Page 102 - Anthology

In Germany, STALAG was a term used for prisoner-of-war camps. STALAG is short for
Kriegsgefangenen-Mannschafts-Stammlager. STALAG XVII-B was located near Krems, Austria, and
was roughly 250 acres. It was fenced with barbed wire, I’d guess to be about thirteen feet tall. It had two
fences; a second wire fenced area was about eighteen inches above the ground. The Germans called it
the "warning wire". Any prisoner crossing the warning wire would be shot without warning. There were
guards in watchtowers armed with machine guns and searchlights.

I do not think I or any prisoner was mistreated by the German guards while a POW at Stalag XVII-B. In
fact, in many ways we sort of became friends. The SS Guards were mean and would shoot and mistreat;
I was never in contact with any of the SS guards.

“I HAVE BEEN LIBERATED”