Updated translations August 5, 2014 and November 29, 2016 – Thanks to Günther and Joel for their help! In my last post I introduced the basics of Prisoner of War mail in Canada during the Second World War. Today, I’m going to continue this by showing another type of postcard. In the early years ofContinue reading “Prisoner of War Mail and the YMCA – Part II of PoW Mail”
Category Archives: World War II
Kriegsgefangenenpost (Prisoner of War Mail) – Part I
After an unintended hiatus, here is the first of a series of posts about prisoner of war mail. Now you may be thinking this isn’t the most exciting subject or the most exhilarating objects (and I don’t blame you) but there is more to it than it may appear! I have shown a few PoWContinue reading “Kriegsgefangenenpost (Prisoner of War Mail) – Part I”
Juno Beach: Then and Now
To mark the 70th Anniversary of the D-Day landings, here is one of the projects I have been working on. Earlier in the year, the Laurier Military History Archive released thousands of aerial photographs taken during the Second World War. Among the collection was a number of photos taking during reconnaissance missions leading up toContinue reading “Juno Beach: Then and Now”
Interactive Exhibit – The Final Product
Today, the Interactive Exhibit Design class is presenting exhibits. For those who are unable to attend, I thought I’d let you know how it turned out. I have to say I am pretty happy with the way the bunkhouses look with Sketchup’s shadow/fog settings turned on (even if they did slow the computer down toContinue reading “Interactive Exhibit – The Final Product”
Fourth Symposium of Environmental Historians of Southern Ontario
I am happy to say that I will be presenting at the Fourth Symposium of Environmental Historians of Southern Ontario this Saturday (March 22, 2014). The University of Toronto, with support from NiCHE, is hosting the event which will be focusing on energy and forestry. I will be presenting some of my research about PoWsContinue reading “Fourth Symposium of Environmental Historians of Southern Ontario”
All Bottled Up
Among the many pastimes of German prisoners of war interned in Canada was the building of ships in bottles. Ranging from simple sailing vessels to elaborate models of five-masted barques, ships in bottles were often traded or sold to other PoWs, guards, camp staff, and civilians. While PoWs in smaller camps built them for theirContinue reading “All Bottled Up”
Postcard from a Future Escapee – Heinz Gummert
Picture postcards were quite popular with PoWs as it offered them a chance to show their families how they were doing as they waited out the end of the war in Canada. As these photographs were taken by photographers approved by the Canadian military, they also served an important propaganda by demonstrating that the prisonersContinue reading “Postcard from a Future Escapee – Heinz Gummert”
PoWs who Died in Canada – Johann Schäfer
Johann Schäfer was one of the thousands of German soldiers captured in the North African Campaign. A member of the German Afrika Korps, Schäfer was in his early twenties when his war ended in 1941 or 1942. Following a brief period in a primitive internment camp in North Africa, Schäfer and his comrades found themselvesContinue reading “PoWs who Died in Canada – Johann Schäfer”
A Long Way From Home
Tucked away in a corner of Kitchener’s Woodland Cemetery lies the final resting place of 187 German Prisoners of War who died in Canada during their internment. One hundred and forty-eight of these men were German PoWs from the Second World War while the remaining thirty-nine were civilian prisoners from the First World War. ThoseContinue reading “A Long Way From Home”
New Page – Veterans Guard of Canada
Well after a lengthy break, I am back at it. I’ve added a new page to the website dedicated to the Veterans Guard of Canada. This is the start of what I hope to be a larger section that will provide more information about the Veterans Guard and its members while also providing some resourcesContinue reading “New Page – Veterans Guard of Canada”
POWs in Canada 