Stalag XVIII-A

Stalag XVII-A Wolfbergand Stalag XVIII-A/Z Spittal were World War II German Army Prisoner-of-war camps located at Wolfsberg and Spittal in south-eastern Austria, then part of Germany.

October 1939 Polish officer prisoners arrived from the invasion of Poland It was then called Oflag XVIII-B.
March 1941 Camp redesignated Stalag XVIII-A. French and Belgian arrive, transferred from another camp.
July - August1941 British and Commonwealth prisoners arrive from Battle of Greece and Battle of Crete. They had come via a transit camp in Saloniki, Greece.
October 1941 Soviet prisoners arrive, but they were kept in separate enclosure.
December 1941 typhus epidemic, mainly among Soviet prisoners.
1942 new barracks built, 400 British NCOs moved to Spittal sub camp.
March 1943 Lazarett (camp hospital) built at Spittal sub-camp.
November 1943, after Italian armistice, Italian and Commonwealth prisoners arrive from Italy.
June 1944 200 NCOs transferred to Stalag XVIII-C, Markt-Pongau.
July 1944 Total count: 38,831 all nationalities - 825 in main camp, rest in Work Froups (Arbeitskommandos), of this 10,667 British and Commonwealth.
December 1944 camp bombed by USAF. 61 prisoners killed.
April 1945 all fit prisoners from camps and neighboring work groups marched eastward to Stalag XVIII-C in Markt-Pongau.
May 1945 camp liberated by British 8th Army.
June 1945 camp becomes British Intelligence detention center for ex-Nazis - until mid 1947..

There were several attempts to escape, primarily from Arbeitskommandos.

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