Photographs

Photographs

This part of the collections of the Central Museum of Prisoners-of-War includes photographs taken first of all in German POW camps and labor detachments during World War 2. They recorded scenes from the life of POWs of different nationalities and places of their isolation. All the photographs from this collection, which were made in captivity, bear the original stamp of the camp censorship or another note that confirms their authenticity. The photographs, which come from over 30 different POW camps, were taken with the knowledge of the German camp authorities.

The themes presented in the photographs vary greatly: there are some showing POWs during transportation, roll-calls, at meals or at work (in industry, agriculture or forestry) and in their spare time: having rest, studying, doing sports activities, practicing art, music or drama, participating in religious ceremonies and others. There are also photos featuring the bunkhouses and other elements of the camp infrastructure, among others, the headquarters, guardhouse and sentry towers, camp hospital and jail, drill ground, fence, as well as those showing German personnel. This part of the Museum’s collections includes also the so-called portraits with POW numbers, that is individual photographs of POWs taken for the needs of the German camp documentation.

All the photographs gathered in this part of the collection come from individual donors, most frequently former POWs. These mementos are of great historical importance and make a valuable complement to the Museum’s archival items.