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Looking for DP Camp Churchill in Germany

Looking for DP Camp Churchill in Germany

Posted: 29 Sep 2013 7:09PM GMT
Classification: Query
Surnames: Bliujus/Bukauskas/Kriksciunas
I was hoping someone could help me figure out the actual name of Camp Churchill in Germany during the war. My Grandparents were DPs in '46-'47, possibly '45. They married in camp, even gave birth to my aunt while there. On her birth certificate it states that she was born in Celle, Germany. The nearest DP camp I could find near Celle was Bergen-Belsen. However on some of her documents, it states that they were encamped at Camp "Churchill". Churchill is always listed in quotations.

Also, are there lists of people's names for the DP camps? Maybe if I just found the lists for Bergen-Belsen I can go through them.

My family left Germany on the USS General S.D. Sturgis, arriving in Rio de Janiero on May 16, 1947. I believe they were the first refugees the Sturgis transported out of Germany. How long would the trip have taken? My grandmother used to say a month, but not sure if that is accurate or not.

If anyone can share any information or point me in the direction I need to go, I'd greatly appreciate it.

Angele

Re: Looking for DP Camp Churchill in Germany

Posted: 29 Sep 2013 10:39PM GMT
Classification: Query
There is another camp listed in the British zone near Celle- Celle, #2511, Land Niedersachsen (British zone) . It's listed here on the Displaced Person Camp website
http://dpcamps.org/dpcampsGermanyC.html
http://dpcamps.org/

Researching DP camps in the British Zone- according to this page, no records of camp detainees survive
http://dpcamps.org/britishZone.html

The voyage would usually take several days, unless there were several stops at different ports and your family was amongst those last off the ship
http://www.usmm.org/dp.html

Re: Looking for DP Camp Churchill in Germany

Posted: 30 Sep 2013 1:16PM GMT
Classification: Query
Thank you. I did find the same link for the ship. I will look further into the dpcamps.org site, but it still does not seem to give a clear answer to my question. Was it common to rename the entire camp or even parts of a camp with Anglicized names such as "Camp Churchill"? Also, were there no "US Zones"? Just British Zones that would be English speaking? My family used to talk about the Americans being there, not the English. Clearly that could be an error.

Thanks again for your help.

Angele

Re: Looking for DP Camp Churchill in Germany

Posted: 30 Sep 2013 1:23PM GMT
Classification: Query
My apologies, I do know that there was a US Zone, but in the area of Celle, it's not clear where the border lies from the maps I've seen. It's early and I've not had my coffee. ;)

Angele

Re: Looking for DP Camp Churchill in Germany

Posted: 30 Sep 2013 2:38PM GMT
Classification: Query
The camps for the most part had both official and unofficial names- one that the military government came up with and the other that the workers and internees in the actual camp used. I haven't found anything for a "Camp Churchill", maybe it was called that by the internees because Churchill was one of the leaders who pushed for the DP camps.
The area occupied by the western allies was broken up into British, French and American zones, the Russians had the eastern half of the country. There was a Churchill Barracks in Celle, basically a large military barrack area the British took over in 1945. Celle itself was in the British Zone, but after the war there was quite a bit of interaction between US and British forces and US forces handled a large portion of the DP issue for the allies, that could explain the memories of US troops.

Here is a general map of the zones
http://www.dpcamps.org/dpcampmap.jpg

A generally good overview of the end of the war and conditions of the occupation
http://www.history.army.mil/books/wwii/Occ-GY/

Re: Looking for DP Camp Churchill in Germany

Posted: 30 Sep 2013 6:27PM GMT
Classification: Query
I think of barracks as dormitories. Is this correct? Would it have been an old German/Nazi military base? Do you mind sharing the link to that information? I am wondering what the actual name would have been prior to being renamed "Churchill". Not sure if I will ever be able to get this sorted out, but my family has been wanting to figure out which camp they were in.

Thanks again for your help.

Angele

Re: Looking for DP Camp Churchill in Germany

Posted: 1 Oct 2013 3:58AM GMT
Classification: Query
You are correct, the barracks were usually quite large and could hold several thousand men. Celle was a very important military center in Germany from the 1870's until WW2. Churchill Barracks was a German anti-aircraft unit barracks and headquarters with some buildings in use by the SS. There were also several other barracks ( Trenchard and Taunton barracks) for other german units in Celle that were taken over and used by the British after the war. Most were in use into the late 90's. There was also and airfield at Celle and an old WW 1PoW camp that were used to hold detainees. Unfortunately I haven't been able to find anything on a Camp Churchill near Celle, but many records were destroyed in the 60's by the British Government. Also many camps merely had a number it seems and recv'd an unofficial name.

Churchill Barracks-
http://www.baor-locations.org/churchillbks.aspx.html
They may have someone who can give you some information on Churchill Barracks or possibly "Camp Churchill" at this website-
http://www.baor-locations.org/celle.aspx.html
http://bfg-locations.editboard.com/f209-baor-locations-site-...

Re: Looking for DP Camp Churchill in Germany

Posted: 9 Feb 2015 5:59PM GMT
Classification: Query
Surnames: Bliujus
I know this is an old thread, but wanted to provide an update for anyone searching in the future. I've been in touch with several archivists in Germany and have been able to narrow things down. "Camp Churchill" was actually "Churchill Camp" in Nienburg, formerly the Oflag X-B. During the war it housed POW Officers from the French Army. Afterward, it housed many refugees from the Baltics and was where my family lived for some time. The archivist in Celle has been very helpful and has put me in touch with the archivist in Nienburg to get more specific details about the camp and my family's stay there.

Thank you for your help and if anyone needs any information regarding Oflag X-B/Churchill Camp, feel free to contact me.

Angele

Re: Looking for DP Camp Churchill in Germany

Posted: 9 Feb 2015 9:22PM GMT
Classification: Query
Dear Ms. Pookas,
Would you be so kind as to share with me the date & port in Germany that the U.S.A.T. General S.D. Sturgis departed from. It was a voyage that ended at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, May 16, 1947.

Respectfully,
Richard V. Horrell
WW 2 Connections

Re: Looking for DP Camp Churchill in Germany

Posted: 11 Feb 2015 4:43PM GMT
Classification: Query
They sailed out of Bremen, Germany, however I do not have an exact departure date. I am working with the Archivist on this and can post here when I find that out.

Angele
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