Volkstrauertag Ceremony 11/13/11
Over fifty people met at the Fort Reno Chapel on Sunday 11/13/11, for the Vaulkstrauertag Ceremony held in memory of the German and Italian prisoners of war buried at the Fort Reno Cemetery. The following officials attended the service: the Honorable Roland Herrmann, German Consul General from Houston, Mr Charles Wiggin German Honorary Consul from Oklahoma City, two German officers currently stationed in Fort Sills who came to represent the German Armed Forces, an Italian gentleman who came to honor the Italian POWs, the Governor’s Honor Guard, Gertrud Schmidt, President of the Arts Association of the German American Society of Tulsa, Barbara Conrad, GAST Arts Association VP and chair of the event, and Barbara Taron President of the Tulsa-Celle-Partnership.
Also taking part in the Ceremony were: The reverent Donald Hefta from the Trinity Lutheran Church who led the prayer, Mr. Eric Schnaltz who made one of the speeches, Mr. David Marshall who plaid the Pipes, Mr. Max Tankersley who held the Veteran Of Foreign Wars' flag, Armed Forces Veterans who held several Veteran’s flags, and Susanne Calvert who sang the hymns during the service. Some of the other attendees were Arnold and Gwen Bieber, Mark and Peggy Clemons, and Lance Wheeler.
The Chapel service included introductions by Mrs Gertrud Schmidt, and speeches by Mr. Roland Hermann, Mr. Charles Wiggin, Mr. Eric Schnaltz, and Mrs. Barbara Conrad. After the service the group proceeded to the cemetery grounds were the Governor’s Honor Guard laid two wreathes, Mr. David Marshall plaid the pipes, and a member of the Honor Guard plaid Taps.
After the ceremony was completed a small group drove to the Royal Bavaria restaurant in Moore to have an excellent German style dinner with beer brewed on the premises.
Everything went extremely well and we all agreed that Barbara Conrad deserves much credit for organizing the ceremony, and getting the co-operation of the several groups who made the event so memorable.
History of the Fort Reno POW Camp (from the Fort Reno hand outs)
"Fort Reno was initially established to quell the unrest among the Indians in the region during 1874." ........... The Fort Reno POW Camp was constructed in 1943 and included 65 temporary structures…………. Originally the POW Camp was intended for Japanese soldiers, but the increasing numbers of German and Italian prisoners captured by the Allied Forces in North Africa changed the nationality of the occupants.
The German prisoners began arriving on July 4th,1943. By August 30th, 1000 prisoners had arrived at the Fort Reno Camp. The number of prisoners fluctuated with transfers to and from other camps. The total number of German prisoners held at Fort Reno was 1335. .........The prisoners were divided into companies with an American serving as commander. The non commissioned officers were Germans.
The prisoners worked at a variety of locations and were paid 80 cents per day. Many worked as farm laborers at Fort Reno while others worked at Tinker Field and the Douglas modification plant in Oklahoma city. ……………. Of the German prisoners at Fort Reno, 250 to 260 performed work as carpenters, bakers, shoe repairmen, auto mechanics, tailors, butchers, and Hay haulers……………… The farmers provided transportation to and form the camp for the prisoners and a guard. ..............often farmers would provide a meal or a snack. Some local farmers who employed the prisoners kept in touch with the POWs after they returned to Germany.
......The Canteen was run by four POWs.......it provided items such as toilet articles, cigarettes, and beer for prisoners to purchase with their wages. ...........During warm weather the prisoners would drink in the Biergarten constructed outside the canteen.
Local preachers who spoke German led church services for the prisoners. The church services alternated between Catholic and Protestant faiths, and between 600 and 700 prisoners attended services on a regular basis. Eventually two chaplains among the prisoners conducted the Sunday services.
...........Evening courses from elementary English to advanced works in history, civics, sociology and intellectual thought were offered to the German prisoners. ..........The library provided access to major American newspapers, and magazines...........extensive use of radio news broadcasts and both commercial and educational movies were part of the educational program.
The most famous German buried at the Fort Reno POW Cemetery is Johannes Kunze..........He was beaten to death by fellow POWs who accused him of being a traitor. Those charged with his murder were sent to stand trial at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, were they were found guilty, executed, and buried.
A stone wall on the west side of the cemetery separates the POW Cemetery form the other Fort Reno graves. …………………(originally) there were 62 German soldiers and 8 Italian soldiers buried at Fort Reno Cemetery (some remains have since been repatriated to their respective home countries). The Italians are all placed at the end of one row. ........Each November a special memorial wreath is placed (in the cemetery) in remembrance of those prisoners buried at the Fort Reno Cemetery."
Also taking part in the Ceremony were: The reverent Donald Hefta from the Trinity Lutheran Church who led the prayer, Mr. Eric Schnaltz who made one of the speeches, Mr. David Marshall who plaid the Pipes, Mr. Max Tankersley who held the Veteran Of Foreign Wars' flag, Armed Forces Veterans who held several Veteran’s flags, and Susanne Calvert who sang the hymns during the service. Some of the other attendees were Arnold and Gwen Bieber, Mark and Peggy Clemons, and Lance Wheeler.
The Chapel service included introductions by Mrs Gertrud Schmidt, and speeches by Mr. Roland Hermann, Mr. Charles Wiggin, Mr. Eric Schnaltz, and Mrs. Barbara Conrad. After the service the group proceeded to the cemetery grounds were the Governor’s Honor Guard laid two wreathes, Mr. David Marshall plaid the pipes, and a member of the Honor Guard plaid Taps.
After the ceremony was completed a small group drove to the Royal Bavaria restaurant in Moore to have an excellent German style dinner with beer brewed on the premises.
Everything went extremely well and we all agreed that Barbara Conrad deserves much credit for organizing the ceremony, and getting the co-operation of the several groups who made the event so memorable.
History of the Fort Reno POW Camp (from the Fort Reno hand outs)
"Fort Reno was initially established to quell the unrest among the Indians in the region during 1874." ........... The Fort Reno POW Camp was constructed in 1943 and included 65 temporary structures…………. Originally the POW Camp was intended for Japanese soldiers, but the increasing numbers of German and Italian prisoners captured by the Allied Forces in North Africa changed the nationality of the occupants.
The German prisoners began arriving on July 4th,1943. By August 30th, 1000 prisoners had arrived at the Fort Reno Camp. The number of prisoners fluctuated with transfers to and from other camps. The total number of German prisoners held at Fort Reno was 1335. .........The prisoners were divided into companies with an American serving as commander. The non commissioned officers were Germans.
The prisoners worked at a variety of locations and were paid 80 cents per day. Many worked as farm laborers at Fort Reno while others worked at Tinker Field and the Douglas modification plant in Oklahoma city. ……………. Of the German prisoners at Fort Reno, 250 to 260 performed work as carpenters, bakers, shoe repairmen, auto mechanics, tailors, butchers, and Hay haulers……………… The farmers provided transportation to and form the camp for the prisoners and a guard. ..............often farmers would provide a meal or a snack. Some local farmers who employed the prisoners kept in touch with the POWs after they returned to Germany.
......The Canteen was run by four POWs.......it provided items such as toilet articles, cigarettes, and beer for prisoners to purchase with their wages. ...........During warm weather the prisoners would drink in the Biergarten constructed outside the canteen.
Local preachers who spoke German led church services for the prisoners. The church services alternated between Catholic and Protestant faiths, and between 600 and 700 prisoners attended services on a regular basis. Eventually two chaplains among the prisoners conducted the Sunday services.
...........Evening courses from elementary English to advanced works in history, civics, sociology and intellectual thought were offered to the German prisoners. ..........The library provided access to major American newspapers, and magazines...........extensive use of radio news broadcasts and both commercial and educational movies were part of the educational program.
The most famous German buried at the Fort Reno POW Cemetery is Johannes Kunze..........He was beaten to death by fellow POWs who accused him of being a traitor. Those charged with his murder were sent to stand trial at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, were they were found guilty, executed, and buried.
A stone wall on the west side of the cemetery separates the POW Cemetery form the other Fort Reno graves. …………………(originally) there were 62 German soldiers and 8 Italian soldiers buried at Fort Reno Cemetery (some remains have since been repatriated to their respective home countries). The Italians are all placed at the end of one row. ........Each November a special memorial wreath is placed (in the cemetery) in remembrance of those prisoners buried at the Fort Reno Cemetery."
