April 14, 1945. The Anniversary of the Liberation of Forced Labor Camp in Unterluss, Germany

4/14/2021

April 14, 1945 marks the liberation of my mother and father from forced labor during World War II by British troops. This fact is true, discovered in German documents. Both my parents had been taken from Poland and forced to work against their will in an armaments factory called Rheinmetall-Borsig in Unterluss (Unterlüß), Germany. One of the facts that has eluded my research is determining which specific British troops actually liberated my parents. Most documented sources I’ve come across simply say “liberated by British troops.” But I think it’s important to know such a detail. I want to know who to give credit, thanks and respect to, if only in my own heart and mind, for such a giving act, for their service. So, I keep plugging various search terms into the internet hoping to find something…and recently I did.

In the book titled Monty’s Northern Legions: 50th Northumbrian and 15th Scottish Divisions at War 1939-1945 author Patrick Delaforce writes that after capturing the undefended city of Celle, the 15th Scottish Infantry Division, British 2nd Army, “continued on the 13th (of April) north-east to Eschede and Uelzen with Highland Light Infantry leading.” I recognized the names of these cities and towns as they are all in the same region where my parents were forced laborers. (See attached map.) In order to get to Uelzen from Eschede (assuming they stayed on the main roads) they had to have passed through Unterluss (Unterlüß). And this one and only sentence gives me hope that I am on the right track: “Lt. Green became Mayor and Military commander of Unterluss for one day.” Eureka!! They did enter the city, which is really more of a small town, as I’ve been there as part of my research. It must have been these troops that liberated my mother and father. The date of the 14th of April would fit. Do I know this for sure? No. Who is Lieutanant Green? And what did he do in that role? That I also don’t know but if the Highland Light Infantry was leading the advance, I’ll begin my research there. One line in someone’s book can give an important lead and at the same time open up more questions but for today, I celebrate what I have discovered and try to build on that.

Wearing the Letter P: Polish Women as Forced Laborers in Nazi Germany1939-1945(Hippocrene Books) explores the history of forced labor during the occupation of Poland during World War II and focuses on the experiences of Polish women as forced laborers.

4 Comments

Yolanda (Maciejewski) Grant

4/19/2021 07:37:02 pm

Your book was brought to my attention by a 90 year old British woman, an author herself, who befriended my mother in Canada in the 50’s.
I recently have been attempting to find details of my mother’s time in a labour camp in Germany. She and my father, an aeronautical engineer and reserve pilot, lived in Warsaw when war broke out. My father was able to escape by flying one of the grounded aircrafts and with other pilots made his way eventually to England where he joined the RAF.
My mother lived in Warsaw for the first few years of the war until she was taken to the labour camp, whether it was in Ettlingen, I’m not sure. Like your parents she was liberated by the British. She never told me of this period but I found a DP camp newspaper after she died which described her role as a principal of the camp school for Polish children.
I did find out that my father with the help of the Red Cross was able to visit her after the war ended. She became pregnant with me and with the help of a British female officer managed to leave without the proper papers to join my Dad in England. She was desperate to leave Germany before my birth - I was born on June 2nd,1946.
Do you have any suggestions to help me with my search for the labour camp that my mother was sent to?

Sophie Knab

4/23/2021 08:12:51 pm

Hi Yolanda! Thanks for reading my blog. The single most important place to begin looking/researching for the name and place of the labour camp in Germany is the International Tracing Service also known as the Arolsen Archives at: .https://collections.arolsen-archives.org/en/archive/3-1-1-1_03010101-oS/?p=1&doc_id=69010352
Important in locating your mom's information is a birthdate, place of birth and maiden name.
I have received your email and will write more there as soon as I can and attach some links that might be useful to you.

Eugene Madejski

7/8/2021 02:21:17 pm

Dzien dobre Sophie, I am about to go and buy a copy of your 'Letter P:' book today.
I am a Brit-Pole, Polish WW2 RAF father and British mother.
Recently, I have also discovered the ITS archives and it was through their records that I found out about the extensive forced/slave labour of my Madejski predecessors.
Tell me .. how are you progressing with your investigations into the British Army Unterluss liberators? I would be most willing to try my hand at finding out more for you .. let me know.
Best wishes,
Genek

7/12/2021 07:55:26 pm

Hello Eugene! You are kindness itself to offer. Now that I have an inkling of who it was the liberated the town, my goal is to someday return to London and pursue this thread at the Imperial War Museum. I'd be looking for any documentation about what these soldiers saw when they entered the town. I have questions like, did they take photos? This is, of course, like looking for the proverbial needle in a haystack. Right now it's enough to know (and thank) the Scottish Infantry Division, British 2nd Army, Highland Light Infantry. Those soldiers will always be in my thoughts. wishing you every success in all your family research.

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