Whitewater (POW camp)

The Whitewater POW camp, established during World War II, was a labor camp located in Riding Mountain National Park, Manitoba, operating between 1943 and 1945. Situated on the northeast shore of Whitewater Lake, the site housed 440 to 450 German prisoners of war, primarily from the Afrika Korps. It was unique as the only POW camp in North America without a surrounding fence or barbed wire due to its remote location, which made escape attempts impractical. The camp consisted of fifteen buildings and was constructed to address a wartime fuelwood shortage by employing POWs in logging activities. Throughout its operation, the camp was known for relatively amicable relations between prisoners and guards, with instances of fraternization with local civilians. The camp was closed following the war, and the remaining structures were auctioned off.