Posted in Virginia April 14, 2020 by

Most People In Virginia Don’t Know About Our Old German POW Camp

While Virginia is known for its Revolutionary War and Civil War history, few people associate the state with World War II. And yet, as those who lived through those wartime years remember, the war affected residents of Virginia in very tangible ways. In fact, there are a handful of locations throughout the state that once served as prisoner of war (POW) camps. One of the most prominent was Camp Ashby, located in Princess Anne County near Virginia Beach. Aside from historical markers, very little remains of the actual camp. Yet its history is fascinating.

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During WWII, Camp Ashby was the largest POW camp in the state of Virginia. The camp housed 6,000 German Troops, many of whom had been captured in North Africa during the final years of the war.
VirginiaBeachTV / YouTube
Nearly every state in the country had at least one POW camp during WWII. A majority of these camps were located in the South due to the fact that heating for barracks was less expensive.
The army used the Tidewater Victory Memorial Hospital as its headquarters for the camp. Previously, the hospital had been used to treat tuberculosis patients.
VirginiaBeachTV / YouTube
Although the POWs were indeed prisoners in every sense, their daily schedule offered opportunities for work, recreation, education, and religion.
VirginiaBeachTV / YouTube
Because the war caused a shortage in labor throughout the country, POWs worked in farms and plants and were often times paid the same rate as the U.S.-equivalent rank in the army.
One of the most significant forms of education was the Intellectual Diversion Program, which was organized to help the prisoners give up their pro-Nazi belief system.
VirginiaBeachTV / YouTube
Today, the 21 acres that once made up Camp Ashby are designated by historical markers. The City of Virginia Beach has also made a special effort to remember this important historical moment between 1944 and 1946.
VirginiaBeachTV / YouTube
Thanks to the Virginia Beach Historic Preservation Commission, there are 15 historical markers that tell the important story of the German POWs. While little remains of the actual camp, preservation efforts and historic documentation ensure that this moment in Virginia's history will not be forgotten.

Be sure to watch the brief YouTube video below, courtesy of VirginiaBeachTV, to learn more about Camp Ashby:

If you’re curious to visit the site of the former POW camp, it’s located at the Willis Furniture Store Complex.

Address: 4220 Virginia Beach Blvd, Virginia Beach, VA 23452, USA