{{Short description|World War II German prisoner-of-war camp}} {{Infobox military structure |name = Oflag XXI-C |native_name = |partof = |location = [[Ostrzeszów]], German-occupied [[Poland]] |image = Gruppe 18 norske offiserer i militæruniform, Schildberg fangeleir i Polen under 2. verdenskrig, krigsfanger - Anno Domkirkeodden - 0412-12687.jpg |caption = Norwegian prisoners of war in Oflag XXI-C |map_type = Poland |coordinates = {{coord|51.4262|17.9325|type:landmark|display=inline}} |map_size = |map_alt = Ostrzeszów, Poland |map_caption = Ostrzeszów, Poland |type = [[German prisoner-of-war camps in World War II|Prisoner-of-war camp]] |used = 1942{{spaced ndash}}1945 |condition = |ownership = |open_to_public = |controlledby = {{flag|Nazi Germany}} |garrison = |commanders = |occupants = Norwegian, Dutch, Italian, Serbian and Soviet officers |battles = [[World War II]] }}
'''Oflag XXI-C ''' was a [[German Army (Wehrmacht)|German Army]] [[World War II]] [[German prisoner-of-war camps in World War II|prisoner-of-war camp]] for [[Officer (armed forces)|officer]]s (''[[Oflag|Offizierlager]]'') located in [[Ostrzeszów]] in [[Occupation of Poland (1939–1945)|German-occupied]] [[Poland]]. It held mostly [[Norway|Norwegian]] officers arrested in 1942 and 1943, but also [[Dutch people|Dutch]], [[Italians|Italian]], [[Serbs|Serbian]] and [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] POWs. Originally most Norwegian soldiers and officers had been released after the end of the [[Norwegian campaign]], but as resistance activities increased, the officers were rearrested and sent to POW camps.
==Camp history== [[File:Tablica jency norwesy ostrzeszow.JPG|thumb|left|Memorial plaque to Norwegian POWs at the local high school building, which was occupied by Oflag XXI-C]] The camp was originally established in June 1942 near [[Skoki]] {{convert|30|km|abbr=on}} north of [[Poznań]], in what had previously been Oflag XXI-A, opened in September 1940 as a camp for Polish officers.<ref name="moosburg">{{cite web |url=http://www.moosburg.org/info/stalag/laglist.html |title=List of Kriegsgefangenenlager |work=Moosburg Online |year=2012 |accessdate=30 April 2012|language=de}}</ref>
In March 1943 it was moved to [[Ostrzeszów]] (renamed ''Schildberg'' during the German occupation)<ref name="moosburg"/> taking over buildings previously used as a camp for wounded and sick [[Great Britain|British]] non-commissioned officers and designated [[Stalag XXI-A]]. This camp was unique in that it comprised several buildings in the centre of the small town, from which the remaining Polish inhabitants had been removed. These buildings were not adjacent to each other and were surrounded by barbed-wire fences.
In 1944 the Norwegian officers were located as follows: 630 in the Seminary; 290 in the high-school; 100 in the primary school; 80 in the Richter house; 30 in hospital.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://oflag21c.ovh.org/index.php?option=com_mapa&task=mapka&Itemid=75&lang=en |title=Map of Oflag XXIC in Ostrzeszow |work=oflag21c.ovh.org |year=2012 |accessdate=2 May 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723101007/http://oflag21c.ovh.org/index.php?option=com_mapa&task=mapka&Itemid=75&lang=en |archivedate=23 July 2011 }}</ref>
There was also a sub-camp (''Zweiglager''), designated Oflag XXI-C/Z established at [[Gronówko, Greater Poland Voivodeship|Gronówko]] near [[Leszno]], between September 1943 and January 1945.<ref name="moosburg"/>
===Escapes=== The Dutch organized two successful escapes from the camp, most likely in cooperation with the [[Polish resistance movement in World War II|Polish resistance]], as two officers escaped on 17 September 1943 and 15 officers and an orderly on 2 November 1943.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Rusak|first=Stanisław|year=2011|title=Obozy Wehrmachtu w okupowanym Ostrzeszowie i polsko-norweska pamięć o nich|journal=Łambinowicki rocznik muzealny|location=Opole|language=pl|volume=34|page=86|issn=0137-5199}}</ref>
Two Norwegian POWs escaped during the evacuation in January 1945 and first hid in an abandoned prison building in Ostrzeszów, and then were received by a local Polish family.{{sfn|Graf|1992|p=17}}
===Liberation=== In January 1945 the officers were marched out westward towards [[Odolanów]],{{sfn|Graf|1992|p=17}} finally arriving at [[Oflag III-A]] in [[Luckenwalde]], south of [[Berlin]]. On 21 January 1945 the [[Red Army]] liberated the abandoned camp. On 5 May 1945 the Norwegians were transported east to a camp near [[Legnica]] in Silesia, then travelled for several days by train to [[Hamburg]] and [[Aarhus]], [[Denmark]], finally arriving in [[Oslo]] on 28 May 1945.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://oflag21c.ovh.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=33&Itemid=54&lang=en |title=Oflag XXIC - Prisoner of War from the Mountain Country |work=oflag21c.ovh.org |year=2012 |accessdate=2 May 2012}}</ref>
==Commemoration== [[File:SM Ostrzeszów Ratusz (3) ID 653907.jpg|thumb|[[Ostrzeszów]] Town Hall, which houses the [[Władysław Golus Regional Museum in Ostrzeszów|Regional Museum]] with an exhibition dedicated to Norwegian POWs of Oflag XXI-C]] A permanent exhibition devoted to the history of Norwegian POWs of the camp was established in 1996 within the [[Władysław Golus Regional Museum in Ostrzeszów]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://oflag21c.ovh.org/index.php?option=com_zoom&Itemid=41&catid=2&lang=en |title=Oflag XXI-C Exhibition |work=oflag21c.ovh.org |year=2012 |accessdate=2 May 2012}}</ref>
==See also== * [[List of prisoner-of-war camps in Germany]] * [[Occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany]]
==References== {{reflist}}
==Bibliography== * {{cite magazine|last=Graf|first=Władysław|year=1992|title=Ostrzeszów: obozy jenieckie okresu 1943–1945|magazine=Zeszyty Ostrzeszowskie|language=pl|publisher=Ostrzeszowskie Centrum Kultury|issue=18}}
[[Category:Oflags]] [[Category:Norway–Poland relations]] [[Category:Norwegian prisoners and detainees]] [[Category:Norwegian resistance movement]] [[Category:World War II sites in Poland]]