Massive WW2 German Banner from Arnstadt – POW Camp 1945

Arnstadt, Thuringia, Germany, was the site of a WW2 German POW Camp.

It housed about 1,700 Allied Personnel, mostly Poles and Russians. They were housed in tents with only 100 bunks for all 1,700 POWs. The tents are pictured here.

Prior to the arrival of US forces in Arnstadt, the Germans moved the POWs.

POWs who could not move were executed and buried.

On April 10, 1945, the US 353rd Infantry Regiment, 89th Infantry Division, took Arnstadt. A photo here shows troops entering the town. We found a short WW2 Army newsreel video on-line regarding the liberation of the town and another showing the POW camp and Germans digging up
the murdered POWs under the supervision of US Soldiers.

This banner is cotton linen and measures 4 2/3 feet across by 21 1/2 feet long! It has the original wartime BEVO label from the maker. Although is says Westdeuthche, it is not West German. It is original WW2 German made, guaranteed forever. In fact, there are many WW2 German NSDAP flags in collector and dealer hands with this exact maker’s label. IMA had one recently.

The vendor bought this flag at a garage sale. He was told that their uncle brought it back from WW2. He had served in the 89th Division.