Holocaust Aftermath: German Prisoner of War and Civil Internee – Dachau POW and Internment Camp
After freeing the Nazis’ captives, the Allied occupation forces converted the former concentration camp at Dachau into an internment and prison camp, designated Prisoner of War Enclosure 26 and Civil Internment Enclosure 29. War criminal suspects and unfriendly witnesses arrested by the U.S. Counterintelligence Corps were held at CIE 29.
Pictured Above: German soldier Walter Schleising was captured by the United States Army in Italy and held at a POW camp at Naples until late 1946. He was then transferred to the former concentration camp at Dachau. His December 8, 1946, formular post card from PWE 26 at Dachau to his wife in the Soviet occupation zone of Germany, examined by a US. Military censor, was impregnated with copper sulfate to thwart secret writing.
Pictured Below: The December 1, 1946, mimeographed formular lettersheet from internee Julius Zwillinger at CIE 29 to a friend in the U.S. occupation zone was examined by a War Crimes unit censor.
Postage was free for prisoners of war, but civil internees were required to pay postage. The lettersheet was rated 36 pfennigs postage due, which was collected on delivery.
Additional Images
Download Frame 10 – Page 13 as a PDF