Photographs of Stalag IX-B in Bad Orb, Germany This photo set consists of ten private photos of Stalag IXB in Bad Orb, Germany. The photos were taken after liberation of the camp in 1945. The photos are believed to have been taken by Dr. William L. Casey, an officer from the 23rd Station Hospital. Stalag IXB was located in Bad Orb approximately 30 miles northwest of Frankfurt. The camp held French, Italian, Serbian, Russian, and American P.O.W.s. Conditions in this camp were terrible, and Stalag IXB ranks as one of the worst German camps that held Americans P.O.W.s. If you have more information about Bad Orb, please contact us via e-mail.        An external view of camp buildings. A water truck is visible in the background.          A closer view of the crosses along the side of the building. The cross inscriptions are not legible except for a date "1945" and a single name "Smith".     A group of men exit one of the camp buildings.     A view of a gaunt prisoner.     Another former prisoner huddles in a lower bunk.     An American prisoner. The patch on the soldier's arm may be the "Golden Lion" of the 106th Infantry Division. A large number of enlisted men from the 106th Infantry Division were captured during the Battle of the Bulge and imprisoned in Stalag IXB.     One of the few labelled photos: "Bad Orb: The chaplain and Dentist and yourself."     Another view of men of the medical unit inside the camp.     Helmets off for a third view of the same men with an additional soldier.     Interior view of one of the camp buildings.       ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: • The book Whispers from an Empty Coffin [available at Amazon.com] recounts the story of Donald W. Schuman who was held as a POW in Stalag IX-B. The website also contains partial rosters of Stalag IX-B from the National Archives. • The author of Whispers from an Empty Coffin was kind enough to share copies of several National Archives Documents related to Stalag IX-B. • Joe E. Szczygielski from the 112th Infantry Regiment, 28th Infantry Division was captured and held at Stalag IXB. His family sent a scan of this dollar bill with signatures from other prisoners in the camp. Click image to enlarge. • The U.S. National Archives (archives.gov) has put a searchable database of World War II Prisoners of War records online at http://aad.archives.gov/aad/series-description.jsp?s=644&cat=WR26. The search field can be used to search by name, serial number, camp, and other fields. • In the National Archives database described above, a Prisoner List for records with Camp=089 (Stalag 9B Bad Orb Hessen-Nassau, Prussia 50-09) has been created to allow search-engine indexing: • The Veteran's History Project at The Library of Congress has three veteran pages with information and photographs about Stalag IXB: Frank John Kakacek, Johann Carl Friedrich Kasten, IV, and Joseph M. Pernice. In particular, the page on Johann Kasten contains several source documents. • Flint Whitlock has published a book on Bad Orb and other German POW camps with the title: Given Up for Dead: American GI's in the Nazi Concentration Camp at Berga. Several of these photos of Bad Orb are included in the book. • Barbara B. kindly sent copies of several photos from the National Archives. • Mr. Windholz has interesting research at his Stalag IXB website [Note: Site no longer available, looking for new web address.] including a link to rare video footage of Stalag IX-B. Mr. Windholz sent the following list of U.S. camp deaths at Bad Orb from January - April 1945. The crosses in the photos above may represent temporary markers for these casualties. Stalag IX B, American Compound, Camp Deaths Jan. 26, 1945 to Apr. 1, 1945 Transcribed by O. M. Windholz from a hand written document kept by Pvt. Edmund Pfannenstiel, 2nd American Chief Man of Confidence Hudson, Edward R. / Larson, Robert A. / Leusinring, R.V. / Smith, Jack / Casados, V.E. / Breckfel, H.S. / Francis, J.O. / Bubb, K.C. / Bakkum, S.E. / Kozaska, Timothy / Boynton, Robert H. / Knight, Ralph / Pearson, Edwin H. / Sherwood, James / Nyquist, Robert / Cardini, Albert R. / Sadler, Lester R. / Dieffenthaler, W.J. / Howell, Ernest E. / Klippel, Edward A. / Dunivan, Marvin C. / Schwartz, Merle D. / Murray, Gilbert P. / Efteland, John / Winebrenner, Lester / DeMuth, Russell / Edris, George L. / Rudnan, Bernard / Jungen, Joseph / Rapodole, Wm (English soldier) / Siegrist, Robert H. / Licht, Edwin M. / Mayer O.D. / English, W.A. / Rumsey, Gudson H. / Haile, Lewis M. / Runnels, Floyd M. / Thompson, George • Another site with information on Stalag IXB: 44th Infantry Division Site • Webpage devoted to Sgt. Leo Vann Nappier [Note: Site no longer available, looking for new web address.] of 315th Infantry Regiment, 79th Infantry Division which contains several photos of Stalag IX-B. • Indiana Military Organization website (www.indianamilitary.org) has a large collection of personal accounts and research material on Stalag IXB on the German PW Camps. (Click on "Stalag IX-B Bad Orb" on the left navigation bar.) • James Osman sent copies of the following NARA photos. Most of the photos were marked with the original captions. His father was a POW there from January 1945 until April 1945 after being captured in battle at Nennig, Germany while with the 94th Infantry. His barracks number is unknown. If you have any information on Mr. Osman, please contact us. Photo [click to enlarge] Caption Credit... U S Army Signal Corps Photog - T/5 J A Bowen 163 On April 2nd, a task force of infantry and cavalry raided enemy held territory to release 6,000 Allied soldiers, 3,364 of which were Americans, from German prison camp Stalag IX-B, at Bad-Orb, Germany. Here, 4 Englishmen captured in Africa, try to regain some strength with (??) G.I. food while awaiting evacuation. They slept on the floor (shown here) during their stay in this prison. (D) Credit... U S Army Signal Corps Photog - T/5 L Weintraub 163 On April 2nd, a task force of infantry and cavalry raided enemy held territory to release 6,000 Allied soldiers, 3,364 of which were Americans, from prison camp Stalag XI-B [sic], at Bad-Orb, Germany. Here liberated Americans sitting outside their barracks, eat their first meal of "C" rations since December 15th. Note the crosses of their buddies in background. These men died because they didn't have enough food and medical supplies to keep them alive long enough for liberation. 34(?) died since December 25th, 1944. (D) Credit... U S Army Signal Corps Photog - T/5 Louis Weintraub ... 163 Paris Dupe Yank prisoners rescued! American prisoners of war show their happiness at being rescued from their German prison. Cavalry and Infantry of the Seventh Army thrust into enemy territory to break into a German prison camp at Bad-Orb, Germany, and rescued 3364 Yanks who were among the 6000 Allied soldiers released. Credit... U S Army Signal Corps Photog - T/5 Louis Weintraub 163 Captured during Ardennes push, Chaplain 1st Lt. Edw. J. Hurley, of 19687 Cameron St., Detroit, Mich, Pastor of St. Rita's Church, refused to leave Nazi prison camp when offered the opportunity, and stayed with men until camp was liberated by units of 7th Army. At the camp in Bad-Orb, the Chaplain hands food out to prisoners after it was trucked to camp. (Left) Pvt. Peter A. Piantidos, of 91 Elm St., Lawrence, Mass., and Right, Pfc. Nicholas G. Anziano, of 421 Cook Ave., Meriden, Conn. E/ Credit... U S Army Signal Corps Photog - T/5 L Weintraub 163 On April 2nd, a task force of cavalry and infantry raided enemy held territory to release 6,000 Allied soldiers, 3,364 of which were American, from prison camp Stalag XI-B [sic], Bad-Orb, Germany. American soldiers getting bread, C rations, and butter. (D) Credit... U S Army Signal Corps Photog - T/5 L Weintraub 163 On April 2nd, a task force of infantry and cavalry raided enemy held territory to release 6,000 Allied soldiers, 3,364 of which were Americans, from prison camp Stalag IX-B, Bad-Orb, Germany. Here, reenacting the liberation of the camp, elements of 2nd Battalion, 114th Infantry Regiment, 44th Division, arrive at the prison. Lt Col Walter D. (?), New Brunswick, N.J., regimental commander, in front of prison camp officer, accepting surrender of German commandant and staff. Credit ... U S Army Signal Corps Photog ... T/5 Louis Weintraub . . 163 Paris Dupe Liberated Yanks carry soup barrel for the last time past truck load of rations waiting to be unloaded in Stalag IX-B prison at Bad-Orb, Germany. Task Force of Cavalry and Infantry drove into German territory, captured the prison, and liberated 6,000 Allied P.W.'s 3364 of whom were Americans. Credit ... U S Army Signal Corps Photog ... T/5 Louis Weintraub 163 Prison Camp in Germany liberated by 7th Army troops. 6,000 Allied and American prisoners who were fed a slice of bread and soup a day with occasionally horse meat, scraped the soup barrel to get a little extra food as they are doing in this picture. It was nothing unusual to them who lived through this Hell. E/ Credit ... U S Army Signal Corps Photog - T/5 J A Bowen 163 On April 2nd, a task force of infantry and cavalry raided enemy held territory to release 6,000 Allied soldiers, 3,364 of which were Americans from German prison camp Stalag IX-B, at Bad-Orb, Germany. Here this group of men to keep up their morale, formed a club, referring to it as the "Bread and Marmalade Club". They are all from the 28th Infantry Division, and their homes in America are in or near Philadelphia, Pa. All the prisoners were incredibly ill-fed and this group pooled their food so (?) any member who was extremely weak received more food that day. (D)     • If you have more information about Bad Orb and Stalag IX-B, please contact us via e-mail.
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