American POW Memorial
Details:
The memorial is near the center of the old campsite on the eastern side of an unnamed road in a large clearing. Monument The memorial features two large rocks bearing embossed wooden plaques standing on either side of a white stone statue. The text on one plaque is in English, while the other is in Polish. The center statue features intricate images including that of an airman, an infantryman, an airplane propeller, and a number of inscriptions and symbols including those of the United States Air Force and American Ex-Prisoners of War Organization. All three components of the memorial rest on stone bases and sit in front of three flag poles.
Monument Text:
Plaque 1:
MAY 1944 – FEBRUARY 1945
KRIEGSGEFANGENEN LAGER LUFT IV
KIEFHEIDE BEI GROSS TYCHOW
/PODBORSKO/ WHERE 10000
AMERICAN, CANADIAN, BRITISH
FRENCH, BELGIAN, AUSTRALIAN
POLISH, RUSSIAN AND OTHER
AIRMEN WERE KEPT PRISONERS
OF WAR. ON FEBRUARY THE SIXTH,
1945, THE CAMP WAS EVACUATED
BY THE „DEATH MARCH” TO
THE STALAG XI B FROM WHERE
PRISONERS WERE LIBERATED
ON MAY THE 2ND.
Plaque 2 (Polish translation of the 1st plaque):
OD MAJA 1944 DO LUTEGO 1945 –
KRIEGSGEFANGENEN LAGER LUFT IV
KIEFHEIDE BEI GROSS TYCHOW
/PODBORSKO/, W KYTORYM PRZE –
BYWALO OK 10,000 LOTNIKOW
JENCOW WOJENNYCH KOALICJI
ANTYHITLIEROWSKIEJ AMERYKANIE
BRYTYJCZYCY, KANADYJCZCY
AUSTRALIJCZYCY, FRANCUZI, BELGOWIE
POLACY, ROSJANIE I INNI
6 LUTEGO 1945 OBOZ EWAKUOWANO
„MARSZEM SMIERCIE” DO STALAGU XIB
– CDZIE JENCY ZOSTALI
UWOLNIENI 2 MAJA 1945