There Are 32 Different Prisoner-of-War Camps in Michigan

Through the many wars that our country has taken part in since its inception, Michigan has played a large role in many of them, including the Civil War and World War II. But I had no idea just how many prisoner-of-war camps there were throughout the state.

It turns out there were 32 different prisoner-of-war camps in Michigan in Allegan, Benton Harbor, Galesburg, Battle Creek, and Mattawan. As Michiganology pointed out, both the upper and lower peninsula were responsible for harboring more than 6000 prisoners from Nazi Germany:

Get our free mobile app

During World War II, over 6,000 prisoners were housed in Prisoner of War (POW) camps in Michigan. Approximately 1,000 POWs were held in the Upper Peninsula, while 5,000 were housed in the Lower Peninsula. Many of the camps were former Civilian Conservation Corps barracks that had been idled since the program disbanded in 1942. Most of the prisoners were German soldiers captured in North Africa. There were 32 POW Camps in Michigan. While the existence of the camps was not kept secret, it was not publicized for security reasons.

What Happened To The Prisoners of Michigan POW Camps?

After World War II had ended, prisoners in the camps here in Michigan were returned to their homeland and some even immigrated back to the United States. Some of the prisoners who died in these camps were also buried at Fort Custer National Cemetery in Battle Creek.

Throughout the state and country there are Michigan historical landmarks that remember the sacrifices Michiganders have made for their country, as you can see below: