Hi all,
I've spent the last week doing a huge update on my Ruhleben Story website at http://ruhleben.tripod.com , with over 1700 British civilians now identified as having been interned at the Ruhleben civilian POW camp on the outskirts of Berlin. It is believed that about 5,500 POWs were held here from 1914 to 1918, including my great uncle John Paton. Many of them were merchant seamen, and most from the British Isles, arrested upon the outbreak of hostiltiies in Europe and interned, in response to the British arrests of German nationals in Britain.
The site is free to access, and if you had a relative interned there I would love to hear from you!
Chris Paton
BA (Hons), HND, PgCert Genealogical Studies
I've spent the last week doing a huge update on my Ruhleben Story website at http://ruhleben.tripod.com , with over 1700 British civilians now identified as having been interned at the Ruhleben civilian POW camp on the outskirts of Berlin. It is believed that about 5,500 POWs were held here from 1914 to 1918, including my great uncle John Paton. Many of them were merchant seamen, and most from the British Isles, arrested upon the outbreak of hostiltiies in Europe and interned, in response to the British arrests of German nationals in Britain.
The site is free to access, and if you had a relative interned there I would love to hear from you!
Chris Paton
BA (Hons), HND, PgCert Genealogical Studies