German Interest Group Meeting

Save the Date! The German Interest Group meets online and at the SCGS Family Research Library on Saturday, March 16, from 1 to 3:45 p.m.

Guest speaker is Lowell May, who will present "WWII German POW Camps in Kansas."

The prisoner-of-war camp known as Camp Concordia operated from 1943 to 1945 and was located about 140 miles northwest of Topeka, Kansas. The camp was used for German Army prisoners during World War II who were captured in battles in Africa.

"Difficulties between POWs and local residents were few, and in fact, friendships formed," says May, president of the camp's preservation society. "Only a handful of escape attempts occurred, none successful." Compared with the war raging in Europe, life at the camp was relatively easy. Prisoners worked on farms, played outdoor sports, performed in bands and at dances, and took courses offered at the University of Kansas. May is the author of the book Camp Concordia: German POWs in the Midwest.

The German Interest Group aims to provide a wide range of resources inside and outside the SCGS Library to help trace German families. The group meets at the Library every third Saturday. They often have a speaker on German research, and they offer assistance with your German research problems. New members and guests are always welcome. Bring your family information (pedigree charts and family group sheets with as much information as possible). The group members will be better able to assist you in locating the information you need to find your German ancestors. Check out the German Interest Group meeting schedule.

Questions? Contact Allene Aubertin and Melanie Gnad at germaninterest@scgsgenealogy.com