Prisoners of War, 1630-1945
This is an extensive collection of records that shed light on the experiences of individuals captured in various global conflicts. These records encompass centuries of warfare, ranging from the Thirty Years’ War to both World Wars, and are sourced from The National Archives and The Naval & Military Press. This series includes documents from the Foreign Office, Colonial Office, War Office, and more, with materials such as nominal rolls, death certificates, camp inspection reports, and personal letters. Notably, the series highlights the daily realities of prisoners of war (POWs), including the conditions in camps and the experiences of both military and civilian prisoners.
Prisoners of war returning home, Hull, England © Robert Hunt / Mary Evans Picture Library
Key facts
1630-1945
Date range
More than
600,000
Images
More than
3,500,000
Transcribed entries
Source(s)
and more
Detention camp for Prisoners of War during the First World War
About this series
This series brings together over 600,000 images of historical records that offer unique insights into the experiences of individuals captured across a range of global conflicts. Prisoners of war (POWs) were either combatants or non-combatants who were captured or interned by a belligerent power and who remained key actors within military history, used for propaganda, exploited for labour, and also treated as the property of the enemy until the development of international law regarding the status of POWs. This series records provide information about prisoners imprisoned across over 100 countries or states.
The first declaration related to the treatment of POWs was in 1874, but it was not ratified. It would not be until 33 years later at the Hague Convention that Western countries agreed on rules of conduct. During the First World War, the number of prisoners reached the millions, and many nations violated these rules of conduct. After the war, in 1929 at the Geneva Convention in Switzerland, another declaration about the treatment of prisoners was signed by France, Germany, Great Britain, the United States, and others, but did not include the Soviet Union or Japan. The agreement was further ratified after the Second World War in 1949, although again not every country ratified it in this occasion either.
The records that comprise this series span centuries of warfare and cover a wide range of conflicts, including the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648), the War of the Spanish Succession (1704-1714), the War of the Austrian Succession (1740-1748), the Jacobite Rebellion (1745), the Napoleonic Wars (1799–1815), the Crimean War (1853–1856), the Second Anglo-Boer War (1899–1902), the First World War (1914–1918), and the Second World War (1939–1945) on both European and Far Eastern fronts.
This series brings together over 600,000 images of historical records that offer unique insights into the experiences of individuals captured across a range of global conflicts. Prisoners of war (POWs) were either combatants or non-combatants who were captured or interned by a belligerent power and who remained key actors within military history, used for propaganda, exploited for labour, and also treated as the property of the enemy until the development of international law regarding the status of POWs. This series records provide information about prisoners imprisoned across over 100 countries or states.
The first declaration related to the treatment of POWs was in 1874, but it was not ratified. It would not be until 33 years later at the Hague Convention that Western countries agreed on rules of conduct. During the First World War, the number of prisoners reached the millions, and many nations violated these rules of conduct. After the war, in 1929 at the Geneva Convention in Switzerland, another declaration about the treatment of prisoners was signed by France, Germany, Great Britain, the United States, and others, but did not include the Soviet Union or Japan. The agreement was further ratified after the Second World War in 1949, although again not every country ratified it in this occasion either.
The records that comprise this series span centuries of warfare and cover a wide range of conflicts, including the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648), the War of the Spanish Succession (1704-1714), the War of the Austrian Succession (1740-1748), the Jacobite Rebellion (1745), the Napoleonic Wars (1799–1815), the Crimean War (1853–1856), the Second Anglo-Boer War (1899–1902), the First World War (1914–1918), and the Second World War (1939–1945) on both European and Far Eastern fronts.
Register of Prisoners of War (1811-1812) listing their names and descriptions (The National Archives, ADM 103/297)
Deaths in Tandjong Priok prisoner of war camp during World War Two (The National Archives, WO 361/1349)
Record sets
Prisoners of War Records
Prisoners Of War, General Correspondence, 1915
Highlights
The National Archives
The National Archives
Most of the records comprising this series are sourced from The National Archives, including records from the Foreign Office, Colonial Office, War Office, Admiralty, and the Air Force. Every branch of the military (Army, Navy, and Air Force) is represented, and this collection provides a broad spectrum of materials, including nominal rolls, death certificates, personal letters from families, official camp reports, and much more. Some volumes contain inspection reports, detailing the facilities, provisions, and conditions within the camps. These reports shed light on the daily realities of those held captive, describing the buildings, equipment, and the standard of living in great detail. Other records include photographs of prisoners from the Second World War in prison camps in the Far East. Civilians, including missionaries, priests, nuns, and friars, can be found in these documents. This series also includes four volumes in the series FO 383 from The National Archives (FO 383/39-42), covering the period January to June 1915. They contain correspondence related to prisoners held captive by the Germans during the early days of First World War, and these fascinating snapshots provide a picture of the concerns of the relatives of those who had been captured, as well as senior government ministers alike. These records also include reports from observers about the conditions in those camps. Alongside those captured in battle, the correspondence files also document a less well-known side of the prisoner of war experience: that of civilians interred due to their presence in Germany at the outbreak of war.
Most of the records comprising this series are sourced from The National Archives, including records from the Foreign Office, Colonial Office, War Office, Admiralty, and the Air Force. Every branch of the military (Army, Navy, and Air Force) is represented, and this collection provides a broad spectrum of materials, including nominal rolls, death certificates, personal letters from families, official camp reports, and much more. Some volumes contain inspection reports, detailing the facilities, provisions, and conditions within the camps. These reports shed light on the daily realities of those held captive, describing the buildings, equipment, and the standard of living in great detail. Other records include photographs of prisoners from the Second World War in prison camps in the Far East. Civilians, including missionaries, priests, nuns, and friars, can be found in these documents. This series also includes four volumes in the series FO 383 from The National Archives (FO 383/39-42), covering the period January to June 1915. They contain correspondence related to prisoners held captive by the Germans during the early days of First World War, and these fascinating snapshots provide a picture of the concerns of the relatives of those who had been captured, as well as senior government ministers alike. These records also include reports from observers about the conditions in those camps. Alongside those captured in battle, the correspondence files also document a less well-known side of the prisoner of war experience: that of civilians interred due to their presence in Germany at the outbreak of war.
Transcript-only material
Transcript-only material
In addition to the records from The National Archives, this collection includes a small number of transcript-only materials provided by The Naval & Military Press and Brian Sims, an independent licensor. These external sources complement the primary records with additional content, such as detailed records of British POWs held in German territories during the Second World War, as well as records of escapers and evaders who successfully escaped from POW camps. These transcripts are especially valuable for researchers seeking specific details on individual POWs, as well as those interested in escape and evasion narratives during the Second World War.
In addition to the records from The National Archives, this collection includes a small number of transcript-only materials provided by The Naval & Military Press and Brian Sims, an independent licensor. These external sources complement the primary records with additional content, such as detailed records of British POWs held in German territories during the Second World War, as well as records of escapers and evaders who successfully escaped from POW camps. These transcripts are especially valuable for researchers seeking specific details on individual POWs, as well as those interested in escape and evasion narratives during the Second World War.
