From war to peace: Parchim Airport and its eventful history

From war to peace: Parchim Airport and its eventful history

Schwerin-Parchim Airport has an eventful and complex history that goes back to the 19th century. From the 1880s, the site served as a cavalry parade ground before being converted into one of the largest prisoner of war camps in Germany during the First World War. In October 1914, up to 15,000 prisoners from different nations were housed here in around 250 wooden barracks, reports the Northern Courier. In addition to being a place of suffering where approximately 1,400 prisoners died of disease and injuries, the camp also offered some amenities such as electric lighting, workshops and religious facilities. Many of the deceased were buried in a nearby cemetery.

The Parchim prisoner of war camp existed from 1914 to 1921 and underwent several transformations. After the First World War, it temporarily served as an internment camp for Red Army soldiers, primarily Russian soldiers who fought in the Polish-Soviet War. The conditions for the internees were appalling; many suffered from cold, hunger and disease, resulting in high mortality of around 1,200 people. Here, too, the survivors needed an agreement with Soviet Russia in order to be able to return by July 1921 Wikipedia holds on.

From the military area to the airport

In 1937 the site was used again for military purposes when the Luftwaffe built an airfield. This location quickly became a central point for airborne troops and night fighter squadrons in World War II. The airfield served as a testing ground for innovative aircraft, including the Messerschmitt Me 163 and Me 262. However, in April 1945 it was badly damaged in an attack by the US Air Force.

After the war, the square was used by Soviet troops, who stayed until 1992. Finally, in 2007, Chinese investor Jonathan Pang took over the area for 30 million euros with the ambitious plan to create an international freight hub and build a five-star hotel and a large duty-free center. But these plans ultimately failed due to difficulties with payments and a lack of approvals. The operating company finally went bankrupt in May 2019 and the airport was finally closed in February 2023.

The future of the site

The site is currently used for the storage of new cars by BLG Autoterminal. However, the complex ownership structure and open questions regarding the future use of the area remain unresolved. The loss of the airport infrastructure not only has an economic impact, but also sheds light on the painful history of the place, which is marked by captivity and suffering.

Exploring these dark chapters of history is important. While the Federal Archives deals intensively with the most diverse aspects of captivity, it offers researchers and relatives the opportunity to obtain a wealth of information about the fates of the camp inmates. The holdings, for example in the military archives, contain many documents with historical insights that are essential for understanding this painful past, such as this Federal Archives shows.