It must have been an amazing sight to behold on the day during World War II when columns of German soldiers, including members of Field Marshal Erwin Rommel’s famed Africa Corps, marched through Aliceville, Alabama.
The soldiers were prisoners of war captured in North Africa and were to be held at Camp Aliceville, one of the largest POW camps in the United States during World War II. Next weekend, May 19- 21, in Aliceville there will be an Aliceville Prisoner of War Camp Reenactment recalling the arrival 80 years ago of the first German POWs.
Construction of Camp Aliceville began in October 1942, under the direction of the Mobile District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and was completed in January 1943. One of eight prime contractors was the Stewart C. Irby Company of Jackson. At completion, the camp consisted of 329 wood-frame buildings including 120 50-man barracks. Each barracks was 20-by-100 feet and cost $2,755 to build.
The first prisoners of war arrived in June 1943. They had been captured in North Africa where they had been members of “Heeresgruppe Afrika.” That was the German “Army Group Africa” of which, by 1943, the Africa Corps was only a part. Camp Aliceville’s stated maximum strength was given as 6,150. It was at one time the largest POW camp in the U.S.
At first the camp held German enlisted men (American rank of private) and non-commissioned officers (the American rank of sergeant).
Under the Geneva Convention, enlisted men could be required to work at non-war related jobs but NCOs could not be compelled to work except in limited occasions as a supervisor. At one time, Aliceville POWs were even bused to some jobs in Columbus. Hardcore Nazis were sent to special camps and not kept at Aliceville.
As the war progressed the camp population changed, and by 1944 the camp only contained non-commissioned officers who were not working. The free time allowed them to pursue more creative interests. This is evidenced in the art works and crafts that have been donated to the Aliceville Museum by former POWs and their families.
Camp Aliceville grew to contain more than 400 buildings. It also employed more than 1,000 military and civilian guards and personnel.
The camp was a barbed-wire compound complete with machine gun-equipped guard towers. Across its 823 acres were barracks, bakeries, chapels, theaters, a hospital and assorted other buildings. There were sports fields, gardens and even an amphitheater.
Camp Aliceville had a reputation for humane POW treatment. That caused resentment among some local residents. At a time when Americans were experiencing the rationing of food and other items, the Germans at Camp Aliceville were receiving ample meals with fresh meat and vegetables — the same rations as U.S. servicemen. The camp also had an orchestra, theater productions, and the prisoners played soccer.
The camp was subject to inspection by international humanitarian organizations, such as the Red Cross. Marietta McCarter, of Columbus, worked for the Red Cross at its Columbus Army Air Field office during World War II. One of her duties for the Red Cross was to inspect the Aliceville POW camp.
Camp Aliceville closed on Sept. 30, 1945, and little remains at its former site, which now is next to an industrial park. However, the camp lives on at the Aliceville Museum. The museum has one of, if not the largest, German World War II POW exhibit outside of Germany.
In recent years the memory of the good treatment the German prisoners received has paid remarkable dividends. After learning of the creation of the Aliceville Museum, former German prisoners of war and their families have donated sketches, paintings, wood carvings, uniforms and other memorabilia from the camp to the museum. Local residents have also donated furniture, artwork and other items from the camp. Two years ago a large collection of Adolph Hitler’s silverware that had been recovered by U.S. soldiers during World War II was donated to the museum.
In a separate wing the museum houses a large collection of memorabilia of area veterans including the late Lt Col. Alva Temple, who led the Tuskegee Airmen team that won the first U.S. Air Force Top Gun competition. The Aliceville Museum is located at 104 Broad St. NE in downtown Aliceville and is only about a 30-minute drive from Columbus. It is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m. For information call 205-373-2363. There is an admission fee. It is well worth a visit.
On May 19- 21 the Aliceville Prisoner of War Camp Reenactment will commemorate the arrival 80 years ago of the first German POWs in Aliceville. Events will run from Friday to Sunday and include reenactors marching to the original POW camp site and engaging in typical camp activities. On Saturday night there will be a World War II era USO dinner dance with swing music by the Drew White Orchestra. For details and ticket information go to: https://www.alicevillemuseum.org/reenactment.html or https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2023-aliceville-prisoner-of-war-camp-reenactment-tickets-544634846487
There will also be a guest lecture series in conjunction with the reenactment. It is jointly sponsored by the Aliceville Museum and the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at The University of Alabama. There will be a series of four sessions. Ruth Cook, who wrote the definitive history of Camp Aliceville, will open the program. Ann Shields, who is an expert on the POW work program will provide the second program, the third session will be by Helga Warren, whose father was a POW at Aliceville, and the fourth will be a session on the post-war contributions by local U.S. veterans. The classes are free, but registration is required. A link for registration may be found under the Reenactment tab at alicevillemuseum.org
Rufus Ward is a local historian.
Rufus Ward is a Columbus native a local historian. E-mail your questions about local history to Rufus at [email protected].
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