TRAVEL GERMANY ---> FRANCONIAN INDIVIDUAL TOURS --->

Thousands of Polish “Displaced Persons” had been gathered by the U.S. Army of Occupation in the former German Army Barracks of Wildflecken right from the war’s end until 1951. The UNRRA (United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Agency) tried to get those refugees back to their homeland. When the Soviet Union installed a communist regime in Poland, this repatriation stopped. Finally the IRO (International Refugee Organization) took over to help those remaining in the camp to immigrate to other countries.

From ’45 until ’51 thousands of children have been born in the camps five hospitals, numerous couples who met here in the “wilderness” of Wildflecken got married. For those who came here it was a place of desperation, hope and for those who got their immigration approved the beginning of a better life.

Many of those children born in Wildflecken are today in search of their roots. They have no imagination of what the camp or the “Lager” as their parents once called, it is like.

Important notice:
Camp Wildflecken today is a German Army Installation. To access the place you will need a sponsor who is affiliated with the German Military. Our Partner, the German Army Reserve Association made it possible for us, to bring foreign visitors on-post. Furthermore you will need proper identification, like a passport. It is only possible to take photos if you have permission to do so. Your tour-guide should be in possession of such a permission. So it is absolutely necessary before you take photos, check back with your guide if it is ok to do so. It is absolutely prohibited to take photos of soldiers and military equipment. However it is possible to photograph buildings and places.

As the “Cold War” came around the corner, Wildflecken and it’s military training area was first choice for the U.S.Army. It had an excellent infrastructure and was located close to the border that divided Germany in East and West.

Many U.S. soldiers and their families spent quite a while at this remote and isolated place. One veteran put his relationship to Wildflecken this way: “You either loved it or hated it – there was nothing in between.”

Elvis Presley was here during his time as an American draftee in 1958 and, believe it or not, world famous basket-ball player, actor and singer Shaquile O’Neal lived here for 3 years with his family. He even learned how to play basket-ball here in Wildflecken and this is the place where coach Brown met him the first time and started making him what he is today – a superstar.

FIT will arrange access (please see remarks about installation-access above!) for you to the German Army Installation Wildflecken. You will be shown around the Wildflecken Museum which is located inside the military installation and tells the history of the place. After that you will be given a tour of the camp and, if you are interested, the Polish cemetery. This cemetery is the largest Polish graveyard outside Poland. 628 Polish “Displaced Persons”, most of them children, have been buried here between 1945 and 1950. If you have old photos or additional info like building numbers where your family once lived – bring them. We might be lucky in finding your former home! It happened before!

The Wildflecken visit usually takes about 3 hours. It can be combined with a visit of the “Kreuzberg”, where a dark beer, brewed by monks is served, and/or the Wildflecken city-hall, where Polish children, born at Camp Wildflecken can get copies of their birth certificates.

please let us know of any special wishes you might have. We will do our best to make it happen, so don’t hesitate to ask.

The prize of the tour-module depends either on the program that follows up and the distance between your hotel and Camp Wildflecken. Please allow us to put together your complete program first before we tell you a prize for it.