In 1997, I built a new house inside what used to be
the U-boat camp to the 11. Ubootflotilla.
The U-boat camp "U-stutzpunktlager Prien" was housing soldiers and
officers from the U-boats in the uboatbunker, just 7-800 meters away. The
place for building the U-boat camp was a perfect choice, as it is situated
between two mountains, and almost impossible to attack from the air. Several
anti-aircraft guns was placed near the barracks, making them an even more
difficult target.
The camp had officers barracks, NCO barracks, a small hospital and
other typical buildings like depot and sports hall. There was also a place
for award ceremonies, which today is used as a round(!) football field
for local kids. British officers and their families was living in the barracks
just after the war, and soon after, the area became demilitarized.
Many of the buildings is still there, but some where demolished after
the war. This is where my story begins...
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Part of the uboatcamp.
Site 1) Hospital, and where my house is situated today.
Site 2) This is where the heap of soil and rubble is
today.
Site 3) The award ceremony place.
All the barracks on this picture has been demolished..
Picture: www.nuav.net |
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After I moved into my house, I found live ammo in my backyard. First I
found 7.92 mm rifle rounds still in their clips. I started to look for
more, and I also found 9 mm rounds, a bayonet, hand grenade and even a
dog tag from a POW! I found so much ammunition that I had to call the Police
for assistance, and they carried away two large plastic bags with different
kind of ammunition and the hand grenade! I had to buy a metal detector
to try to find it all. I took care of all other items I found, and thought
it was exciting to have proof on german elite soldiers presence in my own
backyard!
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A list of items:
1) Razor, found at site 2.
2 & 3)Live rifle bullets found at site 1.
4) Beer bottle lid, Hansa, found at site 2.
5) Buttons, plastic. One pebbled uniform and one regular.
Found at site 2.
6) Dog tag, POW. Marked "Nr.9717/346". site 1.
7) Empty rifle and pistol shells site 2. Live 9mm shells.
site 1.
8)Shoe heel, metal.. Site 1. |
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Three years later, in May 2002, I was walking by a nearby construction
site, where 10 new houses was erected. Beside the buildings was a giant
heap of soil and rubble awaiting to be filled in trucks and dumped somewhere
else. My (by now) trained eye noticed that the heap was full of broken
porcelain, and my first find was a porcelain dolls head with beautiful
colors. Seconds after, I found broken porcelain pieces with eagle and swastikas.
I started to dig more, and found used rifle and pistol rounds, and a complete
saucer and a big porcelain cup, both with clear swastikas and eagle. Oboy,
this was exciting! Inside the saucer was an creamy, white substance, and
a complete razor! The soldiers cleaning out the barracks did not care to
sort things out before it went out the windows. I know that it was common
to dig a ditch outside each barrack and throw in whatever they found inside.
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Porcelain from site 2::
1)Big mug with green Heer eagle, Bavaria and swastika,
dated 1943.
2)Part of a small plate, Luftwaffe eagle, fl.uv Bauscher-Weiden,
dated 1942.
3)Part of a coffee cup, partly swastika and "M" for krigsmarine,
dated 1941.
4) Part of a coffee cup, Jaeger- Eisenberg Th. Eagle
with swastika.
5) Part of a coffee cup Heer eagle, Bavaria.
6) A porcelains dolls head.
7) Unidentified porcelain jar with lid. |
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In the 50's they found heaps of small bottles with morphine where the hospital
was situated (And where I live today), and the rumor is that there is a
field of helmets being dugged down nearby. Usually, they lined up helmets,
three on top of each other, six in a row in almost endless lines, and dug
them down.... Imagine the excitement it must have been to recover such
a helmet paradise!
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More items from the dirt:
1) Big Porcelain saucer, with big eagle and swastika,
Bavaria, dated 1943. Found at site 2.
2) Bayonet. German with bakelite handle. Broken in two.
Found at site 1. |
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With
all these items in my hand, I cannot help thinking what stories they could
tell me. Who did the porcelain doll belong to? Was it a gift from a daughter
to his father who was stationed way north? Why was there army, luftwaffe
and navy porcelain, all at one place?
Who drank of the cups, and who's razor was it? He did not have the
time taking it out of the saucer full of shaving cream.
The porcelain dolls head and Luftwaffe plate.
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In the future, I will keep a close eye on the nearby officers barrack,
it is no doubt that they cleared out that house in the same manners as
the others. Who knows what could be found...a toothbrush or perhaps a knights
cross ;-) ?
Kurt Monsen
Norway during ww2
Excellent source
of ww2 books!
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Recommended books:
Adolf Schlicht/John R. Angolia:
Die Deutsche Wehrmacht
Uniformierung und ausrustung
1933-45
Bind 2, Die Kriegsmarine.
(Motor buch verlag) |
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site do not represent any kind of political statement, it is made by people
with the historical interest of Norway in the period between 1940 - 1945.
Copyright 1999, 2000 © Kurt Monsen.
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