Atlanta Prisoner-of-War Camp - Atlanta, NE
N 40° 22.662 W 099° 27.631
14T E 460907 N 4469781
An historical marker about the Atlanta Prisoner-of-War Camp is located on Hwy. 6, northeast of Atlanta, in Phelps County, Nebraska. All that remains of the camp are a water tower and two chimneys hidden behind a field of corn.
Waymark Code: WMCRFA
Location: Nebraska, United States
Date Posted: 10/07/2011
Views: 5
The marker text reads:
"During World War II, a prisoner-of-war internment camp was located directly north of here. The camp had its beginning in a request by the Holdredge New Industries Committee for a federal conscientious-objector camp to help relieve the severe war-time farm labor shortage. Instead, a prisoner-or-war camp was built.
Planning for the camp began in June, 1943. By November, construction had been completed on approximately seventy buildings and seven miles of concrete road. Guard personnel were awaiting the arrival of prisoners. The camp contained three prison compounds, which held a total of 3,000 men. The Atlanta camp also administered smaller branch internment camps in Nebraska. The prisoners at Atlanta were German soldiers captured in the North Africa and Italian campaign. Some 600 military and 130 civilian personnel provided security and maintenance. One prisoner reportedly escaped but returned to the camp voluntarily.
The prisoners-of-war were a valuable source of farm labor in the area until the camp was phased out in 1945-46. Material removed from the site provided lumber for postwar constructed and concrete rip-rap for Tri-County irrigation ditches.
Holdrege Area Chamber of Commerce
Nebraska State Historical Society"
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