YMCA Program at Parchim

Notes:

Despite the peace treaty between Russia and Germany, the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk (3 March 1918), Russian POW's continued to languish in German prison camps due to the Russian Civil War. Russian prisoners could not return home because the Allies did not want to swell the ranks of the Red Army and rail transportation through Poland was cut off due to the Russo-Polish War. The American YMCA sent War Prisoners' Aid secretaries back into Germany to provide relief for Russian POW's and M.V. Arnold was assigned to the prison camp at Parchim to restore welfare services. This program, developed by the Russian POW's to honor Arnold's work, depicts various scenes in the prison camp: food provided by the Association, a Christmas tree, a boxing match, a view of a camp barrack, and a German sentry guarding the fence. Note the Red Star at the top of the program. Bolshevik agitators infiltrated many of the German prison camps especially after German authorities captured Red Army troops that chose internment in East Prussia rather than decimation by the Polish Army during the Russo-Polish War.

Date Created:

1920-01-01T00:00:00Z

Data Provider:

Western Michigan University. Libraries

Subject Topic:

Germany, Parchim, YMCA, Nutrition, Meals, Sports, Boxing, Camp Order, Quarters, Religion, Christmas, Security, M.V. Arnold, Russian POWs, German Guards, World War 1914-1918, Diplomatic History, European History, Military History, and Political History

Rights:

No Copyright - United States. Physical ownership of materials: M.V. Arnold, Armed Services Records Box 55, Kautz Family YMCA Archives, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN.

URL:

https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/wwi_pow_camps/612