tim091

    Tim091 Active Member

    Makes sense. Although there were obviously stalags much closer to the sites he worked at and you would expect them to draw the men from there rather than transport them 1000Km.
     
  4. ltdan

    ltdan Nietenzähler

    It is actually quite simple:

    In Stalag XX-A he received his permanent PoW identification number.
    (H.Dv. 38/5 "Dienstanweisung für den Kommandanten eines Kriegsgefangenen-Mannschafts-Stammlagers" , 1939)

    Work assignments:
    Weissenhoehe is now Białośliwie, about 122km west of Torun.
    Steindorf is today Węglewo, about 125km in the direction of Poznan.
    Riesenburg should be Prabuty, today, about 116km in the opposite direction.

    From there he was transferred in 1943 to Stalag XX-B Marienburg, today Malbork.
    Work assignment in Dambitzen Elbing, today Elbląg-Dębica, about 40km east
    Further work assignments in the area of Danzig, today Gdansk, about 70km north

    I cannot see from your list when and where he was in the Stuttgart or Munich area?
     
    Tricky Dicky likes this.
  5. ltdan

    ltdan Nietenzähler

    Last edited: Apr 3, 2021
    Tricky Dicky and Lindele like this.
  6. Tim091

    Tim091 Active Member

    Yesterday Google maps was showing me Steindorf and Friedheim quite close together and close to Munich. A few moments ago it was showing the same, now it is showing only Steindorf so I don't know what is going on!

    Thank for the correct geography.
     
  7. AdamBoguszewicz

    AdamBoguszewicz New Member

    In Germany at that time there were many places with the same names especially villages.
    The map you provided is wrongly drawn. Prabuty (Riesenburg) is higher - at the level of Marienwerder. Greetings from Prabuty
     
    Lindele likes this.
  8. AdamBoguszewicz

    AdamBoguszewicz New Member

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