International Committee of the Red Cross WW2 POW Archives

Discussion in 'Prisoners of War' started by brispencer, Mar 26, 2009.

  1. Tullybrone

    Tullybrone Senior Member

    Do you mean a personal diary?

    I very much doubt that if he did (it would have been very very dangerous and his captors would not have treated him well had they found it) so that it could get from the Far East to Red Cross Archives in Switzerland.

    Steve
     
  2. Emma Squibb

    Emma Squibb Well-Known Member

    Yeah, it was just I’d seen what I thought were diaries online from other people in the camp where he was who survived, but I guess they could have been accounts of what happened after they’d left.

    Thanks :)
     
  3. amberdog45

    amberdog45 Senior Member

    Did you get a positive response from Germany, using that address? Curious whether they would hold WW1 records on German citizens held on the Isle of Man.

     
  4. Incredibledisc

    Incredibledisc Well-Known Member

    They did reply but they had no extra info. Reply pasted below - it was in German so I had to run it through google translate first.

    Dear Mr. Robertson,

    In reply to your question of 30.07.2017, I inform you that the files in our office about former British prisoners of war in German custody were confiscated in April 1945 and taken over by a commission of Allied officers.

    You are to the best of our knowledge today

    Ministry of Defense
    Bourne Avenue
    Hayes / Middlesex UB3 1RF
    GREAT BRITAIN.

    Unfortunately, our office has at its disposal only wartime reports on wartime foreign prisoners of war, sent to them after the war and sent by dissolved departments or otherwise received.

    These are around 1,500,000 index cards, sorted alphabetically by nation and name - not camps, locations, or POW ID numbers.

    However, after reviewing these documents, no record could be made of your great-grandfather John Conway.

    I regret not being able to assist you in this matter.


    Best regards
    On behalf
    Lutterkort
     
    Last edited: Jan 13, 2018
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  5. amberdog45

    amberdog45 Senior Member

    Thanks for the update. Will give it a try. I've applied to International Red Cross again today as they told me there was more info on him when the WW2 records were dealt with.

    The website is now open to new queries. Just to remind those needing to apply.
     
  6. Emma Squibb

    Emma Squibb Well-Known Member

    Re did when I got towork so it was sent back as a pdf incase they were fussy. Fingers crossed they can find some stuff :)
     
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  7. Incredibledisc

    Incredibledisc Well-Known Member

    I’d be curious to see what additional info you might turn up. I was under the impression the materials they sent (capture card and list of camps) was pretty much it.

    My holy grail is the personnel karte- I tried the National Archives via a FOI request but they couldn’t locate it in the box where it should have been. Either it was lost/destroyed or it’s been misfiled. Today I sent off a request to the MOD to see if he was eligible for the Territorial Efficiency medal - he joined TA in 1936 and wasn’t demobbed until February 1946. The qualifying period was 12 years but war service counted double.
     
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  8. amberdog45

    amberdog45 Senior Member

    Aye, I'll keep you posted. I'll try also to get a letter off to Germany. Leave no stone unturned.

     
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  9. Emma Squibb

    Emma Squibb Well-Known Member

    Has anyone heard anything yet? I’ve not had anything yet :(
     
  10. vac

    vac Active Member

    Advice sought please -- Today Sept 17 2018 the Red Cross service opened for WW2 enquiries. At 10 am quarterly limit reached!!!!! Is this source of information worth pursuing? (Clearly need to be up at midnight Geneva time). I have my father's service no, POW no, the camp and work parties, and from his liberation questionnaire know that he had a period of illness. Will the Red Cross info tell me any more? I would also like to try and get info on a Russian prisoner. My father had a small photo of this man with a very warm message on the reverse (In Russian recently translated). Obviously they were good companions at one point. It bears his name but have read that the Germans did not record the names of Russian prisoners.

    So from ICRC will I get any more info on Father? Any likelihood of finding out more about the Russian Marat Zaicev?
     
  11. Tullybrone

    Tullybrone Senior Member

    Hi,

    That’s the quickest closure time yet....it’s usually 48/72 hours and I’ve seen the window open previously mid morning...it’s either due to lack of staff or more requests being made - probably a combination of both factors.

    In my experience the ICRC confirms (can add more) information on the Lib Questionnaire - my father recorded accurate dates of his movements which were confirmed by ICRC but another relatives Questionnaire listed camps but no dates so ICRC information was valuable. ICRC don’t provide work party information only main camp (Stalag) details.

    You ought to receive at least one copy postcard sent by the detainee.

    Sorry can’t help re Soviet information.

    Steve
     
    Last edited: Sep 17, 2018
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  12. vac

    vac Active Member

    Hi Steve,
    That's useful information for future reference. Thank-you.
    Val
     
  13. The Viking

    The Viking Active Member

    I have also tried to find any Liberation Report for Stanley on the national archive but to no avail. where could I try next ? I have applied to the international red cross also the mod for anything they hold but as yet no reply.
     
  14. Matt5100

    Matt5100 Member

    Hi all, applied in May for tracing, sent a reminder in August. Quite happy to wait, I’m fairly sure of PoW movement anyway but it would be nice to see where he was captured and if there are any details before I have the first camp in Poland. But.... I’ll probably get very little, life’s not that easy ;)
     
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  15. The Viking

    The Viking Active Member

    the trouble I am having and have had for the last two attempts is the amount of time the windows are open for before they close again. I can never seem to get in the window time maybe I am just an heavy sleeper haha
     
  16. The Viking

    The Viking Active Member

    I would love to find a photo of my man I cant imagine the men would be in good condition at all as for the lack of food ect so please don't take this the wrong way I have one news paper photo of him in black and white. I want something to really bring him back to life sort of speak.
     
  17. The Viking

    The Viking Active Member

    can I ask how you managed to identify him in the group photo ? having looked for my uncle in group photos from two camps he was in I find it really difficult just wondering if you have any tips to help me ?
     
  18. Matt5100

    Matt5100 Member

    I was at sea at the time, I applied quite a few hours after it had opened, I actually got my uncle to apply which was a pain in the butt.. But as it gets more popular I guess the window gets fuller quicker.. I would use UTC+1 as your guideline for time, just set your alarm and have the email attachement prepared and ready to send :)
     
  19. vac

    vac Active Member

    Hi Viking, I see from your post that you had info from ICRC on whereabouts before arriving at Stalag VIIIB, which encourages me to continue with attempts with them as this is a nugget I don't possess.

    The website Pegasusarchive may tell you where VIB was. Transit camps were normally designated Dulag. Have recently visited Lambinowice (German name Lamsdorf) which is where Stalag VIIIB (later renamed Lamsdorf 344) was situated. It is now a museum and the Polish centre for POW research.

    I learned there that the first British prisoners arrived at Stalag VIIB on June 17 1940. So your POW would have been one of the first arrivals to that camp.

    Do you have any information about work parties that your POW might have been in? I am interested in E57. E337, E338.
     
  20. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Location of Dulag VI & and some associated sub camps/hospitals
    P7580310.JPG
    P7580311.JPG

    From WO 224-205

    These are sub camps from which main camp? - the file may hold details

    TD
     

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