Camp Opelika - Opelika, Alabama
Posted by: 
xptwo
N 32° 37.512 W 085° 22.295
16S E 652768 N 3610908
This industrial park was once the site of a World War II camp where German prisoners of war were held. Most of the prisoners came from the German Africa Corps.
Waymark Code: WMFH97
Location: Alabama, United States
Date Posted: 10/20/2012
Views: 1
Near the entrance to the Industrial park, a marker by the Historic Chattahochee Commission tells the story of Camp Opelika, a prisoner of war facility built to house German soldiers from the Africa Corps. Conditions met or exceeded the requirements of the 1929 Geneva Conventions. It is all that remains of the camp that was open from 1942 to 1945. Opelika was the second POW camp in Alabama, opening in September, 1942. More information on life in the Alabama camps can be found at the Encyclopedia of Alabama at (
visit link)
The historic marker is located on Marvyn Parkway near the intersection with Williamson Avenue, near the entrance of the John Herbert Orr Industrial Park.
The following is the text from the marker:
Located on this 800 acre site was an enemy prisoner of war camp. Construction of Camp Opelika began in September 1942. The first prisoners, -9captured by the British, were part of General Erwin Rommel's Africa Corps. The camp prisoner population was maintained at about 3000 until the end of World War II, in May 1945. In September 1945, the camp was deactivated and deeded to the City of Opelika. For a brief period the camp quarters were used for veteran's housing before the site became an industrial park.