History

One of the lesser known chapters of World War II history concerns German prisoners of war brought to the U.S. for internment. One of the more than 500 camps scattered across the U.S. and Canada was located at Aliceville, Alabama–here in Pickens County.
The Aliceville Museum and Cultural Arts Center documents this lesser known episode in WWII history. From 1942-1945 Camp Aliceville held more than 6,000 German prisoners of war. The museum is dedicated to preserving the history of the relationship between the community and those former POWs, and is home to some of the relics and artistic expression left by the POWs in Aliceville.

For a more detailed account of the POWs experience at Camp Aliceville, enjoy Randy Wall’s ‘Inside the Wire: Aliceville and the Afrika Korps.’

For a more thorough history of the county, follow the numbered page links above to an historical overview written by Pickens resident, Robert Kirksey.