Introduction
Introduction |
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The purpose of this web-site is to collect together information about Stalag XVIIIA, a POW camp located at Wolfsberg, Austria from 1941 until 1945. By information, I mean anything which relates to the camp itself, the Work Camps (Arbeitskommandos) attached to it, and especially the men who were held there. If you browse through a few pages, you can see the sort of information that people have added so far. If you are an 'ex-Kriegie', or you know one and you have a story to tell, then please email me (ian.brown47@btinternet.com).
A major part of this site is the Roll Call to which I am attempting to add the name of every POW who passed through Stalag 18A.
In addition to Stalag 18A, I'm interested in learning more about Stalags 18B, 18C and 18D.
My own interest in Stalag 18A stems from my late father, Sgt George Brown of the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, who was a POW there.
On-going news and more information can be found on our Facebook page
The 8th of May 2025 will be the 80th anniversary of the day that Stalag 18A was liberated. I am planning to commemorate that date with a visit to Wolfsberg. The planning is in the very early stages but the program will begin on the 6th and end on the 8th. At the moment, 55 people have expressed an interest in being part of the group. They come from the UK, Australia, New Zealand and the USA. If you are interested in being part of the group. please email me (ian.brown47@btinternet.com).
Robyn Brunt has done an amazing job of compiling information on a large number of Australian POWs who passed through Stalag XVIIIA or one of the related Stalags. I am slowly converting the data into a format for this website. You can find the beginnings here.
Stalag XVIIIA MemorialDue to the tremendous efforts of Wolfsberg Town Council and the previous and current Burgermeisters, a memorial to the camp Stalag XVIIIA has been constructed on the site which previously held the information board. The site is on the South-West corner of the old camp.
Wolfsberg Reunion 2023The Wolfsberg Weekend in July 2023 was a tremendous success, due to the extraordinary generosity of the people of Wolfsberg. An unforgettable weekend, good food, excellent entertainment, lasting friendship. |
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The Brotherhood of Veterans of The Greek Campaign 1940-1941: 2022 Service
This is an organisation created to commemorate those men who fought in Greece and Crete in 1941. Every year they hold a memorial service in Kalamata, the small Greek port where so many men were left behind to face 4 years as POWs. 2016 was the 75th Anniversary of the campaign. You can find details on their website http://ww2greekveterans.com/ Every year in September, the Brotherhood hold a Memorial Service at the Greek Grove in the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire, UK. The following photos are from this year's service, organised by Janet Parkin, daughter of Greek Veteran, Edwin Horlington.
Wolfsberg Reunion, 2017
Following the success of the Wolfsberg Weekend in 2013 and the Canberra event in 2015, I decided to organise another Reunion in Wolfsberg. It took two years of work but, with the help of a marvellous team, it was a great success. The event ran from Friday 21st to Sunday 23rd July. More |
Canberra 2019: Stalag 18A Reunion
Almost 100 relatives of POWs from Stalag 18A gathered at the Hotel Mercure in Canberra at the beginning of March. The three day event was organised by Carole Mules & Iulia Wishart. Well done, ladies. You did an excellent job. More details and pictures here. Stalag 18A ExhibitChristine Ragger from Wolfsberg Museum has sent me some photos of the permanent Stalag 18A exhibit which was created in 2016 from the material used in the Lagerstadt Exhibition in 2013. I've attached some of the photos below. The touch screen just visible on the back wall of the first photo was paid for by contributions from the Wolfsberg Weekend visitors.
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Stalag 18A Reunion: Canberra, February 2015 The Stalag 18A get-together appears to have been a great success. Sixty-six people attended; some who had also been to Wolfsberg in 2013 but also some new friends with a story to tell. I managed to have two Skype sessions with some of the people there; cold and frosty mornings in the UK, talking to people drinking beer on a warm Australian evening. Wish I could have been there! Many congratulations are due to Iulia and Carole for putting it all together. Well done, ladies. Kudos to you. |
The Welcome Weekend for the friends and family of ex-POWs took place in Wolfsberg from 26th to 28th July 2013. About 115 people attended from the UK, New Zealand, Australia, the USA, France and the Netherlands. The hospitality we received was outstanding, far beyond our expectations. More..
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Work CampsA large part of this website consists of information and photographs about the 300 or so Arbeitskommandos (Work Camps) connected to Stalag 18A. The 'Work Parties' button on the left-hand menu will lead you to a list of the known camps. This is not a complete list and new information will be added from time to time. A new page for 27/HV at Zeltweg, where the POWs were made to work on an airfield for the Luftwaffe, which was against the Geneva Convention on the treatment of Prisoners of War. The detailed diary of Dvr Reginald Lock, RASC, provides a unique account of the life of a POW in this camp in the summer of 1941. New pages for Work Camp 162/L at Olbendorf and 10361/L at Eppersdorf. |
POW PhotographsDr Margit Berner from the Natural History Museum in Vienna has access to almost 5000 photographs of POWs taken at Stalag 18A when they arrived in July 1941. The photographs have no names attached, just the POW number. If you are searching for a photo of a relative, then you need the POW number. If your POW number is below 5000, then you have about a 1 in 2 chance that the photo you seek is in this set. With that in mind, you should contact Dr Berner (margit.berner@nhm-wien.ac.at).
If you are successful in obtaining a photo, and even if the photo that you receive is not of the POW you seek, I'd appreciate a copy to add to this page. |
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Map of Stalag 18ADeidre Mussen has certainly been busy since she got back to NZ. Have a look at the latest addition to the story of the mysterious Charlie Fairman. I've adapted Charlie Fairman's map to include some photos of Stalag 18A, to give some idea of the layout of the camp. You can find it from the Camp Layout page. |
John RossiterJohn Rossiter survived the retreat from France in 1940, only to be captured in Greece in 1941. During that time, he kept a very detailed journal, including his time in Work Camp 107/L. Thanks to his son, Ingo, for the contribution. Jack HurtonPhil Evans has sent in Jack Hurton's detailed account of his time in Work Camps 76/HV and 576/L. Bert and MarianneThe sad story of how war brings people together and tears them apart. Edward LevingsCaptain Levings, from New Zealand, was a Medical Officer with the Australian Army. He was captured in North Africa and served as a M.O. for POWs in Libya, then Italy, Germany and finally in Stalag 18A/Z. He kept a diary throughout this time. His daughter, Susan Brookes, has transcribed it. This section covers his time at 18A/Z. |
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