Camp Papago Park
| Company type | Prisoner of war camp |
|---|---|
| Industry | Military facility |
| Headquarters | Phoenix , United States |
Area served | Prisoners of war during World War II |
Camp Papago Park served as a prisoner of war (POW) installation located in Papago Park, situated in the eastern part of Phoenix, Arizona. The facility consisted of five separate compounds—four designated for enlisted personnel and one reserved for officers. Today, the area is partitioned among the Arizona National Guard's Papago Park Military Reservation, municipal parkland, residential neighborhoods, and a commercial car dealership site.
Referred to by its predominantly U-boat-crew detainees as Schlaraffenland—meaning the land of milk and honey—Camp Papago Park stood in stark contrast to Axis-operated POW camps, particularly regarding the treatment of prisoners. While no mandatory work or educational programs were enforced, many inmates chose to engage in activities to counteract monotony; only about 700 volunteered for labor duties. Amenities included a theater that screened films twice weekly and a choir ensemble. The prisoners also published The Papago Rundschau, a camp newspaper documenting daily life and events within the camp.
Escape
In December 1944, a group of twenty-five POWs managed to break out by digging a 176-foot tunnel, among them Kapitänleutnant Hans-Werner Kraus. Contrary to initial beliefs that the hard clay soil would impede tunneling, it became malleable when moist, allowing covert excavation without detection. Although camp guards were easily circumvented during the escape, the unforgiving desert environment compelled most fugitives to return within weeks. One prisoner surrendered after discovering the camp’s planned Christmas dinner. For many involved, the breakout was perceived more as a prank than a serious bid to reach Germany.
Several escapees carried wooden planks intended for constructing a raft to navigate down the Salt River toward the Gila River, relying on maps but lacking firsthand experience. However, since both rivers were dry at that time, this strategy proved impractical.
Following the recapture of two escapees, they shared a meal with a local customs official, underscoring contrasts between Axis and Allied POW camp operations. Media attention led to visits from nearby residents and even a handicapped boy seeking to play chess with them.
Death at Papago Park POW Camp
In 2017, author Jane Eppinga released Death at Papago Park POW Camp, which explores the camp’s history in depth, including the killing of Werner Max Herschel Drechsler and the subsequent execution of seven individuals involved in the incident.
Eppinga first uncovered this narrative approximately twenty years prior during her military history research. Due to limited initial documentation, she submitted a Freedom of Information Act request to obtain court-martial records from the National Archives. She also engaged with military figures such as Captain Jerry Mason, who provided photographic material.
A significant business-related takeaway from her investigation concerns Drechsler’s case: despite having supplied German intelligence to U.S. Navy officials, he was insufficiently safeguarded upon arrival at Camp Papago Park, resulting in his death within seven hours. This incident raises critical questions about wartime operational security and prisoner handling protocols.
Decades on, Eppinga observes that the events at Papago Park continue to provoke strong emotions and ongoing discussions regarding justice and military procedures in sensitive wartime scenarios.
See also
- Arizona during World War II
- List of POW camps in the United States
- German Prisoners of War in the United States