The town is located on both sides of the Main in the southwest part of Germany, 41 kilometers (25 mi) southeast of Frankfurt am Main. In the western part of the municipal territory, the smaller Aschaff flows into the Main. The region is also known as Bayerischer Untermain ("Bavarian Lower Main"). Aschaffenburg lies in the far northwest of the state of Bavaria, close to the border to the state of Hesse.

There were six camps in Aschaffenburg: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aschaffenburg

Alte (old) Kaserne (opened in 1805) on Goldbacher Strasse at corner of Weissenburger Strasse.

Jäger-Kaserne (1894-96) on 180 Würtzburger Strasse; mostly Poles & Lithuanians

Pionier later renamed Fiori-Kaserne (opened 1936); 2,000 people (1946–1949); on Schweinheimer Strasse.

Lagarde (LaGarda) (opened 1936-7); 1,700 people (1945–1949; later renamed Smith-Kaserne on Würtzburger Strasse.

Bois (forest)-Brullee (opened 1937); 1,500 people (1946–1949); later renamed Graves-Kaserne on Würtzburger Strasse. Many Ukrainians

Artilerie Artilleries (opened 1938); approx. 2,000 people (1945–1949; later renamed Ready-Kaserne on Würtzburger Strasse. Many Ukrainians

Stadt - und Stiftsarchiv Aschaffenburg
Schönborner Hof, Wermbachstrasse 15
63739 Aschaffenburg There are research fees involved for this information gathering, so ask your questions carefully. As of 2006, Matthias Kloz is the Archivamtsinspektor, and he speaks English. His e-mail is: matthias.klotz@aschaffenburg.de

9/24/2012

Yes, there were five DP Camps in Aschaffenburg. The Jaeger Kaserne was known as POLISH CAMP...though  Lithuanians and Ukrainians were housed too. The USA law indicates nationality by the place (state) of birth....therefore your parents were placed in the Polish camp...although really they are Ukrainians. When we came to USA (the same family) but I came under Czech quota ...my mother under Polish quota ...and my dad under Russian quota. Figure this ....the same family? European states go by parent's nationality.... here is the difference. Our saying: If a German Shepherd is born in France, he doesn't become at once a French poodle because he is born in France and visa versa. Isn't this a good comparison?

When I was liberated by French army in Ravensburg.....the French authority did not have Ukrainians on the list at all....and therefore we were not able to receive food rations. They told us to change the nationality to Polish or Russian and many did change....except 17 men (including me) did not agreed to it....and we were left without food rations.....After many days of negotiation, they handed us only half portion.This is to show you how Ukrainians are treated wherever they are....and therefore...I am bowing my head in front of you....because you promote Ukrainian culture ...as PYSANKY, etc.

I am very upset....how the Russians are lying on all fronts of the history. They claim, that they are Slavs....originating from Kyiv's Rus'.....but how come that they do not make PYSANKY? which actually came from pagan time...and Ukrainians are making them wherever they are until nowadays. HERE is another evidence, that they [Russians] are not Slavs....and that they do not originate from Kyiv, cradle of Slavs.

The Pioneer Kaserne...had a hospital and La Garde was fully Ukrainian....it was a cultural center for all others camps. It had a High school (= Gymnasium)....many concerts and /or entertainment was performed there. This was camp where Ukrainian elite were housed...as medical doctors, professors, artists, priests, etc. Many organizations were there, such as: PLAST (Ukrainian scouting org.) and SUM (Ukrainian Youth Association).....in USA, it became SUMA (Ukrainian Youth Associattion of America www.cym.org/us/chicago/about/history.asp ) With best regards, Jarko Sichynsky

 

Jarko walking in DP camp La Garde, Aschaffenburg, 1947

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Here are three pictures from activities of PLAST in DP Camp Lagarde in Aschaffenburg....celebrating 35th anniversary of PLAST with big show.

Click to enlarge

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Aug. 14, 2014 My grandfather was an officer in a camp after the war in Pioneer Casern, Aschaffenburg. His name was Wasyl Krywyn. One of the photos was cut off and on the back you could make out his birth date and "Pioneer Casern, As.....Team 612.......Lagerpolizei (Camp Police)" John Daciuk jdaciuk@gmail.com Click to enlarge

		Attention readers; if you find your family in this photo, write directly to Olga to update names:
		Front row: I am researching my father-in-law's ancestry. He was born in Aschaffenburg in January 1953 and placed in an orphanage where he was adopted by an American couple. My search is for his biological birth parents. The man I’m hoping to identify is in the second from the bottom row, 2nd from the right. Sincerely, Rachel Valastek raeoflight@live.com
		2nd row:
		3rd row: 10/6/21 Middle of photo, only man wearing a hat is Michael (Michaylo) Bilous from Ukraine, emigrated to Bonegilla Australia in 1949 and married Briljanda Turrmann from Estonia. They met in the camp in Germany. He was a photographer of sorts in the camp and would stamp a blue 'Bilous' on the back of some photos.  Mariah Lawsonmariahblawson@gmail.com
		4th row: 7/18/2019 I just discovered that my father Wolodymr Bilynskyj was in the Aschaffenburg camp as a youth. I am not sure of his father's name, though I believe his mother's name was Olena. I have the attached photo of a group in front of the technical school. My father is the tall fellow in the center below the "U" in the city name. You are free to share this photo on your site. Thanks for all the information you have gathered together. Sincerely, Steve Bilynskyj, bilynskyj@comcast.net
		5th row:

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How to ask for a birth certificate in German:

The local authority has a webpage: http://www.aschaffenburg.de/wEnglish/start.php
At this page, you could find a lot of contacts for the responsible department "Standesamt"
The head of the dept is Mr. Walter GROSSMANN.
The contact for certificates (=Urkunden) is Mrs. Christine STAUDT.
Best Regards, Martin Rossdeutsch / Germany

Sample letter:

2/34 Km 650/47
Stadt Aschaffenburg
Postfach 63
63701 Aschaffenburg
Deutschland Germany

Lieb Frau/Herren ___________:

Ich mögen ein von die Geburtsurkunde von ____________________________ geboren___________herein Aschaffenburg kopieren. Meine Mutter ist____________ Meine Vater ist__________________

English translation of above:
Dear Mrs./Mr. _________:

I would like a copy of the birth certificate of ____________born on __________ in Aschaffenburg. My mother is____________My father is____________

Anything else you want to add to help him search. You can request both the German and English versions. You can ask for mother's marriage certificate. from each town. Germans keep very good records.

_____________________

Urls for US Army photo:
http://www.usarmygermany.com/Communities/Aschaffenburg/Aerials_Aschaffenburg%20Kasernes%201950.htm

Street map of Kasernen (plural) Download map for 8 1/2" x ll" viewing

War photos:

In World War II, Aschaffenburg was heavily damaged by Allied area bombing, including Schloss (castle) Johannisburg which was completely restored several years later. The Germans chose to defend Aschaffenburg with particular steadfastness, which resulted in the "Battle of Aschaffenburg" fought 28 March - 3 April 1945. The U.S. 45th Infantry Division was forced to take the fortified town against stiff German resistance in a series of frontal assaults that involved house-to-house fighting and vicious close combat. The resulting widespread urban destruction was quite severe, as cannon fire was used point-blank to blast through structures.[7] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aschaffenburg

Photos from NARA show scenes from a 6-day fight to clean the town of stubborn German resistence. Company 3, 2nd Bn. 157th Regt., 45 Div., XV Corp, Aschaffenburg Germany:

WWII History of the 2nd Chemical Mortar Battalion,
from the "Crossing the Rhine" chapter by Bruce Elliott: belliott@mcttelecom.com

"...On 25 Mar, Co C moved to positions in the vicinity of Ibersheim and Rheindurkheim in support of the 157th Inf which was initially in reserve. The company crossed the Rhine by pontoon bridge on the 27th and did no firing until Aschaffenburg was reached. Here fanatical resistance was encountered by the 157th, and the entire company fired many missions into the city starting numerous fires and destroying several buildings. For four days, the city held out against our constant mortar and artillery fire and continued daylight bombing. The company remained in position on the outskirts of town until the end of the month. ..."

"...On Mar 28-31, the company fired in support of the 179th advance, which moved rather slowly south of Aschaffenburg because of fanatical resistance in that city."

"...At the beginning of the month, the Main river had just been crossed by both divisions south of Aschaffenburg, and they had advanced northeast toward Bruckenau and Gersfeld. Aschaffenburg held out for two days after it had been isolated and bypassed, but surrendered on 2 Apr. " More memories of Co A atchd 179th Inf; Co B atchd 180th Inf ; Co C atchd / 157th Inf 2nd Chemical Mortar Battalion.

More photos of the destroyed city of Aschaffenburg 1945

Olga in baby carriage at 2 mos old in Jäger-Kaserne, with mom and sister.

Displaced Persons Camps

There is a big difference between a slave labor camp and a displaced person's camp. Slavic & Baltic slaves in the slave work camps were found by the Allies and taken by rail to dp / refugee camps. From 1945 to 1950, the United Nations Relief organization fed, clothed, gave medical attention and dispersed refugees to all parts of the world for a new start in life - Australia, Venezuela, Belgium, England, and finally later, the United States.

There were 7-10 million (figures vary depends on who's report) citizens in Nazi Germany, working as slave laborers in factories all over Germany with OST (east) identification cards. Those without identification cards had numbers branded on the inside of their right arm. They were rounded up and hauled into DP camps, 1,000 at a time in cattle cars, their paperwork processed and then assigned a bed.

United Nations Relief & Rehabilitation Administration (UNRRA) Director Katherine Hulme recalls: "When this vast population of slaves was uncovered by the Allied armies in 1945, they had been OST [eastern] people for nearly six years." They came from Poland, Ukraine, Estonia, Latvia, White Russians, Lithuania, Hungarians, Czechs and Russian /Ukrainian captive soldier forced to fight for Germany. "The Jews numbered less than one fifth of our Zone's total DP population but they were an articulate minority that if you only read the newspapers. . ., you gained the impression that they were the whole of the DP problem. They made the headlines regularly. . .They would stage hunger strikes. . .and frighten the wits out of Army and IRO by their wailing. . ."

Katherine Hulme was second in command in Camp Wildflecken (mostly Polish) and later became director (chief of care and maintenance) for all D.P. camps in Area Three of the U.S. Zone (Bavaria), which included Camp Aschaffenburg (mostly Ukrainian DPs).

For a detailed account of DP camp life, you must read "The Wild Place" by Kathryn Hulme, published by Little, Brown & Co. in 1953, 1960. Excerps quoted here are taken from her book.

Hulme says of Camp Aschaffenburg : "Rival camp newspapers fought out camp elections with impassioned fury. New businesses sprang into existence to undercut established concessions like barber and cobbler shops, synthetic lemonade stands and beer gardens. Just as in the outside world, men occasionally seduced each other's wives and the camp lawyers' briefcases bulged with marital troubles. Knives flashed in brawls over room space and camp doctors sewed up the losers. Even the clothing-distribution warehouses were set up like countered stores, with a men's, a women's and a children's department and a curtained dressing room where the garments of international charity could be tried on before acceptance. Visitors always stared with astonishment. They had not expected to find camp life so 'normal'."

Ukrainian literature and books proliferated in Camp Aschaffenburg. At long last, freed from the yokes of oppression, writers and scholars began to publish for as little as "two or three cartons of American cigarettes". The Artistic Ukrainian Movement (MUR) organized in Bavaria and held its first conference in Aschaffenburg in Dec. 1945. This literature helped preserve the refugees' identity and continued the homogenous cultural process. (Wyman p.166) Katherine Hulme collection at the Beineke Library, Yale University:

Boxes 43-45 have covers made by displaced persons and contain many pictures of residents and conditions at the Aschaffenburg and Wildflecken camps.
Box 43 folder 655 Wurzburg & Wildflecken camp 1945-46
Box 44 folder 656 Kleinheubach and Aschaffenburg camps 1945-47
Box 44 folder 657 Aschaffenburg camp 1947

Near the end of 1947, news had reached the camp that a US emigration bill would require every DP emigrant to have a sponsor in the US. When not enough sponsors were found, in June 25, 1948, Congress passed Public Law 774, the Displaced Persons Act which provided for more than 200,000 DPs to enter the US over the next two years. 85,000 were Ukrainians. The USS General Le Roy Eltige made five trips to pick up refugees. For many families, it was a new beginning. Suicides of those left behind often occurred shortly after one of the massive farewell parties. One Ukrainians who was required to have second X-ray, suspected he was illegible for emigration and hung himself (M. Wyman, p.203). Finally in December 1949, my family and I were fortunate to be able to come to Boston via this Navy ship. Olga Kaczmar