Archive Record
Images
Metadata
Collection |
Friedrich Arends Collection |
Object ID |
MC-016 |
Accession Number |
2018.019 |
Title |
Friedrich Arends Manuscript Collection |
Year Range from |
1944 |
Year Range to |
2013 |
Creator |
Friedrich Arends |
Scope & Content |
The Friedrich Arends Manuscript Collection contains personal papers associated with Friedrich Arends, a former navigator with the Kriegsmarine (German Navy) during World War II and a former prisoner of war captured by U.S. forces in France in August 1944. The collection includes a portait of Arnends wearing his military service uniform. Born on March 26, 1925, in Bunde, Germany, Arends spent time in the United States after his capture. Arends was sent to California via Italy, Africa, and New York. In California Arends served time as a POW at Camp Beale and Fort Ord. (Today, Camp Beale is referred to as Beale Air Force Base and is located approximately 40 miles North of Sacramento; Fort Ord was closed in 1994, but is still partially controlled by the Army.) As a prisoner at Camp Beale, Arends worked in the automotive paint workshop with other German prisoners of war. Two photos in the collection show Arends with his fellow prisoners. A pamphlet about Camp Beale is also included in the collection. The pamphlet denotes the location where the prisoner of war camp was located. In November 1945, Arends left Camp Beale and started work as an agricultural laborer, probably near Fort Ord. After WWII ended, Arends returned to Germany via England. While in England, according to a news article included in the collection, the majority of Arends's possessions were confiscated. Arends returned to his wife in Germany where for the rest of his life he worked for the Federal Republic of Germany as a part of the Frontier Inspection Service. Around 1995, Arends contacted the commander of Beale AFB, seeking a booklet, a 1995 stamp, and the signature of the present commander. Arends received a response from Col. Robert F. Behler, Commander of Beale AFB, in the form of an adorned envelope, a letter, and pictures depicting the base during the mid-1990s, such as aircraft used for reconnaissance purposes. Colonel Behler invited Arends to revisit California, but Arends declined, noting his age. The collection contains a photograph showing Arends holding the envelope that Colonel Behler sent to him. Arends died on December 14, 2013, at the age of 88. Additional items in the collection include Arends's Kriegsmarine dog tag, his prisoner of war button from Fort Ord, a booklet about the Military Government of Germany, and a newspaper article that cites Arends as he recalls an incident of friendly fire among German forces during the war. |
People |
Friedrich Arends Behler, Robert F. |
Search Terms |
POW Prisoner of War WWII World War II Second World War Fort Ord Camp Beale Kriegsmarine German Navy Dog tag Colonel Robert F. Behler Col. Robert F. Behler Commander Beale Air Force Base |
Containers |
Gift Agreement Personal Artifacts of Friedrich-Ft. Ord POW Button and Kriegsmarine Dog Tag Original Photographs Photocopies of Original Photographs Military Government of Germany Booklet No. 8547 Camp Beale-Pamphlet Communications with Camp Beale Newspaper Article-Friendly Fire Incident, Apr. 1944 Court Document-Last Will and Testament |