The Prisoners of Breendonk: Personal Histories from a World War II Concentration Camp

When the Nazis invaded Belgium, they turned Breendonk, an old WWI fort, into a “reception” camp, a place to hold prisoners until their release or transport to other camps. Deem tells a chronological history of Breendonk by weaving together dozens of personal histories, illustrated by black-and-white period photographs, full-color contemporary photographs, and archival sketches by Jacques Ochs, whose job it was to draw portraits and caricatures of his fellow inmates. All of these touches, coupled with the smaller scale of the topic -- the camp never housed more than 660 prisoners at a time -- give this chronicle an intimate feel, underscoring the inhumanity that so many suffered. When British soldiers arrived at Breendonk, there were no prisoners to liberate; they had all been sent on to other camps. For many, Breendonk had been only the beginning, and by following a handful of prisoners to their various ends, Deem illustrates that each story had a unique trajectory. An afterword, two appendices, source notes, a bibliography, and an index complete the book. jonathan hunt

This compelling, well-written account focuses on a Nazi prison camp in Belgium that, although never officially designated as a concentration camp, was considered to be "no less notorious, no less a black hell" than Auschwitz or Buchenwald. James M. Deem never sensationalizes the tragedies he recounts, and while many of the prisoners' stories are heartbreaking, others are touching and life-affirming. Frequent use of primary sources allows the victims' experiences to speak for themselves: "the lack of food takes its toll: your strength fades, your activity suffers, and as your work capacity declines every day, you increasingly expose yourself to suffer abuse from your torturers who claimed that the inmates are fed too well." Abundant period photographs and sketches of the camp and prisoners (drawn by one of Breendonk's captives) enrich the text, giving readers a strong sense of what it was like to be held there. Provides an informative look at Belgium's role during World War II, which is rarely covered compared to other countries involved in the war.

When the Nazis invaded Belgium, they turned WWI fort Breendonk into a "reception" camp to hold prisoners until their release or transport to other camps. This chronological history of Breendonk combines dozens of personal histories, black-and-white period photographs, full-color contemporary photographs, and archival sketches by inmate Jacques Ochs. These touches give this chronicle an intimate feel, underscoring the inhumanity that so many suffered. Bib., ind.