Description:

A fantastic compendium of art and information compiled by German prisoners of war housed in Camp 78, an internment center operated by American occupation forces in the town of Zuffenhausen, Germany, immediately following the end of World War II. The group includes a booklet entitled "History of Camp 78", 29pp. 4to., a typed description of the establishment, layout and day-to-day operations of the camp in English, hand-bound with fabric tape and illustrated with eighteen original watercolor illustrations incorporating caricatures of prisoners, guards and administrators. The booklet offers detailed descriptions of the camp's construction, prisoner intake process, security procedures, supply stream (with special attention paid to the lack of winter coats and fuel for its steam plant), mess arrangements, prisoner welfare programs (including language courses, the camp library and classes on agriculture and the sciences) and much else. This booklet unfortunately makes no mention of the identity of its creator, and the illustrations within are unsigned. This is accompanied by a second group of thirty 4to. loose-leaf pages collected within a hand-illustrated wrapper, entitled "PW Internment Camp 78 Block A". This set includes ten pages of hand-drafted charts tabulating the ages, ranks and even calorie intake of prisoners during the winter of 1945 and spring of 1946, with a diazoprint plan of camp itself. Most fascinatingly, the remaining twenty pages consist of additional watercolor illustrations offering a candid and surprisingly humorous view of camp life, with scenes depicting the prisoners showering, dining, receiving music lessons, at the barber's, making toys and at roll call. Additional scenes offer vignettes addressing such struggles as using the restroom after dark, "latrine rumors", waiting for interrogation, dreaming of the comforts of home, overcrowding, and much else. These illustrations are executed by four distinct artists, all of whom add their signatures or monograms, many with the date "1946". Interestingly, none of these artists' styles appears to match that of the anonymous illustrator of the bound booklet described above. Both of the above pieces are housed in a presentation folder, undoubtedly also made by a prisoner within the camp, with inlaid wood covers giving the title "History of Camp 78", with a binding, hinges and tassels of white scrap leather securing the covers, and with the interior covered in pale olive fabric. Shows some wear overall commensurate with its age and origins, else very good. Should be seen, and certainly worthy of further research.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

Discover, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Paypal, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

Shipments are sent via USPS Priority, USPS International Priority, DHL (for most overseas shipments) or FedEx Ground at the auctioneer's option, signature is always required, unless other arrangements are made. Handling and shipping charges will be added to the invoice in one entry. Buyers should be aware that large, framed, fragile or odd shaped items can incur substantial shipping and packing charges. International shipments are invoiced by DIMENSIONAL weight, not the item weight. Please contact us for an estimate before bidding NOTE: Large, heavy or bulky items may not be shipped by the auctioneer - arrangements for shipping of these items via a third-party shipper may be arranged through the auction house. Customers who supply their own courier account number will still be charged a handling fee. Please allow 2-3 weeks for shipments after receipt of payment due to the high volume of packages being shipped.

May 1, 2019 10:00 AM EDT
Elkton, MD, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 30% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $499 $20
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 + $10,000