Store Grundet var under WWII Interneringslejr for 40-50 engelske fanger. Englænderne var på Store Grundet fra 1941 og frem til befrielsen i 1945.
Englænderne var for en stor del journalister som havde arbejdet i Tyskland for den internationale presse. I 1939 var det tæt på krig og englænderne måtte forlade Tyskland. I København kunne de arbejde og være tæt på Tyskland. Men da Danmark blev besat af tyskerne blev englænderne fængslet. Gruppen af engelske fanger endte i Store Grundet og undgik derved at blive sendt til hårdere forhold i Tyskland.
Store Grundet var en forladt Herregård som nu blev indhegnet af pigtråd. På taget malet P.o.W., Prisoner of War. Fængselsbetjentene var danske. I forhold til andre steder, havde fangerne her rigtig gode forhold. De havde få pligter. De skulle deltage i måltiderne, hvor de blev talt op, og de skulle gøre rent på deres værelse. Derfor var kedsomheden det værste. Englænderne lavede tennisbane i parken, og deltog i udflugter som fængselsvæsenet arrangere. De lærte sprog og underviste hinanden. Det var forbudt at høre engelsk radio og Gestapo kom af og til på besøg, for at kontrollere at radioerne var plomberede.
Efter befrielsen blev Store Grundet en kort tid anvendt til at intervenere personer som var mistænkt for at være landsforrædere.
Store Grundet was during WWII Detention Camp for 40-50 English prisoners. The English were on Store Grundet from 1941 until the liberation in 1945.
The English were for the most part journalists who had worked in Germany for the international press. In 1939 the war was near and the British had to leave Germany. In Copenhagen they could work and be close to Germany. But when Denmark was occupied by the Germans, the English were imprisoned. The group of English prisoners ended up in Store Grundet, thus avoiding being sent to harsher conditions in Germany.
Store Grundet was an abandoned manor house which was now fenced in with barbed wire. On the roof painted P.o.W., Prisoner of War. The guards were Danish. Compared to other places, the prisoners here had really good conditions. They had few duties. They had to attend the meals where they were counted and they had to clean their room. Therefore, boredom was the worst. The English made tennis courts in the park, and took part in excursions arranged by the prison service. They learned languages and taught each other. It was forbidden to listen to English radio and the Gestapo came to visit from time to time to check that the radios were sealed.
After the liberation, Store Grundet was used for a short time to intervene in people suspected of being traitors.
Source: Vejlebogen 2012. Årbog for Byhistorisk Selskab for Vejle ISBN: 978-87-90086-57-2
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