View source for Stalag IX-C

{{Infobox military installation
|name = Stalag IX-C
|native_name =
|partof =
|location = [[Bad Sulza]], [[Thuringia]]
|image =
|caption =
|map_type = Germany 1937
|coordinates = {{coord|51.097867|11.632828|type:landmark_region:DE-TH|display=inline}}
|map_size =
|map_alt = Bad Sulza, Germany (pre-war borders, 1937)
|map_caption = Bad Sulza, Germany (pre-war borders, 1937)
|type = [[German prisoner-of-war camps in World War II|Prisoner-of-war camp]]
|code =
|built =
|builder =
|materials =
|height =
|used = 1940–1945
|demolished =
|condition =
|ownership =
|open_to_public =
|controlledby = {{flag|Nazi Germany}}
|garrison =
|commanders =
|occupants = Polish, Belgian, French, British, Yugoslav,Italian, Canadian, Commonwealth, American prisoners of war
|battles = [[World War II]]
|events =
|image2 =
|caption2 =
}}
'''[[Stalag]] IX-C''' was a German [[German prisoner-of-war camps in World War II|prisoner-of-war camp]] for [[Allies of World War II|Allied]] soldiers in [[World War II]]. Although its headquarters were located near [[Bad Sulza]], between [[Erfurt]] and [[Leipzig]] in [[Thuringia]], its sub-camps – ''[[Arbeitslager|Arbeitskommando]]'' – were spread over a wide area, particularly those holding prisoners working in the potassium mines, south of [[Mühlhausen]].

==Camp history==
The camp was opened in February 1940 to hold [[Poland|Polish]] soldiers from the German [[invasion of Poland]] which started World War II in 1939. In June 1940 many [[Belgium|Belgian]] and [[France|French]] troops taken prisoner during the [[Battle of France]] arrived. In late 1940, soldiers from the [[Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders]] and [[Gordon Highlanders]], captured at [[Dunkirk]], were marched to the camp. In April 1941 prisoners from [[Kingdom of Yugoslavia|Yugoslavia]] came into camp. In 1943 [[United Kingdom|British]] and [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]] soldiers came from the battles in [[Italian Campaign (World War II)|Italy]] and [[North African Campaign|North Africa]]. In September and October 1944 British and [[Canada|Canadian]] airborne troops, taken prisoner during "[[Operation Market Garden]]" at [[Arnhem]], arrived. Finally in late December 1944 [[United States|Americans]] arrived that were captured in the [[Battle of the Bulge]]. On 29 March 1945 the camp was evacuated and the POWs were forced to march eastwards in advance of the American offensive. For some [[The March (1945)|the march]] lasted four weeks before being freed by U.S. Army units. Those left in the camp were freed by troops of [[U.S. 3rd Army]].

==Hospitals==
Also under the administration of [[Stalag]] IX-C was a large hospital, ''Reserve-Lazaret'' IX-C(a). This was in the town of [[Obermaßfeld-Grimmenthal|Obermaßfeld]], south-west of Erfurt, in a three-story stone building that was previously a [[Strength Through Joy]] hostel. The hospital was operated by British, Canadian and New Zealand medical staff. Its staff was considerably augmented in October 1944 with the arrival of an entire ambulance team of the British [[1st Airborne Division (United Kingdom)|1st Airborne Division]], captured at Arnhem. Patients came from across Germany, but mainly from ''[[Military district (Germany)|Wehrkreis]]'' IX. The hospital was liberated by the [[11th Armored Division (United States)|U.S. 11th Armored Division]].

There was also a smaller hospital ''Reserve-Lazaret'' IX-C(b) at [[Meiningen]].

==Escapes==
In March 1942, two British privates, Macfarlane and Goldie, escaped wearing their blue work detail overalls over their battledress. They wore rucksacks to cover the markings "KG" (''Kriegsgefangener'', "prisoner of war") on their backs. They secreted themselves in a rail wagon carrying salt to [[Belgium]]. There they managed to contact an escape line and, by the middle of the year, they were safely back in Scotland.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pegasusarchive.org/pow/cSt_9C_History1.htm|title=Secret Camp Histories Stalag IXC Muhlhausen|publisher=Pegasus Archive|accessdate=4 June 2016}}</ref>

==Notable inmates==
* Captain John B. Sherman, [[RAMC]], Army No. 115959, carried out skin grafts using a razor blade.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.prisonerofwar.org.uk/autumn_2006.htm |title=Autumn 2006 Newsletter |first=Bert |last=Martin |work=The National Ex-Prisoner of War Association |year=2011 |access-date=25 April 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120208101135/http://www.prisonerofwar.org.uk/autumn_2006.htm |archive-date=8 February 2012 }}</ref>
* [[Reba Z. Whittle]], an Army Air Corps nurse who was captured in September 1944 when the aircraft she was in was shot down while on a flight to evacuate wounded Allied soldiers, was held briefly at Obermaßfeld and then transferred to [[Meiningen]]. She was held as a POW until January 1945 when she was repatriated. Whittle was the only female American POW in the [[European Theater of Operations United States Army|ETO]] in World War II.
* [[Pierre-Antoine Cousteau]], reporter.
* [[Ted Brown (radio)|Ted Brown]], American radio personality.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/damn-it-trump-didnt-officially-announce-11-8-22/id1633301179?i=1000585434784 | title=Damn It! Trump Didn't Officially Announce! 11.8.22 }}</ref>
* [[Jack Hinton]] a New Zealand soldier who served during the Second World War. He was awarded the [[Victoria Cross]], the highest award for gallantry "in the face of the enemy" that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces, for his actions at Kalamata on 29 April 1941 during the Battle of Greece.

==See also==
* [[List of prisoner-of-war camps in Germany]]
* [[Stalag]]

== References ==
;Notes
{{Reflist}}
;Bibliography
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070216180939/http://www.channel4.com/history/microsites/H/history/e-h/greatescapes.html Stories of Great Escapes]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20051016211505/http://www.pegasus-one.org/pow/bruce_jeffrey.htm Memoir of British Airborne medic]
* [http://www.303rdbg.com/pow-camps.html#l9ca  Reserve-Lazarett IX-C(a)] from 303rd Bomb Group, 8th AF, Association.

== External links ==
* [https://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-WH2Dent-c32.html#name-023289-1  New Zealand WWII Archives]

{{Main German WWII POW camps 1944-1945}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:World War II prisoner-of-war camps in Germany]]
[[Category:1940 establishments in Germany]]
[[Category:1945 disestablishments in Germany]]