Stalag IV-E explained

Stalag IV-E / Stalag 384
Location:	Altenburg, Thuringia
Map Type:	Germany 1937
Coordinates:	50.98°N 12.44°W
Map Alt:	Altenburg, Germany (pre-war borders, 1937)
Type:	Prisoner-of-war camp
Used:	1940–1945

Stalag IV-E Altenburg was a World War II German Army prisoner-of-war camp located near Altenburg in the state of Thuringia, south of Leipzig.

Camp history

The camp was opened in June 1940^[1] to hold French prisoners from the Battle of France. Most of the prisoners were sent to Arbeitskommando ("Work Camps"). During Easter 1942 the orchestra and choir performed a "Mass of Consolation and Hope" composed by Jean Lashermes while prisoner in the camp.^[2] On 1 June 1942 it was renamed Stalag 384.^{[1] [3]} In October 1944, several hundred women soldiers of the Polish Home Army were transferred to Altenburg from Stalag IV-B and were assigned to various Kommandos in the area. In mid-April 1945 the camp was liberated by units of the 76th Infantry Division, US 7th Army.^[3]

Notable inmates

• Jean Lashermes (1901–1972) – French composer.

See also

• List of prisoner-of-war camps in Germany

Notes and References

1. Web site: Kriegsgefangenenlager (Liste) . Moosburg Online . 2011 . 7 December 2011.
2. Web site: Jean Lashermes . Claude . Torres . Musique dans les Camps de Prisonniers . 2009 . 7 December 2011.
3. Web site: Historic Information . Marek . Sikorski . One, Two, Three, Four and a Suitcase . 2009 . 7 December 2011 . 26 October 2006 . https://web.archive.org/web/20061026234606/http://www.sikorski-family.com/12HISTORY1.html . dead .