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Oflag VIII-E Johannisbrunn

{{Short description|World War II German prisoner-of-war camp}}

{{Infobox military installation

|name = Oflag VIII-E

|native_name =

|partof =

|location = Jánské Koupele, German-occupied Czechoslovakia (now Czech Republic)

|image = Best Winkelman krijgsgevangen.jpg

|caption = Senior Dutch officers in 1941 during their captivity in Oflag VIII-E

|map_type = Czech Republic

|coordinates = {{coord|49.83524|17.70425|type:landmark_region:CZ-MO|display=inline}}

|map_size =

|map_alt = Jánské Koupele, Czech Republic

|map_caption = Jánské Koupele, Czech Republic

|type = Prisoner-of-war camp

|code =

|built =

|builder =

|materials =

|height =

|used = 1940–1942

|demolished =

|condition =

|ownership =

|open_to_public =

|controlledby = {{flag|Nazi Germany}}

|garrison =

|commanders =

|occupants = Predominantly Polish and French general officers, plus other Allied general officers

|battles = World War II

|events =

|image2 =

|caption2 =

}}

Oflag VIII-E was a World War II German prisoner-of-war camp for Allied general officers (Offizierlager) located in Jánské Koupele (then Johannisbrunn) in German-occupied Czechoslovakia (now located in the Moravian–Silesian Region, Czech Republic).

Camp history

The camp, a former spa hotel, was opened in July 1940{{cite web |url=http://www.prisonerofwar.org.uk/winter_2004.htm |title=Winter 2004 Newsletter |work=The National Ex-Prisoner of War Association |year=2011 |access-date=20 April 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120214095753/http://www.prisonerofwar.org.uk/winter_2004.htm |archive-date=14 February 2012 }} and housed approximately 70 Allied generals and their aides. Among those officers imprisoned were 30 from Poland, 24 from France, 7 from the Netherlands, 6 from Belgium, 1 from the United Kingdom, and a Colonel from Norway. On April 27, 1942, all the Poles were transferred to other camps, mostly to Oflag VII-A Murnau.{{cite book |last1=Krukowicz-Przedrzymirski |first1=Emil |author-link1=Emil Krukowicz-Przedrzymirski |title=Report on POW camps |access-date=20 April 2012 |publisher=Polish Institute and Sikorski Museum |location=London |url=http://en.valka.cz/viewtopic.php/t/60580 }} Soon after all the other prisoners were also transferred, and the camp was closed on 1 July 1942.

=Commandants=

  • Oberst Hencker (29 October 1940 – 30 June 1941)
  • Generalmajor Johann Janusz (1 July 1941 – 19 May 1942){{cite web |url= http://www.geocities.com/~Orion47/WEHRMACHT/HEER/Generalmajor2/JANUSZ_JOHANN.html |title=Generalmajor Johann Janusz |first1=Michael D. |last1=Miller |first2=Gareth |last2=Collins |work=Axis Biographical Research |year=2005 |access-date=20 April 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091029025940/http://www.geocities.com/~Orion47/WEHRMACHT/HEER/Generalmajor2/JANUSZ_JOHANN.html |archive-date=29 October 2009 |url-status=dead}}

Notable prisoners

A number of high-ranking officers were held in the camp, including:

Polish{{cite web |url=http://pzahnas.webnode.cz/products/prispevek-k-historii-janskych-koupeli-za-druhe-svetove-valky/ |title=History of Jánské Koupele in World War II |first=Petr |last=Zahnaš |work=pzahnas.webnode.cz |year=2012 |access-date=20 April 2012|language=cs}}

Generał dywizji

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Generał brygady

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Kontradmirał

British

  • Brigadier Nigel FitzRoy Somerset (145th Infantry Brigade){{cite web |url= http://www.generals.dk/general/Somerset/Nigel_FitzRoy/Great_Britain.html |title=Biography of Brigadier Nigel FitzRoy Somerset (1893–1990) |work=generals.dk |year=2012 |access-date=20 April 2012}}

Dutch

  • General Henri Gerard Winkelman, Commander-in-Chief Dutch Forces 1940Teo van Middelkoop, Generaal H.G. Winkelman, Standvastig strijder, Zaltbommel, 2002

See also

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

  • {{commons category-inline}}

{{Main German WWII POW camps 1944-1945}}

Category:Oflags

Category:World War II sites in the Czech Republic