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All the United States Alabama Anniston German-Italian Memorial Cemetery
AO Edited

German-Italian Memorial Cemetery

This small cemetery contains the graves of prisoners of war who were interred at Fort McClellan during World War II.

Anniston, Alabama

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One of the graves of Giusppe Jacoboni   caburroughs0565 / Atlas Obscura User
Since the cemetery has been deemed historic it is very well taken care of.   caburroughs0565 / Atlas Obscura User
Full scale of the Cemetery   caburroughs0565 / Atlas Obscura User
This is an Iron Cross that was donated to the cemetery in honor of those buried.   caburroughs0565 / Atlas Obscura User
This is one side of the list of people buried.   caburroughs0565 / Atlas Obscura User
The other side of the list.   caburroughs0565 / Atlas Obscura User
Please follow the regulations whilst inside the gate.   caburroughs0565 / Atlas Obscura User
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About

On a little road surrounded by pine trees and quaint houses in Anniston, Alabama, you can find a number of headstones that mark the final resting places of German and Italian soldiers who were held as prisoners of war.

From 1943 to 1946, German and Italian soldiers from the North African Campaign were brought to Fort McClellan as prisoners of war. More than 400,000 Axis soldiers were held as prisoners in camps throughout the United States, and some 3,000 were interned at Fort McClellan, which was widely regarded as a model camp.

A total of 29 men are buried at the cemetery, 26 of them German and three Italian. The Italians that came to the cemetery were reburied there after other camps closed. Most of the deaths had been accidents, at least at Fort McClellan, however, there was one case of a soldier who died by suicide after suffering from psychosis. When these soldiers died they were given the same rights as an American soldier, including proper headstones. In one case the ambulance that took the POW to the hospital came to the funeral. 

In recent years, a project was set in place to restore the graves, where they were all cleaned up and a big fence was put up. There are still events going on to continue the respect for the soldiers, such as every third Sunday of November there is a ceremony of placing wreaths with the ROTC color guard and military. 

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Prisons World War Ii War History Cemeteries

Know Before You Go

There is no fee for coming inside or place to get souvenirs but it is asked to be respectful while there, given as it is their final resting place. Its operating hours are from dawn to dusk and the gate isn’t locked to open; you simply pull the piece of metal up and pull.

Community Contributors

Added By

caburroughs0565

Edited By

gwsutcliffe, walstrom99, lizzyloveskizzy, Collector of Experiences

  • gwsutcliffe
  • walstrom99
  • lizzyloveskizzy
  • Collector of Experiences

Published

January 18, 2022

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Sources
  • https://calhounjournal.com/annual-pow-memorial-ceremony-to-commemorate-soldiers-at-annistons-mcclellan-german-italian-cemetery/
  • Burroughs, Charlotte Anne, and Joan McKinny. POW Cemetery Interview WIth Joan McKinny. Personal, August 30, 2021. Personal Interview
  • Burroughs, Charlotte Anne, and Zach Grizzard. Information on the POW Cemetery in Anniston. Personal, August 29, 2021. Personal Interview
  • Shamsi-Basha, Karim. “Joan McKinny Preserves World War II History at an Anniston Cemetery .” Alabama News Center. Alabama News Center, April 22, 2016. https://www.alabamanewscenter.com/2016/04/22/joan-mckinney-preserves-world-war-ii-history-anniston-cemetery/
  • Administration, National Cemetery. “VA.gov: Veterans Affairs.” Fort McClellan EPW Cemetery, April 27, 2015. https://www.cem.va.gov/cems/lots/FtMcClellanEPW.asp.
German-Italian Memorial Cemetery
3557-3531 Shipley Rd
Anniston, Alabama, 36205
United States
33.717413, -85.809553
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