Prisoner of War Camps – YMCA of Pittsburgh – War Prisoners Aid

Locating Allied POWs in camps across the Third Reich.

This somber map was originally designed in April 1944 by the Geographical Section, General Staff in the Canadian Department of National Defense. This is a somewhat later edition, re-issued by the War Prisoners Aid Committee of the Pittsburgh YMCA. A rudimentary image notes the location of dozens of German prisoner-of-war camps and related facilities. The legend in the lower center identifies the camp varieties, organized by service branch and purpose (i.e. labor, transit, etc.). A table on the right side offers a keyed list of the well-oiled system that ultimately confined over 100,000 American soldiers and civilians. Notable entries include Stalag Luft III (known for its dashing Allied escapes) and Stalag 7A, the largest of the POW camps in Germany. The notoriously overcrowded Stalag 17B is oddly omitted.

The YMCA established the War Prisoners Aid Initiative during World War II as a humanitarian program aimed at improving the conditions of Allied prisoners of war (POWs). Local and nationwide committees provided recreational and educational materials, such as books, sports equipment, and musical instruments, to help prisoners maintain their mental and physical well-being. They also facilitated correspondence between POWs and their families, helping alleviate the emotional strain of captivity. The map was part of such efforts – frankly approaching the organization of the German prisoner-of-war system allowed the audience to rationalize their fears and better understand the circumstances of loved ones, captured and alone overseas.