It appears that the designation of Stalag IVA for the camp at Elsterhorst ceased in February 1941, transferring to the castle at Hohnstein. Major Moritz appears to have transferred at that time, with Major Sperl presumably on hand to take over the now renamed Stalag IVD. It may be that the Oflag at Hohnstein became Oflag IVA at the same time.
A report in September 1941 by a Protecting Power representative describes the main camp (i.e. the castle) as housing 21 Belgians and 400 Frenchmen, but no British troops. It may be that the representative was concerned only with the new arrivals, because from other information it appears that there were also still a substantial number of Polish PoWs in the camp, possibly housed elsewhere on the site, though it is possible that the other ranks Polish PoWs were in fact still listed as supporting officers in the Oflag.
At this stage, the Belgians had a Man of Confidence (Ybert Genevrois) at the castle, reflecting the fact that, in the small network of work camps run from the castle, there were 2,155 Belgian prisoners. Of the Stalag's 286 British POWs, 60 were in the Reserve Lazarett (PoW military hospital) at Konigswartha, with 226 working in the kommando at Grube Erika, a lignite (brown-coal) mine in the north east of the District.This camp had a British Man of Confidence, Sergeant Ernest Miller.
The number of PoWs under the control of Stalag IVA rapidly increased, so that by the end of 1941 there were 22,553 prisoners, not including a substantial number of Russians. These prisoners were working in 712 kommandos. Three of these kommandos, the lignite mines of Grube Erika, Grube Brigitta and Grube Ostfeld, held 250 British prisoners, of whom 236 were from the British Isles, 8 Australian and 6 New Zealanders.
Relations between British PoWs and the Kommandantur in the castle were mediated on the British side by the man described as the British camp leader, Sergeant Rowntree, who was kept at the Postal Sorting Office at nearby Prossen, at which railway station the Red Cross parcels for the Stalag and its camps arrived.
From all this it is clear that Hohnstein Castle in 1941 had several functions; as the location for Oflag IVA and, as Stalag IVA, as the camp for other ranks prisoners from several countries and as the HQ for the management of the large network of work camps.
Revised: June 2020
A report in September 1941 by a Protecting Power representative describes the main camp (i.e. the castle) as housing 21 Belgians and 400 Frenchmen, but no British troops. It may be that the representative was concerned only with the new arrivals, because from other information it appears that there were also still a substantial number of Polish PoWs in the camp, possibly housed elsewhere on the site, though it is possible that the other ranks Polish PoWs were in fact still listed as supporting officers in the Oflag.
At this stage, the Belgians had a Man of Confidence (Ybert Genevrois) at the castle, reflecting the fact that, in the small network of work camps run from the castle, there were 2,155 Belgian prisoners. Of the Stalag's 286 British POWs, 60 were in the Reserve Lazarett (PoW military hospital) at Konigswartha, with 226 working in the kommando at Grube Erika, a lignite (brown-coal) mine in the north east of the District.This camp had a British Man of Confidence, Sergeant Ernest Miller.
The number of PoWs under the control of Stalag IVA rapidly increased, so that by the end of 1941 there were 22,553 prisoners, not including a substantial number of Russians. These prisoners were working in 712 kommandos. Three of these kommandos, the lignite mines of Grube Erika, Grube Brigitta and Grube Ostfeld, held 250 British prisoners, of whom 236 were from the British Isles, 8 Australian and 6 New Zealanders.
Relations between British PoWs and the Kommandantur in the castle were mediated on the British side by the man described as the British camp leader, Sergeant Rowntree, who was kept at the Postal Sorting Office at nearby Prossen, at which railway station the Red Cross parcels for the Stalag and its camps arrived.
From all this it is clear that Hohnstein Castle in 1941 had several functions; as the location for Oflag IVA and, as Stalag IVA, as the camp for other ranks prisoners from several countries and as the HQ for the management of the large network of work camps.
Revised: June 2020
Hello,PeterG
ReplyDeleteMy Grandad (Pte Leslie W Stokes, Worcestershire Regiment #5253624)was in Stalag 4A- Elsterhorst camp and TB hospital. I am having trouble deciding if your article is about Elsterhorst (now Nardt) or the castle at Hohnstein. You mention both at the beginning but the information that follows leaves me unsure which one you are referring to. When you refer to the 'main camp' do you mean the castle? Do you know if Elsterhorst was renamed after the Stalag 4A title was assigned to Hohnstein Castle, or did it become an arbeitskommando falling under the control of the castle? (They seem quite a long distance from each other for that)
Many Thanks,
Lorna
I have
Hi, Lorna. I've not been able to look at the blog from some time, but am now working on it to revise entries, including the early life of the camp. If you email me at petergregory999@gmail.com we can pick up the threads of your enquiry. Many thanks. Peter Gregory.
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