The Life of Kurt Ockert, 2011
Name of traveller
Kurt Ockert (1921-2011)
Reason for travel
- German prisoner of war turned immigrant
Date of travel
arrived in May 1946
I have been a very lucky man, not to have had to claim the dole for a single day in my working life! It is my duty to thank the people of Presteigne for their kindness to me. Thank You[.] Kurt[.] (Ockert 42)
Content
- agriculture:
- works for various local farmers in Powys and Herefordshire during his time as POW and briefly after
- in his last employment works as grounds man for John Beddoes School, Presteigne
- art: contains a few photographs of Kurt as soldier, POW and in retirement with his wife
- diet:
- notes that provisions for German camp inmates were better and more plentiful than for British civilians
- Polish refugees teach the German prisoners how to steal small amounts of provisions to improve camp rations
- POWs occassionally poach rabbits, chickens and trout
- industry:
- works as builder during his time as POW
- works as lorry driver in a local lime stone quarry for eleven years
- people:
- contains brief descriptions of fellow POWs
- describes working together with Polish refugees during time as POW
- while still a POW marries a local girl and decribes being welcomed into her family
- alludes to some isolated frictions with some members of the local population after the war, but felt generally welcome and soon integrated into the community
- politics:
- arrived in Wales as German prisoner of war after internment in the USA
- notes good treatment by British prison camp personnel
- camp inmates were allowed to run a little theatre whose productions also travelled around the local meeting halls to entertain the civilian population
Nationality of traveller
German
Language of publication
English
Gender of traveller
Male
Type of publication
autobiography
Citation
Ockert, Kurt. The Life of Kurt Ockert, 2011. 1984. Ed. George P. Lancett. 2011. NLW ex 2762. Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru / National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth. TS.