Stalag IV

I hesitated a little before posting this as there is very little Irish connection – but it’s really fascinating so I will anyway.
The BBC report on a fantastic addition to the National Library’s on-line collection.
Cymro – 7 issues of the magazine ‘Cymro’, created by Welsh prisoners of war during the Second World War. These prisoners were members of the ‘Cymric Club’ in the Stalag IVB camp near Mühlberg, Germany. The magazines were produced between July 1943 and December 1944. Handwritten on paper stuck together with soup, copies would be passed from hand to hand. Some wonderful snippets below the fold:

News from home – as Europe and the world suffer masive conflagration what’s the news from home?:
“In the little village of Rhosytryfan, Caernarvonshire, a dispute the two local deacons developed into a fight after the church service on Sunday evening. Now one of the families goes to another chapel.”
Sports Star – Mostyn Thomas gets his double cap, Rugby against England and soccer against Ireland.
Sioni Wynwns – I remember the Breton onion sellers when I was a kid.
Springboks beat us! (fascinating little paragraph on Lord Davies of Llandinam bottom right – a family with a little history)
I’ve been scrolling through all morning – fabulous stuff. Any similar stuff from Irish prisoners?

Dewi

Welsh Nationalist. Rugby Fan. Know a bit about History and Railways…