Where can I find ww2 POW records?

Records of prisoners of war (POWs) were compiled by each country and are now held centrally by the Archives Division and Research Service of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Switzerland. Because of their personal nature, these records are not available to the general public.

Who were the prisoners of war in ww2?

More than 170,000 British prisoners of war (POWs) were taken by German and Italian forces during the Second World War. Most were captured in a string of defeats in France, North Africa and the Balkans between 1940 and 1942. They were held in a network of POW camps stretching from Nazi-occupied Poland to Italy.

Are there any POWs in Afghanistan?

Yet in a sign of how much warfare has changed since the time of Thucydides, Grant or even Westmoreland, prisoners of war in Afghanistan and Iraq have been few in number and low in profile.

Where were German POWs kept in the US?

The exact population of German POWs in World War I is difficult to ascertain because they were housed in the same facilities used to detain civilians of German heritage residing in the United States, but there were known to be 406 German POWs at Fort Douglas and 1,373 at Fort McPherson.

What happened to German prisoners of war after ww2?

After World War II, German prisoners were taken back to Europe as part of a reparations agreement. They were forced into harsh labor camps. Many prisoners did make it home in 18 to 24 months, Lazarus said. But Russian camps were among the most brutal, and some of their German POWs didn’t return home until 1953.

What happens to POWs after war?

During the conflict prisoners might be repatriated or delivered to a neutral nation for custody. At the end of hostilities all prisoners are to be released and repatriated without delay, except those held for trial or serving sentences imposed by judicial processes.

What were the worst POW camps?

13,000 of the 45,000 Union soldiers imprisoned here died, making Andersonville the worst prison in the Civil War. The site is now the National POW Museum.

Are there still POWs in Vietnam 2020?

Then as of December 21, 2018, the number of U.S. military and civilian personnel still unaccounted for is 1,592. By February 7, 2020, this number had been reduced a little further, to 1,587.

Did American soldiers shoot German prisoners?

According to eyewitness accounts, an estimated 80 German prisoners of war were massacred by their American captors: the prisoners were assembled in a field and shot with machine guns….

Where was the last WWII prisoner of war found?

The Very Last WWII Prisoner of War was Found in a Russian Mental Institution. A POW was released from captivity in Russia in 2000. He wasn’t taken prisoner in Afghanistan in the 1980s, Russia’s most recent war at that time. No, he had been held in captivity in a Soviet/Russian psychiatric hospital since World War II.

How many American prisoners of war were captured in World War 2?

Of the approximately 130,000 American prisoners of war (POWs) in World War II (WWII), 27,000 or more were held by Japan. Of the approximately 19,000 American civilian internees held in WWII, close to 14,000 were captured and interned by Japan.

Where are the POWs being held in Afghanistan?

The 28-year old sergeant was initially transferred to a base in Afghanistan to undergo a medical evaluation, and should be reunited with his family soon. He is believed to have been held by militants in northwestern Pakistan since being captured in 2009.

Who was the last prisoner of war in Russia?

He wasn’t taken prisoner in Afghanistan in the 1980s, Russia’s most recent war at that time. No, he had been held in captivity in a Soviet/Russian psychiatric hospital since World War II. His name was Andras Toma, and he was the last POW of WWII.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fi749vI9cpY