The card is simple. Handcrafted from a piece of birch bark, the card features a decorative border surrounding the text while a sprig of ground pine, or princess pine, fits neatly in small sleeves cut in the bark. A short message reads “Wuensche Dir Mein Lieber Erhard, Frohe Weihnachten Und Ein Glückliches Neues Jahr –Continue reading “Christmas in Petawawa, 1939”
Tag Archives: Christmas
Santa’s Helpers: Christmas at Camp 42
In December 1944, the Camp 42 (Sherbrooke) workshops were in full swing. Three years prior, most of the Civilian Internees and Enemy Merchant Seamen in camp had started working under the auspices of POW Works Programme, an organized effort which employed non-combatant POWs in light-manufacturing in accordance with the 1929 Geneva Convention. At Sherbrooke, thisContinue reading “Santa’s Helpers: Christmas at Camp 42”
Christmas and the War Prisoners’ Aid
Christmas and the holidays were always a difficult time for prisoners of war interned in camps around the world. The holidays often emphasized the great distance between prisoners and their loved ones and, with mail – delayed by weeks or months – the only bridge between them, morale was often low. But one thing theContinue reading “Christmas and the War Prisoners’ Aid”
Christmas in Canada, 1941
As part of their efforts to help POWs interned in Canada, the War Prisoners’ Aid of the YMCA printed and distributed thousands of Christmas cards each year for POWs and internees in the country. Calls for art submissions were issued to internment camps and POW artists submitted sketches, paintings, and linocuts in the chance ofContinue reading “Christmas in Canada, 1941”
Christmas at Camp 70 – Fredericton
The sketch above was submitted to War Prisoners’ Aid for consideration of being printed as one of the annual Christmas cards produced by the organization and distributed to PoWs in Canada. The artist, Rudi Boege, was a civilian internee at Camp 70 (Fredericton, NB) and, as the spokesman described, one of the most gifted artistsContinue reading “Christmas at Camp 70 – Fredericton”
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
While I believe that this Christmas card was printed in the UK, rather than Canada, it is among my favourite pieces of PoW art, capturing the longing of PoWs to finally return home. Wishing all of my readers a Happy Holidays – thank you for your support, comments, and questions!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all of my readers! Here’s a particularly relevant piece from my collection, a Christmas card send from PoWs to one of their captors. This card is addressed to Sergeant-Major James Ogilvie Thomson, a member of the Veterans’ Guard who was employed as the camp quartermaster at CampContinue reading “Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!”
POWs in Canada 