Returning American POWs in Birmingham, Alabama

Discussion in 'Prisoners of War' started by Dave55, Jan 17, 2018.

  1. Dave55

    Dave55 Atlanta, USA

    I saw this note on Facebook today:

    Alabama, like every other state, had some of its sons as prisoners of war in WWII. After the war was over the boys in Germany and Japan were of course released. Conditions in the prisoner of war camps were very bad, and the returning soldiers were universally malnourished during their confinement. My uncle Billy was 6'5" tall and came out of a German POW camp weighing 98 pounds...

    The City of Birmingham, in welcoming its sons home, made a deal with all restaurants in town. They would pay the bills for six months so that the returning men could eat for free at any place in town. Our family lived at that time in Littleton, northwest of town. My other uncle John related to me that he and his brother Billy (the POW) would get on the train almost every day, come to town, and spend the rest of the day going around to every place they could think of to eat.
    Since my younger uncle John was with him and he was about to go into the military, they gave him free food as well.

    Needless to say, my uncle plumped right up!

    This was a wonderful and gracious gesture by the city fathers of that era.
     
    amberdog45, A-58, canuck and 2 others like this.
  2. Lindele

    Lindele formerly HA96

    What a moving story. my friends father-in-law was a german soldier and as a POW working on a cotton farm in the US and when returning home looked like having been on a holiday camp.
    Stefan.
     
    canuck likes this.
  3. canuck

    canuck Closed Account

    So many German POW's held in Canada, after their required repatriation to Germany, found a way to return as soon as possible, as immigrants. I've met dozens of them.
    The devastation of homes, lost or killed family members and disillusionment were often cited as the motivation. Most said they were fed better as a POW than when in the German armed forces.
     
    Lindele likes this.
  4. Lindele

    Lindele formerly HA96

    Gottfried Glauch, the german soldiers name (fought in the Hertgenwald battle, actually went home via Scotland working on a farm and learning English (Scotish)
    His motivation to return home, what was the Soviet Zone, was his family. He lived up to the age of 97 near Chemnitz. A great guy to interview about his war times and working on farms away from home. And Gottfried had connections to the family in Scotland until last year when he passed away up to his last minute a happy man. REP Gottfried, I will never forget you. Unfortunately, the local Press had no interest to interview Gottfried and document his life.:mad:
    Stefan.
     
    canuck likes this.

Share This Page