An official website of the United States government Here's how you know
Official websites use .mil
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
Secure .mil websites use HTTPS
A lock (
)
or https:// means you've safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.
1 / 5Show Caption +Hide Caption –
USAG BAVARIA - HOHENFELS, Germany -- Polish soldiers from 11 Lubuska Dywizja Kawalerii Pancernej (11th Armored Cavalry Division) pay honor to the memory of deceased Polish prisoners of war Feb. 5, 2025 at a historic cemetery in the training area of U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria - Hohenfels. There are no bodies in the cemetery – they were exhumed decades before – but the site endures as a remembrance of Stalag 383, where allied prisoners of war were interned during World War II. Polish prisoners comprised the majority of the camp population, and many remained after the camp’s liberation. (U.S. Army photo by Bryan Gatchell, USAG Bavaria Public Affairs
(Photo Credit: Bryan Gatchell)VIEW ORIGINAL2 / 5Show Caption +Hide Caption –
USAG BAVARIA - HOHENFELS, Germany -- VFW Post 10557 commander Adam J. Moore explains the history of Stalag 383 Feb. 5, 2025 at a historic cemetery in the training area of U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria - Hohenfels. There are no bodies in the cemetery – they were exhumed decades before – but the site endures as a remembrance of Stalag 383, where allied prisoners of war were interned during World War II. Polish prisoners comprised the majority of the camp population, and many remained after the camp’s liberation. (U.S. Army photo by Bryan Gatchell, USAG Bavaria Public Affairs
(Photo Credit: Bryan Gatchell)VIEW ORIGINAL3 / 5Show Caption +Hide Caption –
USAG BAVARIA - HOHENFELS, Germany -- Gravesites are decorated in the red-and-white bands of the Polish flag Feb. 5, 2025 at a historic cemetery in the training area of U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria - Hohenfels. There are no bodies in the cemetery – they were exhumed decades before – but the site endures as a remembrance of Stalag 383, where allied prisoners of war were interned during World War II. Polish prisoners comprised the majority of the camp population, and many remained after the camp’s liberation. (U.S. Army photo by Bryan Gatchell, USAG Bavaria Public Affairs
(Photo Credit: Bryan Gatchell)VIEW ORIGINAL4 / 5Show Caption +Hide Caption –
USAG BAVARIA - HOHENFELS, Germany -- Divisional Gen. Piotr Fajkowski, commander of 11 Lubuska Dywizja Kawalerii Pancernej (11th Armored Cavalry Division), stands before the Polish prisoner of war memorial Feb. 5, 2025 at Camp Nainhof in the garrison cantonment of U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria - Hohenfels. Members of the Polish military and the Hohenfels chapter of Veterans of Foreign Wars held two ceremonies honoring Polish prisoners of war. The Polish military members were on hand to take part in Combined Resolve with the Joint Multinational Readiness Center. (U.S. Army photo by Bryan Gatchell, USAG Bavaria Public Affairs
(Photo Credit: Bryan Gatchell)VIEW ORIGINAL5 / 5Show Caption +Hide Caption –
USAG BAVARIA - HOHENFELS, Germany -- Two Polish soldiers of 11 Lubuska Dywizja Kawalerii Pancernej (11th Armored Cavalry Division) stand before the Polish prisoner of war memorial Feb. 5, 2025 at Camp Nainhof in the garrison cantonment of U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria - Hohenfels. Members of the Polish military and the Hohenfels chapter of Veterans of Foreign Wars held two ceremonies honoring Polish prisoners of war. The Polish military members were on hand to take part in Combined Resolve with the Joint Multinational Readiness Center. (U.S. Army photo by Bryan Gatchell, USAG Bavaria Public Affairs
(Photo Credit: Bryan Gatchell)VIEW ORIGINAL
USAG BAVARIA-HOHENFELS, Germany – Members of the Polish military and the Hohenfels chapter of Veterans of Foreign Wars held two ceremonies honoring Polish prisoners of war Feb. 5, 2025.
Soldiers and leaders from 11 Lubuska Dywizja Kawalerii Pancernej (11th Armored Cavalry Division) were on hand to take part in Combined Resolve with the Joint Multinational Readiness Center.
The first ceremony took place at the Polish prisoner of war cemetery in the training area, and the second took place at the memorial at Camp Nainhof.
The cemetery is just outside the garrison cantonment in the training area. There are no bodies there – they were exhumed and repatriated decades ago – but the site endures as a remembrance of Stalag 383, where allied prisoners of war were interned during World War II. Polish prisoners comprised the majority of the camp population, and many remained after the camp’s liberation.
Tim Ostrand, an active member in the Hohenfels chapter of the VFW, coordinated the cleaning of the cemetery Nov. 2, 2024. Several organizations on post offered their help, including Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers, an on-post Polish-American friendship group. The on-post scouting organization, BSA Troop 303, contacted Związek Harcerstwa Polskiego (the Polish scouting organization), who brought 30 scouts to help clean the cemetery.
VFW Post 10557 commander Adam J. Moore and Ostrand represented the VFW at the event, and Staff Sgt. Shane Manes, Hohenfels BOSS president, represented BOSS at the event.
“We have about 240 Polish who perished and were buried here,” said Moore. “We continue to honor that legacy, reaching out to the community, educating them on the sacrifice that Poland made to freedom in Europe.”
Divisional Gen. Piotr Fajkowski, commander of the 11th ACD, performed honors at both ceremonies. Both ceremonies involved the laying of wreaths to commemorate the prisoners of war.
Following the ceremony, the Polish soldiers returned to the Combined Resolve exercise.
Social Sharing