BETWEEN HITLER AND STALIN

RIMINI, ITALY

Rimini is a city on the Adriatic coast in Northern Italy. After WWII it was the sight of British POW camps. The approximately 10 000 soldiers of the 14th Waffen SS Division Galicia who surrendered to the British in May 1945 were interned at Rimini. They were held in Camp 5C from June to October 1945 and then in Camp 1B from October 1945 to June 1947.

Because the veterans of the 14th were from Galicia and the Allied powers did not recognize the legitimacy of the Soviet occupation of Western Ukraine in 1939 the veterans were not subject to forced repatriation. The Soviet repatriation mission, promising amnesty, persuaded some 900 veterans to return to the USSR. They were promptly sent to labor camps in Siberia

The Ukrainian officers of the 14th controlled the internal life of the camp; a high standard of discipline and morale was maintained throughout the two years of internment. Four Ukrainian Catholic chaplains and one Orthodox chaplain held religious services. There was a cultural department, which held concerts by choirs and orchestras organized by the prisoners. There were also several theater productions. An educational department held courses in elementary and secondary levels. There was also a commercial and pedagogical college and a technical, farming and forestry program.

There was also a vibrant press scene in the camp. There was a daily bulletin, Zhyttia v tabori (Life in Camp), a weekly paper Batkivshchyna (Fatherland), and a satirical biweekly Osa (The Wasp).

Under the circumstances the standard of living provided by the British for the internees was fairly good. The Ukrainian Relief Commission in Rome was also very active in helping the veterans.

During the Division’s internment at Rimini, it was investigated by the British authorities and cleared of war crimes. The British Commission responsible for the investigation noted that the veterans of the Division held no affinity for Hitler but were united by their aversion to Stalin and the USSR. In June 1947 the veterans of the 14th were taken to England, and released. Most settled in Canada, the United States and Britain.