Wildflecken

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Wildflecken, founded in 1524, is a small town in the district Bad Kissingen at the border between northeastern Bavaria and Hessen. In 2005 it had a population of 3,285. Its postal code is 97772. It is located in the midst of the picturesque Rhön hills and nature-park.

The town played an integral part during the Nazi regime as a large training camp for elite Waffen-SS army groups, that was built in 1937. During World War II a Labor camp operated here by the ammunition manufacturing operation of the SS housed over 4,000 slave laborers brought from Poland, France and other countries occupied by the German Army^[1]. Liberated by elements of the U.S. 14th Armored Division in April, 1945.

Later, from April 1945 until 1951, the base served as a Displaced persons camp housing 18,000 DPs, primarily of Polish nationality. First it was operated by UNRRA, then by IRO. A Polish cemetery holds the graves of camp inmates that died during these five years. After 1951 it was a US Army training base operated by the 7th Army Training Command in Grafenwoehr, until it was decommissioned in 1994.

The German Army's Combat Training Centre is now located here.