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#WTOStakeover Hello! I’m @ArturStasiek. For my masters dissertation I examined the conflicted heritage of WWII camps in the Chicago area, which this thread of tweets is based on. My website (in development): https://storiesthroughkeepsakes.com/ ">https://storiesthroughkeepsakes.com/">...
1. Is the classification of an archaeological site ever completely set in stone? By examining the heritage of a WWII army camp north of Chicago, it is shown that sites do not always appear to be what they are. Contextualization is a necessary but sometimes difficult task.
2. Camp Skokie Valley was a Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) camp from 1934 to 1942. During WWII, from 1942 to 1946, it functioned as a military police (MP) camp for the 740th MP Battalion. Then in 1945 came the arrival of several hundred German prisoners of war (PoWs).
3. The MPs had an interesting experience. Their primary purpose was to maintain internal security, which meant protecting public utilities and industrial plants. Two associated activities included responding to labor troubles and the guarding of government materials.
4. Still there was another side to the battalion. Such events like the Weapons of War exhibit, showcasing American and captured enemy equipment, brought the unit in close contact with the public. Appearing in Chicago in July 1944, the exhibit was guarded and staffed by the MPs.
5. At the center of the battalion’s public relations activities was its band. Its exact size fluctuating over time, never more than a few dozen men, the band performed in and around Chicago on many occasions. Link to band member playing the drums: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcoIb6vL7Ac&feature=youtu.be">https://www.youtube.com/watch... https://www.youtube.com/watch...
6. From March to September 1945, another major group of military personnel was at Camp Skokie Valley. These were German PoWs from the main regional PoW camp at Fort Sheridan. Interned in an enclosure adjacent to where the MPs lived, they numbered 225 initially.
7. The nature of the PoWs’ activities was army work. Occupying most of their time was manual labor performed for several military installations in the Chicago area. A severe shortage in manpower existed in the region at the time, hence the need for the PoWs’ services.
8. Camp Skokie Valley closed down sometime in early 1946. Most buildings were sold and dismantled soon after. One building did survive and for many decades operated as a Girl Scouts camp, before falling into disrepair and finally becoming torn down in the 2010s.
9. The camp does not exist anymore; however, its memory is far from having faded into obscurity. This is due to a series of presentations, blog and newspaper articles, archaeological preservation efforts, and even its inclusion as a setting in a novella of historical-fiction.
10. How is Camp Skokie Valley remembered? The PoWs may have only stayed at the camp for less than seven months, but it is their occupation that receives the biggest attention. Any discussion of the installation is generally concerned with it serving as a PoW branch camp.
11. Although the classification of PoW branch camp is not incorrect, it does detract from the other function of Camp Skokie Valley as a major MP garrison. Was the work performed by the PoWs any more important than what the MPs did? Can there be a more inclusive classification?
12. Takeaway: When contextualizing an archaeological site or artifact, careful consideration should be given to various existing narratives. Certain consequences can be had from focusing, or not focusing, on a certain narrative.
Stayed tuned at 17:00 (BST) for @LaingGarrett and his presentation on public reinterpretations of Soviet monuments. Thank you to @stuffofwar for hosting this takeover. Again this is #WTOStakeover. I will be around for a while to answer any questions.
