Little Known Local Treasure:German POW Nativity Scene

[doyler]

Camp Algona held German POWs in WW2 and had various sub Camps in the area.The camp no longer exits but the local airport occupies much of the former area.

 

While locally known many outside the area are unaware of the Camp or the small museum that is open.

 

The German POWs built a Christmas Nativity scene and it has been on display for many years at Christmas time.It is said former POWs have returned as well as children and grand children of the former prisoners to see this local treasure.

 

http://www.iptv.org/iowapathways/myPath.cfm?ounid=ob_000334

 

[doyler]

Visitor information

 

 

http://www.pwcamp.algona.org/nativity.html

[Garandomatic]

That's pretty cool for sure.

[doyler]

Yes...I think Im going to visit there Christmas Day.Be my first time seeing the Nativity scene.

 

I have a couple chairsfron the Camp made by the POWs.

[Brian Keith]

Thanks for posting this, that is REALLY cool! I have heard about it before, my wife collects nativity sets and does a "Nativity Fest" at our church (had about 750 sets on display this year). It is on our "Bucket List" to see.

BKW

[doyler]

Brian

 

Thanks for looking.

 

Took a visit there Wednesday since the weather was nice(it was terrible here christmas day).

 

Not a big display but hey also had an old model of Camp Algona there and several things to look at and read.

 

Was surprised there were at leat 30 people there.

 

the museum is in another location.it was open as well.

 

You can read about Camp Algona on line.It was basically the HQ for many of the sub camps in IOWA,Minnesota,North and South Dakota,35 total in the Command area

 

http://campalgonapowmuseumgermanpows.weebly.com/camp-algona-branch-camps.html

 

 

There was a out post or buildings in a small town here called Gilmore City but it doesnt get mentioned much.Many places were former CCC Camps prior to the war and were converted or used for POWs.

 

I imaging there were sevral of these type out posts as the prisoners needed places to stay when working in certain areas for harvesting crops and we had a Hemp Plant here in town for making rope during the war.There were several Hemp farms and the prisoners harvested this as well.

 

I recall my dad telling stories of seeing "blonde" haired german soldiers setting utility poles in the country side when he was a boy(he was 10 years old in 1945).He would ride his bicycle or walk into the town(4 miles or so) near his aunt and uncles farm to go to the movie and see these men working.

[Kurt Barickman]

Got to get there myself soon. My parents were married in July of 1944 and lived with my Father's parents farm near Lewisville MN. They had German POWs from the Fairmont (2)camp. They were from the Afrika Korps and they had a pretty good captivity according to my relatives as the locals from Lewisville were predominately German and would bring food and beer out to my Grandparent's farm to the POWs.

 

Kurt

[doyler]

There are a lot of similiar local stories Im sure.I have read where a POW had left Camp and attended a county fair in Minnesota.There are others interviews where they speak of leaving and returning to the camps as well.There were a few walk aways from algona but they typically were found walking back to Camp or found in algona.The linked article mentioned a POW from a Camp in St.Charles Minnesota having an affair with a woman from that area and he would leave camp and return but the affair was discovered.Funny how most will study WW2 and what happened in the ETO/MTO/PTO but dont realize what went on right here at home.

 

Appears the POWs were well treated and most were content as they speak of having more food than they had ever seen and Im sure were thankful they survived the war.Many felt a connection here due to the type of country and wooded areas similiar to Germany and a lot of th epopulation had german ancestry or spoke some german as well.The POWs were paid in Camp Money for labor and could purchase items as well with their earnings.Most here were also from the Afrika Korps early on.Seems most were common soldiers and the more ardent nazis were culled out and seperated and sent to Oklahoma and other areas.

 

Here is an article written by a relative of the Algona Camp Commander.He also wrote a book on Camp Algona.several years ago he was in the area promoting the book.I was contacted but wasnt able to make the book signing and discussion at the local library here.

http://collections.mnhs.org/MNHistoryMagazine/articles/54/v54i03p112-123.pdf

[Chief Bast]

Really interesting, Ron! These POW/internment camps sure where spread out all across the US, it seems, including the area in Southern Oklahoma where I grew up. In fact, German POWs from the North Africa campaign helped the Corp of Engineers build the nearby Lake Texoma Dam around 1943-44.

 

http://www.swt.usace.army.mil/Locations/Tulsa-District-Lakes/Oklahoma/Lake-Texoma/History/