Moosburg Neustadt (former Stalag VII-A ) (Moosburg a.d. Isar)

 Second World War 1939-1945, prisoner-of-war camp

Stalag VII A was a World War II German POW camp located just north of the town of Moosburg in southern Bavaria, Germany. The camp covered an area of 35 ha. (85 acres). It served also as a transit camp through which prisoners, including officers, were processed on their way to another camp. At some time during the war prisoners from every nation fighting against Germany passed through it. At the time of its liberation on 29 April 1945, there were 130,000 prisoners from at least 26 nations on the camp roster. It was the largest prisoner of war camp in Germany. However at any time up to 60,000 were located in Arbeitskommando working in factories, repairing railroads or on farms. In the Stammlager (main camp) itself over 40,000 were crowded into a space designed for 10,000.

During the 5½ years about 1000 prisoners died at the camp, over 800 of them Soviets. They were buried in a cemetery in Oberreit, south of Moosburg. Most died from illness, some from injuries during work. It has been said that there were some casualties from Allied bombs at work sites.

In 1945 US troops occupied Moosburg and liberated the POWs. Until 1948 the camp served as Civilian Internment Camp No. 6 with up to 12,000 German prisoners who were accused of having supported the Nazi dictatorship.

German refugees settled in the former Stalag area from 1948 on. It developed into Moosburg's Neustadt (new town) with its craftsmen's workshops and commercial enterprises.

Only few of the the old prisoners' barracks still exist today. But there is the memorial on the former POW cemetery in Oberreit and the Stalag fountain in the new town.

www.moosburg.org/info/stalag/indeng.html