30/11/92

Press Release

Eden Camp:

Press Release 5th April 2001

HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF

It was an eerie, cold, damp and misty morning in 1986 that inspired Stan Johnson, owner of Eden Camp, to develop former Prisoner of War Camp No. 83 into the world's first Modern History Theme Museum.

Forty four years earlier the first group of shabby and pathetic looking Prisoners of War had been marched up from the railway station in nearby Malton and encamped in tents whilst helping to build the huts into which they were interned.

Those first prisoners were Italians but, with Italy agreeing to surrender to the Allies in September of 1943, they were slowly allowed more freedom and were sent out from the Camp to live on the farms where they were employed in food production.

June 1944 would see the first German prisoners marched up through the town. They were more arrogant, more defiant and more hostile to the locals who lined the streets to see 'the enemy' at close hand.

57 years on, German prisoners will again pace the perimeter wire at Eden Camp and the gates will be manned by British guards. Two groups of Re-enactors (the North West WWII Historical Society and the 85 Gebirgsjager) will be in residence over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend, living and sleeping in the huts which were home to real prisoners between 1942 and 1948. On both days (Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th April.) the 'troops' and 'POW's' will be drilled and issued with 'site duties.' Visitors will be 'interrogated', and bids to escape can be expected. The Allied and German groups will alternate in the roles of captors and captives.

The subject of POW's continues to prove a popular one with public and media alike, this is a unique event in an entirely genuine setting. If you require any more information about the event, please do not hesitate to contact Nick or Steve at the address and telephone number above. Alternatively you can visit our web site and e-mail us at http://www.edencamp.co.uk

Regards

S.A. Jaques
MUSEUM DIRECTOR

admin@edencamp.co.uk