Camp Stark: New Hampshire’s WWII POW Camp
Northern New Hampshire is a beautiful place. The Connecticut lakes at the headwaters of the Connecticut river are pristine and wonderful, and the wide variety of activities draw people north all year around. If you should happen to find yourself there, consider making a sidetrip to see New Hampshire’s only World War II POW camp, which housed German POWs from 1944 until 1946.
Up north in Coos county is the small town of Stark, New Hampshire. Stark was home to a Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) camp in in the 1930s which was abandoned by the time the United States entered World War II. Late in the war it was converted to house German POWs who were shipped north from Camp Devens, Massachusetts. The opening of Camp Stark, located 22 miles northwest of Berlin, solved two problems. Camp Devens was packed to overflowing with POWs and needed to make room for more that were on the way, and the paper mills in northern New Hampshire were experiencing a severe labor shortage due to the war. The north country needed some woodsmen, and the German POWs fit the bill.
About 100 POWs, both volunteers and “the volunteered,” traveled north by train in April 1944. By all accounts, the prisoners, guards, and townspeople got along surprisingly well. Some of the guards would help with the woodcutting in order to make sure prisoners met their daily quota, and it wasn’t unusual to see friendly soccer games take place. The German POWs were paid 80 cents a day for their work.
At times the prison population at Camp Stark was as high as 300. Although the war ended in 1945, the camp remained open with some German POWs still there, until 1946. In 1986 a reunion was organized which was attended by townspeople, many former guards, and five of the German POWs and their families. By then, Camp Stark was nothing more than some aging concrete foundations, overgrown with moss and grass, and a sign marking its location. While perhaps not worthy of being a destination point for anyone except the most avid history buff, it’s still a great place to make a stop when you’re in the area, a small, quiet corner of New England where it’s very easy to reflect on the ways in which World War II impacted so many places, even a tiny town in the far reaches of northern New England.
24 Comments
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leo wilson
As i lived only a few miles from stark.I was in the navy at that time and never went to see the camp. Would like to see any pictures at that time about the camp. Thanks a lot. Leo.
Allan Stark
VERY interesting town and POW camp. While my ancestors came from Glasgow Scotland, the same city that General John Stark’s father was born, I doubt I am related to them. It still would be a great small town to visit someday. Sounds like the prisoners were treated very well.
Peaches Joyal
Do you know if the German POWs engaged in work other than lumbering? I have an oil paining, of me, copied from a photograph, that my mother said was done by a German POW.
If this couldn’t have happened at Camp Stark, do you know of any other POW camps that might have allowed the prisoners to earn money by painting?
Benoit Lemarbre
Hi, iwould like to know who is the artist of the paint. Not dure but I thank I have one to from F. Bacher possibly a pow from camp stark
will Rogers
Hi. I also have a painting by F Bacher, a scene of Venice.dated 1945 I believe he was a prisoner at the Houlton Maine compound. What is the picture you related too?
Benoit
The title is in french (Après la tempête cote du main)
Traduction: Maine coast after the storm
It’s Basically a picture of big wave smashing a coast in Maine state in the usa
William Dube
My Grandfather Tony Ramsey of Berlin NH was Assigned as a CCC camp Guard during that time.. Just Happened Apon that information today from two of his daughters.. twin Nancy Dube and Betty Gendron .. exciting information i am looking forward to researching this and getting all the Information ..
Thanks for this Blog
Tim Schramm
If your interested in more info, I am reading a book on Camp Stark that is pretty well written/researched. “Stark Decency – German Prisoners of War in a New England Village,” by Allen V Koop. Hope you can find a copy, I found this one at the library used book sale!
Martin Devine
I just purchased a paperback copy of Stark Decency from the author. It is published by University Press of New England (www.upne.com) – Dartmouth College Press, Hanover, N.H.
thomas Mello
My dad was an army pow guard at Camp Stark 1944/1945 activated from the Mass State Guard. There are remnants of old chimneys still there and visitor notes and flags (as of 4/24/14 visit). The book is a good read as to how decent prisoners were treated by town folks and guards. Maybe they should spruce the site up for tourists with historical information.Thanks.
Carolyn
Stark, NH is not 22 miles northwest of Berlin….It is more southwest………..where in Stark is the sign located and exactly where was the camp?. I am quite familiar with the surroundings of the area, yet have never come across the sign on my travels. .
David Lister
Map here: http://www.nh.searchroots.com/coos.html supports my blog’s description of Camp Stark’s location. If you’re looking southwest of Berlin, that might be the problem. The marker is off of Route 110 east of Groveton about halfway between Route 3 and Route 16. Good luck!
Travis Joyce
The sign is right on route 110 between Stark and Berlin the camp is long gone
Travis Joyce
Oh and after the war during one of the German/American friendship days two of the POWs slept at the house I now live in
john bernard
I have an oil painting signed by franz bacher. He was the artist who escaped the camp. It’s a famous painting by franz halz. I have a photo of the oil painting if anyone requests to see it. Thank you. have a nice day
brez
Hello John,
Thanks! I would love to see his painting, if you have a photo, Best Regards, Brez
Dr Joseph B Davidson
I was in the US Army in WW II. As a CID guard, I spent my working hours in the prison cell with Australian artist Franz Bacher along with a number of German prisoners at Borden General Hospital in Chickasha, Oklahoma. I learned later after being transferred that POW Franz Bacher had escaped and later captured. I assume his escape was from Stark.
I would like to exchange pictures of a portrait Franz Bacher painted of me at Borden General Hospital in 1944 or 1945 (at 91 senior moments). Joe Davidson
James Fournier
I believe my father was also a camp guard.
Paul Joseph fournier? Did you know him?
Ernie
Greetings, Mr. Bernard. Recently I was collecting family history from my Dad who is 91 yrs old (from Nashua NH) and while covering his WWII days, he mentioned the POW camp in Stark NH. After searching online, the NH Historic Scociety provided a great article on Franz Bacher’s escape, which my Dad enjoyed tremendously. Is it possible for you to email me a photo of Franz’s oil painting. If so, here’s my email address: erndiarch@bellsouth.net and thank you so very much for your time. Ernie (Cocoa, FL).
Benoit
I have an oil painting to from Franz Bacher not sure of it’s the same artist.
The title of the painting is (coast of maine after the storm) but it’s written in french (après la tempête côte du maine). Does anybody know if we talk about the same artist. I can show you picture of it if you want
Raymond Brown
My grandmother, who had family living in Lunenburg, Vermont, told me that German prisoners of war helped her pick apples on the family farm during WWII. She said the prisoners she encountered were polite and hard working men and that she felt no threat from them. They must have been from Camp Stark which was only 25 miles away.
Garry Chacho
My uncles living in Berlin said the prisoners were alloted 2 beers/day and that they were often brought to down street Berlin and allowed to shop. My uncles mentioned that there was little or no interest of the prisoners to escape hence some of them moving to Stark after the War.
jim booska
I was on my way up to wilson mills maine for a deer hunt.I saw the sign by the road and I had to turn around and go back and read it again. As I stood in that place I tried to imagine a p.o.w. camp in that beautiful valley. I was also told by the people who run the seboomook campground near north east carey, maine that there was a p.o.w. camp there. jim b.