Photo album from the lives of prisoners in German POW camps – photographed secretly by the prisoners themselves

Oflags – A Photographic Account of the Lives of Prisoners in German Camps, 1940–1945 – a visual depiction of life in German camps between 1940–1945, photographed secretly by the camp prisoners themselves, fully aware that if caught, they would be sentenced to death. The album was published on September 15, 1946 – first edition.

An album containing approximately 350 photographs documenting the lives of prisoners in the German Army POW camps known as Oflags, which were designated primarily for captured officers. Behind the barbed wire and guard towers, on straw mattresses and bare earth, thousands of young, starving men were forced to endure alone with no knowledge of their loved ones’ fate - in the harsh reality of wartime, constantly hunted even within the camps themselves by Gestapo agents. These agents persistently sought out "dangerous" prisoners, confiscated “incriminating” documents and evidence, and aimed to deport suspects to death camps. The photographs in the album were taken secretly by the prisoners themselves, Jean Plessy, as well as photographers Gilbert Recompensat and Lucien Passot, inside the camp over a long period, under conditions of concealment and with the full knowledge that, if caught, they would face severe punishment. The album presents a comprehensive portrayal of the prisoners’ daily routine, including images taken in the barracks, during roll calls, at work, and during forced strength and flexibility drills. The photographs are accompanied by detailed captions written by René Menard. The album’s design and the illustrations alongside the photographs were created by R. Bornier.

At a certain point, the Gestapo became aware that prisoners were taking photographs inside the camp. They conducted occasional raids in an attempt to locate and confiscate the cameras. However, through cooperation and absolute silence among the prisoners, the cameras and negatives were successfully hidden. As a result, the photographs survived and were published in this album after the war. In the Oflag camps, the Nazis attempted, at least outwardly, to uphold the Geneva Convention, and the prisoners there were not subjected to hard forced labor. The regime presented an appearance of “normal” life in the camps, aiming to create the illusion of “life as usual” and thereby conceal the ever-active machinery of extermination. Many of the photographs in the album also reflect this carefully crafted impression. The final section of the album features photographs from the moments of liberation - the overwhelming joy that swept through the camps as the captured officers marched past the commanding officers of the units that had come to free them.

“Oflags” (short for Offizierslager in German) were prisoner-of-war camps operated by the German army during World War II, specifically designated for captured officers. According to the Geneva Convention, officers were to be separated from enlisted men and were not to be subjected to forced labor. As a result, the Oflags differed from the Stalags (camps for rank-and-file soldiers), where prisoners were employed in agricultural, industrial, and construction work. Oflags were administered by the German Army (Wehrmacht) and housed primarily officers from France, Poland, Britain, the Soviet Union, and other nations. Conditions varied greatly depending on time, location, and nationality. On the Western Front, adherence to the Geneva Convention was generally more consistent; in many cases, correspondence with families, receipt of packages and Red Cross food deliveries, and even a certain degree of internal cultural life were permitted. In contrast, on the Eastern Front, the treatment of Soviet prisoners was often lethal, with severe violations of the Convention, including starvation, exposure to cold, and extremely high mortality rates. One of the most culturally and historically notable Oflags was Oflag IV-C, located in Colditz Castle, renowned for its many escape attempts.

Rare. Only a few copies are listed in the WorldCat global library catalog.

[64] pages. 31 cm. Good condition.