German Pow ExhibitDuring World War II, approximately 425,000 Axis soldiers were interned in over 500 POW camps in the U.S. One of the largest camps, with a capacity of over 6,000 POWs, was located at Aliceville, Alabama. The camp, which encompassed over 800 acres, employed more than 1,000 American military and civilian personnel.
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German POWs, who arrived on the first train carrying prisoners, marching to Camp Aliceville from the Frisco Depot, June 2, 1943.
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On the afternoon of Wednesday, June 2, 1943, the first train carrying POWs who had been captured in North Africa arrived in Aliceville. Many of the prisoners were from Field Marshall Erwin Rommel’s elite Africakorp. Later, prisoners captured in Europe (primarily in France) arrived in the camp.
Today, little remains of the camp. There is a historic marker near what was once the main entrance to the camp. A large stone chimney that was part of the Non-Commissioned Officer's Club, forms the centerpiece of a park dedicated to the memory of Sue Stabler, the person who did the most to make the museum a reality. There are also a few original buildings, some concrete foundations from other structures, and some roadways. |
In the Aliceville Museum' POW Camp Exhibit, visitors from all over the world view artifacts from Camp Aliceville. Through their painting, letters, books, sculpture, wood crafting, pottery, musical instruments and photographs a vivid picture of life at Camp Aliceville is revealed. The collection includes hundreds of items donated to the museum by former POWs, Aliceville residents and others who had connections to the camp. A fourteen-minute documentary video presents interviews with former Camp Aliceville POWs, military police escort guards, and civilian employees.
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