Stark Decency: German Prisoners of War in a New England Village

by Allen V. Koop, Hartmut Lang (Foreword)

Stark Decency is a window into the events of two vastly different worlds: German combat veterans captured in North Africa and Normandy, and the small New Hampshire logging town which found itself hosting the prison camp. Each side was forced to confront its prejudices and fears, and examine the merits and flaws of its ideology. Then, an astonishing thing happened: in their rural isolation, sharing harsh weather conditions and the pinch of wartime rationing, friendships began to develop. Prisoners and their guards sometimes even worked together to meet the daily pulpwood quotas, and little handmade gifts to the local villagers cemented friendships that continue to this day.

Genres: History, Local History

150 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1988

Reviews

[JD · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story itself is a great example of how the spirit of humanity can prevail during dark and testing times and should be an inspiration to everyone who reads it. Also a plus for the book is the brief history given by the author of the POW system in America during WW2, and I will definitely want to read more on the subject. On the down-side though, the author hammers too much on politics for my liking in the book.

[Jean · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a well-researched book about German prisoners of war who were held in a camp in Stark, New Hampshire, during World War II. The author provided detailed information and data about prisoners held in America in general, and about the prisoners in Stark, specifically. It was fascinating to read about the interaction between the prisoners, the guards and the townspeople. My criticism of this book is that it was primarily facts and data, and read like a history textbook. I wished the book had more personal accounts, which would have also helped make it more interesting.

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great book. It should be made into a movie! It had all the elements of a great story (bar a romance) - a good narrative, humans beings in tough situations, some good humor, and a heart warming tale of people overcoming differences bonding in an unique way. One of the best books I read that year!

[Connie · Rating 4 out of 5]

An aspect of WWII that I had not considered before, and a wonderful example of the kindness that human beings are capable of.

[Emilee King · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating read, I only wish it was longer. In an era in which we all hate each other because the internet tells us to, this was a refreshing take on un-sensationalized, un-newsworthy, un-dramatic human decency. There was no big heroic moment or sacrifice, just small and simple things that crept up on each other, and somehow that made it more compelling for me. I still can’t believe in all my WWII reading I never heard of this and I’m sad we didn’t learn about it in school.

[Sam Doucette · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a rare find in the Ayer MA town library. At first I thought it was be about nearby Fort Devens which was a POW camp during WWII. But, I enjoyed it even more knowing that it was about Camp Stark in the North Country of New Hampshire. I was surprised to read about the ideological makeup of the majority of the German POWs being anti-Nazi. I enjoyed reading about the bonds forged between the American guards, civilian foremen, and POWs over the harsh realities of woodcutting in the forests of northern New Hampshire during the long winters.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I happed upon this little gem in a used bookstore in 2021. I’m interested in WWII POWs in the U.S. because, according to my late mother, our hometown Fort Wayne, Indiana housed POWs at Camp Scott. Today few Hoosiers know that German POW’s stayed in Fort Wayne, where they didn’t cut pulpwood but shoveled sidewalks and set bowling pins at a fraternal club’s bowling alley. “Decency” is the key word in the title that attracted my attention (Yay, decency!) but the same word suggested possible sappiness and over-simplicity. I was pleasantly surprised.

Allen V. Koop’s history of German POW’s in Stark, New Hampshire, is a quaint local history packed with well-documented statistics about the POW system. Did you know that a half million Germans, Italians and Japanese were interned in the States after the U.S. joined the war? The author offers a surprisingly nuanced description of the Germans in Stark---It turns out they weren’t a homogenous group of Nazis but a mix of prisoners with varying backgrounds that did not produce one big happy family. Likewise, the behaviors of American citizens and camp supervisors varied according to the times, conditions and manager of the camp. Finally the little book describes Stark, New Hampshire in the context of world history, especially the relevance of two international agreements, the Geneva Convention Relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War and the Geneva Red Cross Convention, both signed in 1929.
In terms of history-telling, Stark Decency rates a high level of respectability. The author gathered documented evidence and conducted personal interviews in the 1980s. Koop himself warns in “Author’s Note,” that “History based primarily on interview requires caution. Unlike documents, interview subjects testify only willingly. Their reasons for wishing to speak out form part of the story.” Sadly, only five old men attended the reunion in Stark to speak glowingly of the Stark camp and they only shared good memories. When combined with documented facts, the narrative proves a level of decency that is refreshing to review in 2021.

[Margo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another book-club book I would never have found on my own! This slender book, a description of the German POW camp in Stark, NH, was written by a historian and weaves in how government decisions and political winds influenced what happened in Stark -- I'm woefully deficient in history, and I certainly learned a thing or two -- but it's more about moments of human decency and how the Stark camp experience changed individual lives (and thus influenced German-American relations).

[Brandon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was super well written. It did a wonderful job of contextualizing the events at Camp Stark within the American story of WW2. It certainly has a bias for reconciliation and forgiveness, which is one that I had not generally been exposed to in this context before, but I thought it provided a really good interpretive theme for the whole book. I really enjoyed it, found the anecdotes both charming and illuminating, and had a good time reading it.

[Edward Bergmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

An important part of American and European History

I was not sure what to expect approaching this book. The author successfully conveys the concerns and joys arising from this experience. As an American of German heritage I believe the most important aspect of the book is the realization on both sides that the other was just the same as they. I would urge adoption of this book in all school history curriculum

[Marcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! A wonderful book. A real story of decency, understanding and how reaching across the divide with kindness brings peace, forgiveness and an appreciation for life.

Imagine what kind of a world we can create, and better lives for ourselves and others when we act with decency and work together.

[Bjipson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Carefully researched and well written, this slight book tells the story of both the positives and negatives of the only WWII prisoner-of-war camp in New Hampshire. Koop sees more significance in the positives, and I certainly agree with the stance that this is what is important. Nice!

[Brad · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars for a non fiction book. A little dry at times and I wish more direct interview quotes were used, but really informative and painted a nice picture

[Tim Hayman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a marvelous piece of U.S. and New Hampshire history. The book is well researched and poignantly told in a way that transcends time.

[Claudette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent! Little did I know that German prisoners of war were stationed in our northern NH community during WW II. What an eye opener of history. The author said it best. “Camp Stark was an island of decency in a world at war.”

[Karen Floyd · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had heard about the German POW Camp in Stark and wanted to read this book for some time. German POW's in the US is not a topic that is much talked about, and I suspect most people don't know about it. I certainly didn't realize the extent of it. Almost 400,000 German soldiers were POW's in the US, and there were POW camps in all of the then 48 states. They were, on the whole, treated decently and humanely and properly fed, and put to work to offset the labor shortages resulting from the war. In Stark they were needed as woodcutters for the paper industry. Something apparently unique happened there in the two years of the camp's existence, for the POW's, their soldier guards, and the civilian residents of the small isolated village in the northern White Mountains. They came to see each other as fellow human beings, cooperated and even helped each other in getting the job done, and became friends. Unwittingly they became ambassadors of understanding and forgiveness.
An interesting sidelight was the view of the political make-up of the POW's. Some were fervent Nazis, some were Nazis out of necessity, some were anti-Nazis, and some were communists. There was often strife in the camps between the different factions, and I found myself particularly wondering what happened to the fervent Nazis when the went home to Germany. Did they just melt silently into a country and society that no longer had a place for them? I would like to know more about what happened to the POW's when they were returned to Germany, but that was not within the scope of this book.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

A friend of mine who has a camp up in Stark, nh told me about this German pow camp and I was shocked! I didn't even know that any POWs were held in the US during ww2, let alone in northern nh. But it was true and she showed me that we even had this book about it in my library! Took some adjusting to get into the book as it is non fiction but after a while I settled into it. I really appreciate that this book was written... It was a good experience to learn a little bit more about my home state! And also a unique somewhat feel good story resulting from the war. (and I've heard there is a NH Humanities program on this camp which I would love to attend!!)

[Nick · Rating 2 out of 5]

This brief history of a German POW camp in New Hampshire never really got going. I was interested to learn that there were, in fact, German POW camps in the US (in almost every state) during WWII. This little book's contribution to that history is largely anecdotal.

[Deena · Rating 2 out of 5]

Had to read this for a required NH history course.

[Ken · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great local history!

[FarmDotr · Rating 2 out of 5]

Little known history about the German POWs at Camp Stark,NH. I would have enjoyed this a bit more in novel form. There were some parts that were too dry and dull.

[anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Informative, if dry. Wonderful for my research purposes.

[Julie Hinman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting information, would not have read the whole thing if not for book group!

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Little story of WWII. For those interested in the war beyond the battlefields and New England lore.

[Mary'SU32class]

Stark Decency by Allen v Koop Is an amazing book on a German Pow camp that takes place in a New Hampshire logging town twenty miles from Berlin. Opened in 1944 and soon became famous for its constant escapes and the NH motto “live free or die”. In November 1944 two german pows dug a tunnel and nearly escaped. It got so bad that on average 10% of the camp was missing or being punished for escaping. Life Isn't just and fun escaping. The prisoners were forced (but legally paid) to work in a lumber mill and had to make a minimum of 1 cord of wood a day, per person, or else their day's rations would be cut to the amount of cord made.