Did you know that Washington County once held prisoner of war camps during World War II? It’s one of those little-known pieces of history that ties our small towns to events unfolding on the other side of the world.
Captured Soldiers in the Deep South
Back in the 1940s, more than 275,000 German and Italian soldiers were captured overseas and shipped across the Atlantic to the United States. Alabama hosted several of these camps, including two right here in Washington County — one in Jackson and another just west of today’s marker in Chatom.
Life Inside the Camps
Life in these camps wasn’t what many might expect. They were run according to the rules of the Geneva Convention, which meant the prisoners received fair treatment. Most were put to work in nearby farms and businesses, earning about 80 cents a day — a welcome boost of labor for local folks whose sons and farmhands were away fighting in the war.
But the work wasn’t all. Prisoners also formed soccer leagues, joined camp orchestras, painted murals, and carved woodwork that some Washington County families still have today. Their creativity left a mark on the community that outlasted the war itself.
After the War
When Germany surrendered in 1945, most of the prisoners returned home. Yet the story doesn’t end there. Decades later, some of those men came back to Alabama — not as captives, but as visitors and friends — to reconnect with the people they had met here.
A Lasting Legacy
It’s a reminder that even in the hardest of times, humanity can break through. A little Southern hospitality reached across enemy lines, and in some cases, built relationships that outlasted the war.
As we stand at the historical marker today, we’re reminded that world history touched even the quiet backroads of Washington County. And like folks around here might say: “Well, I’ll be — only in Alabama.”