21. After his capture, my father was imprisoned at which German prison camp, one that gained notoriety for its inhumane conditions and was the basis for the movie named after the camp?
From Quiz My Father, My Hero
Answer:
Stalag 17-B
Stalag 17-B was located in Germany, six km from Krems, Austria. Originally designed for 240 men, Barracks 17-B housed 4,237 prisoners after only three months of occupancy. The entire camp contained 29,794 prisoners at its peak occupancy. Many of the men died of starvation, dysentery, weather and infection. The prisoners were liberated on May 2, 1945, one year after Normandy. They were force-marched out of the camp; along the way, all of the guards were either killed by the prisoners or ran away. They reached safety and were liberated by the 3rd Army. Although the season was late spring, the weather was extremely cold and the men lacked proper clothing. A number of them died along the march. The movie, "Stalag XVII", was made in 1953 and also became the basis for the television series, "Hogan's Heroes". There actually was a sergeant among the guards sharing the name of "I know nothingggg!" Schultz in the TV series, spelled "Scholtz". The men also dug a tunnel in an effort to escape. My father, who was 6'3" tall, weighed 95 pounds when liberated.