Life in Britain for German Prisoners of War

POWs in post-war Britain

In 1946, the year after the end of World War Two, more than 400,000 German prisoners of war (POWs) were still being held in Britain, with POW camps on the outskirts of most towns. Clement Attlee's post-war government deliberately ignored the Geneva Convention by refusing to let the Germans return home until well after the war was over.

During 1946, up to one fifth of all farm work in Britain was being done by German POWs, and they were also employed on road works and building sites. Fraternisation between the soldiers and the local population was strictly forbidden by the British government, and repatriation progressed extremely slowly. Then the ban on fraternisation was finally lifted - just in time for Christmas 1946. In towns across Britain, many people chose to put the war behind them and invite German POWs to join them for a family Christmas - the first the men had experienced in years.

In Oswaldtwistle in Lancashire, one Methodist minister, Mr Howe, asked his congregation whether they'd like to invite a German POW to their homes for Christmas day. The response was warm-hearted and generous. Sixty POWs found themselves in private homes that day.

Mary Clarke, who worked at a typewriting bureau in the town, and her family took in two prisoners. As did Fred Haworth, recently returned from six years in the RAF: 'No-one could speak English, and we couldn't speak German. But we managed, with a bit of sign language and pointing at this and that. Language is no barrier sometimes.'

Ex-POW Heinz Hermann recalls that 'it was wonderful. After all those years of war and captivity, to be in a private home again. Welcomed by good people. It was a beautiful Christmas Day, which I'll never forget 'til the day I die.' Heinz's mother in Germany was surprised and touched to receive food parcels sent by English friends Heinz had made in Oswaldtwistle.

Staying on

Bert Trautman was another young POW at the time, but went on to settle in England and become a celebrated goal keeper for Manchester City: 'I was brought up under Hitler and I volunteered, like many others, at 17. When I became a POW I was a boy of 22. Not yet a man. I think my education began in Britain, because people understood the predicament we were in. I think the English showed something of forgiveness. You know: "The war is over, you are POWs, and we understand how you feel" '.

By the end of 1947, around 250,000 German POWs had been repatriated, but 24,000 decided to stay in Britain. Hans Siegfried Vallentin was one of these. Like many of the others, he'd been a keen supporter of Hitler. He'd even lied about his age to get into the Luftwaffe. He was only 17 when he was shot down and taken prisoner. But now, three years later, he didn't want to go back home. He'd fallen in love with Irene, a local Oswaldtwistle girl. They still live in Oswaldtwistle and have five children, eleven grandchildren and two great grandchildren.

The last German POWs were repatriated in November 1948. Many had arrived in Britain as Nazis. Now they were going home hoping to build a new, democratic Germany.