Heimkehrer
Imprisoned German soldiers repatriated post-WWII
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Heimkehrer (literally "homecomer") refers to World War II German prisoners of war and internees—Wehrmacht (Heer, Kriegsmarine, Luftwaffe), Waffen-SS, Ordnungspolizei, behind-the-lines Hiwi security and civilian personnel—who were repatriated to West Germany, East Germany and Austria after the war. Some of the late returnees were convicted war criminals who were subsequently tried in West Germany.
By 1948, the number of German internees still held in captivity by major Allied powers was as follows:
- United Kingdom: 435,295
- United States of America: 30,976
- France: 631,483
- Soviet Union: 890,532
German soldiers from the West were returned to Germany by late 1940s; however, the USSR held the last Germans in their camps until 1956.[1]