prisoner exchange

[phil1942]

Does anyone know of any resources on the net dealing with POW exchange between the US and Germany in WW2 ?
Was it common or did it occur very rarely ?
Particulary in late 1943 or early 1944.
Thank you for any information.

[Ypenburg]

I've read a time ago about an exchange short after 6th Armee was destroyed at Stalingrad. The Germans exchanged a lot of GB and US personal for german officers.

Have to look it up.

[ChrisA]

Hello

I cannot provide hard facts but I can offer images of the return of ships with Afrika Korps prisoners to France in late 1943. Let me know if you are interested.

\Christoph

[Dave Bybee]

Hello,
of the top of my head I know the germans were repatriating allied airmen for german soldiers as early as 1943. I believe the rule was the pow had to convince a medical board that they could no longer return to active service in the military and he had to be healthy enough to survive the trip. I collect U.S. ww2 pow and have a grouping to an airman who was repatriated because his broken leg would not heal. He was sent home in Feb 1945 on Red Cross ship Gripsholm.
Hope this helps, Dave

[Chris Boonzaier]

Not comman but was done in WW1 as well, usually it was just POWs who would no longer be able to serve in any capacity. Strict medical boards were set up to determine who fitted the bill or not.