Soviet POW Camp Release documents – Would appreciate help with translation
Hi.
I am hoping someone can help translate a document concerning my grandfather, Jozsef Kaufler, who was born in Kaplony (Capleni) when it was still part of Hungary in 1904. It looks like he was taken prisoner in March 1945 and I think this document is stating that he was released in June 1947? Was he sent home, or sent to another camp?
Would someone be able to translate the 2-page document? We know so little about this side of the family and relish any details we can find.
Much appreciated.
Judith
Comments
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Hello,
Camp no 148/II
nationality - Hungarian
part of which opposing army - Hungarian
Last Name - Kaufler
First name - Joszef
Father's name - Antal?
Birth date and place - 1904, village - from Kapiony (wouldn't have guessed without your hint, looks more like Kannon to me) Hungary
Address before conscription - Nodkarol?, Kaploshi? st, 16? (36? 46?)
Citizenship - Hungarian
Party membership - none
Faith - Catholic
Education - general, 2 years
Profession - Carpenter
Conscripted or joined the army voluntarily - conscripted
Type of force - Transport
Army Division - 110th regiment
Rank - soldier
Occupation - worker
Captured or surrendered - captured
Where and when - 18 03 1945, city of Szombathely, Hungary
Movement notes - arrived to camp 148/7 13 5 45 from ??? Fok-something, most likley Focșani
Arrived from ??? ??? (no idea) 1.1.47
gone with train 98375 8647 to camp 176
13 5 1947 , signature
thanks,
Igor.
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Thank you so much Igor.
The address before conscription will be in a town called Nagykaroly (Carei), very close to Kaplony (Capleni). My father seemed to think his father didn't arrive home until about 1952. Your translation has given me another lead to look up - camp 176. The movement notes give me some additional clues.
My grandfather's brother, Istvan was also captured in Czechoslovakia in 1945 and spent time as a POW.
Then another brother, Antal and his son Pal were deported in 1945 from Kaplony to work in a labour camp where they died soon after arriving.
Igor would it be too much to seek your assistance to translate these for me as well?
Once again, thank you so much for your time so far.
Kind regards
Judith
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I found some information written about camp 176 in Focsani in case anyone else is doing research on the same subject.
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I won't repeat the entry titles, just what's filled in
Istvan:
front side
Hungarian / Hungarian/ Kaufler/ Istvan/ Antal/ 1913 Kaplony Sotmar region Hungray/same as previous entry #4/Hungarian/ NA/ Cathlolic/ 5 years/ Peasant
back side
conscripted 1 04 1944/sapper forces/27th division, sapper company/carriage driver/captured 01 04 1945 near Baczyn?Czechoslovakia/
arrived to camp 53 from SPV2 town of Rybnik, [here goes a work that could be Sarat or less likely Soldat(soldier) not sure what's that about] 03.06.1945
departed from camp 53 08 06 47 to camp 176, Focsany with train no 98386
handed over to repatriation authority 17 06 47 under the act
17.07.1945/Signature
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Antal:
front side
Male, Batallion 1049, company 1
Kaufler/ Antal/ son of Antal/ 1901/ Koplony, Sotmat/Koplony, Sotmar/Hungarian/Roman catholic/NA/Hungary/peasant/6 years
date of internment 09 01 1945
back side
file no 295/date of arrival 25 01 1945
movement notes:
06 06 1945 died in ORB-1049 (ОРБ-1049 in Russian "отдельный рабочий батальон") town of Konstantinovka, Donetsk region (this is a bit strange as there was a German camp in there until 1943, but I can't find a Soviet one)
and buried 06 06 1945 in grave 21/2
entry based on records of POW department of ministry of internal affairs (ОПВИ УМВД) of Donetsk region inventory 1?221, file 21, book 5, page 31
30 05 1945 signature
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Dear Igor
Once again a million thanks for your kindness in translating these documents. They are very much appreciated. :-)
I'm not sure if you're interested in the following Hungarian website - it lists camps in the Soviet Union. The site has a live click through to the location on a map. Below is a screen shot of the reference they provide for camp 1049. Unfortunately the site doesn't list information on the Focsani camp in Romania.
https://hadisir.hu/szovjet-hadifogolytaborok#
The writing roughly translates to:
The cemetery is located in the area of Micsurine, near the town of Gorlivka, 2 km north of the mine named Izotov (formerly mine No. 4/5), in the area of the public cemetery of Micsurine. Landmarks: located in the old cemetery (last burial - 1965). It is known to the local population as Kladoviscse Rtutnoho Kombinátu (Mercury Factory Cemetery). There is a water canal near the cemetery. Current condition: the tombs are visible, in some places they are marked with iron bars, on which the identification number of the tomb is indicated. 136 people are buried in the cemetery, including 136 Hungarian prisoners of war.
Kind regards
Judith
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Pal:
front side
Male, Batallion 1049, company 1
Kaufler/Pal/Antal/1921/Koplony, Sotmar/Koplony, Sotmar/Hungarian/Roman catholic/NA/Hungary/peasant/4 years
file no 265/date of arrival 25 01 1945
movement notes:
21 09 1945 died in ORB-1049 town of Konstantinovka, Donetsk region and buried 22 09 1945 in grave 38/3
entry based on records of POW department of ministry of internal affairs (ОПВИ УМВД) of Donetsk region inventory 1221, file 21, book 5, page 31
30 05 1945/signature
That doesn't have any more detail than Antal's, just different date
I've previously looked at Hungarian POW papers when someone requested translation here:
There is a lot of detail (in Russian) in this document that I found:
which describes the way POWs were transferred. 176 in Focsany as well as 36 in Siget were the points where POWs were handed over to repatriation authorities before going home so anyone who made it there usually would have survived the ordeal from what I understand.
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Thanks for translating Pal's record as well. I read that most likely all the men from Kaplony who were sent to this camp (1049) died. I gathered because it was a mining labour camp and there were no safety regulations or equipment.
Your help has been invaluable. It's very hard to access information from Sydney. I know many of the prisoners who made it home did not speak about their experiences. Either they were severely traumatised or they were instructed not to speak about these things and they were just too frightened to, if not for themselves, then for their families.
In the case of Antal and Pal, they had the misfortune of having German surnames even though they could not speak German. Neither did they have any affiliations with Germany. My grandfather Jozsef was a very religious man who did not believe in fighting. But then there was no choice when they were rounded up.
I'm now beginning to appreciate that even though they were Hungarian, because Kaplony (Szatmar area now Satu Mare) became part of Romania, those released from the camps were most likely sent to Romania for processing hence camp 176 in Focsani. What's not clear is:
- Were they first sent to Focsani and then onto prison camps in the USSR? or
- Were they detained in Focsani for a lengthy period? or
- Was Focsani the last stop before being sent home?
Kindest regards
Judith
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Hello,
Focsani was a major transit point. Whether people were going home depends on the date. From the data in the document that I sent in the last message it's quite clear that in August 1945 it was decided to start the release the POWs starting with labor camps and remote areas with harsh climate, 150 000 Hungarians between them. By Middle of 1946 first 12000 were released this continued and by February 1947 216000 Hungarians were sent home. Further 100000 were in ordered to be handed over in May-September 1947 out of 225000 still remaining in USSR at that time.
There were some orders to be more careful with release as in Focsani it was detected that some SS division members that are not to be released were sent there as well as some Germans posing as Hungarians.
By 1950 they started releasing officers including generals and members of police, prison camps staff and SS division where USSR had no proof that they were personally involved in war crimes. Only people considered guilty remained in USSR either in prison or awaiting court decision.
In 1955 those serving time in prison were also sent home and in 1956 repatriation was deemed completed.
Overall I'd say if someone was in Focsani in 1945 they may have been going to USSR, for second half of 1946 and later - they were sent back home.
On Jozsef arriving home in 1952 I'd say there are three possibilities
1) He indeed was held that long in USSR, but considering his minor role in Hungarian army there would have to be evidence of his involvement with police or gestapo which again sounds unlikely. On the other hand we are not 100% certain as Istvan's entry has a note "handed over to foreign repatriation authorities" and the act number while Jozef's does not.
2) He was held by Hungary after being handed over or just did not go home right away for whatever reason
3) Wrong facts remembered by people. I see this happens often when trying to find evidence of family stories.
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That's very interesting information you just sent through. Thank you so much. Your help has been invaluable. Kind regards, Judith
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