2 Replies Latest reply on Apr 5, 2021 3:44 PM by Sherwood Bishop

    Seeking records for my great-uncle (WWII German POW)

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    Stefanie Green May 29, 2019 10:03 AM

      My Great-uncle Werner Knab was captured by US Forces in North Africa in April 1943. I have managed to get some basic information about the camps he was in. However most records don't have exact dates. I am hoping to locate prisoner lists and other camp records which may have my great-uncles details on them. But where do I start? He was captured in Tunisia on 11 April 1943. By 8 June he is listed in Camp Hearne, Texas. On 18 November 1943 he is still listed in Camp Hearne. On 16. November 1944 he was transferred from Camp Wallace, Texas to Camp Mexia, Texas. But when was he moved from Hearne to Wallace? In March 1946 he was sent to England, where he stayed for a further 10 months before being released. However before being released he was once again transferred into american hands on 6 January 1947. He was then listed in a weekly list at Dachau on 22 January 1947 which was his release date from being POW. Why was he released via Dachau? Dachau was in the US zone in Germany, but his home was in the Russian zone, which is where he returned after his release. My great-uncles POW number was 8WG-5017. Most of this information I received from the German military records and the red cross. I am hoping someone can point me in the right direction of where I may find any records relating to his time as a POW, what interrogations may have happened and what he may have been involved in.

       

      Thank you in advance, Stefie

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        • Re: Seeking records for my great-uncle (WWII German POW)
          Rebecca Collier Ranger
          Rebecca Collier Expert Jun 7, 2019 11:43 AM (in response to Stefanie Green)

          Dear Ms. Green,

           

          Thank you for posting your request on History Hub!

           

          We searched the National Archives Catalog and located 11 file units that pertain to Camp Hearne, TX in the Records of the Office of the Provost Marshal General (Record Group 389). For access to these records, please contact the National Archives at College Park - Textual Reference (RDT2) via email at archives2reference@nara.gov.

           

          The personnel records of World War II German prisoners of war were returned to Germany.  For access to these records, please write to the Deutsche Dienstelle (WASt), Postfach 51 06 57, D-13400 Berlin, Germany.  The web site is https://www.dd-wast.de/.

           

          We hope this information is helpful. Best of luck with your family research!

           

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            • Re: Seeking records for my great-uncle (WWII German POW)
              Sherwood Bishop Newbie
              Sherwood Bishop Apr 5, 2021 3:44 PM (in response to Rebecca Collier)

              Dear Ms. Collier,

                You responded to the note above by Stephanie Green about her great-uncle, Werner Knab. I have been searching for information on Werner Knab (the same one, I think) for an entirely different reason. I have a beautiful oil painting that he did in 1943 while he was a prisoner of war in Texas. When the war ended, before he was sent to Britain, Knab gave it to Josephine Robertson, the wife of Robbie Robertson who was an officer at Ellington Air Force Base (Near Houston) in charge of the German officers stationed there. It snowed in Houston in 1943, and Knab had painted the artwork from a photo in the Houston newspaper.

                The note from Stephanie Green is the first information I have been able to find about Knab after he left Texas. Since Ms. Green's History Hub account has been deactivated, I can't respond to her.

              Needless to say, this is a very minor issue. However, I feel that history should be remembered as much as possible and I'm sure that Ms. Green would be happy to see the painting that her great-uncle did while he was a prisoner. The painting is very well executed so I presume Knab must have continued painting once he returned to Germany, but I haven't found any records of him.

                I don't expect that you will have any further information about this, and I won't expect a reply. I just thought I'd let you know. Thank you for your good work at History Hub.

              Regards,

              Sherwood Bishop