Jean, you are writing fast than I can read and answer...
Today I found another interesting document, a thesis of 119 pages about the German POW system 1939 – 1945:
http://ubm.opus.hbz-nrw.de/volltexte/2009/1884
On afirst look it is quiet abstract but contains also information concerning escapes and some statistic charts:
Jean, your dad was one of the first American prisoners of war in this area: on 1st October 1944, there were no (0) Americans in the camps in the military district VI of about 40,000 in other districts or in camps run by the German Air Force (Stalag Luft), but more than 106,000 of about 922,000 French soldiers! The young student Neifer wasn’t on the hill anymore when the first American arrived there as he served as acolyte in the abbey only until 1944 as he told me. And these numbers also show that there were many more French than American prisoners in the area... The thesis also explains that escaped prisoners of war were a big problem for the German authorities. Even if only 2 per cent of the prisoners escaped (or tried to), there would have been about 80,000 escaped enemy soldiers in Germany over the years!
This time I will not translate the complete text 
but one sentence:
Compared with the overall number only few prisoners of war in German custody have made an attempt to escape in WWII and scarcely anybody really reached his home or a safe country after a successful escape.
I'll have to read the whole text, that will give me a good background for further research 
Don't let the hurricane blow you away!
Christoph
Christoph, I just came home to get ready, should it come, for Hurricane Isaac-Christoph and I had no idea that the real Hurricane Christoph had arrived at this site!
Oh my GOSH!
I can again have no way to THANK YOU enough!!!!! I will delve into all of this as soon as I can. I can hardly wait!
Oh if only my Dad was alive to finally get these answers and the information from you!
I know you will be asleep by the time I write again, if you are not already, so Good Night until tomorrow!
Jean J
Oh, and yes, I do know a little bit about what happened after their making it to American side in Europe and USA.
Gad, I know I have to go work while it is still light out, but should you still be awake I thought you would appreciate this. They were sent to 1 hospital, I think it was the first night, and the next morning my Dad saw everyone leaning over with their butts in the air and pants down. He realized they were in a hospital for VD. He got he and Gidrie out of there as fast as he could!
Good night again,
Jean J
Christoph, I still can not get over everything you have sent me! Wow!
This is real quick, but with your curiosity wanted to tell you that the service men only got discharged after they had a certain amount of points. I do not know exactly, and maybe in the past I read somewhere exactly what activity could be counted for to equal so many points. I don't think being a POW or escaping gave him extra points. But I think after being a POW you were not allowed to serve in that Theater again - the European Theater. (Could he have been sent to Japan if it was required, I do not know and will one day see what the rules were.) Those who had more points got out of Europe faster when the war was over, or supposed to.
In my Dad's case, his Regiment had been partially decimated in the Hurtgen Forest, and reassigned, and he never met up with his buddies again. Very Very Sad for him! Like at the Abbey, he never had closure, or could shoot the breeze with a few of them and know how it ended or talk about what they had been through together. I am lucky to have some letters from some of the men in his outfit after he was captured. The men loved him.
While it took a couple of months for him to get back to the USA, and fortunately he wrote Mom some VMails during that time, he still had to put in more time in the military back in the USA.
Bye for now,
Jean J
Don't faint - I have now spoken to the 2nd living POW that was both at Siegburg and Waldbrol. And yes, he knew Dad! Norton said this man will know your Dad - and he was right. Dad was the only one there and he was doing everything! Dad carried him in from the little cart he was transported in and carried him all the way up to the top floor! More to follow,
Jean J
Marion you are so funny! I am honored to receive such an accolade. But those little guys should be turned towards you and Christoph!
I have some interesting things to share but I have to get a lot done before spending the day at Mom's so more will come at a future time.
Mr. Norton, like me, is in complete shock over what Christoph has uncovered!!! Just in the last couple of days what Christoph has uncovered on the history and the politics of the Abbey and then shared in a way that I could understand is incomprehensible in its magnitude!!! No one else could have started unraveling the mystery of the Abbey during the War except Christoph! There is actually no accessible history according to all of the departments and people that I wrote. Even the city historian could not help me.
Norton can't wait for me to send him Christoph's information. I told him about Theo M. Now that is a real story of mankind!
If I interpret it correctly, you have a man who is a devout Catholic and yet a Nazi at the same time. He is brokenhearted when the Father and Brothers are forced from the Abbey - and while words can describe the place - you must be there to feel what the place is like and marvel at its beauty. It dominates the surrounding area. And from almost everywhere you look you see it. And from below, you know that there is a Church high on that hill and men of the Catholic faith all living up there.
And yet Theo remains a Nazi. His son can never resolve this conflicting ideology. And then to have Theo's life extinguished because of War - reenforces the idea of conflict and for him ends with it. And the conflict goes on. All around at the Abbey, so many are trying to give life to everyone, the best they can. And that includes the German's and other nationalities that are there helping, which includes my Dad.
And Christoph there are not enough ways to Thank You for what you have done!!! You are the real miracle worker!!! And it is thanks to Marion that we know you!!!
I am going to go get ready for Hurricane Isaac - Christoph just in case we should get it or the winds and rain for it.
Jean J
:wub:
