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402:, but the situation worsened thereafter, causing malnutrition and diseases. The clothing situation for the POWs was bad, as worn-out clothing was not replenished sufficiently. Many POWs were used for forced labour in industry, agriculture and construction works in various subcamps located in the region.
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to complete its construction. The first captives initially slept in the open air and then in tents, the food was poor, and diseases were rampant, resulting in many deaths. Baths were organized in gasoline barrels. After the construction was completed, conditions improved slightly. In a ruthless
356:. In late 1941 nearly 50,000 prisoners were crowded into space designed for one third that number. Conditions were appalling, starvation, epidemics and ill-treatment took a heavy toll of lives. By early 1942 the Soviet prisoners had been transferred to other camps, particularly to
379:, German forces were directed to seize administration of the Italian prison camps, and within weeks, began the process of entraining Allied POWs for transfer north, into Germany; many were sent to Stalag VIII-C. Also Italian POWs were sent to Stalag VIII-C since 1943.
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In 1961 a monument was erected at the cemetery in remembrance of the thousands who died and are buried here. In 1971 the "Martyrdom Museum of Allied
Prisoners of War" was established on the site of the camp to house mementos and records of both Stalag VIII-C and
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German treatment of POWs varied depending on nationality, from the best-treated Brits and
Americans to the worst-treated Soviets. Until mid-1944, the nutrition of Western POWs was tolerable, as shortages were compensated by
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Polish, French, Belgian, British, Canadian, Greek, Yugoslav, Soviet, Australian, New
Zealand, South African, Italian, Senegalese, Algerian, Moroccan, Slovak and other Allied POWs
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were imprisoned in the camp. They were held in separate barracks, isolated from the rest by additional guards and barbed wire. The last group of POWs were over 600
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and later conscripted into the French Army to build fortifications, was also held in Stalag VIII-C for a short time. In 1941 more prisoners arrived from the
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Stanek, Piotr; Terpińska-Greszczeszyn, Justyna (2011). "W cieniu "wielkiej ucieczki". Kompleks obozow jenieckich Sagan (1939–1945)".
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entered the camp. They later used the camp to house German POWs and
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594:"Account of forced march from Stalag 8C: 8 February—10 March 1945"
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Stalag VIIIC and Stalag Luft 3 POW Camps Museum in Zagan, Poland
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The camp was established in
September 1939 to house some 5,000
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363:In mid-September 1943, further numbers of British,
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286:most of these prisoners were deprived of their
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625:World War II prisoner-of-war camps in Germany
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245:POWs of various nationalities, incl. Polish,
429:members, many of whom were then deported to
382:In late 1944, 101 Polish insurgents of the
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506:"Camps (POW) in Zagan"
592:Sorsby, John Lesley.
598:BBC WW2 People's War
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209:Garrison information
157:Prisoner-of-war camp
421:On 20 February the
322:Spanish Republicans
137:51.5976°N 15.2944°E
133: /
106:Show map of Germany
271:invasion of Poland
168:Controlled by
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186:Site history
180:Nazi Germany
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191:In use
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116:Coordinates
619:Categories
462:References
416:Ziegenhain
255:Senegalese
128:15°17′40″E
125:51°35′51″N
394:of 1944.
390:from the
214:Occupants
194:1939–1945
450:See also
423:Red Army
346:Yugoslav
338:Canadian
431:Siberia
388:Slovaks
334:British
332:mostly
318:Senegal
314:Morocco
310:Algeria
302:Belgian
25:Sagan (
516:17 May
512:. 2012
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350:Soviet
298:French
267:Polish
251:Soviet
247:French
243:Allied
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492:Opole
369:Italy
365:ANZAC
342:Greek
235:Żagań
27:Żagań
518:2012
344:and
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