MOURMELON - upcoming book by Dieter Luske
American POW camp 1945 MOURMELON-LE-GRAND - camp Philadelphia
By attempting the impossible - one is meaningfully occupied (D.L.)
MOURMELON - upcoming book by Dieter Luske
Fiction based on diary of a PoW - prisoner of war - March 1945
Book Project by Dieter Luske
Research driven fiction based on a real life experience between from before the war upto 1947
Title: Surviving Mourmelon
A novel, fiction, based on the diary of Max, a PoW - prisoner of war - from March 1945.
The surrendered German soldiers became PoWs of the Americans and were marched and trucked to Mourmelon in France, where they constructed their own prison camp under atrocious conditions and eventually formed a theatre group performing pieces they had written themselves.
The Mourmelon camp harbours a forgotten secret: This vast area was used as a PoW camp to detain surrendered German soldiers for over a year.
Interestingly, there is no information available on the Internet about that PoW camp. Has it been simply forgotten, overlooked, or kept a secret?
During World War II, Mourmelon-le-Grand in France was a military camp covering approximately 10,000 hectares. It played a crucial role in military operations, featuring an airfield, and served as quarters for the US Army’s 501st Infantry Regiment, which was part of the 101st Airborne Division.
It was also used as a recovery and staging area for troops involved in the fighting in the Netherlands. The 101st Airborne Division, and the 463rd Parachute Field Artillery Battalion, were stationed there before being deployed in other operations.
This camp boasts a rich history, dating back to the Second French Empire, when Napoleon III established it. It was also used during World War I.
The Mourmelon-le-Grand Airfield was built by the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF). It was operational from September 1944 until July 1945. Known as Advanced Landing Ground "A-80," it supported fighter and transport aircraft with a single 6000-foot Pierced Steel Planking (PSP) runway. After the war, the airfield was dismantled, but its historical significance remains.
After the Battle of the Bulge, elements of the 101st Airborne Division, including the 463rd Parachute Field Artillery Battalion, were awarded the Presidential Unit Citation at Mourmelon by General Dwight D. Eisenhower on March 15, 1945, at a time when Max was a PoW at that camp, probably in a neighboring field.
From the online data:
Web results do not show a PoW camp named "Philadelphia" at Mourmelon-le-Grand in 1945. Mourmelon-le-Grand was indeed used for military activities, but its association with PoW camps is not clear from these sources.
If anyone has any information about the camp, please contact me!
Dieter can be contacted on Facebook Messenger - Dieter Luske
Original photos from 1945 - 1946
Camp City - POW camp 1945 MOURMELON-LE-GRAND - camp Philadelphia
After many month behind barbwire the PoWs were permitted to build a Theatre and put on their own written plays. Women were played by talented men.
Max in his biggest role.
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Books by Dieter Luske - Available on Amazon
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